November 1, 1998

Starring Jean-Baptiste "Babs" Charlet

When you are sessioning a hip in the mountains, the main thing to focus on is being stable on your board and knowing the amount of speed you are carrying on the runway. It helps to do a speed check to gauge the proper speed needed to make the landing. When you first hit the jump, just ride off it doing a normal ollie-try to locate that stability while in the air. Once you have that dialed, you then want to grab between your feet [toeside] and spot a landing. Keep your eyes focused on the landing all the way. Stick it strongly with your front leg, and stand up as you ride out of it.

This is my point of view, and everyone's different, because snowboarding is something that comes from within yourself. So ride and ride, and it will come to you.

Jean-Baptiste Charlet recently returned from an extensive tour of duty through Africa to serve his mandatory term in the French army. But he will be ready and primed for this season, when he will continue to prove his worth as one of the best all-around riders in the world.