Looking Sideways Action Sports Podcast

Full episode and show notes: www.wearelookingsideways.com *L E G E N D K L A X O N*Yep, I invited another true great onto the show for episode 022: none other than Travis Rice, a towering presence in snowboarding culture since he exploded onto the scene back in 2001.Today Travis stands as one of the undisputed greatest of all time. With his riding, his approach to arenas such as AK, his films or pioneering contests such as Ultranatural, it is no exaggeration to say that he has set the snowboarding agenda for the best part of two decades.So when he agreed to sit down with me in London in October 2017 to look back over his career, I was naturally pretty stoked. And Travis didn’t disappoint, getting right into the spirit of the podcast as we looked back over the key milestones of his career.Yep, it’s a good one this, a peerless insight into the mind of one of the world’s most influential snowboarders and athletes. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.Thanks to Scott Nixon (www.scottnixon.co.uk) for post-production help and Matt Ward (www.linguistine.com) for the theme tune. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wearelookingsideways.com/subscribe

Full episode info and show notes: www.wearelookingsideways.comI welcomed a true legend onto the Looking Sideways Action Sports Podcast for episode 021:  3 x World Champion, renowned shark puncher and all-round Aussie surfing superstar Mick Fanning.I headed round to Mick’s place during my recent surf trip to Hossegor in the South West of France, and we got stuck into Mick’s life and career during the course of a hugely enjoyable conversation.Whether it’s the wildcard win at Bells back in 2001 that served notice of his talent, those 3 World Championship titles, that infamous 2015 run-in with a Great White or his recent return to the tour after a much-needed year out, Mick’s lived an incredible life by any standards.He is also, as I discovered, a supremely laidback and welcoming character, and during our conversation we covered the lot in an in-depth conversation with a man who’s lived a rollercoaster life, and is constantly striving to learn from the past, keep moving and keep evolving. A real pleasure to talk to you Mick. Thanks for coming onto the show and getting into the spirit of the Looking Sideways podcast.Thanks to Scott Nixon (www.scottnixon.co.uk) for post-production help and Matt Ward (www.linguistine.com) for the theme tune. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wearelookingsideways.com/subscribe

Full episode info and show notes: www.wearelookingsideways.com For the third and final part of my Irish omnibus, recorded on my trip to the west coast at the end of September 2017, I headed to Galway to meet Easkey Britton.Easkey is a surfer, XXL nominee, swimmer, academic, artist, thinker, activist, environmentalist and explorer from Donegal. Part of the legendary Britton clan, she grew up surfing the great waves around Bundoran and Rossnowlagh, and is today famed for surfing some of the scariest waves around, like Mullaghmore and Aileens.Yet as I discovered, there's much more to Easkey than a penchant for taking on big waves. We covered a lot of ground during during our wide-ranging and captivating chat - obviously her background as a surfer, but also her academic work, her family's role as pioneers of the Irish surf scene and the way she is linking these threads together through the many different projects she's involved in, like Waves of Freedom and the new Ocean Collectiv, of which she's a founding partner.Ultimately this one is about connecting threads, and how through curiosity, openness, generosity and striving you can create links between the things that interest you for the greater good. Thanks Easkey! It was great to talk to you. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wearelookingsideways.com/subscribe

Full episode and show notes: www.wearelookingsideways.com It’s part two of my special Irish omnibus - episode 019 with surfer Sophie Hellyer, recorded during my brief sojourn to Lahinch on the west coast of Ireland at the end of September 2017. Sophie is a surfer, model and writer who came to prominence in her teens after she won British titles and was soon snapped up by Roxy. She then spent ten years as a Roxy girl, modelling, travelling, surfing and living what many would see as the dream gig. Since then, she has made some dramatic changes to her life, moving to Ireland, pretty much giving up modelling and using her experiences in that industry to formulate some unique and principled views on the issues of gender stereotyping and female objectification in surfing. We sat down at her cottage in Lahinch to chat over some of these topics and look back over her life and career. A great chat this one, with a principled and values-driven surfer creating change from the front. Thanks for coming on Sophie!Thanks to Chris Cracknell (@6ftstereo) and Matt Ward (www.linguistine.com) for the theme tune. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wearelookingsideways.com/subscribe

Full episode and show notes: www.wearelookingsideways.comWelcome to Part 1 of my special Irish omnibus! Yep, in mid-September 2017 I headed over to County Clare in Ireland for a few days surfing and to catch up with some friends for the podcast. First up is Irish surfer and farmer Fergal Smith. Ferg’s the man who turned his back on a successful pro surf career to head back to Ireland and establish a community farm in Lahinch on the west coast. Today, Moy Hill CSA Farm, run by Fergal, Matt Smith, Mitch Corbett and an array of helpers, feeds 50 local families from a 17 acre site. I headed up there to find out more from Ferg and got the lowdown on the whole project, as well as the new Moy Hill Crowdfunder campaign. Find out more and donate: www.moyhillfarm.com Thanks to Chris Cracknell (@6ftstereo) and Matt Ward (www.linguistine.com) for the theme tune. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wearelookingsideways.com/subscribe

