Stories
BOOM! WELCOME TO THE LINE UP SAMMY CARLSON
SAMMY CARLSON – WELCOME INTERVIEW Boom! Sammy Carlson or Sammy C to many has been doing crazy things on two planks for a while now. Wikipedia even has him listed as the “the first skier to execute a switch triple rodeo 1260 in July 2010 at Mt Hood.” Getting a Wikipedia page as a skier isn’t easy folks. But neither is anything Sammy C does for that matter. Now 30 years of age, the 8-time 'X Games' medallist has taken his cat like freestyle abilities into the BC for the last few years and is unquestionably one of the best riders building booters out there today. We flicked Sammy a few socks last season and couldn’t be more pumped to officially announce his addition to the team. We had a brief chat with Sammy to welcome him aboard and see what the future holds. LB: Hey Sammy, thanks for chatting with us, how’ve you been man? Hey guys, things have been good. Getting ready for another winter up here in BC, after an awesome summer. I have been spending lots of time training this fall, getting the body strong and ready to go for the season. Skiing again now, it feels good to be back on the skis! You just released your latest project OVER TIME. How was that received? We gave it a little nudge on the socials but had to keep quiet you were a new team rider, so we’re stoked to finally celebrate that epic film! Thank you, we are stoked to receive such a positive response, we put a lot of effort into the film. It was really good working with CK9 studios, the boys put so much work into it, Clay Mitchell and Simon Shave did a great job, it was our first time working together. We wanted to create something special and powerful, and inspire people in all walks of life, to live to the fullest. We really appreciate everyone’s positive response. We’re already deep in planning a new video for this upcoming season, we’re excited to get back out there and back it up. As always there were some crazy screengrabs to take from that video. What fuels your fire in skiing these days? Is it getting shots like this? For sure, I love getting those shots when we’re out filming. I love when it all lines up. Those dreamy lines and perfect airs keep me inspired. Skiing pow gets me fired up. My focus is to try and ride as much as possible and keep pushing myself. It just keeps getting better, the more confident I am on my skis, the more fun I’m having. After an epic day of filming I always find myself thinking “how can I shred more lines, or get more laps?” That’s the most challenging part. Park skiing is so fun because you can just do laps all day and session the jumps or whatever. When we’re filming or out skiing in the backcountry a majority of the day is spent either sledding or touring, to get on top of the line, or hopefully lines. That’s what I’m always trying to figure out is how to ride more pow. The last few seasons I have been really psyched to spend less time building jumps and focus more on riding lines and hitting more natural features. Surfing has been a major inspiration the last few summers and definitely influencing my skiing. I’m looking for fun lines and hits that line up and make sense. I’m not trying to get overexposed out there, I like lines that flow and make sense, so you can ride with confidence and play with it. In his element.. seeking out natural terrain. Pic cred: @bacha.photo You’ve always been involved with some big names like production company TGR and sponsors like Quiksilver who you signed with last season. How’d you hear about Le Bent and what was it about a little apparel brand from Australia you liked so much? I hadn’t heard of Le Bent until I met one of the owners at a Cat skiing lodge last season. It was completely random, we met at the top of a run called Cloud 9. The sunset was going off that night, we were filming for OVERTIME in the middle of a sick session. Stoke levels were high. We were getting ready for another lap, then one of the guest Cats rolled up and Simon (Le Bent Co-founder), had a Quiksilver jacket on so naturally I said what’s up! We talked briefly before the run, then that night at the lodge over a beer, he convinced me he makes the best socks in the industry and I was fired up to get a pair of the new Cody Townsend socks to try for myself. As soon as I tried them, I knew the guys at Le Bent weren’t messing around. Socks are often over looked, when your spending long days in the mountains, having good socks can make or ruin your day when you’re out. What Le Bent products have you particularly enjoyed? I really like Cody’s Sock, they’re next level! So much thought went into those socks. As soon as you put them on your feet, you feel it. They have all the padding in the right spots, they grip your feet like a glove. Those socks kept my feet feeling good all day! Obviously, you’re spending most of your time in the backcountry these days, perhaps not quite to the extent that fellow team member Cody