Source: TTR World Tour

Newly re-emerged on the competition scene, Marko Grilc a.k.a “Grilo”, is no one hit wonder, but a familiar face in the snowboard world since a decade. Introduced to the wonders of snowboarding by his brother at the age of 7, he quickly picked up the skills. He soon began competing, claiming early success winning himself four Youth World Championships. Shortly afterwards he was snatched up by one of the leading snowboarding brands, Burton, who have in the past 10 years nursed him on his way to success and given him the opportunity to design his own board for four years, as well as work on clothing designs.

The friendly and outgoing Grilc has successfully been focusing on filming for many years now and has kept away from the competitive snowboarding scene. His impeccable style and floaty airs in the backcountry and parks all around the world have been captured in some standout video parts for Pirate Productions, Standard Films, Blank Paper Productions and Burton.

In season 2008/2009, upon his return to competitions, Marko claimed a World No. 32 placement on the Swatch TTR Tour and rode for the Slovene team finishing 2nd in the overall ranking in FIS Big Air. He began his 2009/2010 season in the Southern Hemisphere, bagging some good TTR results such as the 3rd place at the 3Star Boost Mobile Sho Sho, which lead for him to jump up into TTR World No. 4 after the first Northern Hemisphere event, the 4Star Horsefeathers Pleasure Jam.

At the first 6Star event of season 2009/10, the Billabong Air & Style/II, Marko landed a switch backside double corked 1080 in the super finals, which in the delight of 11.500 viewers, earned him the coveted Ring of Glory. This bumped him up to the Swatch TTR Tour lead, for the first time in his career, and gave him an invite to the 6Star Oakley Arctic Challenge and the 6Star O’Neill Evolution. “This is the best day of my life by far. I never even thought that this could happen. I am just very stoked” said the overwhelmed Grilc after the prize giving. “I went to Australia and New Zealand and then today I am number one. I don’t even know what to say. It came out of fun and pleasure and now I am here and I am stoked.”

Stemming from Ljublijana in Slovenia Marko is somewhat of a national hero, and upon winning the Air & Style his phone filled with congratulation messages. The season 09/10 is looking bright for this experienced rider, and we are happy to see him back on the TTR Tour with a motivation to take over the top spot.

INTERVIEW WITH MARKO AFTER HIS WIN AT 6STAR BILLABONG AIR & STYLE (December 2009)

1. How did you get into snowboarding?
I have been shredding since 18 years now. I got into snowboarding through skating and my brother got me into that.

2. Explain the addictiveness of snowboarding? Why do you choose to snowboard?
I love to do sports and be in the mountains, it gives me the freedom I need in my life and the people and lifestyle are a perfect match to my personality. For me, I get a lot of happiness out of the day while doing this.

3. How would you describe the difference of feeling, between riding powder, winning competitions, getting a cover shot or feature article or profile and stomping a new trick? What stands out for you?
For me there is a good side to everything. I think riding pow or learning a new trick is the essence of why I snowboard. The happiness I got in the beginning is still the same. When you get a nice picture or win a contest it is more of a reward for your hard work. Feels more like the work side of snowboarding, which is also good.

4. Which way do you surf and/or skate? How have these other board sports influenced your snowboarding?
I do everything regular, I think surfing gives me the right vacation time activity. It is really fun and makes you strong, and the way I do it you don’t really get hurt just like that. I mean, I ride mellow waves, heh. Not that I am good.

5. How has snowboarding changed since you first started?
Well, in all those years it went from just crazy times to serious. From a sport full of people who are just having fun snowboarding to a main stream sport followed by a huge industry. I think the spirit is still here, it changed a bit but it will never go away.

6. Progression in snowboarding is taking off. Why do you think it has risen so much and so fast? Should it just continue into massive spins and flips? Do you think pros are sacrificing style, spinning big to win?
I just think that is the evolution of the sport. That moment had to come. Snowboarding reached the limit in some parts, such as size of jumps. So the next step is the tricks we do. So double flips are here but it will progress in other ways also.  I think if there is no style doing your tricks you shouldn’t even do it.

7. What does the TTR World Tour mean to snowboarding? Where do you think it’s going? What does it mean to the sport and to snowboarders?
I think it is super important to have an organization such as the TTR, it keeps snowboarding true to what it is and doesn’t let it get ruined by the ski influenced competitions. I think in the next couple of years snowboarding will go into competitions a lot. Most of the pros are going to have to do contests full time because of the exposure they can get.

8. Who do you love to shred with? Who do you love to compete with?
I love to shred with my yugo friends from back home and with all the Burton homies. I know them all very well, so I know when they do some new trick or when they stomp a cool trick. I know when they are stocked so I can be happy with them.

9. What is the first contest you won? How long have you been riding in contests?
I rode a lot of contest when I was little, it meant a lot to me back than to compete. But then I kind of lost it because I started seeing new challenges in the backcountry. But now I am back to competing. So I guess I am just so old that my thinking has changed a couple of times. Heheh!

10. What specific techniques do you use when riding in a competition? Do you wax your board a certain way? Do you spin a certain way? Do you map out your runs before hand?
I try to have fun cause then I ride the best. I try to do my tricks as the jump feels. I try not to let other people influence my feelings.

11. How does filming fit into your competitive schedule? Is it difficult to film and compete in the same season? Which do you prefer and why? Any goals with filming or magazine coverage?
I try to do something every day, so when I have time I go filming. I think it is good for your mind to change it up a bit. I like to do both and I hope I get to film a part this season also.

12. Who is currently the most stylish rider in your eyes? Who is killing it right now?
I think Mikkel Bang, Gigi Rüf, Scotty Lago and Danny Davis… are on top of their game when it comes to making riding look good.

13. As current TTR Tour leader, you are in a good position for the rest of the season. How would you feel and what would you do if you won the tour? What does it mean to you?
I think I have to ride really good to be in that spot at the end of the season, it is not just one contest. You need to be riding really good through out the whole year so I will just try to have fun and do my best. If I win I would be very surprised and stocked at the same time…