Hi Benny, hope you’re good! Thanks for taking the time to answer a few questions. Sorry we didn’t get to catch up in Innsbruck last week, it was pretty hectic. Have you managed to recover yet?
All G that was a wild week haha. I made it home last night after 2 weeks so recovery is just getting started. We had a few days in-between DIYX and Rock-a-rail to relax but when you’re in Innsbruck, you gotta live it up. Feels great to be home.

Did you attend the event last year too or was this your first year?
This was my first year of DIYX and I’ll tell you what, that was a trip. I don’t know if it can get any better than DIYX. It’s pretty much the Copenhagen Open of snowboarding.

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Any favourite highlights/tricks/spots from the event?
Day 2 was my personal favourite. That kink ledge was incredible and so was Dillon Henrickson’s backflip through the ring of fire. I lost my shit when I saw that! That’s going down in history.

We heard you’ve got something of your own DIY snowpark called Benny’s Basecamp. Want to tell us a bit about that?
November Snowboarding in Minnesota is growing in popularity and snowboarders from across the country descend on the Midwest to hit the rope tows at Trollhaugen [Dresser, Wisconsin] and other spots. Troll is always firing in the preseason and they put an early-season emphasis on their terrain parks. The quick rope tow laps and creative rail features are a great way to shake off the dust.

“So the idea behind Benny’s Basecamp was to bring the homies together and give them a place to Crash/Party close to Troll”

So the idea behind Benny’s Basecamp was to bring the homies together and give them a place to Crash/Party close to Troll. A lot of homies from out of town are usually itching to get here this time of year so I’m stoked we could help them out.

The Basecamp itself was a cabin on a lake in Wisconsin. Some riders stayed only a few nights, while stuck around longer. There was a skateboard miniramp, a library of classic Snowboarding magazines and videos, some videogames, a bonfire pit, kayaks, and plenty of Red Bull.

Did that help you and your friends prepare for the DIYX Strt Jam in Innsbruck?
For sure. The homies who came with me to DIYX hadn’t snowboarded since last winter so it was definitely beneficial for them to come out. The resorts actually opened the day we left, but we had our own little DIYX going in the backyard of Benny’s Basecamp thanks to some tubes and a lot of Zamboni shavings from the Chisago Lakes Ice rink haha.

Will be seeing you for the DIYX Strt Jam Helsinki edition in March?
I heard rumors of the Helsinki DIYX but didn’t know if it was true. Not a chance I’m going to miss that. It’s the best event in Snowboarding. Hands down.

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Season’s only just kicking off, any highlights to look forward to for winter 22/23?
Grace Warner and Red Bull are bringing Heavy Metal to Detroit this winter [February 2023]. Word around town is that’s happening at Heart Plaza which is unreal. Can’t wait for that. Also really looking forward to following the General (Seth Huot) around Brighton. Following that beast around B Town is the highlight of my year, every year.