Townsend is, but are you also touring a lot too or is it more sled and heli accessed skiing? Definitely. I’m not on the same mission Cody is on, I’m spending lots of time touring though. Pretty much everyday, even if we’re using the sleds, often we have to park the sleds near the zone and tour for the final approach. I ride a tech set up nearly 100% of the time so I have the option to tour if I need. I also like the lightweight feel and really enjoy walking around in the mountains, especially if we’re filming. Being on slope and walking up next to the line gives you different or extra vantage points, which can really help you dissect and understand the line and it means more once you’re up top. You get less shots so I really want to make every run count! 'Blisssss'. Pic cred: @bacha.photo In that case, do you like a little more padding in a sock or what do you tend to look for? I like a medium thick sock with padding in the right spots. If it’s too thick and bulky I often find like I’m swimming in the sock by midday. I like a medium fit with a little extra padding on the toes and around the ankle bones. We had Cody down here in Aus testing his pro model sock, is that something we could talk you into doing... We know you’ve been surfing a lot in the off-season, ever surfed or skied in Oz? 100% I have never been to Australia. I’m pretty sus on all the sharks that way, but the wildlife and waves look incredible! I’m ready to come down this next summer and check it out, let’s go! Ok, so talking Oz is one thing, but if we were to find you in your happy place, that epic spot that feeds the mind-shredding, where would we need to go? Find me on top of some Dinosaur Back Spine lines… those long dreamy, rippable, surfy spine lines! So what’s next on the agenda for the season ahead? Will we find you on some more spine lines? I hope so, I’m planning to go back up to Alaska this spring and Maybe a Japanuary. I will be working on a new film with CK9 studios most the winter and see where the snows at. I’m feeling healthy and ready to go. I’m hoping we have a good snow year and a Sunny stable spring up here in BC! Some upside-down action over Mt Hood, OR. Pic cred: @bacha.photo Well Sammy, we appreciate you taking the time to chat and sure are stoked to have you joining le team. Bring on the good times ahead. Yew! Thank you. Likewise! I’m Stoked to be part of the team and looking forward to all the good times! YEEOW! ABOUT SAMMY CARLSON Age: 30 Hometown: Revelstoke, BC Home Resort: Nationality: USA Sponsors: Quiksilver, Monster Energy Drink, Armada Skis, Oakley, Dakine, FullTilt Favourite Le Bent gear: Cody T.'s Sock - LE SEND Follow Sammy here: https://www.instagram.com/sammycarlson1/
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SAFE AS Avalanche Clinics Championed by One of Le Bent’s Best – Elyse Saugstad
Avalanche safety championed by one of our best
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LE BENT WELCOMES ELYSE SAUGSTAD TO THE FAMILY
ELYSE SAUGSTAD – WELCOME INTERVIEW It was obvious to us Elyse Saugstad belonged on Le Bent's team. Not because her husband Cody Townsend’s a bona fide le family member, but because of the way she skis… she bloody rips! And that’s putting it lightly. A third-generation Alaskan, it’s unsurprising most of Elyse’s award-winning ski segments feature a spine line that’ll blow your mind. Freeskier Magazine’s “2018 Female Skier of the Year” came down under this season with Cody to sample some of our antipodean offerings and while we didn’t ski much in the way of spines, we skied plenty of pow and struggled to keep up with Elyse and dozens of Thredbo groms as they darted amongst the snow gums. We also had the pleasure of getting Elyse in some more of our gear, knowing she’d been in Cody’s Le Send sock since its inception. We thought we’d officially invite her to join the team. We caught up with Elyse to discuss her skiing, her time in Australia and to welcome her as the newest member of the Le Bent family. LB: Hey Elyse, thanks for taking the time and welcome (officially) to the team! Thanks, I’m thrilled I’m joining forces with Le Bent! So, how’ve you been since visiting us down under? Still tucking into the vegemite and VB’s? Ha, vegemite is just too much for my taste buds. I gave it another shot on this last trip to Aus and quickly reminded myself that I am not a fan. In all seriousness though, what did you think of Aus? You’d been before but how did you find the skiing down under? Australia is an F-ing amazing country and visiting again rekindled the love I had previously developed for it. Cody Townsend and I totally scored with the storm of the winter, which made for a fabulous experience. The mountains may not be as big and steep as they are in Alaska, but the terrain is playful and ultimately really fun. There are so many ways to be entertained on skis that it was impossible not to have a good time! Of course, you visited with Cody