ANNE-FLORE MARXER is a world famous snowboarder and with her warm and lively personality has dazzled crowds around the world. Among the many titles she has won are the revered Freeride World Tour Champion (2011) and French Female Rider of the Year (2010).

Here she answers our ‘quick-fire’ questions and opens up about her passions, personality and career highlights.

 What do you love most about your snowboarding career?

Over the time what I love most is how my snowboarding has evolved from riding the slopes to backcountry to street rails to park jumps to backcountry kickers to steep AK lines to discovering the mountains on my splitboard… It’s always been a new challenge and a new area to discover in my own practice of the sport. I’ve always been extending my skills and knowledge of the mountains and that’s very exciting.  All together I just love being out in the wilderness of the mountains and I feel so lucky to get to do that as a ‘career’.  

What has been the highlight of your career to date?

Most people refer highlights to medals and results. My one go at a result translated into a freeride world champion title in 2011, but my favorite moments were always more adventure related than results – sailing in Greenland and hiking mountains around the Fjords was the most incredible journey for me..  

If you could accomplish one thing in snowboarding or outside the sport in the next five years what would that be?

Gender equity in my sport has always been my biggest battle – I’ve done so much towards that goal with great successes but total equity is very very far away in such a male dominated industry. So that would be it. Getting more chances to women in our sport and seeing the level and opportunities grow for women. After all 40 per cent of all snowboarders and skiers are women.    

What’s your favourite movie?

Lines by Flora Richard and Axel Pauporte, an actual documentary that shows very well the pressure and challenges of riding Alaska… it tells some of the history of snowboarding too. Other than that I had a bit of a fascination for Grizzly Man, which is about this guy who lived for the bears and who lost touch with reality and ends up as a bear snack, showing it all in front of his own camera.  

And actor?

Hilary Swank for amazing movies like Boys Don’t Cry and Million Dollar Baby.  

And musician/band?

Sunset Sons – the drummer is kinda cute!  

What’s your biggest regret?

To have lost so many friends in the mountains.  

If you could have the opportunity to give another sport a go on a global competitive level what would that sport be?

I like surfing a lot in my off season period – it has helped me get much more athletic all together and gives me a great mental balance. When there is no more snow I get excited for the waves and the I’m then really excited for winter and the mountains. It is also the one sport I couldn’t figure out without trying real hard – I needed to have a new challenge and enjoyed going through the steps of learning again. Nothing more exciting and rewarding really.  

Where’s your favourite place to relax?

By the corner of a fire in the mountains or on the beach.

Do you have or would you get a tattoo?

I have many scars from sports injuries, they are my favorite tattoos as each of them has a story and brings me back to a fun time in my life..

What’s your best characteristic?

I’m stubburn and i like to enjoy every bit of each moment, I’m adventurous and spontaneous, I’m honest and loyal, I talk too much and I like dancing.  

And your most unappealing habit?

I piss standing…  

If you could order any three-course meal what would that meal be?

Smoothie, ice cream and hot chocolate.  

If you had to get stuck in an elevator with someone who would that person be?

Billie Jean King – she has done so much for women in sports so I’d so love to meet her some day.  

What’s your most used curse word?

Merde!  

What are you most afraid of?

Losing the ones I love.  

When are you happiest?

When i m doing something adventurous – cant stop that smile!  

What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done?

I don’t feel like I’m doing anything crazy… but then i look back at my Instagram feed and i see that i actually never stop the fun! But that’s it – it’s fun stuff to me not crazy, but i guess it would appear to be crazy to others. I just like the excitement of putting my abilities on the line of progression so I guess I always try the next level above my abilities and that keeps me moving forward. I guess there is a bit of craziness in that maybe?    

What makes you most angry in the world?

Sexism, racism, disrespect, inequities, poverty. These days we see a lot of people struggling and dying trying to cross the Mediterranean sea to reach Europe – it s heart-breaking.  

Which sports person do you most aspire to?

I like incredible personalities that break boundaries over and over again. I like Mike Horn and he is really fun to be around!   I’d like to add a big thanks to my sponsors who support my snowboarding – Swatch, Oxbow, Sosh, Peugeot, Zippo, Racer Gloves, Blue Tomato and Crans-Montana.