Olympian and polymath of action sports Aimee Fuller is the latest recruit to the TSG team, representing our helmets and protection on her boards, bike and wherever else she might be sending it.
words & photos DANNY BURROWS
SEPTEMBER 24, 2021
Olympic slopestyle snowboarder and proud owner of the title “first woman to stick a double in competition” Aimee Fuller is the latest recruit to the TSG team, and is now an ambassador for our helmets and protection. She is a true polymath of action sports, who kicked off her life of rushes on skis and a MX bike and progressed into snowboarding on the sunny climbs of Bromley dry ski slope.
With two cracks at the Olympics and a host of podium trinkets under her belt she has now added being a Yoga teacher to her accolades and is wetting her toes in the world of TV presenting. So when we caught up with her in June, 2021, and she was about to foil board down the river Thames we were not at all surprised…
Watch the e-foil video on instagram
For a campaign with her sponsor TAG Heuer Aimee efolied on river Thames, here in front of the Palace of Westminster. (photo: TAG Heuer)
It sounds like your love of action sports started at a young age: Can you describe your experience before you found snowboarding? Did you come from a sporty family?
I did. So, I started skiing on the dry slope at the age of four, in Bromley. At the same time, my dad bought a quad bike for the back garden but it wasn’t fast enough to keep up with the boys at the track so he traded it in for a 50cc motorbike when I was 6. The combo of gymnastics, and reading lines and transitions of a motocross track really helped.
What was the scene like on Bromley Dry Slope? What was it that convinced you that snowboarding was your next trick?
I remember seeing a snowboarder go from the top of the dry slope to the bottom, aired over the roller, and I remember thinking it looked fun and wanted to try it. At the time, they didn’t have snowboards small enough so I first tried it when I was eight on a trip to visit my cousins in Canada.
Bromley Dry Slope had an ace vibe, it was a supportive community club and some decent skiers came out of there. When I was 12 I moved to the USA and lived there for three and a half years. We snowboarded at Whitetail with friends from school and this is where my passion for the sport really developed. I loved the freedom, the blank canvas for creativity.
There are no mountains in the UK, so Aimee started skiing at Bromley Dry Slope.
What is the story with Mt. Hood, your sixteenth birthday and the legend Erin Comstock?
I went to Mt. Hood for my 16th birthday, right before we moved back to the UK. It was literally the dream, a snowboarding camp for a whole week in the summer, and I was coached by Erin Comstock. I idolised her, and even went and bought the same clothes as her from Roxy after the camp! She recommended me to Roxy as she was impressed with my riding. Post Mt Hood, I started school back in the UK and thought my dreams of snowboarding regularly where over. But it was then that I had the magic phone call from the Roxy European Team manager, all thanks to Erin. It changed my life!
Your first wins at Pleasure Jam must have been a massive boost? Did you have an end goal in your mind at this time?
Ah, Pleasure Jam! The glory days, I loved that course, and I had a lot of confidence there. I’ll never forget my first winning run which became a staple in my Olympic qualifying. Cab underflip, back 7, back rodeo. To win back to back, 2 years on the trot, at the start of the season, always gave me a huge boost going into winter.
You have been to the Olympics twice now – can you describe the experience of competing in one of the most watched sporting events in the world?
It’s surreal. At the start it feels like any other contest, you’re still competing and riding with your mates you’ve been touring with on the circuit for years. However, it is different; it puts our sport on the world stage, and the impact it can have on the sport and on your life is huge. It’s the biggest sporting event in the world and to be a part of it and be a part of your National team, wearing the flag, is truly special.
Can you describe the process you went through to land the double?
I remember thinking, one is easy so the only way forward is two. I knew it hadn’t been done in competition, so I was on my own little mission to make my mark in the history books of snowboarding. Looking back at it now, I sometimes think, I should have spent more time going upside down twice. It was a bit wild though!
Whatever board Aimee puts under her feet, she rocks it!
What are goals for snowboarding in the next five years?
Enjoy the mountains through different mediums and I am really excited to explore different terrain on a splitboard, for that cardio rush and the reward of earning your turns. Plus riding powder is the best feeling in the world!
Like all snowboarders you’ve taken your fair share of slams – what protective gear do you recommend riders to wear on the hill?
Always a helmet. It’s a no brainer.The Vertice is my first choice, as it is lightweight, and moulds to my head perfectly. Feeling like a part of me, it gives me confidence on the mountain, whether I’m having fun in the park with my mates, or exploring backcountry terrain.
Aimee currently uses the following TSG helmets:
What does a sponsorship deal with TSG, from the perspective of protection, bring to your multi-sport lifestyle?
For me to know my head and my body is covered when I push myself to new limits across disciplines gives me the confidence I need when exploring uncharted territory! It’s an honour to work with a brand that is steeped in the history of protection. Knowing that I am working with the best, makes me perform my best and makes me feel safe. Protection allows me to focus on the fun stuff, which is creative freedom in my performance.
Do you have any advice for snowboarders who want to push their limits riding to the point of turning pro?
My biggest advice would be to enjoy it. It goes fast, focus on the now, and enjoy the ride. Don’t neglect the small details, ride switch, ride in bad conditions and have fun.
And finally, what are your plans for the coming season.
My plans are to ride some backcountry, host a yoga snowboarding retreat to share my love of riding and movement and hopefully head out to work on the Olympic Games! It’s coming round fast!