to help put the finishing touches on his Le Send sock. What did you think when Cody first started to work on that? I thought it was a great idea. As an athlete sometimes the brands we work with are so large that they are not interested in our feedback and ideas, and for us athletes that can be a bit of a bummer as we put so much time into what we do and really know what works and doesn’t in regards to our gear. So when Cody was approached by Le Bent and they gave him carte blanche to design the best backcountry sock possible it became the perfect pairing, so to speak, between the two. I got to test the socks all last winter, and as good as they are I found they could use a few tweaks specific for the ladies. Whereas Cody lives on the skin track these days, you’re the one jumping out of helis and putting together the adrenaline pumping, show stopping segments. Congrats on taking out IF3’s “Best Female Freeride Performance” for your part in Winterland! We went to the premiere in Sydney and your part was definitely a crowd favourite. How does that segment compare to some of your others like All Us? Thanks for the props! My segment for Winterland was essentially building upon what I’ve accomplished previously in my career. Not in the sense of the actual skiing as my segment in Winterland is not above and beyond my past few years of ski segments with TGR and MSP, but I’ve finally got a bit of traction going from my filming over the last few years and received the offer to join TGR on their highly coveted, marquee, big-budget Alaska trip. I was viewed as someone that could perform in big terrain and be worthy to film. There’s so much money, production and logistics going into a trip like that you understandably have to prove beforehand that you deserve to be there. Getting this opportunity was something I’ve worked towards my entire career so it was quite special. It’s not always serious shredding with you and Cody though is it? For example, ‘It’s called backcountry skiing’ and the recent Mica Heliskiing vid… How important is not taking yourself too seriously and having a bit of fun with the video parts too? Yes, even though the skiing portion of those edits were still full on, intense days filled with pressure to get the shots (it’s work!) Cody and I feel that we ski because it’s fun, and in the grand scheme of things it shouldn’t be taken too seriously. We are really lucky to call skiing our jobs. Plus, audiences don’t need to be reminded of work as skiing is an escape for them. It’s all about perception - so why bother getting your panties in a wad when you can choose to just enjoy the moment. When you visited, we skied with a bunch of groms from the Thredbo Mountain Academy and we know a lot of the girls loved getting a chance to ski with you and ask questions. What words of wisdom do you normally tell young girls and boys about being a professional skier? There’s lots I’ve learned over the years of being a professional skier so really it’s almost too broad of a question. That being said, I think that the underlying need to becoming a professional skier is having a ridiculous amount of passion for the sport. If you have the passion it will carry you through the lows you’ll surely experience as well as it will inspire you to continually work hard during the highs so you don’t become stagnant. Speaking of words of wisdom, what would you like to see from us at Le Bent? Complete and utter domination of the outdoor world’s sock industry! Other than the Le Send sock what other gear of ours would we find you in? The neck gaiters are all time. They’re soft, breathable and warm. My face is the most sensitive spot on my body so the products that I use for it need to be the best quality possible. While you obviously managed some riding in the Southern Hemisphere with us, your northern hemi season is about to kick off. Can you tell us much about your plans for this season? Chase powder and scare myself a little. Film trips usually don’t emerge until the snow starts flying and locations start taking shape, but there has been talk of filming in BC. I imagine it’ll be in the cards as the terrain and snowfall are consistently some of the best in the world. Awesome, best of luck with those projects and we’re looking forward to seeing you in Le Bent. Yewwww. Thanks! Stoked to be a new addition to the family. ABOUT ELYSE SAUGSTAD Age: Young enough to send’er and old enough to know I need to be discretionary about it Hometown: Tahoe City, California, USA Home Resort: Alyeska Resort, Alaska, USA Nationality: USA Sponsors: Blizzard/Tecnica, Orage, Scott, Alyeska Resort, Hestra, Arcade, Ortovox Favourite Le Bent gear: Le Send Backcountry Sock Follow Elyse here: Instagram
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"BEST START TO THE SEASON I’VE EVER SEEN"
