Nicolas Müller
Nicolas Müller is living the charmed life.
He's paid well to chase powder around the world, with not a cheese wedge, handrail or competition podium in sight. Honestly, who wouldn't want that? Although his easy-style approach could lead you to believe otherwise, he has worked hard for this life. Müller has been dropping mind-blowing parts for years and is a living legend that has earned the right to call freeriding his discipline of choice.
Earlier this year, word got out that Müller would be following in the footsteps of fellow all-mountain ripper Gigi Rüf and leaving long-term sponsor Burton. After a few weeks of Internet gossiping, the press release hit: Müller was on Nike boots and outerwear. ESPN.com caught up with the globetrotter, on location in Alaska filming for the upcoming Absinthe Films release, for a chat on team switch ups and how the move would effect the outspoken environmentalist's ability to affect positive change.
(Writer's note: In true shaka fashion, Müller signed off from his correspondence with "Alohas from Juneau," and I, for one, am excited to see his how his latest mountain surfing sessions play out on film.)
ESPN.com: The obvious question on people's mind is what motivated the switch to Nike boots and outerwear? Did Nike's sustainability program have anything to do with it?
Nicolas Müller: When I was approached by Nike Snowboarding, I was flattered. Growing up with the Swoosh on all my heroes' feet -- Michael Jordan, Ronaldo [Brazilian soccer star Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima], Roger Federer -- it was a no brainer to feel it out. I realized after visiting the headquarters that, wow, they really 'Just Do It.' The cherry on top was the sustainability program, but even more than that [is the fact that] the athletes, their health and the best possible way to perform is the most important thing. Being part of Nike feels like going your own way, following your own challenges and the sky may be the limit.
Were you frustrated with your efforts to advance ecologically-minded constructions over at Burton? You're still riding their boards and bindings, so obviously there is still a relationship there?
I was never frustrated or felt like Burton didn't do everything they possibly could, even at times when I didn't quite understand why things were decided certain ways. You have to understand where people and companies come from, and know and see the big picture. I love Burton snowboards and always will. I have the life I live right now because of Jake's company and they make the best snowboards in the world. It takes time to switch a process and the longer it's been running the same, the harder it is. After 10 years at Burton I felt like it was time for me to change something in my career as well. I believe the minute you become complacent it can be dangerous. I now ride Nike boots and outerwear, but looking at Burton's Green Mountain Project my heart gets warm and I feel like there's still a bit of me in there. And I know it will evolve -- it has to, because we all are upset over the way certain things are designed.
On that note, very few riders have been allowed to ride both Burton gear and another companies' gear, although it seems like a best-of-both-worlds scenario. How are you liking it?
I totally love it! It was very hard to decide to leave Burton at first. In fact, there was a time where I had to step away from it all and couldn't even think about it. Time passed and I knew I wanted to be a part of Nike. Riding the boots and outerwear for a while, I realized that the board underneath it all had to be a Burton. Leaving that in the room, things fell in the right place and now I am doing both Nike and Burton. And it feels so right to break out of patterns. And why not bring it together for once, instead of always fighting each other and being scared? It's 2010 and time for win-win situations and most definitely a best-of-both-worlds scenario. Why not strive for that?
What do you hope to accomplish on an environmental level with Nike?
It's funny, just recently I realized that the oldest form of my name, Nicolas, is Nikolaos, and the first part Niko comes from Nike, the goddess of victory. Anyway, the victory I want to accomplish is to give everything possible in the name of love for life. If the stuff we make is harmful for any life on this planet we will fail at it because this planet has only one love.
Thomas L. Friedman points out that while Wal-Mart is not the best example of corporate responsibility, it's worth working with them because they are poised to have such a huge influence over their vendors. Do you agree with this take?
Yeah, totally. It's like a little firecracker: it causes much more damage in a fist opposed to an open palm.
How do you compare the size and potential environmental influence of Burton vs. Nike? What is your opinion of working with the largest players in a given market, versus the smaller, but possibly more ecologically-friendly companies?
I think it comes down to each and every one of us, big teams with a lot of players that play the game for life on this planet. It's never a question of who is bigger, better, smaller, worse, because isn't everything seeking light anyway? The potential of influence lays deep in all of us, day-by-day, moment-by-moment. Really, what I am saying is that I truly believe.
Do snowboarders, who spend so much time outside, have a special responsibility and/or connection to protecting the environment?
As a snowboarder you automatically get a new outlook on what's possible in the 'free world' we are living in. Being an outside person, you live with the weather and you can go through different emotions. Imagine if it was always sunny, you couldn't be happy every day. We need it to rain as well, or have a snowed-in peak. All that just makes you feel more in tune with your environment and ultimately with yourself. Snowboarders are like the mountains' first knights, and the queen is happy if everything goes well.
Lastly, what's on tap for you for the rest of the season? More pow?
Always more pow! As a fresh house owner in Laax, I have enjoyed my home mountain all winter. Juneau and Haines is where I am going to get more and spring will ring in a new chapter. Absinthe films is the channel and it's been real fun shredding with a fresh set up. Still working on getting a perfect SWOOSH powderslash ...
http://espn.go.com/action/snowboarding/news/story?page=nicolas_muller
Nicolas in Japan with Eero Ettala and Kevin Pearce
You can watch this video on www.livejournal.com