Atlantica - 01.01.2004, Page 44

Atlantica: What’s the best Icelandic ski resort
to go boarding and why?
ÝR: Hlídarfjall in Akureyri because the snow
conditions are reliable there.
Atlantica: What are your favourite boarding
destinations?
ÝR: Zillertal, Austria. It’s a valley full of resorts.
The possibilities there are endless. But I’ve
been all over, Greece, and Australia – that was
epic. We drove up to the mountain and there
were dead kangaroos on the sides of the road.
Atlantica:You were sponsored heavily by some
of the best snowboarding companies. Why did
you decide to quite the circuit?
ÝR: I didn’t really enjoy the whole scene. I just
like riding with my friends. But let’s say I’m 30
and I get injured; I’ll be a used-up snowboard-
er. So I wanted to study, and I can’t study if I’m
obligated by my contract.
Atlantica: What do you enjoy about boarding?
ÝR: When you’re riding powder... Have you
ever been surfing? It’s kind of that feeling. The
spray... laid back... I dunno. Big turns... I can’t
really explain it.
Atlantica: How do you spend a winter Sunday
in Iceland when it’s dark all day?
ÝR: I’d like to go boarding. It doesn’t matter if
it’s dark because most of the resorts have
lights. I also like to go swimming when it’s cold,
and to lie in the hot pots and watch the stars.
Atlantica: What’s the most important issue
Icelanders will be facing over the next 20
years?
ÝR: Pollution. Global warming. It’s kind of scary.
In Austria, I see glaciers that are disappearing.
Atlantica: Finish this sentence: The one thing
that would make Iceland a better place to live
is...
ÝR: fewer cars. If you look at the cars, there
are never more than two people in them, if
there’s even that many.
Atlantica: If friends of yours from abroad were
to visit Iceland for the first time during the win-
ter, what three places would you take them to?
ÝR: I’d take them to see some of the fjords of
the West Fjords because they’re so different;
to Snæfellsnes because, I don’t know, there’s
something special about the area; and, of
course, to the same old Blue Lagoon (laugh-
ing). Don’t you have to put that in the maga-
zine?
Atlantica: What’s the last Icelandic CD you
purchased?
ÝR: Lonely Mountain by Mugison. He’s a DJ
and plays electronic music. He’s getting really
popular in the States.
Atlantica: It’s a Saturday night. Where are you
headed?
ÝR: Whoa… I’ve never been much for the
nightlife here.
Edward Weinman is a staff writer.
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42 A T L A N T I C AL I Q&A
The Atlantica
INQUISITION
After years of riding some of Europe’s best mountains as part
of the snowboarding circuit, Adalheidur Gestsdóttir (ÝR) has
given it all up to return to school. Atlantica magazine sat down
with the woman known as Iceland’s Big Air Champion.
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