DANIA ASSALY JOINS SURFACE*

Posted Nov 4th 2009 11:48PM by We Live the Life We Work For... - 0 comments

We would like to welcome Dania Assaly to the Surface team. We are super stoked to start working closely with Dania on breaking into the women’s freestyle-freeride market this coming season. We feel like she is a perfect fit for the Surface brand and we look forward to an exciting 09/10 season watching her compete and ski around the world. - Mike Schneider

We had the opportunity to catch up with Dania this week and grill her with some interview questions:

Hey Dania, you just arrived back in SLC for the winter. How much time do you spend here vs. traveling? And what do you think of this place?
SLC rules! I absolutely love everything about this place. The mountains are incredible, the snow is the best I have ever skied, and the people are amazing. I spend about half the season here, but get real busy traveling in December, January and some of March. Once the competition season gets rolling, it’s always so nice to come back to Utah where the pow is plentiful.

Who do you live with nowadays?
I am livin in my friend Molly’s bed (my old bed). Spoon sessions every night, pretttty good. Anna Borgman and Becca Sedler are the roomies, they rule.

Congratulations on your recent move from Roxy to Surface. How did that go down?
Surface created the opportunity for me to be able to be a part of a diverse team and share my ideas. Team trips and photoshoots, filming and riding in the back country with your teammates is something that I have not had the chance to do, and have always wanted too. This is going to be an amazing season and I cannot wait!

You pretty hyped on the direction Surface is headed as a brand? 
Of course! I know since the beginning Surface is a brand that wants to be ahead of the game, and what the kids are looking for. So as the company grows, I know that things will get bigger and better.


It sounds like you are going to take a major role in helping us develop their women’s program and product line. Tell me more about that?
I would really like to help Surface have a ton of support from the female side. I think this program has the right ingredients to a great beginning. With the right momentum behind this new brand, women will be interested in it’s opportunity to grow, and explore other options with quality products away from the larger brand. We want to be put at the same level as the guys, so designing a ski without a girl graphic can sell just as much as any other, but we can capture the women’s interest by advertising product that girls are skiing. Posters, ads and photos of girls rocking a new ski that looks as good as it skis will get the attention of anyone.

What do you think ski brands are doing wrong in terms of branding and marketing their female athletes? Why do you think Surface can do it better?
It’s not so much about marketing the ski, it’s more about marketing the female athletes behind the ski. I would rather see a picture with someone using the product rather than a photo of just the skis. Brands should focus on athlete centric advertising to better promote their products. As a consumer, it’s easier to look at someone actually using the ski doing something sick than the specs or graphics of a ski.  Use girls to advertise just as much as the guys by giving us equal opportunity to get the shot!

What Surface skis will you be riding this year?
My Life and the One Life.

Rumor has it that you want to venture into the backcountry and do your thing? Is this true?
Indeed. A couple years ago when I moved to Utah, I realized I had never skied deep powder in the back country before. Growing up skiing at Marmot Basin, AB, you would get 1 foot of snow and call it a powder day… Step out into the Cottonwood mountains of Utah, and you can have face shots all day long, find crazy lines and drops, and really learn to ski. I think I called my Dad after every one of those days and told him it was the best day of my life. I can’t wait to learn more.

What’s this Modan Productions thing? Who are the Modan girls?
Modan Productions started last fall, when my friend Molly and I decided that it was time to make an all girls movie. We shred with a great group of girls everyday at PC, and everyone had a fantastic reaction to the idea. So basically, it is just a group of us girls who shred hard and really support and push each other, camera or no camera. This year you will see mini edits and a film at the end of the season! Modan girls are myself, Molly Ellowitz, Anna Borgman, Veronica Kelly, Angeli VanLaanen, Anna Segal, and Carrie Rossman.

What is your contest schedule look like this year?
Contests are looking busy toward the start of the season with the first three Dew tours and X Games all within December and January. Then it mellows out until March with Euro Open and WSI in April. Giving me lots of time in Utah to shred!


Any new projects that you are working on this season? Trips etc?
I hope I can get into most of the Surface trips and shoots, and also get a ton of time to film for our Modan Productions film. We want to schedule a week in Tahoe or Bachelor for that, and here in the BC.

Can’t do an interview without SHOUT OUTS – list ‘em
Lor, Rich, Jay Carter for always backing me up, Modan girls, Mols, Nicole B., J Bish, and Mike at Surface

Anything else?
Watch for MODAN edits this season at modanproductions.blogspot.com

DANIA'S CONTEST RESULTS FOR 2008/2009 SEASON:
1st- NZ Open Slopestyle 2009
1st- WSI Halfpipe 2009
1st- Winter Park Open Slopestyle 2009
2nd- Queens Cup Open 2009
3rd- NZ Open Halfpipe 2009
3rd- NZ Winter Games Slopestyle 2009
3rd- NZ Winter Games Halfpipe 2009
4th- World Cup Half-Pipe Les Contamines, France 2009
4th- Dew Tour Breckenridge, Half-Pipe 2008