Ask Tom Wallisch

X-Games this year?

I would absolutely love to compete in the extreme games this season, but unfortunately it's a fairly hard competition to get invited to, haha. Let's all hope for the best though...maybe sometime soon I'll get to shred it up at X!

Feelings of the "It aint easy being steezy" thread on TGR and the creeper taking pictures of you and then making a shirt with you on it?

I think it was hilarious; someone took the time out of their day to take pictures of us doing something funny. It's funny when out of context for sure. It's definitely sort of weird how far they seem to be taking it with the shirts and stuff but whatever it's all in good fun. Sucks they had to basically go home early from the hill to get that thread up and running at 4 in the afternoon though, haha. I'm gonna keep skiing and dressing the way I like to, cause it's fun that way.

When did you start taking skiing seriously?

I've always had such a passion for skiing, but haven't and still really don't take it that seriously. What keeps me hiking all day, lapping the park from 9-4, or hitting the same handrail 80 times is simply my love of the sport itself. I would never consider any day of skiing "training" or anything like that. Nothing about our sport is really serious and that's why I love it so much. Everyone is just out there to shred, learn something new, and have a damn good time doing it.

Were you only a weekend skier when you skied at Wisp? And then moved to Utah and got nasty?

Yep. I grew up in Pittsburgh, PA. So I really didn't have any mountains near me. The closest mountains were over an hour away so I skied, weekend warrior style, all through high school at Wisp.

What did you do the year of your Superunknown win to improve so much so fast and put together such an awesome entry? How has your life changed since Superunknown until now?

Well the year I won Superunknown was the first year I had the opportunity to live out west. I moved to Salt Lake City to attend the University of Utah, and simply got out there and tried to ski as much as I could. I set up my classes so that I could ski 5 days of the week. I skied more than twice as much in that year than I ever had before, and still skied with the hardworking east coast mentality. I'd say all those hours on snow, shredding hard and trying new things is what helped me improve so fast. Since Superunknown, my life has changed a ton. I get to travel all over the world, ski the best parks, the best rails, and the best pow. I couldn't expect anything more, and I can't thank Level 1 enough for the opportunities that Superunknown has brought about for me.

Is there anything you don't like in our sport right now?

One of the only things I don't like in our sport right now is the lack of support given to skiers who chose solely to film. I know countless skiers that absolutely slay it and film the best video segments of the year without receiving the support they deserve. I think the industry needs to recognize how great of a marketing tool ski movies are, as well as internet videos and edits.

Did you work on your style? Or did it just happen?

I don't think style is something you can ever consciously "work on" it's something that comes about naturally as you learn to ski and perform ski stunts. By working on your tricks, and getting everything dialed your style will naturally improve. I've always just tried to make all my tricks as consistent and smooth as possible. The easier you make your tricks look, the more style they'll have, as simple as that.

With you being a pretty big deal in the ski industry these days, how often do you get to ride and just ski around with 4bi9?

Not nearly as much as I'd like. My favorite part about skiing is just going out and riding with my friends. No pressure, no cameras, no scores, just good snow and good times. I love traveling and getting to ski lots of different places, but it would be nice to have more time to sleep in my own house and ski with my friends.

Who are you filming with this year?

Level 1 productions, Field Productions, and 4bi9media!! Of course!

Jbc, 5 piece nug, or crispy chicken sandwich?

No decision necessary, luckily with the 3 dollars in my wallet, I can get all three. Wendy's... Eat great, even Late!

Do you have a girlfriend????? And if not what do you look for in a girl????

I don't currently have a girlfriend, and well there's a lot I look for in a girl. I like girls that are down to earth, easy to talk to, and ones that don't mind riding through the park every once and a while, or rather all the time. I'm never in the same place for too long, so it'd be hard to maintain a relationship, but hey any ladies out there interested, hit me up on Facebook, lets talk, hahaha.

What's your favorite specific trick you ever did (not just like "switch 9," more like "the switch 9 I did at ____" or something)?

