Spy Team - Snow

Louie Vito

Name: Louie Vito

Nickname: LV, or Veets, as Danny Davis likes to call me. Also, Louie the phone, because I talk on the phone so much.

Birthplace: Columbus, OH

Currently Living: Sandy, UT

Years riding: 12 or 13 years

Sponsors: O’Matic Snowboards, SPY, Monster Energy Drink, 686, Boost Mobile, Kicker Audio, Tech Nine Bindings, Grenade Gloves, Vestal Watches, Skull Candy, Nike Snowboarding, Neff, and Utility Boardshop

Stance: Goofy, 23”, 15 and -12

Why Spy? I just switched over to Spy because I like the product, I like the image, I like the people that work there and they have one of the best optical teams in the game.

Team member since: 2006

After a big fall or injury what motivates you to get up and do it again? Just because I know I can land it…I have to get back up there and prove to myself and make it happen. It happens you know? You got to have your down days to have those good days!

Favorite trick: Pipe…probably the cab ten or front seven. Off a jump, probably the back seven.

Favorite country, spot, hill, park, etc: My favorite park is definitely Park City; it’s just my favorite spot to ride because everything is there.

Describe your perfect day: Riding any sort of terrain, as long as it’s sunny, good snow, good terrain and you have lots of friends to ride with.

Favorite Spy sunglass and/or Goggle and why: I go back and forth between the Soldier and the new frame, the Zed. I like these goggles because they fit my face really well and I like the styles…all the sick colors. As for glasses…I have just been rocking the Clash.

Contests or Freeride? Describe likes and dislikes: I like contests in the middle of the season. But springtime I love freeriding because I do so many contests and I am over them by spring. It just depends on the time of year because I like both of them just as much.

Most inspired by: Well…two riders. Probably Danny Kass because he rides everything, contests and films. And Marco because he has the best style….ever.

Favorite Tunes: Hip-Hop, that’s all I really listen too.

Favorite Photographer and/or Artist: I don’t know man. This is a hard question…I’m not really an artsy guy…haha

David Carrier Porcheron

Nickname: DCP

Birthplace: Chicoutimi, QC, Canada

Currently Living: Between Squamish BC, Vail CO, and Dominical Costa Rica

Years riding: 16

Sponsors: SPY, YES SNOW BOARD, THE NORTH FACE, NORTHWAVE, DRAKE, ONE BALL JAY, SPACECRAFT, EMPIRE

Stance: 22” Regular, 15 degress front, -6 degrees back

Why Spy?: Because they are the bomb!! Haha… I really like their goggles and sunglasses. I get to design the color and graphics of my own pro-model. The vision is great and all the different lenses help me because I end up in so many different types of light conditions when I’m riding.

Team member since: 6 years

After a big fall or injury what motivates you to get up and do it again?: All the fun that I get out of snowboarding…the feeling of flying through the air and the satisfaction of landing a big trick. Just that love….that moment when you push a big powder turn and get the snow all in your face…

Favorite trick: Backside methods or fs 3’s

Describe your perfect day: Wake up in the morning with my wife to the sound of our beautiful baby girl laughing…2 feet of fresh, highway closed from Vancouver, spend the morning on Whistler getting fresh tracks on the peak, then head up sledding in the afternoon. Get a few shots in the bag and then hop a jet to Hawaii for a sunset surf session, and finish it all up with dinner at Mama’s Fish house in Maui! That would be the perfect day….haha

Favorite Spy sunglass and/or Goggle and why: The perfect goggle is mine…haha. I decide on the style and color of it so I obviously like it best. The Clash is my favorite glass, super comfy and a little bit bigger.

Contests or Freeride? Describe likes and dislikes: Freeriding for sure! I used to love contests…but now, I guess the terrain in contests don’t offer that much imagination. When it comes to freeriding you take the natural terrain and ride it how you see fit. Whatever feels natural to you, slash it, hit it, spin off of it, avoid it…. I just like to pick my own line, that is why I like freeriding and filming better than contests. People show their different personalities and attitudes in the backcountry. 

Most inspired by: A few people….I think in snowboarding I am most inspired by people on the Burton Team that I ride with. Like Nico and Terje are 2 guys that really inspire me. I also really love to watch Gigi and Romain as well. I look up to a lot of people in the surfing world that are very inspirational to me as far as their lifestyle goes. 

My wife and my baby are very inspirational these days! They are amazing…I have a mix of things these days that inspire me.