1st of June, 2019 is looking more like the 1st of August! Photo essay within... If you follow skiing and snowboarding in Australia you’ve probably come across @australian_backcountry. Not necessarily experienced it for yourself – the backcountry that is – but seen its embodiment through the images produced by the man behind the social handle – Jake Sims. Jake comes on board this season as a Le Bent ambassador and the only thing more exciting is the fact this season is shaping up to be one for the books. Indeed the official snow depth measured by the folks from the Snowy Hydro Scheme up at Spencers Creek on Tuesday, June 4th measured 71.3cm... the most snow this early in the season since 73.8cm on June 1st, 2000. But we don’t need to take The Snowy Hydro’s word for it! A bona fide expert on BC conditions as his Instagram handle suggests, according to Jake, it’s the “best start to the season I’ve ever seen.” THE WESTERN FACES AND A FRESH WINTER COAT. Just a few days ago, on the first day of June 2019 – Jake and a crew of keen backcountry sliders headed out to the western faces of Kosciuszko National Park. They gave the crowds at Perisher and Mt Buller a miss – despite the resorts opening to the public a week before usual. There was a different kind of skiing now open to the public, but it required more work than purchasing a lift ticket and offered a whole heap more vertical relief. Alongside Jake was his friends Erryn Reeder (blue jacket) and Trent Shaddock (black jacket). The trio started their tour at 4am and returned to their homes in Canberra at 9:30pm. NOT YOUR TYPICAL APPROACH TO BURLY BACKCOUNTRY LINES. In total, they covered over 40km's, with about 32km's of that on splitboards. We asked Jake how much vert he thought they’d covered? He laughed. “Not sure on vert, don’t want to think about it haha.” “We rode from Perisher, so 8km up and 8km back. Followed the snow plough the whole way up. The road was closed so had to take bikes. There were contractors stuck at Charlotte Pass so they were clearing the road to get them out.” ERRYN REEDER PASSING THROUGH A SNOWED-IN SPENCER’S ON HIS WAY TO THE TOP OF AUSTRALIA. “The ride was pretty sketchy, fun times trying to navigate black ice with a head torch in pitch black at 630pm.” Jake and the crew got some of the first turns of the season back in May but says the difference in cover was “night and day”. “May was more just the novelty of getting out there after the first fall, lots of rocks, lots of ice and we had to keep that in mind when riding. The latest tour was almost like mid-winter, the cover was great, snow was great and you could ride hard for some fun turns.” Kosciusko received upwards of 90cm of snowfall in a little over a week and it shows. “Usually [you expect] cover like this after the second or third snowfall, maybe late June early July depending on the year." Said Jake. "Conditions were great, some of the best snow I’ve ridden in our backcountry. The snow in the "elevator" chute at Club Lake was the best I’ve ever ridden there, lots of stoke after that run.” The crew also had the pick of the litter out there in terms of busyness. A far cry from the 2000+ people that converged on Mt Buller for the resort’s early opening. “There were a few people out there getting amongst it but they were coming from Guthega. So glad we didn't have to do the bracken bash from Guth, it's horrendous this time of year. When we arrived at Carruthers we had the whole area to ourselves.” Said Jake. IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY YOU CAN MAKE OUT THE FIRST TRACKS OF 2019 DOWN THE FAMED ‘SENTINEL’ ... BUT THEY’RE NOT JAKES! When asked who the culprit was? Jake said the man responsible was, “a solo warrior called John.” “What a line it was, he smashed it! When we came over the rise and we saw it we were like, ‘whoever dropped that had the run of the day!’” Follow Jake Sims on Instagram for more photos like these and mountain wisdom like the line he left us with at the end of our interview… “Any day in the backcountry is better than a day at work.” Photos: Jake Sims Words: Matt Wiseman
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LE BENT WELCOMES LAURA ADAMS TO THE FAMILY
One of "the world's most sought after (ski) guides" joins le family! Le Bent’s ever-expanding team of athletes and ambassadors are certainly no strangers to adventure. Professional skiers, snowboarders and ultra runners rely on our gear in some of the harshest environments around. But few, if any, adventure like our latest recruit. Laura Adams is perhaps the most badass adventurer we’ve had the pleasure of bringing on board and we couldn’t have been more excited when, after tossing a few pairs of socks her way last season, she told us: “I’m finding it hard to put any other socks on since I’ve worn yours!” Safe to say Laura won’t be in any other socks now she’s officially a part of le family, but where she takes those socks is anyone’s guess. Laura has spent her life guiding and adventuring in the most remote corners of the globe. These include climbing, skiing, paddling