Athlete profile: Martin Freinademetz

Posted: Tue February 3, 1998 at 5:00 PM ET

Athlete notes

Freinademetz has dominated the International Snowboard Federation (ISF) circuit for so long the European press has labeled him "The Dominator"...he is a true racer when he pushes through the starting gate and his aggressive style has earned him several world titles since he began competing in 1990...younger riders usually gun for Freinademetz and he could be the man to beat in Nagano..."Look for me at the '98 Winter Games," says Freinademetz to his challengers...they surely will...many snowboarders, like Austrians Harald Walder and Dieter Happ list Freinademetz as the snowboarder they most look up to..."It's definitely an honor," says Freinademetz to the fact that he is one of the most well-respected snowboarders around. "It's such a young sport. In Austria we have ski heroes like Franz Klammer and Toni Sailer, so to be someone who is recognized in snowboarding is very special"...one reason he is well-known is that he has brought some visibility and popularity to the young sport with his outspoken publicity and consistent success..."Due to the fact that I started snowboarding in '85, of course I could not imagine what dimensions this sport would reach," says Freinademetz about the sport being in the Olympics for the first time. "At that time the bigger problem was finding resorts where we could ride. In the early 90's, I finally recognized that it's just a matter of time before snowboarding will be bigger than skiing"...one season, Freinademetz was so dominant he would show up to the races in a hairy gorilla suit -- while competitors would wear aerodynamic speed suits -- and still would win..."It was sort of done in protest," says Freinademetz. "Guys were wearing speed suits for the slalom, which you don't need to do. It was taking away from the snowboarding ideal. I think I showed them by winning"...he is most proud of the double ISF World Championships he won in slalom and giant slalom in Davos, Switzerland in 1995... he acknowledges that U.S. riders are not as technical and experienced on steep courses (which the bottom half of the Hakuba course is)..."In Europe, many people switch between alpine and soft boot systems depending on the conditions, but I think more U.S. riders -- especially on the East Coast, might start riding alpine on hardpack"...he first started snowboarding in 1985 when he saw the snowboard movie Apocalypse, which was about a bunch of skiers following a snowboarder...at that point there was no professional snowboard tour to earn a living, so Martin became involved in snowboard action photos and joined the Burton Demo Team -- a marketing group for Burton Snowboards that traveled from resort to resort demonstrating what snowboarding is all about...he has remained with Burton as his sponsor on the ISF tour and is not happy about having to compete in FIS World Cup events..."It is my only chance to qualify, so I'll have to do it," laments Freinademetz. "There are other people who have helped make snowboarding popular besides us. We have to accept that. I can't believe I have to wear those crappy start numbers" (ISF races do not have number bibs)...Martin lives five minutes from a gondola and loves snowboarding in his native Tyrol... the free-spirited Freinademetz loves to have a good time on, and off, the mountain...he enjoys motorsports..."I love speed, I like to slide through the turns sideways with my car. I drive a Lancia Rally car with 230 Hp. I also ride a KTM 250 for motocross and enduro racing and a KTM 620 for rally and desert racing"...he also goes mountain climbing, spends time with his girlfriend, Gigi, and surfs..."Since I started surfing, I'm addicted to it"...his father is an bridge engineer and his mother is a housewife...like many ISF riders, Freinademetz is definitely not your main stream type of guy, but this is not your mainstream type of sport either...he speaks English....