Welcome to Gnu Under an insta / blog series exploring the underground of Gnu and the riders, artists, scientists and collaborators that make this weird, wild, magic happen. First out the gate is our long time best rider, freestyle pioneer, champion of women’s snowboarding and Mervin Mfg. director of women’s product Barrett Christy Cummins. We could do 100 of these with Barrett and still just scratch the surface of her world. But then we wouldn’t get anything done, so we’ll start with one, thanks for taking the time B and stay tuned for more Gnu Unders!
Five things that have changed for you during Covid?
1. Zoom and Teams meetings
2. Home improvement project chaos
3. No eating out
4. Online schooling for myself, and the kids
5. Increased coffee consumption
Three people that push your snowboarding?
1. Temple
2. Cannon
3. Ayla
What’s the biggest trophy you ever won?
The biggest trophy was a 2000 VW GTI for winning the X Games overall title in 1999. Still got it, but it’s been in the shop getting fixed all summer with electrical issues. Cannon will probably be driving it when he turns 16
Tell us a good J2 story.
What’s your all time favorite Gnu ad?
The one we never ran of Edgers for the Pickle Stallion board.
My favorite one of me was the Our Best Rider Is a Girl ad. That was a pretty big statement, whether it was true or not, and it had an impact.
Three tips to the Barrett Roll:
1. Take off switch
2. Roll off toes, 1 ½ rotation 540 barrel roll
3. Land forward. Claim it if you are as surprised as I was every time I landed one
French Press or Pour Over and why?
Pour over. French press takes too much precision and timing to avoid a bitter cup. Pour over chemex every morning.
Five things you do for Gnu on a normal work day?
1. Work with Bish and artists on graphics and marketing assets for women’s product
2. Monitor factory progress on samples, graphic tests (this time of year), and production
3. Hand pick boards from QC and warehouse for team, ambassadors, partners, artists, events, donations. Try to keep roster updated with all product needs and fulfillment
4. Answer lots of emails from people wanting free stuff
5. Communicate with team to track down photos, videos, asset needs and coordinated cross marketing with partners
Applejacks or Wheaties?
Applejacks😊
Four things you do for your health to keep snowboarding and surfing?
1. Stretch
2. Roll out sore muscles
3. Core strengthening with bands, body weight, breath work
4. CBD cream and Advil
Three things that have changed for women in snowboarding since you started?
1. Bigger jumps, bigger pipes and better tricks
2. The presence of social media and personal brands
3. More equal prize money at events
Three things that haven’t changed for women in snowboarding since you started?
1. Pay gaps
2. Tokenism
3. Industry wide, it’s still mostly men holding leadership positions and making decisions about what women want.
When was the last time you got barreled?
In my dreams, last night
Four things you’ve watched, read or listened to since Covid kicked in?
1. Bombhole podcast with Desiree, Justin Bennee, lots more I need to listen to still!
Justin Bennee: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRxS8wszF30&t=1702s
Desiree Melencon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPBMPzZewNg
2. The Snowboard Project with Maria Thomsen, Megan Pischke
Maria Thomsen: http://thesnowboardproject.com/maria-thomsen-mom-first-snowboarder-second-episode-122/
Megan Pischke: http://thesnowboardproject.com/paths-•-megan-pischke-porcheron-•-living-a-life-by-design-•-episode-184/
3. DISC and EIQ assessment results
4. Drunk History episodes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpTf1GFjCd8
How many countries has snowboarding brought you to?
I think 12? Maybe more with drive-throughs and airport stops
Three tips to raising a teenage son?
1. Be kind, but realistic
2. Be generous, but don’t spoil him
3. Teach him how to wash his own dishes and clean up after himself. It’s a work in progress.
What have you learned?
I’ve learned to stay optimistic and not lose focus of the things to be grateful for. I’ve learned to keep a sense of humor and laugh with (at) the kids as much as possible. I’ve also learned about my own strengths and weaknesses, and to lean into my skills and passions with a purpose. And, I’m still learning how to filter out the BS on social media.
Barrett rides The Barrett… “Camber perfection for stability and control, Power Pop bands for light-weight snap and edge-to-edge precision.”
Barrett loves the comfort and responsiveness of the BMBW Forte
