Mikey Ciccarelli has gone from contest kid to podium stomper. But Mikey put it all on the line and took his riding in a new direction with going hard in the backcountry. No stranger to the big boosters of the X-Games and other big air and Slopestyle events world wide. This part he had down, but now it was time to learn the ways of the backcountry with help of sponsors like Burton, The Manboys crew and Mikey’s way of viewing snowboarding.
We caught up with Mikey on how this journey began, how it’s going and what awaits for him.
Words: Chris Corbett
Photo: Aaron Blatt
Chris Corbett (CC): Insane resume from the contest early years, what fueled you to go that hard so young?
Mikey Ciccarelli (MC): Think the fuel was the opportunity to become a professional snowboarder. I was obsessed with snowboarding from such a young age and felt when I started competing, I saw the pathway of becoming pro, getting to travel the world, meeting new friends and have these amazing experiences. I was obsessed with it and knew that if I keep getting these results I could snowboard for a living. The passion came from just wanted to snowboard it’s as simple as that.
CC: Anyone who drove that passion back then?
MC: Oooh… I had a few early inspirations for sure back then, Mikkel Bang for sure was one of my favorites; still is! So sick we get to ride together and on the same team now! Seb Toots (Sébastien Toutant), Mark McMorris. At the point of me getting into those bigger comps Mark (McMorris) had just won double gold at X Games, Seb was a formative dude in the scene and looking up to them as a Canadian grom I was like if they can do it then there’s a chance that I can too. Then I got on nationals and before I knew it I was riding next to them on the same team which was pretty wild as I idolized those two for sure at a young age.
CC: With a focus on the Canadian riders as inspo, did you feel there was a difference between the US/other countries?
MC: I didn’t feel it when I was a kid, the circle I was in was so rad I never really saw it. I was with Sam Marcotte who was my coach at the time, We had Tyler Nicholson that I rode with and me and him were back and forth, like he got an X games invite then I got the invite. Didn’t really feel a hinderance but definitely had to work harder as we knew the Americans were getting more of an opportunities. But we knew if we could get on that stage and just grind it would be in our favor. Head down make it happen.
CC: When did you get on Burton?
MC: 15, rep level from like 9 to 13 and then my coach (Sam Marcotte) so rad, set up a day to ride in New Zealand with Mark (Mcmorris) with me and Tyler. Mark was super stoked on my riding and then he introduced me to his agent and the higher levels at Burton and it just went on from there.
CC: With in that 15 years of killing contests, What made the transition to the backcountry?
MC: I retired haha or quit the national team in 2020. I just always envisioned myself filming video parts I just didn’t know when or how to make the transition, and I know some riders would do both film and the contest scene but I just needed to hard drop national’s and go all in. I actually owe a lot of it to Jesse Fox and Crispin Cannon they were making the King Snow movie and reached out to Burton and said “we’ll support Mikey letsmake this happen” I reached out to Rockstar they were super down so went from being on the national team to straight filming for a movie which was just a crazy turn of events. As well as filming for ‘Light’ with Torstein (Horgmo) and then 2 clips in One World with Burton. I really class that season as me banking on myself with cutting it all, buying a new sled etc and going all in.
CC: I do remember seeing that amazing opening clip, switch back 5, first try, pristine landing.
MC: It was so emotional seeing that hard work and leap of faith come to fruition and see it in the cinema on the big screen, having Rencz (Mikey) and Sollors (Mark) cameo in my section too was amazing, I looked up to the likes of the Man Boys and being out there with them was just unreal to film my first movie alongside them.
CC: So many more video parts out now of you, what’s it like going from contest kid to backcountry big hitter.
MC: I’m insanely grateful to have had the career in contests and then have the ability to transition to backcountry. I’m just so grateful for that and that I can continue doing the thing I love. It’s definitely not an easy transition (laughs), the sponsor worries and then just filming in the backcountry is way harder, it made me respect video part pro’s a lot more than I already did. It takes so much time and patience, like you can film an entire winter and maybe get 10 good days, and If you’re not on it on those 10 days then damn you don’t have a part!
It’s a lot of trial and error which is what I enjoy. Something I never thought of but something I absolutely love from riding backcountry in comparison to contests is the team mentality. It’s so good being out with a crew were if I’m feeling off one day I’ll put all my energy into what they’re working on and vice versa. I love that joint effort.
If you get back to the lot and everyone has a clip that’s such an amazing high because it means the entire crew had to pull together, group flow and you just didn’t get that in Slopestyle. When we all clip up, we just elevate the project.
CC: With this next chapter, where do you want to see this go?
MC: I just want to continue riding and doing this life, looking up to people like Travis Rice who’s now into his 40’s and still crushing it and ever growing both his riding and the sport. I’m 29 now I’d like to be in a better place at 35/40 and constantly growing. Also people like Gigi Rüf coming in 3rd at Natural Selection at 43 is inspiring. The passion for sure still fuels all of it.
CC: Are there any riders in the contests now that you can see taking this trajectory into the backcountry too?
MC: Oh for sure Zoi Sadowski-Synnott, which she’s already done it a little bit and killed it. Sage Kotsenburg doing the same. I’d say for the younger ones it would be Dane Menzies from Canmore AB, Tosh (Krauskopf), Truth Smith and the whole SHMOBB crew.
CC: You’ve mentioned about with dropping National’s and if it didn’t work out going back and coaching, do you feel like you’re coaching/mentoring some of the up and coming backcountry riders?
MC: Yeah I’d love to mentor any of the up and coming, I still feel like I’m still learning, still wanting to go hard now and really want to continue that as I said into my 30’s and beyond. But yeah really excited to see the young ones wanting to come into the backcountry, would love to show Dane or Tosh the ropes and even Burton team riders like Raibu (Katayama), he already has the riding it’s just the sled knowledge to be unlocked. That is one of the most humbling transitions into the backcountry!
CC: Are there any projects you’re excited about backcountry esque either yourself or others?
MC: Man I’m so excited for everything that comes out! I love not getting leaks and seeing the premieres go down.
For sure hyped on PAVED coming out with Burton and Red Bull, I missed out on the AK trips so excited to see what the crew’s did out there. I know we have some insane footy from our days in BC I’m excited for everyone to see!
‘Realm’ with the Whistler crew for sure, especially seeing Darcy Sharpe and Brin Alexander more in that one.
