'Woodsy' - Welcome to the Team
We could not be more stoked to announce that British free-ski legend James ‘Woodsy’ Woods is back on Planks!
Woodsy has been a long-term friend and keen supporter of the brand after first meeting founder Jim Adlington over 15 years ago. As a British brand with our own dryslope roots, we know how important it is to support our homegrown athletes. So we are very proud to be working with the next generation of British Skiers.
“I first met Woodsy at a demo at Sheffield Ski Village, back then he was just a tiny kid ripping around the slope, but his raw talent was mind-blowing. James is not just an unbelievable skier, he’s a lovely guy and a great role model for British Skiing.”
Check out our interview with Woodsy just below to find out about his favourite Planks riders, why he is so stoked to be working with a British brand and his plans for this season.
Photos: Tommy Pyatt
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What does the Planks brand mean to you?
Planks to me is a brand that's more than just about steezy, affordable gear to shred in. Created by British freeskiers, Planks and everyone involved is committed to doing what's best for the activity that we all love and I'm really happy to be a part of this like minded group.
You used to ride for Planks a long time ago, what happened?
I used to ride for Planks a good while ago now, when T's and beanies were their only products! I remember Jim (boss man) loosing his mind and waving a Planks / Woodsy banner when I competed at my first ever X Games! The reason for the move was simple, big brands began approaching me for full head to toe deals, but it was not an easy decision.
What made you want to come back and work with Planks again?
Obviously Planks has gone from strength to strength since the T's and beanie days and established itself in the market. I've always been excited to see my friends doing well and their gear being used in the mountains all over the World, so in some ways it feels like I didn't leave at all. Now I find myself in a position where I can invest my time in something I truly care about - that's skiing and my friends, so Planks is the obvious, obvious place to go!
How important to you is it to work with a UK based company?
This is a huge thing for me. I feel as though I'm coming home in a sense, it's brilliant to be working closely with not just people I know really well but people who have the same background as me. Planks was born on dryslope, just like the all the UK ski & snowboard greatness! It's a perfect fit for me.
Which other riders on the team are you looking forward to working with?
I spend a good chunk of the year in New Zealand now and a lot of time with the Porteous bros, so it'll be good to have another excuse to shred with them. Teal Harle is a great bloke who I'm seeing around more and more, so i'm sure now we'll have something more to talk about than just girls and beer ;)
What are your favourite products and what can we expect to see you wearing?
I'm a baggy pants and hoodie type dude, so I'll see you there.
Can we expect a Woodsy pro-model any time soon?
I certainly hope so, I'm really keen to get down and dirty in the design faze of some new products!
What is the most exciting thing about working with Planks?
I'm excited to be more heavily involved with a brand than I have been previously, I feel as though I have some knowledge of the industry that could help Planks along and I'm really excited to learn from the guys more about how it works to support a brand in freeskiing.
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We couldn’t be more stoked to finally have Woodsy back on board and kick off another season with a bang!! Check out his new profile to stay up to date with everything he is up to this season.