RIPPING | TAYLOR DAVIES
The first time I met Taylor I was on the deck of the halfpipe shooting photos of a local contest. She came skidding headfirst across the deck and nearly took my legs out as she flew to the flat bottom. She laughed off a slam that would’ve had most people shook. Since then she has become one of the homies. Taylor is humble, hardworking, tougher than nails and definitely someone you will want to keep your eye on in the coming years. —Liam Glass
TAYLOR DAVIES
Sponsors: Nitro, L1, Rude Girls, Salmon Arms, Timebomb Dist.
Place: Calgary, AB
So you started snowboarding on a plastic snowboard in Saskatchewan, moved to Calgary and started competing, almost killed me on the deck of the halfpipe and then you quit competing. How did you make the transition over to filming?
Well, I wasn’t very good at competing, so I knew it wasn’t going anywhere. I met all the BLP guys for the King Snow Mag x Ski Big 3 shoot and it went from there.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen you get mad or stressed while you’re trying to trick. You seem pretty stress-free snowboarding.
Two years ago I was going through some mental health stuff. I was getting frustrated really easily. I went to the doctor and got put on meds. Maybe it’s cheating a little bit, but it’s definitely helped me a lot. I can regulate my emotions a lot better.
So I kind of inadvertently set you up with Jake Whitburn then? I don’t think that’s cheating. Some people get the short end of the stick with their chemistry; use all the tools at your disposal to feel yourself.
Exactly, not everyone has the ability to deal with mental health stuff on their own. You can have the best lifestyle but for some people, their brain chemistry just doesn’t want to cooperate. Snowboarding put me in tune with mental health issues that I hadn’t noticed before. When I decided to finally address it, and go see a doctor, it made things a lot better. I don’t want to feel like crap when I’m snowboarding. There was a point where I almost thought I didn’t like snowboarding anymore. I was just always in such a crappy mood but I’ve since regained my passion for it. Yeah, you did. You really did. That guy just front-board pretzeled into my heart. Thanks, Liam.
What’s it been like filming in a crew of all guys?
I’ve always grown up hanging out with more guys than girls. When I started snowboarding, there were no other girls. It always felt natural. You just got to do your part and they’ll treat you just like they would anyone else.
What’s the best story you have from filming with BLP over the last few years?
I was nervous about filming with BLP for the first time. I thought everyone would think of me just as “Jake’s girlfriend.” I wanted to hit this down rail. I kept telling Jake that we could go by ourselves. Jake told everyone and they came to help even though it was a small spot for the new girl. It was a small moment in the beginning but it really meant a lot to me. They’ve always treated me and my spots just as important as any of theirs. Thanks to those guys for that.
You’re going to school to be a millwright, what got you interested in that and where are you hoping to go with it?
My summer job was ending. I needed a pass for that year and COP was hiring for lift maintenance. I thought it’d be cool to work on the ski lifts and I got the job. Now I am a third-year apprentice. I really enjoy it. It’s a good trade to be in. I don’t plan on being at COP forever, there’s a lot of other options in the industry.
What’s with you laughing every time you take a slam? Getting an education is always a good idea. Not to be a bad influence, but when are you going to quit your job to film the full part?
I think this is going to be my last winter working. I so badly want to film a full street part and spend a whole winter just snowboarding with friends and filming. Any opportunities that come my way I want to take advantage of. I want to get out of my comfort zone a little bit more. I don’t think I scared myself enough last season.
I think it’s a defence mechanism. I always hated when people would immediately run over and ask if I’m okay. So, I think I just start laughing just so people know that I’m fine. I think it’s also a way to make me feel better, too. Some people get really mad over bad bails and that’s just asking to ruin your mood altogether. I like to keep it positive and just laugh at myself because I almost like a good bail clip better than the real clip sometimes.
Anyone you’d like to thank?
My mom and dad, Jake and everyone in BLP, Abby and all the Rude Girls, Riders on Board, Jared, Beth, Adam and Torrance. Nitro, L1, Seminars, Salmon Arms, Modest. Thank you to everyone who’s helped me and anyone I might’ve forgotten.
