LEFT TO RIGHT Even from an early age, Jossi has always been about on-snow style. Cardrona Alpine Resort, New Zealand. Photo: Wells Family Archive Start ’em young. An 18-month-old Jossi gets a little boost from his mother, Stacey, and father, Bruce, on a family ski trip to Whistler, BC. Photo: Wells Family Archive “Cameras ready.” “Jossi in 5…” Jossi hit the lip and initiated a 180. But rather than embodying the near-patented, statuesque style the New Zealander has built his career on, he flailed. Perhaps the cold snow slowed the takeoff; maybe the wind picked up. Whatever the reason, Jossi second-guessed the landing and blew out his shoulder. In the realm of Jossi’s ski injuries, it wasn’t a major one. He’s broken bones, torn ligaments and even broken his neck. But in the wake of this injury, Jossi came face-to-face with the stark realiza-tion that the career he’d built—one stanchioned by elevated stakes and boundary-pushing feats—might not last forever. For what felt like the first time, Jossi needed a new line. For most Americans pursuing this path, these events were an opportunity to prove themselves, but for Jossi, the eldest son of a blue-collar family, the stakes were higher. FALL IS A special time in Wanaka, New Zealand. April light hangs low in the sky. It’s calm in a place known for its dramatic weather and bone-chilling winter winds. There’s a slowness; it’s a far cry from the frenetic lifestyle pro skiers from the Southern Hemisphere endure in the pursuit of endless winter. It’s a time of year during which 32-year-old Jossi would normally be lapping the park with friends on another continent, chasing down the finishing licks of a segment, or working through timelines in the editing station. For nearly half of his life, he’s skipped fall in New Zealand. “It’s the first time I’ve done this since I was a young teenager,” he says. He’s been filling his days shooting photos, building up an all-road bicycle and exploring the backroads dug into the foothills of New Zealand’s Southern Alps. “It’s kind of a trip, but it’s been interesting,” he says. “I get to experience my home in a new way, which has been really exciting to me.” His voice has a sense of normalcy; the kind of tone you’d expect from the neighbor next door, the friend from high school who you run into after two years of living in the flat circle that has been the COVID pandemic. “I’m just embracing it,” he says. “Spending time, being like, a normal human.” But Jossi’s life has been far from normal. Jossi’s parents landed at Cardrona Alpine Resort in the ’80s, a couple of washed-up surf bums looking to settle down. His dad, Bruce, set to work at the ski school and later in patrol, and his mom, Stacey, held administra-tive jobs at Cardrona. Soon after, the boys came along—Jossi, the eldest, followed by Byron, Beau, and Jackson. The Wells children were raised on the hill, ducking out of race practice to hit jumps and slide rails. They had built a passion for skiing, and exhibited a never-ending pull toward movement that buzzed around the house. Early on, it was obvious the boys—espe-cially Jossi—had talent. By the time he was 14, Jossi had outgrown the local scene. Not knowing where else to turn, he sought out larger parks in the United States: Park City, Breckenridge, Mammoth. This was the time of the U.S. Open and X Games qualifiers. Events every other week. Big payouts. Open registration events where, with a bit of luck and some fast internet, you could go from broke local crusher to professional skier within a matter of days. 056 The Ski Journal
The Ski Journal Volume 16, Issue 1: Page 56
