SUMMIT TALKS
PHOTO: © KELVIN TRAUTMAN, RED BULL CONTENT POOL
also need to be a good public figure with a lot of followers in social media. What´s your opinion on this? R: Yes I agree, you need to be an all-round ambassador for the brands you work with. Social media is becoming more and more important and it’s also very time consuming. It can be very tricky for an athlete and it’s important to keep the balance. Dean Karnazes gave me the best advice ever when I first started running: Winning races is important but it doesn’t necessarily get you sponsorship. I think that was great advice and I have always looked up to how he has managed his career. K: You have a lot of sponsors (Salomon, Red Bull, Suunto, Oakley, Velocity Sports Lab, Fury Ford Fourways) that have allowed you to race in Nepal or Antarctica. How did you get them? R: Finding partners and sponsors can be very difficult and I am lucky to work with many great brands who have allowed me to live my dreams. I believe working with a sponsor is a long-term process
90 THE RIDGE
MOUNTAIN CULTURE MAGAZINE