1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:03,400 Speaker 1: Nikkio Portius. Right, so our most successful sports athletes, no 2 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:05,840 Speaker 1: sports athletes are deciding for now anyway to move to 3 00:00:05,880 --> 00:00:07,840 Speaker 1: other things. At the grand old age of twenty three, 4 00:00:08,039 --> 00:00:10,000 Speaker 1: sixteen years old, he was for the bronze in twenty 5 00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:12,840 Speaker 1: eighteen and the free sky, the free ski half pipe. 6 00:00:13,160 --> 00:00:15,040 Speaker 1: Then he came back four years later in Beijing got 7 00:00:15,080 --> 00:00:17,400 Speaker 1: the gold. But now the Olympics and the halfpipe are 8 00:00:17,440 --> 00:00:20,560 Speaker 1: and the rearview mirror Nico Portius is with us. Good morning, 9 00:00:20,640 --> 00:00:23,279 Speaker 1: good morning. I'm sure it's mind very well, indeed, thank you. 10 00:00:23,280 --> 00:00:24,599 Speaker 1: I'm sure it's one of those things you sort of 11 00:00:24,600 --> 00:00:26,480 Speaker 1: build up and think about and then it goes public. 12 00:00:26,720 --> 00:00:28,840 Speaker 1: Do you feel good now you've done it? 13 00:00:29,800 --> 00:00:32,800 Speaker 2: Yeah? Do Yeah? Feel really good. And I made the 14 00:00:32,840 --> 00:00:37,680 Speaker 2: decision actually last August, and yeah, just something that I 15 00:00:37,720 --> 00:00:39,280 Speaker 2: wanted to set on and make sure that it was 16 00:00:40,120 --> 00:00:41,519 Speaker 2: exactly what I wanted to do. 17 00:00:41,800 --> 00:00:44,519 Speaker 1: Who'd you talk to my family? 18 00:00:44,680 --> 00:00:46,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, spoke to my mum, my dad, and my brother, 19 00:00:47,920 --> 00:00:52,320 Speaker 2: and then also spoke to my sports site Dave Colin. 20 00:00:52,440 --> 00:00:54,960 Speaker 2: So yeah, I had a really good team around me 21 00:00:55,040 --> 00:00:58,160 Speaker 2: and a great support network of people to help make 22 00:00:58,200 --> 00:00:59,440 Speaker 2: sure that it made the right decision. 23 00:00:59,480 --> 00:01:01,800 Speaker 1: And how many of those people you talked to said well, 24 00:01:01,840 --> 00:01:04,280 Speaker 1: it's up to you, Nico, what do you think? And 25 00:01:04,319 --> 00:01:06,280 Speaker 1: you went, ah, I want something more than that. 26 00:01:08,400 --> 00:01:11,000 Speaker 2: Kind of all of them, to be honest, because at 27 00:01:11,040 --> 00:01:14,200 Speaker 2: the end of the day, like they've always been super 28 00:01:14,240 --> 00:01:17,000 Speaker 2: supportive of me and always backs me, and so they 29 00:01:17,040 --> 00:01:20,000 Speaker 2: wanted to be one hundred percent my call. They didn't 30 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:23,400 Speaker 2: want to influence in it in any way. And yeah, 31 00:01:23,480 --> 00:01:25,200 Speaker 2: I guess I'm just really lucky to have that sort 32 00:01:25,240 --> 00:01:26,360 Speaker 2: of support network around me. 33 00:01:26,560 --> 00:01:31,000 Speaker 1: Did you waver it all from August on? Nah? 34 00:01:31,120 --> 00:01:34,080 Speaker 2: I actually just wanted to sit on it and was 35 00:01:34,160 --> 00:01:37,160 Speaker 2: kind of scared to do the media announcement, to be honest, Yeah, 36 00:01:37,200 --> 00:01:39,720 Speaker 2: there was obviously, you know, there's obviously times when you 37 00:01:39,760 --> 00:01:42,000 Speaker 2: when you make the call and you're so young and 38 00:01:42,080 --> 00:01:44,760 Speaker 2: still healthy that you're like, oh, when times get hard, 39 00:01:44,760 --> 00:01:46,399 Speaker 2: you're sort of like, oh, maybe I could go back 40 00:01:46,440 --> 00:01:49,240 Speaker 2: to the option that I know and that you know, 41 00:01:49,240 --> 00:01:50,880 Speaker 2: I wake up and I know what's going to happen 42 00:01:50,960 --> 00:01:52,560 Speaker 2: the next day, or I know what's going to happen 43 00:01:52,560 --> 00:01:56,160 Speaker 2: in six months time. But yeah, I feel comfortable with 44 00:01:56,200 --> 00:01:59,520 Speaker 2: the decision now and feel yeah, ready to move on. 45 00:01:59,760 --> 00:02:02,760 Speaker 1: I'd asked you at say fifteen, sixteen years of age. 46 00:02:02,800 --> 00:02:05,440 Speaker 1: Did you have any inclination that this was going to 47 00:02:05,440 --> 00:02:08,200 Speaker 1: be a shortish