Every now and then, I think it’s important to remember that Shane McConkey wasn’t just a great guy, riotously funny, and an influential member of the snowsports community; he was also an incredible athlete.
To that end, here’s Shane’s mind-blowing segment from Matchstick Productions’ 2004 classic, “Yearbook.”
A total adrenaline sports extraordinaire. The way Shane combined skiing with base jumping was unquestionably gnarly.
And, of course, he was ripping skier without the parachute, too. If there were anyone whose form I could perfectly mimic, it’d probably be Shane. Or Hoji.
What impresses me most about this segment from “Yearbook” is that it was released in 2004. Freeskiing’s come so far since then, yet Shane’s skiing doesn’t feel outdated. If he put out a similar segment today, it’d quickly go viral, which speaks to the timelessness of his on-snow abilities.
While we sadly lost Shane McConkey in 2009, his memory lives on in movies, stories told by his loved ones, and the ski design innovations he championed. As always, thanks for everything, Shane. RIP.