Joining the YT MOB this year is Swedish-born freeride mountain biker Emma Olofsson. Accompanied by her beloved pet duck, Emma’s determined to make her mark on the world, so we figured it was high time for a YT MAG interrogation.
It’s a far stretch of the imagination to consider the flat plains of Sweden as a breeding ground for mountain bike talent, and yet, here we are. Hailing from the tiny village of Diö, population approx. 1,000, Emma decided her life needed a shake-up, once which would take her to the other side of the globe, Australia, before settling down in the MTB mecca of New Zealand, where she really uncaged her talent! It’s a no-brainer why Emma is a great fit for YT, but what makes YT a fit for her? Emma explains that “apart from being the coolest mountain bike brand, everyone that I ever met that rides for YT or works for YT are just the nicest, and that’s super important.”
So from flipping the bird, flipping sui’s, and just being flipping awesome, it’s time the world knew who the real Emma “Mmurmaider” Olofsson is…
So Emma, how and when did your love affair with mountain biking begin?
Back in, like, 2014, when I was still living in Sweden, I tried it there for the first time with my younger brother, Johan. He had seen this sport online and was keen to try it out and wanted someone to come with him, so my Mom and I tagged along. We all crashed at the top of the lift because we didn’t know how to get off the T-bar lift, but I still had a good time. Then I had a few years off when I moved around Sweden and Australia before getting really hooked on mountain biking in Queenstown at the end of 2017.
“Freeride, to me, is riding with your friends and pushing your limits to get that stoke feeling.”
– Emma Olofsson
New Zealand is prime location for all mountain bike disciplines and has bred some of the best riders of our time. How did you get into freeride over downhill or enduro?
I think this just happened naturally, really. Since I just started riding for fun and not because my parents pushed me into the sport or anything, I always just rode bike park and rode because it was fun and not because it was a competition. Freeride, to me, is riding with your friends, pushing your limits to get that “stoke” feeling, having fun, and at the end of the day, you’re so happy because you’ve had the sickest time with your mates. I don’t get that feeling after a race, so I’d rather just race for the social side of it and not to win.
Freeride is all about big air and stylish tricks. You’ve already mastered a few of them, so which is your favourite and which ones do you want to master yet?
My favourite is a big, extended sui, for sure! It feels so sick in the air when you’ve extended and realize you have heaps more time in the air and can just keep your arms back for a bit longer before getting them back on the bars. I did my first sui a few years ago, and I feel like I just “mastered” the trick last summer on A-line in Whistler.
I want to learn bar spins on my Dirtlove, get no-foot cans dialled, try and get one-footed Euro’s decent and learn tuck no-handers. I’ll be spending some time on the Whistler mulch jump this summer, as that’s the perfect jump to learn stuff on. I want to learn a bunch of “steezy tricks” because it feels so good riding a jump trail while throwing down some sick shit.
Other than dialling in new tricks, what other goals do you have this year?
Formation and Proving Grounds are my biggest goals for 2023, which are invite-only, so fingers crossed! I’d really like to do some creative content as well and make inspiring videos to get as many people as possible out on their bikes and do bike trips that have made my life super fun. I try to make a 3-4 month trip with my bike every year, and I always have THE BEST time. It can be scary and sometimes even lonely when you travel by yourself, but it’s always worth it, so it would be cool to inspire more people to live their best lives.
You mention that you would like to inspire others, but who inspires you, and what riders do you think have the sickest style?
Honestly, my boyfriend, Remy, is my biggest riding role model, haha! In my opinion, he has the sickest style on a bike. Veronique Sandler is another favourite rider of mine; she’s super nice, has some serious steeze going on and rides BIG shit. My teammate, Brooke Anderson, is another steeze lord that I look up to. Patricia Druwen, too, omg, slopestyle GODDESS! Luci Vaneesteren, Michaela Gatto, Vinny Armstrong, honestly, there are too many sick female shredders to mention…
“I stick my finger up people’s butts if they bend over as a joke…”
– Emma Olofsson
What can’t you live without?
Coffee
Where does your Instagram name Mmurmaider come from?
Mmurmaider comes from a song by Dethklok, which is from a dope TV series, Metalocalypse.
Any weird habits?
I stick my finger up people’s butts if they bend over as a joke, and it’s a crack-up to see people’s reaction to it.
Pre-event rituals?
COFFEEEEEE! I won’t do anything before I’ve had coffee.
What do people assume the most about you?
Everyone thinks I’m a Party Girl, and I am not. I like to be eating ice cream in bed by 10 pm, but I do party on my bike though.
If, like us, you stalk Emma’s social media, you’ll know all about Donald. And if you don’t, then you’re about to find out who’s the coolest duck in Queenstown.
DONALD IS MY FAVORITE LITTLE GUY! He’s a little trooper and is one happy 3-month-old duck. He was a bit sick the other day actually, and had these weird twitches in his neck, but now he is good and has a big pen with a pool and a jetty. He still sleeps inside and hangs out with us when we are home. We might get him a duck friend so he is not alone during the day. I’ll have to get a friend to look after him when I travel, but I’ll bring a polaroid photo of us as a mascot. I already miss him.
Armed with a YT TUES, JEFFSY and DIRTLOVE, there’s nothing that can stop Emma from going big and sending it high this year. We’re stoked to have the mother of ducks a part of the YT MOB Girls this year because she’s gonna achieve awesome things.
Don’t forget to give Emma Olofsson a follow on Instagram so you can keep updated with all of her bike and duck antics. Oh! And approach with caution if she’s not yet had her coffee!
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