RIPPING | QUIN ELLUL

After spending the past winter shooting with Quin I came to the quick realization that this is the guy you want around. He stacks clips with envious effortless ease while making sure the whole crew is hyped and getting shots. He’s out riding because he truly enjoys it, that’s it. This is only the beginning of what we can expect to see from Quin. –Liam Glass

Age | 22

Place | Calgary, AB

Sponsors |  Dinosaurs Will Die, Union Bindings, Vans, Salmon Arms, Handmade Headwear

So I couldn’t manage to dig up any dirt on you, but you were kind of stressing about it yesterday, so it makes me wonder what I missed.

Yeah, you didn’t really miss anything. I was just super baked, and it had me shook up, you know? Never know what you’re going to pull out. “Why’d you cuff your pants like that back in 2013?” [Laughs] Never quite figured out how to do it, until I figured out to just not do it. If that makes any sense.

Give us the Quin origin story. How’d you get into snowboarding?

I grew up in Ajax, Ontario, my local hill was Dagmar Ski Resort and occasionally Lakeridge. I started off snowboarding kind of once a year, from when I was in grade two probably until like grade seven. I eventually quit hockey when I was in grade eight. My parents bought me a Dagmar night pass instead. They pretty much just drove me to the hill every single night for the whole winter, snowboarded by myself, didn’t have any other friends that did it. I continued to do that until I was mad in love with it, and it was my favourite thing to do.

Cool. You were never a coached kid? Parents were just down for the boarding.

Nah, I hated on coach kids, actually. I never really found the love in slopestyle or anything like that, it was strictly street snowboarding. We’d go to Dagmar, which we liked to think was the Trollhaugen of Ontario. It was built by Geoff Bowler, who made the sickest parks in Ontario at the time. We were all a little bit further away from the Collingwood kids, and all the other snowboard programs that were going on. Pocket Figures crew was a heavy influence on my street snowboarding. Thank god for those boys, because it showed me the real side of things.

True. You made the move from Whistler to Calgary this winter. What made you do that?

It was super nice to get out of Whistler for the wintertime. I had only spent one winter in Whistler. Halfway through the year, I knew that it wasn’t for me. You’ve got to have a lot of money saved up, to get out of there whenever you want to street snowboard. Moving to Calgary I had much cheaper rent, was able to get out with snow on the ground every day, hit spots and just get a lot done. I’m pretty stoked on the move, I don’t have anything bad to say about Calgary. I think I’m going to stick around here for a bit.

You’re behind the camera a lot this season, making sure the whole crew was getting clipped up. How do you like filming?

I’ve always loved filming. I would film all the homies and make edits at my local skatepark back in Ajax—shout out Arc. I wanted to go to film school, but put that off for now to snowboard. This winter, I had the opportunity to pick up the camera and film the whole BLP crew, and I loved every second of it. When you’re not getting a trick and you can help your buddy by filming and making sure you’re not blowing the angle, it’s always tight, for sure. 

Heavy question for you, what’s the point of it all?

Easy question. Having fun. That’s the only reason I street snowboard and film parts. I do it because I want to. Snowboarding and skateboarding for me, it’s the same thing, it’s just pure enjoyment. If you’re not having fun, then I don’t think it’s something you should be doing. If you’re forcing yourself in some way, don’t. Just let it flow, just let it go. Have fun at all times is all I can say.

What’s next for Quin?

Just save up some money for trips, get the Xtreme Fisheye, and just get boarding again as soon as the snow starts flying. 

Shout outs?

For sure, I’d have to say Mom, Dad, my siblings, Jeff and Sean from DWD, Rob and Riley at Union, JJ Shoemaker, Nic Heringa, Aintfinna, CasQuad, Pocket Figures, Dawson McLaughlin, Jesse, BLP, Slimes, Vinny Laz, Ryan Brough, Mike from Switch, all the homies back in Whistler, Cameron Namek, Finn and JJ, Brett Mills, all the Calgary homies, Liam Glass for sure.