Cover photo by Mark Clinton
Finn Bilous is good vibes incarnate.
With everything he does.
_
Hi Finn, how’s your winter been?
Where have you been?
Honestly, Ive been traveling so much this winter that its just been a base.
Yeah, it was quite late though.
The early season was pretty dry and then it started turning on around the start of March.
Couple of podiums and 4th overall on FWT2014.
Photo by FWT
Tell me about your 2nd Freeride World Tour, that you did this winter?
Ive been running around and on the road a lot more than Id anticipated.
However, I felt like Id learnt a lot from my first season on the FWT last year.
It was nice to take some of the things Id learnt and put them into my runs this year.
Yeah, people were definitely talking about you.
That 360 off the Hollywood Cliff in Verbier.
I was talking to some judges and they were just like: who does that?
Haha thanks, that one was pretty satisfying.
Last season, we went to Verbier for the comp and inspected the face for a full week.
To have the conditions line up this year and get the opportunity for redemption was super rewarding.
So, will you be back on the Touragain next winter?
My plans for next winter arent determined yet.
Each discipline has its own little codes of conduct.
For me, skiing has always been multi-disciplinary.
Thats something Ive strived for in my own riding.
I think that ultimately creates a more well-rounded skier.
If youre looking for pow days in NZ, youre not going to have many!
Growing up, were you mainly inspired by Kiwi skiers or riders from elsewhere?
Who did you watch when you were growing up?
Jossi Wells has had a big influence on me as a skier.
Outside of New Zealand, people like Candide, Sammy Carlson, Sean Pettit and Markus Eder.
Theyve all really inspired me and are still the people I like to watch the most today.
Jossi Wells passing on some wisdom.
Photo byEdjoy
Thats a pretty well-rounded crew!
Its a nice place to call a home base.
I actually missed one of the FWT stops.
I decided not to go to Georgia, originally because Id planned to go to another event.
I shot with them for a couple of weeks, between Tahoe and Utah in February/March.
I guess thats the reality of the competition schedules these days.
If you want to have some diversity in your season, then youve got to say no occasionally.
Youre in MSPs next movie, is that your first-time filming with them?
Yeah, first time with Matchstick.
We did a short with Quiksilver called White Noise.
Id like to do some more of those types of projects in the coming years.
What direction have/would you like to see it go in?
I think its in an interesting space right now.
While those people stay in charge, its in good hands.
I witnessed that first-hand, having competed in Slope/Big Air throughout those years.
I personally dont want to see that being diluted into some structured box.
I think were really missing that in skiing right now.
Kind of like Red Bull Infinite Lines…
Haha yeah.
I think it depends on the terrain and the fact that youre given.
You said nothings set in stone, but.
Do you have any idea what youll be doing next winter?
Cheers Finn, well done on a good season!
Anything else you want to add while you’re here?
From the park to the alpine, its the community that makes this shit so damn fun!
Appreciate you all and hyped for more in the future!