Favorite Tunes: I love old school punk rock. NOFX and Pennywise and those types of bands. I also really like Reggae. . Kind of soul, beachy, surf soundtrack type music. Glass Love is a super good surf movie with a great soundtrack….

Eero Niemela

Nickname: arrow, ebo.

Birthplace: Ojakkala, Finland

Currently Living: Encinitas,CA and Squamish, BC

Years riding: Quite a few...

Sponsors: Spy Optic, K2, MONSTER energy, Vestal watches, Active ride shop

Stance: Regular, 24”

Why Spy? The quality of the snow goggles and lenses. I don't have to deal with the foggy lenses anymore! Great people and a great team!

Team member since: ‘08

After a big fall or injury what motivates you to get up and do it again? Everything about snowboarding.

Favorite trick: Anything in powder.

Describe how you feel when you can't ride due to and injury or travel, etc: It's hard to explain. It’s a frustrating feeling!

Favorite country, spot, hill, park, etc: For snowboarding I love the Whistler backcountry! It’s just so good!

Describe your perfect day: Any day I can hang with my boys and maybe have some beautiful thing in my bed waiting for me!

Favorite Spy sunglass and/or Goggle and why: The Zed snow goggle and the Wilshire sunglass. I just look damn good with them on.

Contests...describe likes and dislikes: Don't wanna go there!

Most inspired by: Devun Walsh, Sean Avery, Bruce Irons and Anthony Kim

Favorite Tunes: I like pretty much everything, but mostly rap music.

Where you coming from and what's next: It’s been pretty chill this past summer. I just got back from a K2 photo shoot in Seattle. I’m going to Europe in December with Monster and probably gonna hit the slopes in Colorado or somewhere before that.

Favorite Photographer and/or Artist: Too many to list!

Darrell Mathes

Iouri Podladtchikov

Nickname: I-pod

Birthplace: Moscow, Russia

Currently Living: Zurich, Switzerland

Years riding: 7

Sponsors: Santa Cruz, Volcom, Vans, Nixon, Grenade, SPY, Red Bull, Kuu Wax

Stance: Goofy, 63cm, 15 and -12

Why Spy? Because of the Omega goggle!

Team member since: About a year and a half, so since the beginning of 2006

After a big fall or injury what motivates you to get up and do it again? Snowboarding…haha. I just start to itch to get out and do a big backside air in a perfect pipe…haha.

Favorite trick: Backside air in the pipe!

Describe how you feel when you can't ride due to and injury or travel, etc: It’s like a big break in the beginning. It’s kind of nice like a vacation. I get to take the elevator and everthing…haha. But after a month or so I just get this itch to go riding again.

Favorite country, spot, hill, park, etc: Northstar at Tahoe

Describe your perfect day: A half meter, what’s that, two feet of fresh snow? Call up my buddies and take the train to Laax and ride the pillows there, then it gets sunny and hot so we jib a little bit and ride the pipe. Then a huge concert at rider’s palace where we party all night long and then do the same thing the next day! Haha.

Favorite Spy sunglass and/or Goggle and why: The new frame…the Bias. It fits my face perfectly and I really like the spherical lenses.

Most inspired by: People in Snowboarding like Gian Simmens, the guy who won the first Olympic medal in the half pipe. Gian really inspires me because he is so professional in what he does. His outlook on snowboarding is something that really inspires me. He is a person you can look up to because he always does everything to the best of his ability. 100%. He would never start something and leave it unfinished.

Favorite Tunes: Alternative rock. Metric and Radiohead

Favorite Photographer and/or Artist: Creager because he is all about the artsy photos. He is a fanatic. He is not only a photographer; he is also a fan of everybody…haha. He is always texting me about my pictures in magazines and everything.

Stevie Bell

Nickname: Some people call me ‘The Kid,’ but I can’t say that because Travis Kennedy calls himself that…so, just Bell, or SB.

Birthplace: West Jordon, UT

Currently Living: Sandy,UT, the MFM house….haha

Years riding: 6

Sponsors: Forum, Special Blend, Spy, DVS, Matix, Park City, Skullcandy, Nixon, Technique, dBot 5

Why Spy? I like the Soldier goggles. I like the view and the quality of the goggle.

Team member since: 2004

After a big fall or injury what motivates you to get up and do it again? I don’t want to work a desk job. I just love snowboarding and it’s all just a part of the job. Haha.

Favorite trick: Jump or rail….hmmm….Rail, switch back lip…jump, switch back 7.

Favorite country, spot, hill, park, etc: My favorite spot would be Brighton, Utah with a bunch of homies, cause that’s where I started snowboarding. Other then that it would have to be Sweden because there are mad handrails and crazy hot girls! Haha.