and ocean expeditions throughout North America, Asia, Europe, New Zealand, Greenland, and the Canadian Arctic. Laura was the fifth woman in Canada to become a fully certified ACMG Ski Guide, was New Zealand’s national women’s kite-surfing champion, and even has a master’s degree in Leadership. We first met Laura when she guided Le Bent co-founder Simon Blondel during a week with Mustang Powder cat skiing in British Columbia. Laura 'working' with Mustang Powder... We caught up with Laura amongst the mountains of western Canada to ask a few questions on a storied career that sees her named one of the ‘worlds most adventurous women of 2019’. LB: Laura, thanks for speaking with us, and welcome to the team! Thanks! I’m stoked to be part of le family - the ethos and people involved in Le Bent really resonates with me. So it’s now summer in the northern hemisphere, but you just got back from the mountains… where have you been? I’ve just returned from leading a ski-touring expedition into the remote fiords of central Baffin Island, Nunavut Canada. Baffin Island has the highest concentration of big walls in the world surrounded by spectacular ski terrain, a unique polar ecosystem and fascinating Inuit culture. Epic! You’ve done so many amazing things to date in the adventure world, is there one thing in particular you’re most proud of? Looking back today it is not the trips or objectives that I have accomplished that make me most proud. It is the contributions I have made to enhance peoples lives, to support science, and to inspire others to develop deeper connections with themselves and the natural world. When did you realise you wanted a career in adventure? At an early age I recognized my greatest passion was exploring wild places. My father was an accomplished mountaineer and my first memories were waking up in a tent at a climbing camp high up in the mountains of British Columbia, Canada. Our parents would swap days doing first ascents with taking care of the kids and introducing us to climbing, paddling and bush craft. I was curious by nature and just couldn’t get enough of it! So I started the mountain guiding program as soon as I was old enough and then became a certified teacher so I could share my love of the outdoors with others. You seem to have a finger in lots of adventure pies – guiding, avalanche forecasting, education and even painting! Was ski guiding always the dream and these other aspects just naturally evolved? I am an explorer at heart and I love sharing these experiences with others through teaching, guiding and speaking. In my 20’s I did an equal amount of rock and alpine guiding over the seasons, however that shifted naturally over time as I started working in both hemispheres and following the snow. After my Masters research in high-risk decision making, I lived in New Zealand for 10 years ski guiding in the beautiful Southern Alps and forecasting for the public avalanche program. Over the years I’ve experienced more ski seasons than birthdays ;-). More recently I am spending an increasing amount of time in the Arctic where my skis propel me only part of the time. On one day I may be driving a zodiac trolling for marine plastics, and on another carrying a shotgun and guarding guests from polar bears. Can you tell us a little bit about how you tie snow science in with social science and decision making in the mountains? The outdoors are full of uncertainty and are places of constant change; for example the terrain, the snowpack and the weather conditions that influence it. However many of the incidents that occur happen because of human factors. I observed this in both recreationists and professionals early in my career, and that inspired me to pursue my Masters to better understand why, and to use this understanding to develop better decision support tools. Understanding the things that influence our judgement and the processes we use to make decisions in the outdoors enables us to be better decision makers. Recognizing when we are being influenced by human factors such as uncertainty, fatigue, personal issues, or group ‘think’ provides a powerful tool to choose better actions, or adjust an existing plan accordingly. Being mindful and present is a big part of the picture. Men’s Journal has called you “one of the most sought-after guides in the world”, what companies have you guided for and where are some of the places they’ve taken you? I started my guiding career with Canadian Mountain Holidays where I was fortunate to learn ‘the ropes’ within a big team of experienced guides from all around the world. I guided at many of the ski-touring lodges in BC, and then spent a decade working with Alpine Guides in New Zealand. Since returning to Canada I do some guiding for Mustang Powder and work on environmental voyages for Adventure Canada in the Arctic. However, I have always led my own private expeditions, and this forms the bulk of my guiding