Snowboarding
We take a look at the "Benjamin Button" of Snowboarding in detail from Absinthe's profile clip.
This is how people from Absinthe Films describe Gigi Rüf, the "forever young and excitable" kid. The first time I met and came to know Gigi well was back in 2002 (was it 2003? Well, some 10 years ago anyway), at his hotel in Livigno where he was staying to compete at the Burton European Open. The year in which the Slopestyle competition was won by Jussi Oksanen. Back in time, I might add at this point, since we all know now both Jussi and Gigi from their video parts all set in Alaska or those places where they could ride fresh pure powder and jump on natural features. Without also worrying to wear a bib or the rankings of a contest. I got there to interview him and he soon seemed to me one of the most humble and laid back riders I met at the time I began this (kind of) job. And still Gigi is one of most simple and nicest guys out there. Yet so creative: as we have all witnessed in his video parts, one of the most famous Austrian riders has always been able to come up with impossible tricks for anyone else to stomp on certain terrains. I love the way Gigi cruises around in powder, on pillows and huge jumps, and then he charges some good lines ending up with a good 900.
Danny Kass on Gigi's style:
He got a wild style, because he's always kinda picking up a totally different line, just trying to do something absolutely on the other end of snowboarding.
Sometimes he reminds me about the way Nicolas Müller creates his own spaces, lines and jumps, in places where an average rider or a normal viewer can't see anything more than only white snow. I cannot disagree with Romain de Marchi when he put it down simply as this:
Gigi is by far the most creative snowboarder I've ever seen.
Don't miss the special moment which came into Nicolas Müller's mind when back in 2006 (Absinthe Films "More") Gigi finished right into a tree after a bail, breaking it into two pieces. Or another one, when back in April 2004 he crashed hard on his first Frontside 3, only then to climb up again and to stomp one of the craziest and biggest Frontside 7s ever seen from a powder windlip.
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