Anthony Boronowski doesn’t need much of an introduction. As one of the founding Armada shreds, Anthony laid it down to “Blue Collar Man” in Session 1242, and has had a cult following ever since. One of the first skiers to spin both ways and the first to take that diversity to the backcountry, Anthony has been pushing the sport from all angles throughout his career. Whether as a backcountry slayer, founder of skiing’s first arthouse brand, Joystick, a practiced painter, film producer, and aficionado of pictures of bicycles, Anthony has always redefined what it means to be a skier.

Thanks to the e-communication powers of the internet, we were able to sit down with Anthony to talk about the big moves he’s been making recently.

photo: Jason Eichorst

BroBomb: So you just made the move to Surface.  What prompted that?

Anthony: There were a lot of things which went into this move. I’ve always been a fan of Surface, and at this point everything seemed to fit. Surface is doing great things, what they were doing with their brand and how they approach skiing resonated with me and I wanted to be a part of that.

Was this something you’d been thinking about since the Hot Lunch days?

Not really, when we filmed Hot Lunch I was really content with Armada.

How did you leave it with Armada?

It’s good. I rode for Armada for a long time and we’re all friends. There’s no hard feelings.

What level of involvement are you going to have with Surface?

I’m doing 2 signature design skis for them. They’ll be released at SIA in the end of January, and on the shelves next September. Aside from skiing, I’ll be involved in ski design and direction. At this point I’m just starting with them, and since its a young brand who’s open to new ideas I’m sure I’ll be involved on many levels. I’m just not sure which ones yet.

Will we be seeing as much of your artwork on Surface product as we did at Armada?

I would say more.

Now that you’ve moved to Surface, where do you see them fitting in among the growing number of independent brands?

I don’t really see Surface as fitting in among the other young brands out there. I think they’re making better skis, with a better direction. They have the people to make the brand a major player in the industry, and are putting the pieces in place to do so.

Does the move to Surface feel like changing to a much smaller company after Armada?

Yes and no. Armada is really much smaller than many people envision, there’s a few core people who make things happen and that’s all there with Surface so that feels the same. In terms of recognition of the brand, like people on the hill and such, it feels much smaller. Surface is still gaining recognition with the common skier.

Outside of Surface and Joystick, who else are you skiing for this year?

Under Armour, Full Tilt Boots, Whistler/Blackcomb, Evo.

How did you see skiing change last season?

I’d say double corks are the most obvious change in skiing this last season. Seems like it’s the standard for either slope or pipe riders who want to be competitive.

How do you see skiing moving along this season?

Moving along, I guess I see skiing in natural terrain. After watching the Red Bull Linecatcher I’m sure this will be taken to whole new levels this year.

What’s going on in skiing right now that you are most excited about?

Max Hill

Good choice. Anything that you might wish was happening differently?

Not really. I think skiing is in a good place.

What are your plans for this winter?

Shooting with Nimbus, doing some backcountry contests. Really trying to focus on working with Nimbus.

Do you see yourself putting together another film with the Hot Lunch/Joystick crew?

Sure, I would love to. It just depends on a lot of logistics and variables, but it would be something I’m into.

What was the story behind the minivan you guys drove (in Hot Lunch)?

It was actually Blake’s parents van. That’s about it… We needed a van, and it worked out.

How did you find all those guys?  I had never heard of Jordan, Blake, or Paco before Hot Lunch.

Just friends, I wouldn’t really say I found them, just that we came together to do something…

Does Paco speak any English?

A little. More french than I speak.

What was your favorite ski movie that came out this year, and your favorite webisode series?

I liked Contrast, and I like Chug Life. I watch every episode.

Congratulations on the new Joystick site; I thought it came out really well.  How hard was it to teach yourself to make a web site?

It was really tedious. But something I’m glad I learned how to code. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a while. It took way longer than I expected.

How are things going with Joystick?

Good. I actually just sold the business to the owners of Surface Skis, so it’s an exciting time for Joystick. Big things in the future.

How does running Joystick fit in with your shred schedule?

It’s a lot of work. The hardest part is trying to find a balance, which is hard. Ultimately, it’s really hard to do both well.

Is there going to be much collaboration between Joystick and Surface?

I’d assume so. Both of the brands are in a similar position, and it would seem natural.

There is a lot of inter-boardsport dating going on in professional skiing right now.  Chris Benchetler is dating Kimmy Fasani, Eric Pollard’s wife Erin is a snowboarder, and you are dating Spencer O’Brien.  What’s it like being intimate with The Other Side?

It’s like any other relationship, except my girl has a great job and we understand what it takes to be a professional athlete.

What’s the Vancouver scene like these days?

Good. I’m not there so much but I think it’s good.

Are the Olympics getting in the way of the pro shred scene up at Whistler at all?

Yeah, it’s hard right now. A lot of snowmobile spots are shut down and the whole area is really busy. I’m not really planning on spending too much time in Whistler this year.

Matt Barber just started a series on BroBomb called Know Your Roots.  When you were on the up and up, who were your favorite skiers to watch?

JP Auclair and Julien Regnier.