Zephyr Lovelock has been on a tear lately, from all-time Instagram clips to winning the prestigious title of Mini Pipe World Champ. No matter where you’re watching him, he has you on the edge of your seat. This latest offering is no different. He and a veteran crew battle the untamed wilderness of the deep South Island, and have a good time doing it.
While he was on smoko I was able to give him a call and talk about the film.
Dylan: How did the film come about?
Zephyr: Yeah, it was super mental. Smorgs was the driving force behind it. I first heard about it from Shane [Volcom TM] and a crew of friends quickly formed, Morgan is the guy who knows how to get shit done out there. We also had Mahi Mains join in shredding and Alex Stewart was helping behind the camera. It was unreal to have the crew help me film, and it just got me so psyched.
Dylan: How long did it take you guys to get all the clips?
Zephyr: We only had like 1.569 days of filming. The first day at camp we got to snowboard, but we were battling 100k winds, it felt like. We had a super early start the next morning and shot all day. Near the end of it my binding malfunctioned, and I spent an hour and a half strapped in at the final spot of the day, just getting towed around behind the skid.
Dylan: New Zealand weather can be brutal. Did the crew let you boost around on a sled?
Zephyr: Nahhh, the boys were scared to put me behind one. I wanted to take the turbo sled but they wouldn’t let me. I just had my hands around Smorgs’ waist the whole time, nibbling on his ear. We had to go turbo for ages to get out to the hut, then on the first day one of the sleds carks it in the furthest valley away, and all three of us had to hop on one sled and turbo back to the hut. It was sketchy.
Dylan: Hectic. Did you guys build any of the spots?
Zephyr: Nahhh, we just hit all natural features. JP and Morgan took us to all the dopest spots, Mahi and I thought about building something but you know it’s the Pisas, the snow was super variable and you just get what you’re given. Me and mahi would just bounce trick ideas off each at the top and then just drop in.
Dylan: What was one of your favourite spots?
Zephyr: It had to be the giant phallus shaped rock with 1/4 pipe hit. JP was towing me into it at 100 clicks and just slinging me towards these rocks, I was threading the needle to the other side for the quarter pipe hit. It was a beauty of a spot.
Dylan: This isn’t your first rodeo in the Pisas. Talk us through stepping up to the infamous Snow Farm set?
Zephyr: Yeah bro, the season was done, and I was back on the tools, hanging with the whānau. One weekend had a crazy snow dump and the whole whānau went up to the Crowny and we were building jumps over the cattle fences. Everyone was sending it, with full yard sales from my lil bro. During the session I thought, surely Snow Farm has some snow. We ended up sneaking in, and the rail had barely enough snow for a landing. As I was waxing the rail my feet fell through the wooden boards, as they were rotting. All I could think about was that if I fell off I’d go through those boards. The snow was so slow that my girlfriend’s dad and my stepdad had to slingshot me into it with a rope. It took a couple of slams, but I was able to put one down and get the clip. Couldn’t have done it without the whānau.
Dylan: Iconic. Where are you catching your next flight?
Zephyr: I'm usually going Europe chasing World Cups and boarding around in between. This year I'm going USA and gonna check out some psycho spots like Baker and Jackson, and do everything that shows up on my radar. I'm scared to ride movie powder in North America cause i’m a kiwi pow guy and I'm usually rocking a gaper gap . I think we also might call all justice league Volcom avengers to meet up in an undisclosed location so I'm looking forward to that. I will still be strike mission-ing to Euro for spring battle and filming Euro Send 6.9 with my boy Niek Van der velden