term thing or at that point you 48 00:02:08,240 --> 00:02:11,560 Speaker 1: didn't know, And if you didn't know, at what point 49 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:14,120 Speaker 1: in your career did you start thinking I've got other 50 00:02:14,160 --> 00:02:14,680 Speaker 1: stuff to do. 51 00:02:15,880 --> 00:02:18,520 Speaker 2: Yeah. Look, I didn't know. I was just fully in 52 00:02:18,680 --> 00:02:22,519 Speaker 2: what I was doing. And I guess, you know, looking back, 53 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:25,320 Speaker 2: I've been in the competitive skiing world since I was, 54 00:02:25,960 --> 00:02:28,040 Speaker 2: you know, ten years old, and so that's like over 55 00:02:28,120 --> 00:02:30,600 Speaker 2: half my life, which has been pretty crazy, So it's 56 00:02:30,639 --> 00:02:33,320 Speaker 2: kind of all I've known. And I guess, you know, 57 00:02:33,400 --> 00:02:35,320 Speaker 2: through over that five gurd you do a lot of 58 00:02:35,360 --> 00:02:40,160 Speaker 2: growing and a lot of changing. Yeah. I just kind 59 00:02:40,160 --> 00:02:44,760 Speaker 2: of lost that competitive passion. I guess, you know, as 60 00:02:44,800 --> 00:02:47,639 Speaker 2: you do over over those years, like you changes. 61 00:02:47,360 --> 00:02:49,520 Speaker 1: At person, So you felt that there was one of 62 00:02:49,520 --> 00:02:52,200 Speaker 1: my questions. Did it at any point become a grind? 63 00:02:53,680 --> 00:02:55,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, definitely. I mean it was always a grind, but 64 00:02:56,040 --> 00:02:58,960 Speaker 2: I just I just kind of lost that competitive drive 65 00:02:59,000 --> 00:02:59,760 Speaker 2: at the end of the day. 66 00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:03,320 Speaker 1: Can you can you explain that or you don't need 67 00:03:03,360 --> 00:03:03,960 Speaker 1: to explain it. 68 00:03:04,520 --> 00:03:06,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, No, it was it was a little bit around 69 00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:11,000 Speaker 2: like I just lost the drive for the results. The 70 00:03:11,080 --> 00:03:16,800 Speaker 2: results didn't really motivate me that much anymore. And to 71 00:03:16,840 --> 00:03:19,480 Speaker 2: be honest, when I achieved the results some you know 72 00:03:19,560 --> 00:03:21,239 Speaker 2: later on in the career, they didn't quite have the 73 00:03:21,280 --> 00:03:24,200 Speaker 2: same impact as they did. It was way more. I 74 00:03:24,240 --> 00:03:28,680 Speaker 2: was way more enjoying pushing myself and you know, trying 75 00:03:28,720 --> 00:03:31,839 Speaker 2: to be the best skier that I could be rather 76 00:03:31,840 --> 00:03:33,200 Speaker 2: than trying to be the best skier on day. 77 00:03:33,360 --> 00:03:37,880 Speaker 1: It's a very mature you. Yeah, don't you reckon that. 78 00:03:37,880 --> 00:03:39,760 Speaker 1: That's a very mature of you to come to at 79 00:03:39,760 --> 00:03:43,120 Speaker 1: such a young age, because I'm assuming most young people, 80 00:03:43,160 --> 00:03:44,640 Speaker 1: once you win one, you want to win more. 81 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:48,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, I don't know. I sit out with a number 82 00:03:48,120 --> 00:03:50,280 Speaker 2: of goals at the start of my career when I 83 00:03:50,320 --> 00:03:53,440 Speaker 2: was twelve. I said these goals and I achieved those goals, 84 00:03:53,480 --> 00:03:57,480 Speaker 2: and yeah, that's kind of I don't know. I feel 85 00:03:57,520 --> 00:04:00,120 Speaker 2: as if the more and more and more intelity you 86 00:04:00,160 --> 00:04:04,000 Speaker 2: can often lead to a doing damage or moving a 87 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:06,000 Speaker 2: sour taste in your mouth. And so I just wanted 88 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:09,440 Speaker 2: to call it yeah when I had, when I felt good, 89 00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:11,560 Speaker 2: and yeah. 90 00:04:11,480 --> 00:04:13,880 Speaker 1: So the success was the success was part of it. 91 00:04:13,920 --> 00:04:16,640 Speaker 1: So in other words, you did have goals, so so 92 00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:19,240 Speaker 1: so if you had had not attained what you had attained, 93 00:04:19,279 --> 00:04:21,000 Speaker 1: you'd still maybe still be at it. 94 00:04:22,400 --> 00:04:25,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, I think so. Yeah, Well, for sure. 95 00:04:25,520 --> 00:04:27,880 Speaker 1: The business of video production all that sort of stuff 96 00:04:27,880 --> 00:04:30,400 Speaker 1: I'm reading about, is is that a real path? Is 97 00:04:30,400 --> 00:04:32,320 Speaker 1: that something you're you're passionate about it and you still 98 00:04:32,360 --> 00:04:32,840 Speaker 1: don't know? 99 00:04:33,640 --> 00:04:36,480 Speaker 2: No, No, that's something that I'm that I'm super passionate about. 