Sven Winter
Words by Ryan Mitchell
Photography by Andy Fang
Sven Winter is this month’s HYPE G!. At the young at of 15, Sven started competing internationally. He is a vocal patriot and combining this with his passion for skiing, Sven is determined to represent Canada in the 2010 Winter Olympics. In addition to this, Sven is hoping to represent Canada in the skicross event, a new event to the Winter Olympics. Still, he is determined and confident for results. Read what we had to chat with Sven about as we sat down with the Olympian hopeful.
Describe yourself
I’m a ski cross racer, my goal is to win the 2010 Olympics, that is also my vision. I’m the youngest guy by eight years on average in. I’m top ten in Canada, top fifteen in the world for my age and I’m going hard, this is where I want to make my debut here in my home town, representing Canada for the Olympics.
Talk about your first ski
I started skiing when I was three at Hemlock Valley, near Mission. I don’t remember that much then, but I vaguely remember enjoying it. I started racing when I was seven, in Whistler at that point, and I knew that I loved it. I found this drawing that I made when I was eight that said, ‘I want to be the Ski Champion of the World.’ A pencil crayon picture of me with medals and plaques with a guy announcing over the loud speakers ‘Sven Winters: Ski Champion!’ What I realized afterwards was what that set me up for now, which is winning the Olympics. The first time I ever tried Ski cross was last March. My first race was on in Whistler and I just entered in it, did the race and in the last round, I was up against older and bigger guys. I’m looking around ‘here goes nothing.’ I pull out, win the race, and the next week I go to Canadian Nationals and came top fifteen, in my first two weeks of racing Ski Cross.
What does next year mean to you?
Next year means winning.
What snapped you into representing for the country?
I have always been a patriot for Canada, I love this country, I have been fortunate to ski race halfway around the World. Skied in Europe several times, South America etc. I had the chance experience that Canada is a revered country and this is by far the best place on earth – I hate to steal the ‘B.C’ slogan. I just love being Canadian.
How do you keep it at your best?
By training hard, training smarter, and by relaxing. It’s great to be pumped up, eager, pull out aggression, adrenalin pumping but the only time I win races is when I’m fully relaxed, fully focused, pumped up yes, but relaxed. Then I’m able to discern exactly what it is I need to do, how I need to do it and when I focus on the moment, taking the jumps, the rollers, then the finish line. That’s when I win.
How do you create an interest in sponsors supporting your efforts?
Two ways: the brand association, with myself, and selling myself as advertising. Ski cross is an HYPEd up sport and it has been in the X-GAMES for a decade. Now that it’s in the Olympics, it is legitimized. It is quickly becoming one of the most popular ski sports. I have a huge reputation for my hard work ethic.
What are you proud of conquering that to other people may seem minimal?
It’s a little abstract, but what set me ahead was a couple of years ago, I figured out first that I had to figure out who I am, then I need to be who I am and use my strengths. It is an accomplishment of mine that others may not see the face value of is that I know who I am and that solidifies me and my vision in wining the Olympics. In the past couple of months I have probably been to a dozen personal development seminars. I was chatting with a past Olympian rowing in 2004/2008 Darcy Henneberry and she said the biggest difference she made between her first and second Olympics was the mental training. I figured to start on this mental training before my first Olympics. Focusing on forward thinking, on achieving success focusing and on my vision. Picture your future vision like you are looking through your camera and if its out of focus and a little blurry, then that’s what your future looks like. If it is a crisp clear picture with an HD video in you mind, that’s what you will get.
What Personal Development Book has contributed to you the most?
If I had read Slight Edge by Jeff Olson as my first read I would of understood the reason why mental training/personal development is important. I’m focused on improving myself every day.
What do you hope to accomplish next February?
Hope is like a dream without a plan. Hope means nothing to me. My plan in February 2010 is to win.
Are there any pressures from what sponsors/fans are expecting from you, that is overwhelming?
The biggest pressure for me is funding myself. I did realize that the more comfortable I become during interviews, the more I will be use to be in front of the camera, so that is not foreign to me. I love pumped up fans; so much support that it is unbelievable!
Describe the feeling of skiing downhill on the snow.
It’s just fun. I just have immense joy while skiing. Side to side, arking, first turn absorb, hop, turn … I mean I’m talking to myself but the motion just seems so fluent, so much fun and that’s what makes it for me, that’s why I love ski racing. I love doing what I do.
What is your favourite season?
Honestly, spring! Spring skiing can be so good. Sunshine , cold snow in the morning, get the races done in the morning , then sun in the afternoon for fitness training. Its got its downsides.. like skiing in the rain, but for the most part spring skiing wins. Winter is great because I travel from Ski resort to Ski resort, -10 is normal, -5 is balmy. I am very use to the winter, that’s why the summer is too hot for me.
How does image play a role in competing for an opportunity to win in the Olympics?
My sport is a time sport, so there is no judging, just referees to look out for certain illegal contact. With image, I have to be as effective as possible for sponsors to leverage me as a branding tool, and I’m actually really enjoying branding myself as a fighter , than just a skier, it has that same edge the same appeal.
What are the most important aspects of racing Ski Cross?
Most important aspect is the start. You pull out of that gate first, as long as you are a good skier and its a good track to be in front you’ll win. But you got to be able to take the 80ft jumps got to be able to absorb rollers, turn aggressively. It’s like race car driving, you just got to grip the throttle and rip it. Do or die on course. It’s either I do this feature properly or I’m gonna hurt myself really badly. If you hit a hesitation point, game over, you are going to crash!
What was your biggest dead end in the while competing?
When I was seventeen I did not improve for two years [in Alpine Ski racing] and my world ranking stayed the same. It was tough because at that age provincial teams are deciding who is on the team, who isn’t on the team and I was close to being in that qualification. But the moment I stopped improving, I was off their list and the politics put me off ski racing for a bit. Most important thing is that I did not quit, I stuck to it, and [as a result] got back my world ranking went to the junior nationals and threw it down.
Having been successful in the sport for so long, what do you tell a person who wants to be inspired to participate in a passion?
Select your vision based on what you enjoy doing the most. Putting aside how to do it, what will people think of you, putting it all ease, asking yourself, ‘What do you love to do?’ To achieve excellence, you are going to have set backs, you have to take big hits, you have to risk a lot and if it’s not something you love you won’t make it. I have learned that the greatest skill in achieving greatness is to keep going no matter what and never quit.
What does HYPE mean to you?
Being so pumped, that you just give’r.