Marxer Manifesto

Anne-Flore Marxer doesn’t think snowboard guys think she’s hot. She doesn’t like competitive snowboarding. She doesn’t like the Olympics. She especially doesn’t like when people call her Anne.

She does like to speak her mind (at length). She likes Europe. She likes to have a good time, with or without dancing shoes. Above all, she likes snowboarding. A lot. We checked in with her on a recent trip to California for the premiere of Uniquely, the new Oakley women’s team video.

So how’s it going?
There’s no better way to start a day. It’s the most beautiful morning. I’m in Encinitas watching the sunrise from the cliffs. I just got here from Europe, so I’ve been awake since 3:00 this morning. I’m happy, in good shape and I’ve had plenty of time to rest this summer, so I woke up, went to the beach and watched the pelicans and surfers.

You’re there for the Uniquely premiere, right?
Yes! I’m so excited. I’m staying at the house with all the Oakley women. We have such a good time together. It’s such a cool team, and the women are inspiring. We all have our dancing shoes out.

So the Oakley snow girls have a posse?
All the girls are best friends. Last night was like a family reunion since I haven’t seen them all summer. Everyone’s on their own program, even in the winter, so we don’t get to always be together, but I feel so lucky to be a part of this team and have these girls in my life.

Was filming for Uniquely different than other projects you’ve been a part of?
I’ll always remember the Russia trip. It was one of the best places I’ve ever been. Gretchen, Marie-France, Grete (Eliassen—two-planker extraordinaire) and I went to Sochi (home of the 2014 Winter Olympics). None of us had been there before, so we didn’t know what to expect. We got there, there were palm trees and it was hot. The resort, Krasnaya Polyana, was remote, everything was gray, and there was just this old, 2-person lift. You had to hold your board in your hands with your backpack and everything else, and the lift was 60 meters off the ground. The terrain was epic, though—one of the best resorts I’ve ever been to. It was like they took cliffs from the Alps, pillow lines from Canada and freeride lines from Alaska and put them all in one resort. Checking tickets at the bottom of the lift, they had these four mean-looking, big, bold Russian guys with black leather boots, black jeans and black bomber jackets, all looking like they’ve killed people. Gretchen took a photo with them. After that, they’d see us coming down the slope and they’d smile, showing off their golden teeth. The whole trip was full of stories like that that made it special.

How does filming with all girls compare to filming with all guys?
I spend equals parts of the season filming with guys and girls, and I love both. It’s not as much a gender thing as it is a personality thing. There are guys you’re going to get along with, and there are guys you’re going to hate. It’s the same with girls, but with girls, you laugh a lot and it’s more fun. The great thing about filming is that it’s always a small crew and you work as a team. You’re not competing against the people you’re filming with. The time you spend finding the spot, building the kicker, lighting it, hiking, it’s the best time. Being in the mountains, in the fresh air, is the biggest feeling of freedom.

Are you into contest riding?
I’m not competitive, and that’s why I’m a snowboarder and not a skier. I could ski before I could walk, but I wanted to be different from my dad, who was always competing. He went to the Olympics for alpine skiing, and my cousins are on the Swiss National team.

When I see girls killing it in contests, I’m stoked for them. It makes me want to do better for myself—but I never want to do better than them. Money and fame were never why I got into snowboarding. As a woman, it’s hard to film and not compete, because it’s not quantifiable. When I tell people I’m a pro snowboarder, especially in Europe where you don’t see snowboarding on TV much, they don’t understand. They ask me what my ranking is; am I going to the Olympics. I have three passports (Swiss, French, and my dad’s family is from Lichtenstein). It wouldn’t be hard for me to go the Olympics. But it’s just a flag race. Those athletes are accomplishing such great things, but it’s more about the country than the athletes. I respect athletes who devote their time to competing, but it’s not for me.

How’d you spend your summer?
I had my first real summer in 8 years. I actually got to be on the beach and surf a ton. I was living in France and learned at Hossegor, one of the fastest, deepest beach breaks in the world. Surfing’s the one thing I’ve always wanted to do and never had the chance to. Last summer I tried to go as much as I could, but the learning curve is huge. Small steps are big in surfing. Learning a new sport and seeing myself progress slowly is rejuvenating for me. I ate a lot of shit, too.

