Where Kaj Zackrisson grew up the mountains are only a few hundred metres high, and yet he has become one of the top freeriders of the skiing world.

Surname: Zackrisson

First name: Kaj

Age: 34

Number of years skiing: 31

Nationality: Swedish

Home: Summer in Oslo (Norway), winter in Chamonix (France)

Sponsors: SALOMON, SAAB, SWATCH, KASK POC, HEMAVAN & TÄRNABY, TELE2

Eurosport: Hello Kaj. So how did the skiing start?

Kaj Zackrisson: My mother has skied all her life. In the sixties she was in Sweden's national team. So it came about quite naturally as skiing basically ran in the family.

Eurosport: Tell us about where you grew up. Was it a skiing resort?

Kaj Zackrisson: I grew up in Rättvik. It's a small town but the ski pistes were a stone's throw away from our house. Unfortunately the mountains were really small, only 500 metres in length for a difference in altitude of 100 metres.

Eurosport: How did your career begin?

Kaj Zackrisson: Like a lot of riders I started out at a very young age at the local skiing club by taking part in alpine skiing competitions. Then I progressively went on to freeriding.

Eurosport: How did you turn professional? Was it an objective you had set yourself?

Kaj Zackrisson: To be honest, when I was seven I had already decided I would become a professional skier. And since that time I have dedicated my whole life to skiing. Skiing has always been the driving force of my life.

Eurosport: What made you decide to prioritise freeriding?

Kaj Zackrisson: Up until the age of 22 I was always taking part in alpine skiing competitions. But at the same time, as soon as I had a bit of spare time I spent it having fun outside of the pistes, in the powdery snow and the trees. The change of direction I took towards freeriding seemed to me like an obvious thing to do.

Eurosport: How would you define freeriding for someone who knows nothing about skiing?

Kaj Zackrisson: It's a marvellous sport that enables you to go through a whole load of sensations very quickly. On the same run, you can feel fear, happiness, surprise and satisfaction. Moreover, the mountain is a magical place which gives you a love for life.

Eurosport: What do you think makes a good freerider?

Kaj Zackrisson: Before all else a rider who feels pleasure at being in the mountain surrounded by their friends.

Eurosport: How do you set the limit between fear and control in freeriding?

Kaj Zackrisson: The most important thing for me is to respect the element on which I'm evolving. When I choose a line I am split between a feeling of fear and respect for the mountain. This feeling enables me to remain constantly concentrated and maintain control over the situation. Without this respect accidents would happen more frequently.

Eurosport: Is freeriding a more dangerous sport than the others?

Kaj Zackrisson: To a large degree one could say that because of the avalanches.

Eurosport: What relationship do you maintain with the mountain?

Kaj Zackrisson: For me the mountain is a unique element in the sense where every day it reveals a new aspect of itself to us. It's very exciting to rediscover it each time. I consider myself privileged to be able to live in this environment.

Eurosport: How would you compare the Alps with the massifs of Scandinavia?

Kaj Zackrisson: The altitudes are different, of course, which is why I went to live in Chamonix and why I like travelling so much to discover new spots. But at the same time, no matter what ground I'm on, I always try to keep the same approach: to remain humble and respectful to better understand the conditions of the moment.

Eurosport: Which part of your job do you like best?

Kaj Zackrisson: Taking part in film shoots! Sometimes one has the opportunity to trace lines where no other person has ever skied before us. You can choose the route via your binoculars; you can mentally visualise where you are going. The feeling is indescribable.

Eurosport: What are your plans for this winter?

Kaj Zackrisson: I'm going to spend the season in Chamonix. In the spring I will go to Alaska to take part in a video shoot. I will also try to uphold my results of last year at the Big Mountain Pro and the Xtreme Verbier (1st and 2nd).

Eurosport: And aside from skiing?

Kaj Zackrisson: When I'm not skiing I work in a hat company that I created in 2001 with my friend Sverre Liliequist (also a professional skier). We really enjoy running our own business in the skiing world. You can take a look at our web site: www.kaskofsweden.com.

Eurosport