Mike Casanova has cat like reflexes and it shows when he’s in the rail jams. If you have seen him then you know what I mean. If you have not, well he knows about every trick in the book mixed smoothness and a fair amount of power. What you may not know is that Mike likes to ride all terrain. Growing up in the Midwest and moving to Breckenridge a few years ago certainly broadened Mikes horizons. When Mike hones his skills in the park and freeriding – look out. Mike just switched board sponsors and became part of the Omatic crew. Mike is a super humble and nice guy and he was more than happy to succumb to my pestering questions – Thanks Mike.
SR: You live in Breck but where are you from?
MC: Hudson Wisconsin
SR: I see you at the rail jams, do you ride more than rails
MC: Yea, I tend to look at myself as a park rat. I spend most of my time in the park and cruising around Breck. Definitely into slopestyle just yet to have an opportunity to lay down a good run
SR: Do you feel like it’s awesome to be on Omatic?
MC: Yea, I feel it’s a great opportunity, there’s a lot of growth there. It’s a new company with a solid team – yea!
SR: How did you get on the team?
MC: It was kind of a whirl, just what this new company? I live in Breckenridge and my friend J.J. Johnson rides for them so I’d seen the boards and heard all the hype about them coming out. Was just curious what they would ride like and I had an opportunity this past winter to hop on one and basically went from there. I rode one board, was sold and talked to Todd and asked if I could have some more boards and just friends supporting me, the opportunity presented itself
SR: What’s up with Academy? (Mike’s old board sponsor)
MC: They are still doing really well, they got a really good team. It just felt that where I was at it was time for a change
SR: You think with Todd Richards being the boss it is truly a snowboard company owned by snowboarders?
MC: Straight off! I was just reading the book Have Board Will Travel and they talk about Todd being one of the leading influence in snowboarding, having come from skateboarding and into snowboarding. So it’s (Omatic) about as snowboarder driven as it gets
SR: You don’t think he’s too old?
MC: (laughter) No, no not at all. His actions speak for themselves, his riding is still changing the sport
SR: How are the boards?
MC: The boards speak for themselves as well. Hands down the best snowboards I think I’ve ever ridden and they’re the type of snowboard I would literally go to the shop and buy; a really, really good board, priced well – good boards
SR: What’s up for the upcoming winter?
MC: Do the Dew Tour slopestyle, hopefully do well. Vans Cup is switching spots and going to Mammoth, I hope to do well there. If a video part presents itself just focus and try to get a good part
SR: What is your video resume?
MC: I filmed for my first time this year with Pirates, a European movie production. My roommate and I, Josh Sherman, were given the chance to film with them so I have part coming out this fall
SR: Is it hard to be the contest guy and get to be the video guy?
MC: Oh, for sure! Contests are super fun; usually the set ups are so well maintained, taken care of and just really original. Then the filming aspect of it is that you are out there with your friends without the pressure of people watching you and cementation, judging, etc.
SR: What video are you looking most forward to watching this fall?
MC: Oh man…These Days, the Transworld Video; Jonas Michelot a kid from back home filmed with them this year, Louif Paradis he filmed with them and Nick Dirks, those are three riders I really look up to. I am excited to see their parts in the video and just see how it all came together with Chad Otterstrom being involved, Jonas Carlson and the other riders. I think it will be a really good video.
SR: What about the Trice movie or any others?
MC: The Travis Rice movie will be insane. Season 7, another European film crew that is really creative, original filming, original editing, many up and coming riders from Europe who yet to have exposure here in the states. I am excited to see their video too. There is another hometown video coming out called Bad Ideas…
SR:…Hometown Breckenridge or Wisconsin?
MC: Wisconsin but many of the guys live in Breckenridge now, the filmers do. There’s some kids like Ethan Dice, Austin Young and some other up and coming kids who are just really good kids
SR: Will they be on your couch this year in Breck, kids from Wisconsin on the come up?
MC: (laughter) hope so
SR: Speaking of kids from Wisconsin how do you go from being some kid in Wisconsin to actually being to able make a living riding a snowboard?
MC: Blessed, I don’t know. I just have really supportive parents who pushed for to be able to have a creative living and a creative lifestyle. Plus good friends around me that moved out west before I did and just I have been fortunate to have strong supports. I love snowboarding and was given a chance to move out West, thank god the right people fell into alignment and were talking right now
SR: How many years ago was that?
MC: I’d say it came together on a professional level four years ago
SR: Let’s see how do I put this. Do you have aspirations of being one of the top tier riders like Travis, Danny Kass, someone as recognized as them?
MC: (laughter) I would love to be in a position to be able to ride a snowboard they way those guys do. They roll up to backcountry jumps, to park jumps, to pipes and they just look like they’re free, they just roll through terrain effortlessly on their boards and I would love to be an ability level similar to theirs
SR: Well, sometimes at the rail jams you look pretty effortless, just bring everything else up to that level, do you feel that
MC: Thanks, I feel that sometimes. I think every rider has a click where they feel comfortable with something. It’s just something where they look at it and the fear is eliminated and they are just able to…act. I feel I have had a few occasions myself where just everything just flowed and it went into the riding
SR: What might you want to do after snowboarding? You are how old?
MC: 23
SR: With guys like Todd, Terje and even skateboarders staying at the top of their game into their mid thirties and so on you could be pro for another 15 years potentially?
MC: That would be un real
SR: So do you feel happy even if you not at the level of like Shaun White or Terje (yet) with being a pro snowboarder?
MC: Yea, I have been some un-believable places and met some people I have looked to all my life as a kid when I flipped through magazines in Wisconsin. I don’t feel I am done but I feel fortunate to have done what I have so far too.
SR: Was it a good decision to be a pro snowboarder as opposed to going to college and becoming an engineer or something like that?
MC: I will say this, I wish I had applied myself more in high school. I am coming to learn that there is a ton of neat stuff that I could have learned that would expanded my horizon that much more. I’d say do the best with whatever is presenting itself at the time and I truly believe that good opportunity will come just do the best with what you have in front of you. As far as schooling goes I would like to go back to school at some point. As far as a decision goes, I don’t know if I really chose this. I guess I didn’t have too many alternatives and it just so happens that the snowboarding alternative happened to be a good one
SR: Marc Franc said it does not matter, just do your best and you will succeed
MC: Yea!
SR: Well thanks, see you on the snow somewhere!
MC: Ok
Welcome to Mike’s little photo gallery. We need some park/freeride photos, hmm I smell a reason to go to Breck and get the boss to pay for it
Getting sick off the rail jam circuit photo by Vanessa Andrieux
On the way to winning the Nike 6.0 rail jam in Portland photo - Crosland
Mike won the 2006 Vans Tahoe Cup rail jam, which is always a stacked field. Leanne Pelosi and Darrel Mathes are in the photo too
Jibassic Park at Boreal photo by Andrew Miller
Jibassic Park photo by Andrew Miller
Mike gets to work on the rail at the Tahoe Cup photo by Andrew Miller
The crowd watches Mike photo - Crosland
Mike is always a strong contender at the Vans cup at Northstar or this year it may be at Mammoth photo - Crosland
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