STORIES – FRIEND TALK

FRIEND TALK - JANNE TJÄRNSTRÖM

Janne is our local hero. If you haven’t met him on the mountain you might have seen photos of him on our website. He is an all-year-round mountain lover.

You know the classic rip the skin of my ski move? We refer to this rip as “the tjärnstöms-rip”. Janne also has his own trail named after him in Åre bike park, Tjärnis.

He is born and raised in Kiruna high above the arctic circle. Started skiing on the local hill Luossavaara as a four-year-old. Janne found his love for freeskiing and was a member of the national team in moguls during the late eighties. He moved to Åre in 93 and has been living here since then. He works as a mogul ski coach at Åre ski gymnasium where he coaches the best and most promising young mogul skiers in Sweden. He was the head coach for the national team in moguls and participated in the Salt Lake City Olympics.

What is Jannes relationship to skiing and biking?

“Skiing and biking are integrated in my life. IT IS MY LIFE and especially skiing has led me to where I live, with who I live and what I work with. Skiing is my work and it's what I do in my spare time during winter. When I’m not at work I free ski and ski tour a lot. In the beginning, I started biking to stay fit during the snow-free month but over the years it has developed to be as important for my wellbeing as skiing. Over the years I have been traveling a lot with my friend and world-class photographer Mattias Fredriksson. We have been to many epic places in the world of skiing and biking together. ”

What is your spirit animal and why?

“I more have a “spirit tree” and that’s a mountain birch (Fjällbjörk). I think it stands for proudness and it´s a tree that can manage all kinds of conditions and still be there and fight.“

Janne has been our friend from the very beginning, as you may have realized he is a perfect soul for trying out our gear. We asked Janne what he does to relax, the answer was quick.

“I relax when being outside and doing different stuff like ski, bike, surf, ice skating on frozen lakes or paddling my kayak or stand-up paddle board. I like fresh air and I’m an outdoor enthusiast.“

Favorite Elevenate piece?

Besides the shell garments, I wear my Transition Insulation Shorts every god damn day.