Full episode info and show notes: www.wearelookingsideways.comEpisode 017! How did that happen? This time I headed down to Newquay to speak to Ben Skinner, world-renowned longboarder, the man behind Skindog Surfboards and all round UK surf legend. Ben and the boys were super welcoming and after showing me around the factory we sat down and went back over his life and career. Up for discussion - the current state of longboarding, the ethos behind Skindog Surfboards, his impatience with people who try to limit what other people ride, and just why he was so pissed off about a recent article slating the state of UK surfing.Ben is forthright, funny, opinionated and all round good company, so this is a free-wheeling, entertaining chinwag on surfing and much more. Enjoy. Thanks to Chris Cracknell (https://soundcloud.com/6ftstereo) and Matt Ward (www.linguistine.com) for the theme tune This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wearelookingsideways.com/subscribe

Full episode info and show notes: www.wearelookingsideways.comEpisode 015 is a special episode of the Looking Sideways Action Sports podcast, as I invited my old friend Marcus Chapman onto the show to discuss his work for CALM, his role as organiser of Nelson’s Tour de Test Valley and our old friend, the much-loved and much-missed Nelson Pratt. We wanted to discuss Nelson’s own story in the hope that it might illuminate some of the issues around mental health in a positive way, and help illustrate the ways in which CALM raises awareness about this most sensitive of issues.As you might imagine, it was an really honest and open chat this one, so huge thanks for coming on the show, being so honest and sharing yours and Nelson’s story Marcus. Ride on Nelly! We miss you brother XThanks to Chris Cracknell (https://soundcloud.com/6ftstereo) and Matt Ward (www.linguistine.com) for the theme tune This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wearelookingsideways.com/subscribe

Full episode info and show notes: www.wearelookingsideways.comBefore June 2017, Alex Honnold, my guest for episode 015, was already renowned as one of the world’s greatest climbers thanks to achievements such as the Fitzroy Traverse, his free solo ascents of Moonlight Buttress in Zion National Park and on Half Dome, or his solo ascent of Yosemite’s Triple Crown.Then he ‘sent the project’ he’d been working on for years – a free solo ascent (where the climber ascends without ropes or protection) of the 3000-plus feet Freerider on El Capitan in California’s Yosemite Valley.It was immediately hailed as one of the greatest climbing accomplishments in history, and it immediately catapulted Alex into a new stratosphere of fame and notoriety.So when I was invited along to interview Alex during his flying visit to London, a scant two months after this historic achievement, I headed on up to town to get a first-hand account from the man himself. Thanks to Chris Cracknell (https://soundcloud.com/6ftstereo) and Matt Ward (www.linguistine.com) for the theme tune This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wearelookingsideways.com/subscribe

Full episode info and show notes: www.wearelookingsideways.comMy episode 014 guest is Lucy Adams - pro skateboarder, chair of Skateboard England and one of the most respected and positive presences in UK skateboarding. Lucy has been a tirelessly upbeat presence in UK skateboarding for years now, whether through the efforts she’s made to make skateboarding more accessible for girls through her She-Shredders coaching classes, or through her visibility as one of the most high profile female skateboarders out there.She’s also celebrating twenty years in the game with a pro model on long-term sponsor Lovenskate, and a new video part, so it seemed the perfect time to meet and discuss her life and career. It’s a very honest and moving chat this one, so big ups to Lucy for her hospitality and openness. Thanks to Chris Cracknell (https://soundcloud.com/6ftstereo) for post production help and Matt Ward (www.linguistine.com) for the theme tune. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wearelookingsideways.com/subscribe

Full episode info and show notes: www.wearelookingsideways.comMy guest for episode 013 is journalist and broadcaster Keme Nzerem: skier, climber, outdoorsman, head judge at Kendal Mountain Film Festival and Correspondent for Channel 4 News. Keme covers some of the biggest stories in the world, and in this in-depth chat, recorded in London in July 2017, we dig deep into his career and experiences working on stories such as Hurricane Katrina and Grenfell Tower. If you enjoyed Ed Leigh on how he ended up presenting Ski Sunday, or Orlando von Eisendel on how he carved out his illustrious film-making career, you'll love this one. Thanks to Scott Nixon (www.scottnixon.co.uk)for post-production help and Matt Ward (www.linguistine.com) for the theme tune. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.wearelookingsideways.com/subscribe