THEME: Portraits
PHOTO: Justin Hostynek
RIDER: JP Martin
LOCATION: Arapahoe Basin, Colorado
CAMERA: Canon EOS 1 (analog)
WRITER: Arlie Carstens ©
Way back in 1995, while filmmaker Justin Hostynek was shooting for the feature Color, he stacked a lot of clips with pro snowboarder JP Martin. No matter where they went, the time spent always paid off. Martin was buttoned up. His gear was on-point. His riding was powerful, precise, and full-tilt at all times. One part, snow ninja. One part, mountain man. One part, friend to all. When it came to the art, culture, and community of snowboarding, Martin was the real deal. This is why Twist Clothing and K2 Snowboards snatched him up and sent him chasing powder around the world throughout the 90s and early 00s.
While time has certainly marched on, it is fair to say that JP Martin was one of the pioneers of progressive big mountain riding done right. No flailing. No Hail Mary’s. Just pure heart, style, and stomp. Today, he speaks fluent Japanese, has two sons he loves very much, and yes—he still shreds.