Describe your perfect day: Bluebird day at Brighton, either a perfect park or a ton of fresh snow and a ton of homies in my crew!

Favorite Spy sunglass and/or Goggle and why: Soldier, I just like the look of it and the way it feels. As for glasses, I like the Clash. They had this limited edition bright red one that I got that I love man.

Contests or Freeride? Describe likes and dislikes: Contests are fun but I don’t like them that much because I am always the guy that is killing it in practice but then when the competition starts I get nervous and fall all over the place. Freeriding, I love it, it’s the best form of snowboarding. It’s a little sketchy with avalanches and shit but I still love it.

Most inspired by: I can’t really say one person because there are numerous people that I am inspired by, but I would have to say that Marco is one of em…just because he’s got style, does his own thing and is a solid businessman. Also JP Walker because he is the same way. He’s ‘The Don’ and he is so good at jibbing, which is what I like to do best. JP has created so many new tricks. Jeremy Jones because he is so damn good and has the best style. Jumping, jibbing or freeriding he just has it all. Oh, and ‘Young Geezie’ the rapper.

Favorite Tunes: Hip-hop

Favorite Photographer and/or Artist: Favorite photographer is Cole Barash, because he’s my homie and he’s young and he’s doing the damn thing and he’s sick at it. I shoot with him mostly. As for my favorite artist…I have to say Ludacris.

Danny Larsen

Nickname: Danny Larsen, my real name is a tongue breaker to foreigners.

Birthplace: Outside of Oslo, Norway

Currently Living: Oslo, Norway

Years riding: 12-14 years maybe

Sponsors: Spy Optic, K2, Whiteout Outerwear, 32, Etnies, Clast, Session Boardshop

Stance: Goofy, 61 cm wide, 18, -9

Why Spy? Because Spy is kick ass.

Team member since: The dark ages.

After a big fall or injury what motivates you to get up and do it again? Remembering how fun snowboarding is, I would be in a rut if I couldn't get back out there and shred.

Favorite trick: Method, grabbed between the bindings.

Describe how you feel when you can't ride due to and injury or travel, etc: Like a chewed out piece of gum stuck under someone's shoe. I usually try doing something productive or else I'm going crazy.

Favorite country, spot, hill, park, etc: As long as there is some decline and snow I'm usually pretty happy, but I guess Cooke City, Montana is the best at combining those two factors.

Describe your perfect day: Decided some time ago to focus on the positive side of everything, then all your days are pretty good. So a perfect day is basically any day I stomp something new, it’s the best feeling ever.

Favorite Spy sunglass and/or Goggle and why: I love the Zed goggle, they feel great on my face and let me see the stuff I need to see, and they got killer names like Black Sabbath. When it comes to sunglasses I guess the black Murena’s are the ones I put on most of the time, those or some of the vintage Spy glasses I have saved from back in the days.

Contests, describe likes and dislikes: I have spent a lot of time trying to understand the appeal of contest, and I don't get it. I ride because I love it, not to beat others. What is harder anyway? A cab 9 or fs 180?

Most inspired by: Riding with friends that ride differently than I do.

Favorite Tunes: At the moment the newest album by Dead Trooper, Cynicist.

Favorite Photographer and/or Artist: I guess any photographer doing their own thing, and there's a lot of them. It would be unfair to single out some and forgetting about others, but I tend to enjoy shooting with Frode Sandbech and Carlos Blanchard, those guys are funny. When it comes to artists I think my favorite at the moment is Neckface, nasty Neckface.

Will Lavigne

Nickname: ti will

Birthplace: Victoriaville, Quebec, Canada.

Currently: I’ll be in Colorado for a little bit…I will see after…

Years riding: 10

Sponsors: Spy, Rome, Vans, I found, Vestal, Vertical Snowboards.           

Stance: Regular

Why Spy? I like the style of the goggles. Few year ago, I was the kinda of person that don’t wear goggles because they were annoying to me. And I tried to ride with Spy goggles and they felt pretty good. They still feel good, so that’s why.

Team member since: 06

After a big fall or injury what motivates you to get up and do it again?

Most of the time it is personal satisfaction. I do it for myself. The pleasure to accomplish a goal I fixed to myself.

Favorite trick: sw bs 5

Describe how you feel when you can't ride due to injury or travel, etc: Injury is to worst. When you get injured, you can’t shred but you don’t live normal either. Suppose that your hurt your ankle or leg…you won’t be able to go at the store, skateboard, make food or whatever. And you ear about your friend who did that and how sick shredding was that day but you can’t ride…I hate injuries…

Favorite country, spot, hill, park, etc: Whistler and Brighton are sick to ride on a powder day, Colorado got the sickest parks, Quebec city is the best place to ride in the street. Costa Rica is the best country to hand out.

