Inside The Parlor: Marina Knight
Marina has been a long time friend of the Parlor team. She shares the same alma mater as Mark, Pete, and Jason, where she competed as a racer as well(ex-racers from Williams are the coolest.) Brought up as a ski racer in New England, Marina now spends her time making tele turns in the Wasatch mountains of Utah. We are super lucky to have her on board as an ambassador, so we sat down for a quick interview to help introduce her to all of you. Enjoy!
How old were you when you learned to ski?
MK: I think I was probably 2 when I learned to ski. I remember having a little pair of white plastic skis that strapped right on to my snow boots and I would tromp around the back yard. The next winter my parents put me in ski school on weekends because they both worked at Stratton Mountain, so I was pretty much a mountain pack rat from then on.
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Tell us your life story as seen through skiing (skip all that boring stuff that doesn't involve playing in the snow)
MK: Well, let's see. I think of myself as a skier first and then a person. It's been a constant source of peace and inspiration in my life and there was only a tiny frame of time when I didn't have a ton of enthusiasm for skiing and that was at the very end of my racing career. Things were complex. For me, skiing is the only time I really feel free and I ski, in many respects, because is feels symbiotic with life itself. I always get back the energy I put in.
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What's your favorite mountain in New England?
MK: In New England, my favorite mountain by far and away is Stowe. I lived there for 11 years and was fortunate to learn my way around. Between it's steep pitches and beautiful woods Stowe is a really satisfying place for people who love to ski.
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Tell us about the most epic ski day of your life.
MK: I think it was in March of last season (2016). For some reason even though I had been texting with several friends the night before, that morning it just wasn't coming together. My motto is usually "Friends on a powder day" but because there had been a serious shortage of snow in February here in Park City I decided to head up to Deer Valley solo. I was super motivated to be way more agro about where I was going and what my plan was than normal, so I headed straight to Empire and the chutes up there. I don't know what it was, the stars just aligned, and every line I went for was untouched. Usually the snow slides in the first couple of turns there, but this day it stayed in tact and was honestly some of the most beautiful skiing I've ever done. Everything about that day was magical, I can still recall just about every run I made.
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What do you like about working with Parlor?
MK: I like being involved with a brand that's really devoted to making amazing skis. I like being able to give feedback and have it go right back into the design. I like working with people who are as passionate about skiing as I am and It's fun to be able to talk to people about Parlor and what they're all about.
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Favorite Apres beverage?
MK: It'd probably be a Heady Topper but since I live in Utah where there's an alarming scarcity of good beer, I usually go for a Guinness, or a PBR or some red wine....I'm not too picky.
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Well, our hats are off to you, Marina. We'll have to say that we've been pretty jealous of your season so far - Wasatch snow totals look just a tad nicer than Vermont's.
PSA: If anyone on the east coast is planning a trip to Park City this season, bring a few Heady Toppers with you and you'll have a new ski buddy for life.