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The Powell Movement

TPM Episode 403: Alex Armstrong, Pro Skier

The Powell Movement

Mike Powell

Athlete, Oakley, K2, Hobbies, Ski, Skydiving, Mountains, Redbull, Leisure, Sports, Sking, Basejump, Moto, Powdermagazine, Snowboard, Outdoors, Extreme, Powder, Biography, Party, Olympics, Snow, Fun, Music, Xgames, Skate, Basejumping, Podcast, Skatepark, Snowboarding

4.8824 Ratings

🗓️ 8 October 2024

⏱️ 93 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Alexandra Armstong, better known as Army, has had one of the longest runways to making her pro skier dreams come true of any athlete I’ve had on the show. She has done every job in the industry, from working the shop floor to coaching, patrolling, flow riding to pro, and she’s dirtbagged it most of her way to the top. While she didn’t get paid to ski for cameras until she was 27, Army is making the most of her time in the spotlight filming with outfits like the Blank Collective and Teton Gravity Research. As a special bonus, we get Alex’s sock sponsor and new Powell Movement sponsor, Josh Hall, the founder of Dissent Labs, to talk about Whistler in the early 90s, founding a sock brand. Then Josh asks inappropriate questions provided by Blank’s Alexi Godbout and Emily Childs from The Blondes.

Alex Armstrong Show Notes:

4:00:  Her truck nightmare, Cozy or Die, Mont Ste Marie, ski racing, making the regional ski team, Chile changes her life, quitting racing, who was she in HS, coaching, knee injury, tree planting, and moving out west

23:00:  Thermic Heated Socks and Dissent Labs socks (non-heated)

Stanley:  The brand that invented the category! Only the best for Powell Movement listeners.  Check out Stanley1913.com  

Best Day Brewing:  All of the flavor of your favorite IPA or Kolsch, without the alcohol, the calories and sugar.

26:00:  All things Ski patrol, crashing into sponsorship, filming with Lindsey Dyer, her movie Army, and selling herself to TNF   

44:00:   Elan Skis:  Over 75 years of innovation that makes you better.

Outdoor Research:  Click here for 25% off Outdoor Research products (not valid on sale items or pro products)

46:00:  Proving it in Island Lake, exploding her knee, sponsors, moving to Whistler, and Skier Rich  

60:00:  Blank Collective, gender in the industry, TGR, Alaska, and best trip ever

69:00:  Josh Hall Mini View

85:00:  Inappropriate Questions with Josh Hall, Alexi Godbout, and Emily Childs

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Have a seat on your porcelain throne.

0:02.3

It's time to talk some shit on the Powell Movement.

0:13.5

Welcome to the Powell Movement.

0:17.1

I'm your host Mike Powell, and this week has been such a fun week for me. It's been all about ski movie premieres, and holy crap, I watched five movies over two nights and I didn't get bored.

0:27.6

With all ski movies, I expect to see jaw-dropping, mind-blowing ski footage.

0:31.6

This has to happen, or the production company is totally blowing it.

0:35.6

I mean, when you think of the movie structure,

0:37.8

brands pay into the movies they sponsor,

0:39.8

and those dollars ensure certain badass athletes get in those movies.

0:43.8

While every once in a while, someone will sneak in without a budget

0:47.3

because they're either that good

0:48.8

or the production company doesn't have enough footage to make a great movie,

0:52.3

that rarely happens anymore.

0:54.4

And if it does, you can bet that production company is going to find paying sponsors for that

0:58.7

athlete the next season so they can continue to film.

1:02.2

The whole model reminds me of that 70s bumper sticker, ass, grass, or cash, nobody rides

1:07.0

for free.

1:08.0

And while that doesn't totally apply, the whole nobody rides for free part is true.

1:12.5

Everything is pay to play on the highest level, and the athletes themselves, well, they are the

1:17.0

horses. The production companies want them in their films, and if they don't produce, they're out,

1:22.1

and it's the next man up. And no one gets paid to be in these movies. This is a paid by your

1:27.2

sponsor's honor that is what your career is based on.

...

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