124: Torah Bright/Awakening
This week’s guest is yet another absolute legend of their chosen field – the great Torah Bright.
Torah’s been at the top of her game for the last 20 years. Sure, the headline news is that 2010 gold at the Vancouver Games. But that’s just one highlight in a career that has come to symbolise everything that is creative and expressive about snowboarding. And it’s this, if you ask me, that makes her one of the true greats.
Because to achieve greatness in the competitive arena, as Torah did, is one thing. To do some in a way that also pushes the sport forward and communicates the sheer joy of snowboarding, is another.
And now, as she prepares to become a Mum for the first time, Torah’s about to move into a new phase, and it seemed a really fitting time to sit down and cast an eye over her career so far, while also finding out her plans for the future.
Torah Bright’s two decades at the top have given her a unique perspective on her own life and achievements. She’s also a generous spirit, and during our conversation was happy to explore some pretty personal themes, including her relationship with her brother Benny, and her changing relationship with her faith.
I’m really grateful to Torah opening up fully and bringing the full range of her experience, insight and impressive levels of self awareness to our conversation.
Connect with Torah
Show Notes
- Tea talk.
- Five weeks to the due date.
- Snowboarding and pregnancy.
- France snow trips.
- Pregnancy body changes.
- “Nobody talks about the toll it takes on your body.”
- Learning to listen to and respect your body.
- “I’ve never loved my body this much.”
- Learning to surrender.
- New parent balance.
- Parental expectations.
- Keeping an open mind.
- Learning how to care for your body.
- Head injury recovery.
- X-Games and Olympics 2010.
- Alternative healing.
- Cleared to compete.
- Letting the muscle memory take over.
- Mum’s lessons.
- Reflection after Vancouver 2010.
- The honour of the Olympics.
- Winter sports in Australia.
- Fulfilling the potential.
- Self belief.
- In between contest runs.
- Benny’s coaching.
- Switch backsides over 900s.
- Why we love snowboarding.
- Teenage snow trips.
- Sleeping on couches in Whistler.
- Junior competitions.
- “I was 13 and I was a Roxy girl.”
- 20 years with the same sponsor.
- Travelling with Roxy.
- Working with an agent.
- (No) career planning.
- “Whatever you do, do it well.”
- Taking opportunities.
- The influence of faith.
- Growing up with a community and shared values.
- Parental advice.
- “You can teach an old dog tricks.”
- Podcasting celebrities’ mothers.
- Doing things differently before Sochi.
- The Out of Bounds film.
- Adventure outside of the competitive circuit.
- “The film really came at the right time.”
- Premiere tour delay.
- Snowboarding with Jeremy Jones.
- Storytelling through snowboarding.
- Looking for polar bears in the arctic circle.
- Narrative based film projects.
- “Not just shred porn.”
- Changes in the journey.
People Mentioned
- Terje Haakonsen
- Danny Davis
- Anna Gasser
- Vernon Deck
- Benny Bright
- Danny Davis
- Mark McMorris
- Queralt Castellet
- Shaun White
- Hana Beaman
- Jeremy Jones
- Sammy Carlson
- Kimmy Fasani
Places Mentioned
- Whistler, British Columbia, Canada
- Meribel, France
- Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Aspen, Colorado, USA
- Australia
- St. Moritz, Switzerland
- Sappada, Italy
- Mammoth, California, USA
- Sochi, Russia
- Antarctica
- Rocky Mountains
- Andes
- Alaska