Mountain Zone Home
Tina Paints



See Her Board

Click below for
audio and transcripts

Download a FREE
media player
[RealPlayer]
[Windows Media]


"I think if my riding never progressed over the years that I would have gotten bored with it..."
click to
[hear and read it]

"That just kind of upped my riding more than I thought it was going to, so I don't have any 900s in my pocket or anything to bust out...."
click to
[hear and read it]

"I just totally get a gut feeling and if I don't have a gut feeling or feel like I should do this then I don't...no problem backing down off of stuff..."
click to
[hear and read it]

"I've really devoted myself to snowboarding and to my sponsors and to things that I needed to do..."
click to
v[hear and read it]

"Now everything is so organized and there are so many contests I think kids have lots of opportunities to go experience competition and how it feels..."
click to
[hear and read it]

"If I'm involved in snowboarding I want to be involved with everything about snowboarding: my board and my clothes and help with everything..."
click to
[hear and read it]

"You're not in a panic to get the pow at the resort and everybody's tracking up everything..."
click to
[hear and read it]

"He has never had a uncut fresh powder turn before..."
click to
[hear and read it]


SEE ALSO
Barrett Christy Interview
Snowboarding Gallery
Boarder X Tour
ISF Tour Opener




© 1998 The Zone Network. All rights Reserved.



An interview with

Tina Basich could be considered the "Godmother of Boarding." She started riding when Bananarama hit #1 on the Billboard music chart and was offered $200 a month to ride for Kemper in 1988. In talking to her, it seems she doesn't simply love snowboarding, but envelopes it. She designs her own boards for Sims, has her own line of clothing, helps to organize and faithfully supports Boarding for Breast Cancer and Board Aid...the list goes on.

Streaming Video 
Tina in
No Man's Land

Tina Rocks
REALPLAYER
modem speed
(28k) (56k) (T1)
RealPlayer
WINDOWS MEDIA
modem speed
(28k) (56k) (T1)
Windows Media
It's hard not to make this some sort of Tina tribute, but, it's Tina — the girl owns Fast Times at Ridgemont High on both VHS and DVD. And she's one of those people who doesn't keep her enthusiasm to herself, she spreads it out. Aside from her numerous charitable affiliations, she's penpal to at least 10 kids, all aspiring to launch it like she does. When these kids sent fans letters to Sims, they probably never expected they'd end up corresponding with her, personally, for years.

"That's a really cool way to get a compliment — from a kid taking the time to write you a letter," Tina says. And, in turn, she's takes the time to encourage the kids involvement in a sport she say has been nothing but positive for her and her family.

A tomboy growing up, Tina and, brother and best bud, Mike, had a BMX gang, "built forts out of everything" and, in 1986, started riding together. (There's a story somewhere about Tina sitting on the hill in her socks after her boots still strapped in, took off with her board).

Tina and Mike soon started hitting the local contests and then just rode it from there. Since then, snowboarding be berry berry good to her (and to him).

"It was more of a private thing back then and now it's a piece of everybody which isn't a bad thing, it's just different..."

"As snowboarding grew we just sort of grew with it: then there was a Colorado series so we went and did that, then there was a US Tour and we went and did that and then there was World Cup so we went and did that," she said. Grew they did, Tina's bustin' out 720s and is always a presence on the evnt circuit.

Tina in the Halfpipe
Tina Basich
[click to zoom]
(photo: Rueben Sanchez)
Events aside though, what Tina likes, loves, to do is just ride. Her "favorite, favorite, favorite" thing to do is brown bag lunch it with her friends in the backcountry: no hustle, no noise, (no tracks), just fresh turns.

Confident, and obviously for good reason, in her ability, Tina doesn't though take it for granted. You may think she's fearless when you see her pulling huge airs, like those she "surprised" everyone with in Alaska last year. But, she knows her limits and, basically, she ain't lookin' to impress.

"It's totally progressive. You can't just step right up to something you've never done or something you haven't come close to doing before because that's how you get in trouble. It's really important to work your way up to anything," she says.

The progression of her riding is a small part of what keeps her so involved, the rest is the fact that her life has been tied to this sport, her family's into it, her friends are into it, she's still into it so...why not?

"It's still the big part of my life. So it's still fun and all my friends are involved in it so it's a big circle you make around you that you don't want to leave," she says.

But she is ready to start doing a different kind of riding, riding just for herself.

"I feel like I've really devoted myself to snowboarding and to my sponsors and to things that I needed to do and to women in snowboarding," Tina says. "This year I'm really looking forward to having lots of days to just go riding with my friends and spin laps at the resort which I haven't done in a long time."

And she'll be teaching, at least "friend" Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters, whom she met at last year's Boarding for Breast Cancer event. Hopefully he already knows, but she got him a CAT boarding trip for his birthday and they'll be heading to those hills together.

"He has never had an uncut fresh powder turn before so that's my goal is to get him hiking and practice up for this trip," Tina says. Now that's the gift that keeps on giving.

Tina will probably always include snowboarding in her repertoire, along with her graphic design, Hewalina, the soap and lotion company she started with her mom, her music, her clothing line...just go click on the transcripts on the left and hear her for yourself.

Sarah Love, Mountain Zone Staff

[Snowboarding Home] [MountainZone.com Home]