Brofiles: Manuel Puce

To say it simple, Puce is the shitzhit! He’s the most easy and down to earth guy ever known. I met him at Tonale Pass several years ago at a snowboard event: he was payin’ for the hotel room and I was a homeless staff member. The organization put me in his room almost illegally, ‘cause Manuel was a close friend of the event boss. We became istantly friends and what came out was one of funniest weekend to date. Later he began to spend 6 month a year in Australia and I got married and calm down: the last time we met was last summer at Bonday Beach, Sidney, where he lived back then and drank beer remembering the early moments of our friendship. I wanted to dedicate this interview so bad since a long long time, so Puce, this is for ya!

Hey man, what’s up?
Good Man, I’m just back from a healthy day on the slopes with friends, found a work and it takes a few more to my girl to come here at my place.

Last time we met was at Bondai Beach (Sidney), the first one at Tonale Pass…so many years has passed..what are U doin’ now?
Dammit, so much time. However I remember exactly how it happened: Max asked if we could host someone of his staff in our room. I didn’t esithate and said him he could tell you to feel free to come to us. He told us you were a quiet kid. Let’s say the “quiet” adjective was a bit ironic. You came at our table while we were having dinner completely drunk and with a bottle of red wine. WTF? I gotta say the next days of snowmotion we realized you’ve been a great draft! We had so much fun..
However to answer you, I’m currently working as a buyer for a work clothing company..when I’m not workin’ I enjoy play tennis, squash and snowboard, of course.

How it is to be an half blooded Mediterranean in Sud Tirol? As I saw you I believed you were German!
You’re right…almost nobody believe I’m half Mediterranean. So nobody called me TERRONE (the way northern Italians call the south Italians), maybe some of my closest friend does for joke. I gotta say that my father, as he sometime told me, had some problem in the very early times here in the northern territories, but now everybody love him..I speak with him in Trentino dialect while with my mother I speak german.

In the last years you spent almost half the time in Australia and the other 6 month at home in Trentino. What you wanna do when you grow up?
That’s a good one…Can I call help from home? Let’s say that I knew better what I would do when I was in Junior high, I wanted to be a joiner so bad.
Now I don’t know exactly what I’ll do in the future ‘cause my girl is Australian and will come here with me for an year. Then who knows? Maybe she’ll stay here with me, or I’ll come back in Aussie with her…
Life is beautiful ‘cause you never know what will really happens, too…

Which is the main difference from Italian and Australian snowboard scene? Truthfully eh?
Let’s start by sayin’ that the distance of the main cities from the mountains and the short season Aussies got, the few who ride a snowboard does it for a true love for the sport or only to try something different a couple times, but they absolutely doesn’t snowboard ‘cause is trendy. The Aussies travel a lot, they take the plane and spend the season in Japan, Canada or Europe, too..They’re way more open-minded than us.

Let’s enlarge the topic: the difference from us and the Aussies?
I love both ‘em all…

If you gotta choose now where to live between here and in Australia without ties, which will we you answer?
I think here in Italy, but I’m not sure 100%..I Often miss Australia but as I’m there, I miss my town so bad….

If you could bring a piece of Italy in Australia, which will it be?
My family, friends, hams, mountains, Buffalo mozzarella, village festivals, country festivals and superenalotto Jackpot..

..And if you will stay in Italy, which would you bring here from Aussie?
My girl, friends, 7$ steak at the pub, rugby league, waves, BBQ’s, beach, the way Aussies take the life so slow, the whole quality of life…

How do you order a pint of beer in Sidney?
Hey Mate, How’s goin’? A scooner of Carlton Please!

Hi Bro, Hope to see you soon…