Describe your perfect day: I’d be in Whistler. I would wake up early around 7/8. Go at the lift around the opening time with a few friends. It’d be sunny and warm with fresh powder. We would do laps until we’re over it. We’d take our time and wouldn’t be stress about anything. After snowboarding, we’d had good dinner and hopefully end the day with a nice babe.

Favorite Spy Goggle and why: Zed and Apollo, I like their style. The are made pretty wide so your vision isn’t blocked from anything when you wear them. You don’t feel like your wearing goggle, its sick.

Contests or Freeride? Describe likes and dislikes: I can do both, I just don’t like when contests got a too busy schedule. I like to have times and not have to run to be ready.

Most inspired by: All my friends and people around me, music,

Favorite Tunes: IAM, Oxmo Puccino, Biggie.

Where you coming from and what's next: I’m from Quebec, I have no clue what is next.

Favorite Photographer and/or Artist: Oli Gagnon, Oli Croteau, Alexis Paradis,…

Meghann O'Brien

Name: Meghann O'Brien
 
Nickname: I don't have much of one, some people call me Megs.  The other day one of my moms friends called me "little dumptruck."  I guess when she was in school her nickname was dumptruck.  
 
Birthplace: Alert Bay, BC
 
Currently: Alert Bay, BC and Prince Rupert, BC
 
Years riding: 12
 
Sponsors:   The North Face, Spy, MacroLife Naturals,          
 
Stance: 21.5''
 
Why Spy? they have good designs, good product, run by good people.  I like to ride for a company I can promote honestly.  
 
Team member since: 2009
 
After a big fall or injury what motivates you to get up and do it again?  how happy it feels when it all goes together just right.  
 
Favorite trick: front 3, ollies into powder.
 
Favorite country, spot, hill, park, etc: I really love northern BC mountains. There is just so much up here.  The places put out this intense energy and I get really hyped on it all.  
 
Describe your perfect day- sledding in terrace in the sun, with lots of pow, no other people around, good dried salmon, berries, solid crew, everyone lands things and has a fun time.  
 
Favorite Spy Goggle and why: the Bias, shaped for a womans smaller face.
 
Contests or Freeride? freeride I think the name says it all.
 
Most inspired by:  mountains covered in snow look like another world and I just love being up in it.  I'm also inspired by artists I know from my native community-absolute genius is in the work and in the culture of these people!
 
Where you coming from and what's next: Hah, I just came from three weeks up in Knights Inlet, super epic place...next is trying to plan a shred trip up into there for one day.  

Favorite Photographer and/or Artist:  Native artist Beau Dick.    

Kareem El Rafie

Name: Kareem El Rafie

Nickname: Different in different languiges..

Birthplace: Stockholm/Sweden

Currently: Stockholm

Years riding: 12

Sponsors: Endevour, Spy, Sound, 32, Etnies, Frontline, Blue tomato, Scullcandy, Dakine and Väsjobacken           

Stance: +18 / -15

Why Spy? Always loved the goggles and the brand since I was a kid. Was stoked to get on the team and on top of all, Spy makes the dopest sunglasses ever..

Team member since:  2005

After a big fall or injury what motivates you to get up and do it again?  If its really bad its important to start off small again and just ride for yourself to remember why you snowboard and wanna push yourself in the first place..

Favorite trick:  Nollies

Favorite country, spot, hill, park, etc: Swden, Stockholm, downtown when its lots of snow. / The whistler backcountry..

Describe your perfect day: Deep deep powder riding with your hoomies on a sunny day.. Just cruising around taking laps and doing whuttever you want..

A good bbq in the evening sun with your homies and maybe a party at night with some purkies..

Favorite Spy Goggle and why: The trevor, its dope flat and bigger design, the way it fits on and the good visibility they giive..

Contests or Freeride? Describe likes and dislikes: Freeride / Filming fo shoo.. To me snowboarding is an art form that cant be judged or compared.

Every trick has its beauty if you do it in a cool way or at a dope spot.. Competitions are most often based on technicalities without style, creativity and soul.

Most inspired by:  Music and good friends..

Favorite Tunes:  Reggea / Hip hop … Bob Marley is for ever...

Favorite Photographer and/or Artist: Swedish band called Hoffmesistro, who also makes movies. So much creativity and good vibes..