André Kuhlmann

André Kuhlmann

Biography:

Germany's Andre Kuhlmann started his pro snowboarding career as one of his country's most promising rookies. After fulfilling that early promise with a couple of national titles, Kuhlmann has matured into one of Europe's most impressive and versatile heavy hitters. In a world where form is temporary and class is permanent, the secret of the Bavarian rider's success and longevity lies in the fact he is able to ride it all. From backcountry cheese wedges all the way through to high consequence inner city rails, Andre is always a class act. Throw Kuhlmann into any environment and you just know the cream will always rise to the top. While this rider from Garmisch is happiest flying through the air, he's just as content gorging himself on bottomless powder turns if the conditions allow it. It's these incredibly well rounded riding skills that have earned Kuhlmann a well-deserved place on the celebrated Isenseven film roster, and these same skills that have seen the crew document banger after banger signed Andre Kuhlmann. Given the amount of time this guy has been dropping hammers across the globe, it's easy to forget this stylish rider has still got plenty of gas left in the tank. So make no mistake: Kuhlmann is here to stay!

Photos:
Cover SixtyNine'09
Cover Snowstyle'09
Snowboard Unity '08
Latest on André Kuhlmann: related products: Interview

Q: What has been the biggest highlight of the past 12 months for you?
A: My main highlight was definetly the trip to Diavolezza in Switzerland. In mid-May, a crew of 6 of us hiked for over 4 hours to the Piz Palü peak at just under 4000m. We shot some good photos in the sercac zone, and the whole thing was a really great experience. 

Q: What's the best thing about riding for a living?
A: You get to travel around the world with friends! Plus you're always discovering new terrain, meeting new and interesting people and pushing your own riding level. In short, it's amazing to turn your passion into your job! 

Q: Who do you enjoy riding with the most, and why?
A: There's no one rider in particular. I love to ride with people who are motivated to ride and build kickers. I also always enjoy riding with riders that are up for trying new tricks and experienced in backcountry riding. 

Q: Other than home, where is your favorite place to ride, and why?
A: I love going to Grotli in Norway. HC Bergheim's parents run a hotel in Grotli, and we head up and stay there every year when it's still closed to the public. We have the whole hotel to ourselves. Best of all, we also have all that terrain and those spots to ourselves. We just head out on the sleds and build kickers with absolutely nobody else around. Mix all those factors together and it turns into one big playground for snowboarders.  

Q: What are your main goals and plans for the next 12 months?
A: I want to go and shoot lots of photos and get some good video footage. I'm looking forward to the Arctic trip to Spitzbergen. I also want to learn a bunch of new tricks and push myself along with my buddies to discover and shred undiscovered areas for good photos. 

Q: How do you see your sport evolving in the next few years?
A: On the one hand, snowboarding's progression over the last few years has been crazy. Riders have been flying higher, pipes are bigger and tricks have been getting even crazier. I think we're getting to the point where only a small number of riders will have the skills to dominate competitions. On the other hand, freeriding is still really impressive, and I think it might well become even more important in terms of filming and shooting photos. The best example is Jeremy Jones' new film Deeper. I've seen the teasers and there's a really good story there as well as some really impressive shots. 

Q: What do you do for fun when you are not riding?
A: I enjoy climbing, mountain biking and surfing whenever I can get to the beach. 

Q: What achievement are you most proud of so far in your career?
A: For me, it´s no so much about tangible  achievements like the first place we scored at the Oakley Jib Vid with my O'Neill teammates or my national  halfpipe and slopestyle championship titles. Instead, I'm more proud of the fact I am a pro snowboarder and I've been able to make a living out of something I really love. 

Q: If you didn't ride for a living, what would you have liked to be doing now for an occupation?
A: I'd like to think I would have made a good landscape gardener. That's what I was training to become before I started my pro snowboard career. I'd probably return to that occupation because I love to work with plants. 

Q: What trick do you enjoy the most?
A: Cab 540 roast beef.

Achievements