100 00:04:37,200 --> 00:04:40,200 Speaker 2: After the twenty twenty two games of Blue Maceio and 101 00:04:40,480 --> 00:04:43,080 Speaker 2: coming back the season after I've spent a whole year 102 00:04:43,120 --> 00:04:47,120 Speaker 2: filming and working on a video production, and so it's 103 00:04:47,279 --> 00:04:49,400 Speaker 2: it's a it's a real path in skiing, and we're 104 00:04:49,480 --> 00:04:52,920 Speaker 2: lucky that our sport has, you know, multiple avenues outside 105 00:04:52,920 --> 00:04:56,760 Speaker 2: of competing and something that I really look forward to 106 00:04:56,760 --> 00:04:57,599 Speaker 2: to pushing. 107 00:04:57,839 --> 00:05:00,120 Speaker 1: What I've enjoyed about you guys, and I think it's 108 00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:03,040 Speaker 1: applicable for many in New Zealand. Is that clearly something's 109 00:05:03,080 --> 00:05:05,360 Speaker 1: gone on in Central Otago by way of a production 110 00:05:05,520 --> 00:05:09,240 Speaker 1: pipeline for people who are good at this sort of stuff. 111 00:05:09,320 --> 00:05:11,919 Speaker 1: You've enjoyed it. I take it it's going well. You 112 00:05:12,080 --> 00:05:14,640 Speaker 1: leave the sport in good heart? Is that fair? 113 00:05:15,800 --> 00:05:19,880 Speaker 2: Yeah? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, definitely in good heart. Feel 114 00:05:21,720 --> 00:05:26,520 Speaker 2: still have the same really positive feelings towards it, and yeah, are. 115 00:05:26,440 --> 00:05:28,280 Speaker 1: You a memories guy? Are you going to stand at 116 00:05:28,279 --> 00:05:30,040 Speaker 1: a pub and go, oh yeah, I used to do 117 00:05:30,120 --> 00:05:31,560 Speaker 1: that when I went to the Olympics. 118 00:05:32,240 --> 00:05:36,360 Speaker 2: No, no way. Someone if someone wants to come and 119 00:05:36,440 --> 00:05:38,320 Speaker 2: talk to me about it, or you know, one of 120 00:05:38,320 --> 00:05:40,080 Speaker 2: my friends and family brings it up, but I'm. 121 00:05:39,880 --> 00:05:43,200 Speaker 1: Not going to Yeah, good stuff, all right mate, go well, 122 00:05:43,240 --> 00:05:47,159 Speaker 1: appreciate it very much. Nico Portius, you get raised that 123 00:05:47,200 --> 00:05:51,279 Speaker 1: way or not? Or is that just a jeanette? Which 124 00:05:51,440 --> 00:05:54,440 Speaker 1: which way? Well? In the like, he is what he is, 125 00:05:54,440 --> 00:05:56,599 Speaker 1: isn't he? I mean, he's such a cool guy that 126 00:05:56,680 --> 00:05:58,920 Speaker 1: to be able to genuinely I mean I might be 127 00:05:58,960 --> 00:06:00,720 Speaker 1: misreading him. He might be a year and a half, 128 00:06:00,760 --> 00:06:03,480 Speaker 1: be a complete basket case and want to desperately get 129 00:06:03,480 --> 00:06:05,119 Speaker 1: back on the skis and get to a half pipe. 130 00:06:05,120 --> 00:06:07,440 Speaker 1: I don't know, but taking it as word this morning, 131 00:06:07,960 --> 00:06:11,400 Speaker 1: are you raised that way? Or is it inherent in 132 00:06:11,440 --> 00:06:15,760 Speaker 1: you that you can spend your whole life going towards something, 133 00:06:15,880 --> 00:06:18,000 Speaker 1: getting there and then going more than happy just to 134 00:06:18,040 --> 00:06:21,320 Speaker 1: move gracefully on because it's massive. I couldn't. Well, as 135 00:06:21,320 --> 00:06:25,200 Speaker 1: we can see, you certainly haven't massive. Don't bring it 136 00:06:25,240 --> 00:06:28,400 Speaker 1: back to me because I'm struggling at the moment. For 137 00:06:28,520 --> 00:06:31,880 Speaker 1: more from the Mic Asking Breakfast, listen live to news talks. 138 00:06:31,880 --> 00:06:35,080 Speaker 1: It'd be from six am weekdays, or follow the podcast 139 00:06:35,120 --> 00:06:36,000 Speaker 1: on iHeartRadio.