Interview With Sarah Burke

Some have called her the best skier in the world, while others contend that she doesn't actually ski. Wherever you stand on the jibbing vs. big mountain debate, you have to respect Sarah Burke for this: After tearing her right MCL while competing against the men in the U.S. Open Big Air, then ripping the meniscus in her left knee a week later, Sarah still won four out of five contests she entered in 2003 (her only second-place finish was in the U.S. Open Halfpipe, the day after she tore her MCL). Despite skiing injured all season, she raised the level of women's skiing with new moves such as 900s in and out of the pipe and cab 3s. After having her meniscus repaired over the summer, the 21-year-old Midland, Ontario, native plans to return to Mammoth, California, this winter with a new sled, a new living arrangement, and a new focus on attacking bigger lines.

What motivated you to push yourself so hard last season?

I kind of felt like I had slacked off the year before, and I just did what I had to do and didn't really work on anything new or push myself. By the end of the year I felt bad about myself and I was not happy with where I was. It gave me kind of a fire inside, to get going and get to work. I really wanted to learn a bunch of stuff and do well last year, and it is still going. I still want to keep learning and have a really good year this year, too.

There aren't many girls who are doing what you do on your level. Who do you look towards for inspiration?

Just all of the guys. Watching them do something new just makes me want to try it. The girls who do it with me are inspiring too; we are all doing it together, and that is really cool.

Who is your favorite female skier to watch?

I like Kristi [Leskinen] and Marie [Martinod]. They are both really smooth skiers, and they are stylie too. Marie has a whole lot of style going on.

The buzz in the men's freestyle world right now is taking progressive moves to natural, backcountry terrain, is that something that you aspire too, also?

Yeah, definitely. I started too a little this year, and that is when I had to stop skiing for a bit, because I was just too hurt. Jumping cliffs and hitting backcountry kickers was going off this year. It is something that I am so not good at. I like the challenge of it, and I really want to do a lot more next year.

When I was at Superpark 5 Mike Douglas called you the best female skier in the world this year, but added "except for [big mountain] skiing because she doesn't really do that. Do you feel like this is an aspect in your skiing that you need to step up to get across-the-board respect?

Oh my gosh, yes, for sure, I am nowhere near being at any kind of level that I want to be with skiing. Where I grew up my hill was like 300 feet, so it is not like I ever really got to "ski" ski. I have been in Mammoth for the last two years, but I have never really gone out and gone skiing, even though I keep saying I am going too. I got a taste of it this winter, and it's really something I want to work on a lot.

Are you going back to Mammoth this winter?

Yeah a friend of mine is moving down with me, and we are going to do a big girls house. I am really excited about that.

So on those stormy Mammoth days when light is bad and the park is covered in powder where will we find Sarah Burke?

Hopefully snowmobiling. I got a new sled at the beginning of last year, but I didn't use it that much. So that's what I would like to be doing now--a lot more sledding and more skiing.

Nice, what kind of sled do you have?

I have a Summit 600, long track.

You have accomplished a lot in skiing at a young age, what is the one thing that you dream of doing but have not had the opportunity to, yet?

Winter X, still, of course. They had Global X Games, which was amazing and super awesome to be a part of the first one for females, but I'm still going for just plain old X Games. I'd like to see that happen. I just want to keep learning more stuff and getting more girls out there. I want to see full competitions now with categories for females.

Do you think women's freestyle skiing is on that level yet?

I don't know. It is up in the air. I think there is a hand full of girls that can pull it off. Compared to women's snowboarding, I think we can all definitely keep up. Right now I think the girls are being pushed a little more because it is such a small group, therefore we get compared more to guys than girls. It is a small handful right now, but the handful that is doing it is definitely worthy.

Have you ever had an action shot of yourself on the cover of a magazine?

No.

Do you ever wish people would pay more attention your skiing and less on you looks?

My main goal in life is to do great things in the ski world and that's what I hope I am recognized for first. But the day I have an action shot on the cover is just gonna be the top. It's gonna be the cherry on top of everything.

If Playboy called you and asked you to pose would you do it?

Not at this point. No. Maxim Yes, but Playboy--not quite ready for yet.

Any truth to the stereotype that French Canadians have questionable hygene?

Yes, definitely. Actually Phil [Belanger] and I broke up, so that might look like I am trying to dis him, which I'm definitely not.

Derek Taylor