Wow... That's a really hard question. I've done a lot of tricks that are quite enjoyable and to pick out simply one of them is quite hard. Maybe the zero spin from Mt. Hood this summer. Or just cork 3 no grabs in general.

What was the deciding factor in leaving Pennsylvania?

My awesome parents letting me move 2400 miles away from home to attend college and attempt to become a professional skier. I just had to move somewhere with better skiing and more opportunities, but I still love going home and shredding the local resort. So many good memories.

I saw on Symms' blog that you are going to be Simon Dumont's partner at JOSS, is this true? And how did it come about?

Well yes, I do believe it's true. Simon dominated last year at the competition, and is really hungry to win this year. It's all coming together slowly, but as long as it all works out, Simon and I should be putting together our best possible skills in one edit come April of next year. Watch out for Simon these days... he's been getting ignant on the rails again.

Are you going to be coaching at Windells again next summer?

Ohhh yes! And believe me if you want to get out there, shred this summer, and improve your skiing... Windells is the place to be!!

Competition scene, filming scene, or no scene?

A little bit of everything. I definitely wanna get more involved in the competition scene this winter because it seems like a lot of fun. A little pressure here and there I think will help me improve my skiing even more and help make me become as consistent as possible.

Do you get followed around by the paparazzi?

Of course all the time! Haven't you seen the TGR thread!?

How far do you think you will push skiing in terms of rails and jibs?

I just want to continue doing new and different things, working to be smoother and smoother on bigger and better rails and jibs. Who knows where this aspect of skiing will end up... I sure don't have any idea, but hopefully people will continue to enjoy sliding grindbars and bonking jib jams, cause it's pretty darn fun. I'm gonna keep doing it, until I can't anymore.

If there was a tall tee that went down to your boots, would you wear it?

Haha nope, I'd probably gift it to Henrik, cause then it would drag on the ground when he wore it. Talk about ignant haha.

In your opinion, which came first: the chicken, the egg, or the tall tee?

In order... tall tee, chicken, egg. Obviously dinos used to rep tall tees, cause I mean come on... They're tall! Then as these dinos (which resembled birds of today like many dinosaurs of the past) evolved into chicken-like creatures, the first chicken egg came along. The end. Stomped it

What are your favorite times to afterbang? Like after rails or jumps? Which is more fun in your eyes?

I've got to say it's all in good fun, but there really isn't anything better than getting inverted on a D-spin 7 tindy and just laying it out there on the landing. Go try it out some time.

Berman, Freedle, and Decker all told me that your skiing is like a video game. Do you see yourself that way?

Hmmm... Sort of, but not in the way they see it, haha. I just sort of try and score a high score every run down through the park or whatever, ha. Stomp something new, rack up some points on the way and finish as fast as possible!

Are you hosting another rail jam at Wisp this season?

I certainly will be! As soon as we get a date pegged down for it, I'll let everyone know. It's gonna be bigger and better than last year! And hopefully I'll get to ski in it this year as well.

Tom, you seem to be pretty keen on Mt Hood and Whistler in the summer, what are the chances of you coming down to Snowpark, NZ sometime?

Pretty good I'd say! I'm hoping to make it down next season. It seems to be the place to be in September, so I'm definitely gonna try and make an appearance.

Realistically, how long do you see yourself in skiing's spotlight? Guys like JP, Douglas, McConkey and Morrison have been in films for over a decade now, do you see yourself skiing professionally 10 years down the road? Do you think you'll have to change your style of riding to keep up with the times? Or even stop skiing park and urban, which seems to happen to so many skiers as they get older?

Well I'd love to stay involved with the industry for as long as possible. There's nothing else I can really see myself being a part of. I'm sure at some point I'll have to stop skiing park and urban, but I'm not at all anxious for that day to come. Urban and park riding are some of the most easily accessible parts of our sport for young kids these days, and I'd like to stay a part of the young crowd for as long as possible!