I also biked a lot to keep my legs fit for winter, and I did a couple snow trips: one to Saas Fee to coach a Rookie Camp sponsored by Fiat, then to Australia for a contest, and a Girl’s Day Out in NZ. I had an epic summer, and now I’m so ready for winter. I can’t wait to shred some powder.

Where’s home base for you now?
In the winter I have a big bag that’s my home. My parents are in Switzerland, and the Swiss Alps will always be my home, but I spend way more time in Austria, Canada and California during the winter.

Any trips planned?
A lot of trips before the season starts, but nothing special planned. With filming, it’s not like contests, where you know dates and locations. You have to organize riders and a cameraman, and then you have to be on it, checking weather and snow day-to-day. Then you get there, it’s too late and you have to find the next spot.

So where is the next spot?
Freestyle in the backcountry. Freestyle in the park is fun but the mountains are a huge component of snowboarding. I grew up in the mountains, my family is in the mountains, and that’s something I will always have to be a part of.

Who are you most stoked on riding with?
Marie-France Roy is the coolest. She has a hyphen in her first name, I really look up to her as an athlete and I love her personality. She doesn’t take anything for granted, loves to have a good time and she’s humble. We push each other and work great together as a team. It’s good to have someone you feel comfortable with who’s going to stoke you out on snowboarding. Janna Meyen is super cool to ride with, too.

So what’s the deal with Burton?
There was nothing dramatic, nothing really wrong, it was just a heavy schedule, especially with me living in Europe and being the only European female on the team. My contract ended at the beginning of the summer, and I quit. I wanted to go my own way, and lead my life differently. Sponsor changes are part of any athlete’s career. I just signed with Billabong and I’m really excited about what lies ahead. I’m also getting a pro model perfume geared towards action sports girls.

Whoa. Cool. Does it smell like sweat?
Ha. No, it doesn’t smell like sweat. It’s been fun. I gave them the scents I like: soft, comforting smells like orange flower, which reminds me of my childhood, and apricot oil, which, when I broke all the bones and tore all the ligaments in my knee, my doctor put on my scar. It’ll have a touch of monoi, too, which reminds me of summers in Tahiti. I’m excited to see how it comes out. It hits shops next summer.

Have you found a new board sponsor?
Not yet. It’s kind of bad timing, with the financial crisis, but it’s not worth worrying about. My dad has a snowboard company, so until I find a good brand to support me, I’ll ride his boards.

Smelling so purty and rocking new threads, how do you plan on fending off all the dudes in your wake?
When you ride with the guys, you have to own your spot and be one of the boys. That’s what I need for my snowboarding to be strong. If they see you as a ‘girl,’ they’re not going to treat you with respect—they just want to make out with you. In the winter, I’m locked up in the mountains, sweating all day, spitting, not wearing makeup, not giving a shit what I look like. I have one bag, and it doesn’t have room for pretty stuff. It’s not practical. I’ve always been a tomboy, but summer comes, and it’s a different me. I’m like a flower. The dresses come out.

Is it hard maintaining a relationship when you’re traveling so much?
It is, but not in my case. David (Pitschi) was a pro snowboarder, so he knows the people I work with, he’s been to the places I go, he knows how it is and how important it is to me. We trust each other completely. And Skype is a magical thing. Anywhere in the world, I can talk to him for hours. What I’m about to say is very cheesy, but I can be on the other side of the world lying in bed with my head on my pillow, and we can video chat. I can hear him breathing, turning around in bed, and it’s like he’s there with me. It’s great.

Aww. That’s sweet. I need to vomit now. Do you have any grandiose plans for after snowboarding?
Right now, I’m having the time of my life. I want to shred as much powder as possible, discover new mountains, people and food. I try to enjoy what I do 200% and get the most out of it so I can look back and think about what an amazing part of my life it was. I’ll probably go back to studying at some point. I miss working with my brain. Snowboarding was an easy way out because I couldn’t pick something to study because I like everything. I never know what I’ll be doing in five or 10 years. Snowboarding is my job now, and I know it’ll end at some point, but not knowing what’s going to happen next is one of life’s surprises. I’ll take whatever life hands me.