Age:19

Sponsors: Salomon, HPG

"I’m from Klimfjall. It’s pretty much like heaven. Well maybe not exactly like heaven, but it’s a place where reindeers run around the houses. Because of the midnight sun, the clock is the only thing to tell the difference between night and day."–Markus

"I was asked to write about my teammate Markus. After thinking for a while, I found out I didn’t really know much about him. My first impression of Markus was that he was quiet, and then suddenly he would blurt out something funny. Girls think Markus looks like Leonardo DiCaprio. He got the prize for Newcomer of the Year in the 1999 European Snowboard Awards. For more, you’ll have to ask Markus himself or his friends."–Minna Hesso

"Some people call Markus the Swedish Sailor. In a big crowd he is really mellow. When Markus isn’t snowboarding, he likes to play riffs on his guitar, tell far-fetched jokes that no one else gets, and hang around with his friends. When it comes to Markus’ riding, the first thing I think about is stylish high-airs and alley-oops. He likes to go big in the pipe and do crazy flips. He goes to a snowboard high school in Malung, Sweden and has been busy competing in the World Cup and other events. When the contest season is over, he’ll return to our roots in Northern Sweden to take care of his reindeer and his Laplander’s hut." –Markus’ sister Janet

"The first time I met Markus was in 1997 when he visited the Swedish snowboard high school, which we both had been accepted to. Markus was a shy guy and didn’t say very much. We decided to share an apartment. We have become really good friends over the last two years, and we’re still staying in the same apartment. Markus is reliable and you can always trust him, but never give him something to look after– he’ll lose it for sure. He still doesn’t say very much, but when he does, it’s always something reasonable. If you give Markus alcohol, he will talk about nothing for hours. Although Markus is a calm boy, he sometimes loses his temper, and then you better watch out for flying objects, like cell phones. When it comes to his riding, he always goes full speed, with great amplitude in the pipe, and straight lines down the mountain. I always have a good time when I go riding with Markus."–Markus’ roommate Jonas

"Markus is a quiet guy who lets his riding speak for itself."–Markus’ friend Per