work these days – with a focus on remote, culturally interesting parts of the globe. I do take on interesting exploratory projects for other companies, and last year I lead the first Arctic heliskiing for Weber Arctic in central Baffin Island. Laura leading groups in the Arctic. Has there been one trip or place in particular that has had a bigger impact on you than anywhere else? I’ve really fascinated with remote mountain cultures and the peoples that have lived for centuries in these wild places. In January I explored the ancient Tuvan mountain culture of northern China where skiing originated over 10,000 years ago. And over the past few years I’ve been involved in seven expeditions to the Arctic to guide, explore and support science. The Inuit people have lived there for over 4.5 thousand years in some of the most diverse and pristine ecosystems on our planet. I have seen the impacts of climate change both to the environment and to the peoples, and worked alongside scientists who are studying its implications. These experiences have fuelled my concern about climate change, as these are not only local issues – these are critical global problems with alarming consequences. I’ve painted an Arctic series that is currently on exhibit, and have been speaking and sharing images of the rapidly changing Arctic environment with the hopes of inspiring people to make changes in their lives and for governments to develop policy and tangible actions to respond. Laura and her guided group touring the Altai Mountains of China in early 2019 - one of the first ski expeditions there. Now you don’t have any social media presence, is that a conscious decision? Because your life is pretty ‘instagrammable!’ I am often on lengthy expeditions in remote regions far from internet and Wi-Fi. I reach my followers through my guests, my speaking and writing, and my art. I share my experiences and perspectives through meaningful interactions and conversations with people – it is the ethos that underpins how I work and approach life. What have you learned about ski or hike socks in all your years wearing them? Comfortable feet are the most important thing for us self-propelled adventurers! What is next to our skin is fundamental to both comfort and skin health; particularly when you are doing back-to-back days and lengthy expeditions. I had a colleague develop trench foot (really!) during a ski-traverse in the Bugaboos – now that is something you never want to get! What is it about Le Bent you find most appealing? Le Bent is far more than just exceptionally high-performing socks. The bamboo/merino blend base layers are the most comfortable garments I’ve worn – and super stylish too! I’m looking forward to watching the women’s line grow and evolve into the future! Laura took our Le Snow Sock mountain biking in Waterton National Park, Alberta, Canada last week and told us "Le Snow Sock is now my favourite mountain biking sock in the summer months." Where’s the next adventure? I’m home in Nelson, BC for a few weeks now before I head to the West Coast of Greenland, Devon Island and the Canadian Arctic. ABOUT LAURA ADAMS Age: Timeless ; -) Hometown: Nelson BC Canada Home Resort: Whitewater Nationality: Canadian Sponsors: Le Bent, G3, Arc’Teryx Favourite Le Bent gear: Le Snow Sock – also my favourite for mountain biking; and Le Base layers. Extended Bio: Laura’s love of exploration and learning has taken her all over the world; from solo climbing in the Himalayas in her early 20’s to ski guiding amongst the big walls of Canada’s remote Baffin Island. She has kite-surfed New Zealand’s rugged coastlines, explored the Arctic archipelago by ski and water, and ski -toured amongst the ancient Tuvan mountain peoples of far northern China. Laura is a passionate advocate of the natural world and for the peoples that live within these wild places. Alongside her guiding career, Laura has held senior leadership roles in the international outdoor community: as chief executive representing New Zealand’s outdoor recreation and adventure tourism sector; editor of a national outdoor magazine, adviser to government, and lead for a wide-range of innovation and transformation projects. Her Masters research into human factors and decision-making in mountain environments shed new light into the design of decision support tools, and was recognized by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. Laura was recently chosen as one of the world’s most adventurous women in the Men’s Journal article ‘The New Adventure Icons’ (January 2019); and by Explore as a women they admire for International Women’s Day in March 2019. She sits on the advisory board for Canada’s Centre for Tourism Policy and Research, is a published author, professional speaker and workshop facilitator, landscape oil painter, and a member of the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides. Laura lives in Nelson, British Columbia Canada.
