Mountains and Motherhood with Aline Bock
The Freeride World Champion and professional snowboarder opens up about her newest adventure, becoming a mom of twins.
Aline Bock snowboards in a clip of her new film “Double Trouble: My New Life with Twins”.
Aline Bock has, up until now, has made a life’s work of shredding mountains and waves, oftentimes in some of the most epic landscapes in the world.
The Freeride World Champion and one of Germany’s most accomplished snowboarders has parlayed a genuine love for the outdoors into an incredible career spanning competitive wins, inspiring female athletes worldwide and making films that astound even the most intrepid adventurer. She’s winter surfed in Norway’s remote Lofoten Islands and snowboarded in post-Fukushima Japan, shining a light on some of the planet’s most beautiful, and fragile, places.
But in 2021, Aline temporarily traded snow and surf for two new tours de force— twins.
Her new film, Double Trouble: My New Life with Twins, is an honest look at how an extraordinary athlete learns to find her new “double” role as mother and athlete without losing her identity.
She’s an inspiration for new moms out there navigating the very uncharted territory of motherhood, all while honoring identity and life experience of what came before. Her authenticity and enthusiasm are infectious as she processes her role as athlete, and now, mother. Yes, her real adventure’s just begun.
HT: Let’s start at the beginning. How did you become such a shredder and what made you gravitate to snowboarding / free-riding in a family of skiers?
AB: I am a professional snowboarder, a passionate surfer and my soul craves new experiences, travel and adventures.
It is no surprise then, that I need to be outdoors in the mountains or at the ocean where I can meet other people with the same passion for sports, nature and the environment. 1994 was the first time I stood on a snowboard. My whole family skied and my dad thought it would be fun for us to try something new. A few years later I had already competed in snowboard freestyle competitions, but most importantly I had also discovered the pure joy of free riding and splitboarding in the backcountry.
In 2008 I started competing on the Freeride World Tour, claiming the Vice World Champion title in that first year and two years later claiming the World Champion title. Since then I have been focusing on big mountain, backcountry film projects, running splitboard / safety snow camps and traveling to the most beautiful free ride resorts on the planet. Nevertheless, there is nothing better than a fun day with friends out in the backcountry enjoying nature at home. Spending a cool day in the mountains can be magical.
Just never forget: Safety first! Please inform yourself about conditions, snow layers, wind, weather predictions before you choose where to go. Check the internet and also local guides. Never just go and risk anything. It’s not worth it!
You grew up by Bodensee (closer to the mountains than the ocean)! Where did you learn to surf?
I started to surf in France and Portugal in my off seasons. Although it’s quite a drive from where I come from, I always felt that I needed to see the ocean as soon as the snow was melting and competitions or projects came to an end. To me, surfing is enjoying each moment in the water and getting out of the water refreshed and positive. Surfing gives me energy and refills my batteries after a long winter season. It makes me really happy and still gets me so excited even after many years of practicing. There is so much more to explore though.
Winter surfing in Norway’s Lofoten Islands. Photo by Nick Pumphrey.
The footage of you and Lena Stoffel surfing and boarding in Norway’s Lofoten Islands are out of this world. Are there other places in Europe that you still haven't explored, either from a mountain or waves perspective, that you'd like to do (maybe with your kiddos)?
The passion for traveling was put into my cradle. As far as I can think back, my whole family has always loved to be outdoors aiming for new exciting sports adventures. When I was traveling on my own in my van around Europe for about a year in 2018, I slightly discovered Scotland and its absolutely beauty. What a fascinating place to explore! I am almost lost for words to describe Scotland’s wonderful landscape with some of the most spectacular stretches of white sandy beaches, stunningly blue water and incredible surfbreaks you could ever wish for! But I only had very view time to discover more and I really would love to show and explore this place to my kids in the near future.
Aline Bock surfing in Norway’s Lofoten Islands during winter for the film WAY NORTH. Photo by Nick Pumphrey.
The film WAY EAST documents you traveling to Japan for an end-of-winter sojourn, but you also end up capturing a new perspective of the Fukushima crisis— through the vehicle of surfing and snowboarding. Hokkaido especially is one of our favorite regions in Japan. How did you decide to make a film there?
At first, the idea was just a tiny seed, the glimmer of an adventure combining shared passions and a love of wild mountains and oceans. Hokkaido takes all the unique culture and wonder of Japan and blends it with a pristine wilderness to create a truly special piece of the planet. This project was really about blending passions. The mountains and the snow, the oceans and the waves, their energy and the point at which they meet. What amazed me most is the spirit of the people and the perseverance, that no matter the scale of disaster and no matter the severity of the situation – the human spirit perseveres and nowhere in the world will you find a more unified people in perseverance and cooperation.
Have you been to North America? Favorite mountain there?
I have done many trips to North America, but most of them were combined with competitions or team shootings and that lead to tight schedules, unfortunately. My favorite place was riding and competing around Lake Tahoe with my best friends or team mates at the time and I would love to go back with my children one day. One of my best female riding friends is actually living over there and she became a mom a view months ago as well. I am sure our boys would love to play in the snow together.
On the mountain. Photo by Bastian Fischer.
Now let’s get to the real deal— you’re a new mom of twins! Have you been able to get out on the mountain a bit? How does it feel to combine both undertakings of epic proportion?
Becoming a mum in 2021 with twin boys has been the most beautiful but also challenging adventure in my life! I never thought that being sleepless for months can be so exhausting and I have to admit: it pushed me to my limits and beyond! Over time now I can say that Basti and I really grew into parenthood and we are so in love with watching the little ones grow every day!
I have managed to get out for at least a little bit during this winter season, although hiking up a mountain with my splitboard or just riding for two hours was already pretty challenging, as my body was weak and my condition below average.
It´s getting better every day though and I am feeling stronger and back in shape since I am going on big walks and started strolling uphill :)
I am really looking forward to take them outdoors - going hiking or biking with them exploring the world together and showing them our beautiful nature! It will be all different from my life as an athlete, but definitely not less exciting!
Aline Bock in the outdoors with her twins. Photo by Bastian Fischer.
What are your observations about climate change? Have you noticed a shift of snow conditions in Europe?
Oh yes, the glacier just in front of our house (Stubai Glacier in Austria) is melting away and will be totally gone in about a couple of years. We can literally see that from our garden or balcony. It´s sad, frustrating and overwhelming. Many European summer ski destinations on glaciers are having to shut early or not open at all now.
Being a professional athlete, it is very hard not to be part of the problem. Nearly everything we do involves emitting carbon and most of the products we use or buy are made in ways that produce carbon. Of course, traveling the world is another source of carbon emissions and over the past years I was thinking a lot about ways that can reduce my footprint on all my trips and in every day life in general. Being political is another very important thing, I think. We have a voice and I am using mine wisely.
