David Wise Uncovered

Saas Fee Photography by Stefan Eigner

What is the biggest sacrifice you’ve ever had to make?

The greatest sacrifice is difficult to quantify because every sacrifice I have ever made has been in order to achieve a goal. I’ve sacrificed blood and sweat over the years and put my body and mind at risk time and time again, but all those sacrifices have come with a potential of reward. In the same way, some might look at being a young parent as a sacrifice. I don’t have as much personal freedom, and I have a lot more demands on my time, but it is all well worth it when I see the people that my kids are growing up to be.

What advice would you give a professional skier juggling family, training, competition, and travel?

I would advise anyone trying to juggle a career like mine and a family to do their best to remember what is important. I am passionate about being the best skier I can possibly be, but when the fat lady sings nobody is really going to care whether I won a certain contest or not or whether I had enough money to buy a lot of nice things. What will matter in the end is how you treated the people around you. By m focusing on the important things, I’ve freed myself from pressure, which enables me to enjoy the ride and I usually ski better because of it.

What’s the scariest moment of your career?

I was out skiing by myself as a kid and fell into a tree-well suspended upside down by my feet. I probably spent a half hour there stuck and screaming for help until I realized that I was on my own. I finally thought it through and managed to pull myself up to the branches. I’ve had many scrapes with disaster since then, but the first one always sticks out to you.

Describe the week before competition day? What sort of methods will you take to best prepare for the day?