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INSIDE AN ULTRA TRAIL RUN
Over the weekend, hundreds of pairs of Le Bent socks ran hundreds of kilometres through the Aussie bush… Whilst we hope our socks are always out and about, helping our athletes float over trails, last weekend was a special one in that it saw our ever expanding team of trail runners converge on the multiday Ultra-Trail Australia (UTA). The race that began in 2008 and had 160 entrants and barely 130 finishers has evolved into not just Australia’s biggest trail running event, but the biggest in the Southern Hemisphere and the second largest on the planet. This year the UTA attracted nearly 7,000 runners and over 12,500 spectators to cheer on the former as they battled not just each other but the challenging Blue Mountains world heritage listed landscape. Le Bent athlete and UTA Hall of Famer Brendan Davies on the home straight on Saturday. THE STATS: Ultra-Trail Australia – May 16-19, 2019 – Katoomba, Blue Mountains, NSW, Australia Total runners: 6700 (50/50 male/female split) UTA100 – 1500 runners, sold out in 3 days UTA50 – 2100 runners, sold out in 3 hours UTA22 – 2100 runners, sold out in 22 hours UTA11 – 600 runners, new race distance for 2019 Injinji 1km-4-Kids – 400 runners We sat down with two of Le Bent’s finest ultra-trail runners and talked about what goes into competing in such a grueling event. We’ve divided up what we wanted to know (and what we think you’ll want to know) into some short clips below… Left to right: Le Bent sales manager Steve Walshe, runner Ben Duffus, runner Brendan Davies and Le Bent director Simon Blondel, pre-race. QUESTION 1 – TRAIL RUN SOCK SELECTION “I’m always in the lightweight socks to keep my feet warm.” – Brendan Davies QUESTION 2 – TRAIL RUN LAYERING “When running you do heat up really quickly so it’s good to be able to strip off when necessary.” – Ben Duffus QUESTION 3 – LONG TERM PREPARATION “From six months, or even the race last year, I could argue that I’m planning in my mind, how I’m going to time my year leading up to it and how other races are going to fit into that timeline.” – Brendan Davies QUESTION 4 – FOOD “When you’re training a lot, you’re eating a lot. I mean, my friends make fun of me because I don’t eat out of regular bowls; I eat out of family sized salad bowls.” – Ben Duffus QUESTION 5 – MENTAL TRAINING “When there are challenging training days that’s an opportunity to build up that mental grit. If it’s cold and wet outside, well it might be cold and wet on race day. If it’s hot and humid, well again, that’s a great opportunity to practice suffering.” – Ben Duffus QUESTION 6 – RACE LEAD UP “I tend to hide in my cave a little bit more. I stay away from all the excitement and stay off social media, all that kind of thing. Give myself plenty of distractions and try not to think about the race too much.” – Brendan Davies QUESTION 7 – EVE OF RACE/RACE DAY “I keep things routine. Tonight I’ll kick back on the couch, watch the footy, maybe have a beer and then go to bed the same time I usually go to bed.” – Brendan Davies QUESTION 8 – RACE TACTICS “That third quarter is when the going gets tough, you’re far enough in to be tired but you’ve got far enough to go for it to be still intimidating. So I really focus on nailing that third quarter.” – Ben Duffus QUESTION 9 – RECOVERY FOOD (BEER & PIZZA?) “I’m probably the first one lining up for a beer or if someone’s throwing a beer in my hand I’ll gratefully accept it.” – Brendan Davies QUESTION 10 – TIPS FOR FIRST TIMERS “Don’t go out too hard...” – Ben Duffus Beers are on us fellas! Congratulations to everyone who competed and to all of our Le Bent team for doing us proud as always. As for what Le Bent socks our guys trusted to compete in? Lucy Bartholomew, of course, ran in her signature Le Lucy sock, Brendan was in the Trail Light 3/4 Crew and Ben was wearing the Outdoor Light Mini. Race results: Ben Duffus – 1st UTA22 Brendan Davies – 9th UTA100 Lucy Bartholomew – 2nd UTA50 Vlad Shatrov – Leading 1st UTA100 but DNF (injury) Wes Gibson – 16th UTA22 Matty Abel – 49th UTA50 Paige Penrose – 1st UTA11 Michael Milton – 1957th UTA22 (Badass 1-legged paralympian) See more results.
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MEET THE NEW GUYS AND GALS OF NORTH AMERICA
We are psyched to team up with a stellar line up of North American freestylers, freeriders, photographers, and mountaineers. As we expand into North America, we are thrilled to add to our already stellar list of ski, snowboard, and trail running athletes with a strong winter, North American athlete and ambassador line up. Located in epicenters like Jackson, Aspen, Tahoe, and more, these ambassadors include the likes of pro-freeskier Cody Townsend, backcountry freestyler Sander Hadley, FWT athlete Andrew Pollard, freerider Lexi Dowdall, snowboarder Summer Fenton, Warren Miller athlete Forrest Jillson, backcountry mountaineer Noah Howell, and renowned photographer Christian Pondella. Day-in and day-out, the eclectic team is putting le bent products to the ultimate test in the respective environments. It's a testament to le bent's quality of product, and we are over-the-moon to have them in our gear. What's more? We've teamed up with Tahoe-based freeski athlete and legend, Cody Townsend, to create a signature ski-touring sock, Le Send, available fall 2019. Townsend is currently on a mission to climb and ski all of North America's "50 Classic Descents." Follow along as he conquers all in his Le Send. Stay tuned to Instagram for more from the team this winter in the Northern Hemisphere.
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