It’s winter Billy. Shouldn’t you be competing in a snowboarding competition somewhere? The worlds are on in France and Italy at the moment but I’m off competing this year. I’m doing some other bits and bobs … filming, riding some powder and genuinely trying to enjoy the snow a bit more.
Very nice. I read somewhere you hate being introduced as an Olympic bronze medallist because that doesn’t define you … You can’t define anyone in one sentence. I hope people know me for more than that.
Well, it was quite a feat but how would you like to be known then? I’m just a free sports athlete. We’re all kind of the same, we like the lifestyle and the social aspect and we go along with everything.
A lot of the X Games athletes come across as more laid back than conventional athletes. Why’s that? I don’t necessarily think we’re all laid back. We’re more relaxed when we’re not doing our sports but we all know what it feels like to stand at the top of a jump and the risks that we’re taking. So when somebody does something really good – even if they’re a competitor of yours – you’re really stoked for them because you can understand what that’s like. In other sports you perhaps have to get to know someone for a long time before you realise you have something in common but if I bump into a dude who I know is a pretty good skateboarder, I will know that artistically, we’re quite similar. We all got into our sport without the hope or dream of ending up at the top of it. We just love doing it.
So does that mean you don’t give your opponents daggers? There is a little bit of rivalry at the high-end of it but it’s more fun riding with people on days off and everyone hangs out and rides together anyway.
Sounds very happy-clappy but I’ve heard that some people see you as a divisive character … It’s because of the “cool” aspect of snowboarding and whether you fit in or not and that gets some people going a lot more than it does me. I was never the coolest kid at school. I was just the crazy kid who could do backflips and then it continued on to later life. I was never bothered about what was “in”.
You’re from Southampton. It’s not the most wintry place. How did you get into snowboarding? I went skiing with school and there were some snowboarders there. My mate went down and asked them to give us a go and I reluctantly agreed. I was addicted from then on. And here I am 14 years later still addicted.
So how did you practice in Southampton? The dry slope. I used to go two or three times a week for an hour and try and stay on as long as possible. I came from a different sport. I was an acrobat as a youngster which was a lot more regimented. Snowboarding was just so free and I could do what I wanted and be a renegade kid.
Sounds edgy. How do you practise tricks on a dry slope without injuring yourself? You can’t do it without injuring yourself. It’s part and parcel of what we do. You can learn a lot of the basics – especially the rail moves. You can practise tricks on trampolines so that you’re prepared and have aerial awareness when you go away.
What’s the worst injury you’ve had? I did my knee, my ACL. That kept me out for the longest. I’ve been lucky really … I’ve had a few concussions and broken bones, loads of ribs but nothing bad.
Nothing bad? Blimey. Small Talk’s of the opinion that when you get over the age of 30 and fall over it hurts 10 times more … When you’re younger you go out and have a few drinks and go out the next day and ride your hangover away at 10am and you don’t have the aches and pains that you have when you’re my age. If I do a few days’ riding on a hill now I really feel it.
Nothing can stop Father Time Billy. It’s been snowing quite a bit down your way recently. Are you ever tempted to go to your local hill and show off? We’ll definitely take a rope out and tie it to a car and pull each other round a bit.
What about the M3. That was really snowy … It’s a bit too flat to ride on. We need some mountains.
Of course. What do you do when the weather’s warm? You used to juggle jobs didn’t you? I’ve done all sorts of things over the years. You can snowboard all year if you want to. You can ship over to New Zealand or just get in the domes. I turned pro when I was 21 and I haven’t had a normal job since then.
What was the worst job you had when you were young? I was lucky. I always had good jobs. I worked in a tile centre and then with my dad’s mate doing general household maintenance and roofing. It was really good.
You’re a regular handyman Billy? Yeah, my dad was really into it when I was younger. He could pretty much fix or make anything. He was really creative. So I can do all kinds of bits and bobs.
What music are you listening to? No, I’ve never been one to dial it in. I can’t answer that one.
O … K. So who’d play you in a film of your life? I dunno. You mean someone famous?
Yeah. An actor? What about Ryan Gosling? Yeah, or what about the fella who played Jack Sparrow?
Jonny Depp? Yeah, him.
What scares you? Talking in front of children.
Just children? Well, I hate talking in front of anyone. I’m OK one to one, so this is all right.
Ah, good. What three things would you put in Room 101? Instagram. It’s bad for people. Carbon burning things too, like cars and power stations. Oh, and scooters! The little aluminium ones.
Kids’ scooters? That’s a bit cruel … No, the ones that adults ride. Imagine riding a micro scooter over the age of 16?
I hope east London hipsters are listening to this Billy. What your favourite drink? Rum!
Very Jack Sparrow … Cheese or chocolate? Cheese. All of the cheeses! But I really like Gruyère and Roquefort – and can I change my drink to port if we’re going to have those questions back to back?
Yeah, sure. But you’re not sounding like the working class kid who made it in snowboarding anymore? We all have to grow up.
Who’d win a fight between a lion and a tiger? Dunno. A lion. These are tough questions …
They’re life’s big questions Billy. Here’s another one. Can you tell us a joke? Why did the baker have brown hands?
Go on … Because he kneaded a poo.
Zing! That’s not bad Billy. Thanks for your time. Will we see you at the 2022 Winter Olympics? Maybe.
OK. Bye. Bye Small Talk.
Billy Morgan stars in Jacamo’s Autumn Winter #LiveYourMoment campaign. www.jacamo.co.uk