Mathieu Crepel
Frenchman Mathieu Crepel’s career began with a trip to Greenland at the age of 10. Now 29 years old and two decades deep in the snowboard industry, Crepel has gone from the first Arctic Challenge to the Olympics, an ender part with Standard Films and, now, filming with Absinthe throughout Europe and in Alaska. But snowboarding doesn’t define Crepel. From big wave surfing off the coast of Biarritz to environmental activism, “Mister Activities” is a Pyrenean Renaissance Man of shred.
I’ve known Mathieu Crepel for 15 years and I like to call him “Mister Activities.” When “Math” is calling, you know you’re getting after it: Do you want to do some tow-in surf? Down for a bungee jump? Maybe paddle a canoe off the French coast?
Coming from the French Pyrenees, Mathieu’s transition from contest kid to video rider may seem typical, but his upbringing was far from ordinary. The son of a ski instructor turned Quiksilver rep (father) and chemist (mother), he started riding at the age of six and found himself hooked on snowboarding after traveling to Greenland to ride with a handful of French legends at the age of 10, putting him on the path to national celebrity status as a competitive athlete. He grew up between the mountains and the beach town of Hossegor, learning to surf almost as well as he snowboards…