What do you think helped you progress the most as a skier? Camps? Just ridding with people better than you? Do you have a summer setup, trampoline and stuff like that?

Just being on my skis as much as possible, and always staying active in the off-season. Summer setups, trampolines, skating, it all helps improve your balance and coordination.

Do you like crunchy or creamy peanut butter?

Neither... I'm allergic to peanuts.

Last year you were supposed to come to Spain to a photoshoot in Cerler. Did you have intentions to come or was it just false information from the magazine?

I had intentions to come; it just didn't end up working out. My schedule at the time was really hectic, and I just couldn't fit it in. I'm hoping to make it out this season though!

If you could have done one thing different last season, what would it have been?

Not broken my collarbone at the end of the season, but that's not really something you can change. I really wish I would have waxed my skis more, haha. I had a lot of trouble last year at competitions clearing the jumps. It really affected the outcome of many of these contests for me. So ya I plan on waxing my skis more.

Regarding why I started using poles again: Did you feel pressure from the industry, the community or was it just easier to get sponsors, exposure (big video part) and contest results that way?

Well I originally started using poles again because of an incident at Aspen Open in 2007. I was given terrible scores in the contest simply because I wasn't using poles. The judges (who will remain nameless) recorded my scores with huge text next to them stating "NO POLES!!!" I was given lower scores for a landed run than others who had fallen and completely skipped the rest of the course. Ever since then I've just realized how much I enjoy having poles. They making pushing around a lot easier, and they're fun to use for front flips. So yeah, I'm just into them for now, who knows what it'll be like in the future.

What do you call that new drinking game you invented? The one cup placed in random positions and on people's bodies?

People pong... Don't try it at home kids! haha

So when did you know you wanted to be a model?

When I first caught my reflection in a spoon, and I realized... "hey you're really, really, really ridiculously good looking!" So I decided to make a living at of that. "Being really, really, really ridiculously good looking."

Tom, why doesn't glue stick to the inside of the bottle?

For the same reason Teflon can stick to the pan, without anything sticking to the Teflon. Because the wise man says so!

What kind of music have you been riding to lately?

Mainly just Rihanna.

I've been in contact with Fox/Fuel TV and trying to get them to be a bit more ski-friendly, would you and some friends be interested in doing a show for the network?

Hmmm yes! That would be awesome

Why don't you like to ski powder?

I love skiing powder, and I also love skiing park. I just get filmed more and compete more on the park side of things. I love skiing powder and hope to get to do more and more of it in the future. So many things to explore out there in the mountains, plus that's where the moose live! And they're cool animals.

Was bowling with Harry Landy REALLY a pivotal moment in your ski career?

I would agree that bowling with (and defeating) Harry Landy in a bowling match was the most pivotal moment in my skiing career. It gave me the confidence I need to succeed in all aspects of life, haha.

Where would you like to see your skiing going in the next year? More competitions such as X-Games or more filming?

As hard as it may be, I'd like to continue to film and put together the best segments possible, while also competing in more major competitions. I would absolutely love to put together a banger segment for Level 1 and also compete in competitions like X-Games. It's all skiing... why not try and do it all!?

What do you think of all the nicknames people have for you like Tom Wallnuts, Todd Wallnuts T-Wallnuters and what not?

I think it's hilarious, and I know there are some other questions relating to which nickname I like best and truthfully that's a tough one to answer. Todd Wallnuts is definitely one of my favorites, but it's ironic cause I think I'm allergic to walnuts as well as peanuts. But whatever.

 

Well that was a lot of questions. I'm sorry that I didn't answer every question, but truthfully that would have taken forever. Just answering this many took me quite a bit of time, and considering I've got 3 finals this week I think I did ok, haha.

So that's all for now, hope everyone out there is enjoying the snow that's starting to fall! Get out there, shred it up, and have a good time. If you see me out there on the hill, make sure to say whaaaat up!! And ride away like a thug. Have a good winter NS!! I'll see ya out there.