Darian is not your “traditional sports girl”. She likes things extreme. “Extreme” meaning: man vs. nature; where the odds aren’t in your favor, nor can they be controlled. For that’s where the thrill lies. Being an adrenaline junkie with a passion for sports that allow her to explore uncharted waters and unforgiving mountains, Darian pushes herself physically and mentally to embrace life at its fullest.
As a girl growing up with three brothers, Darian learned at an early age, that in order to participate and play sports with the boys, you had to play hard. The only other option was holding pom-poms on the sidelines. As Darian says, “Don’t get me wrong: being “girly” has its time and place, as long as you know when to take off the makeup, put your hair up and get the job done.”
Darian was a pioneer in woman’s freeskiing-extreme skiing. For years, she was one of the top female athletes in the world – dominating the skiercross circuit and helped to pave the way for the sport. Her specialties include big mountain riding, skiercross, and bordercross. She was a featured rider in several ski films and magazines. Some of her racing highlights include: 2000 World Extreme Sports Award for Best Female Freeskier in the World; 1999 Crowned World Skiercross Champion; 1999 X Games placed 2nd in skiercross; 1998 US Open Skiercross Champion and 1993 finished 2nd overall on the World Pro Mogul Tour.
Life as a professional athlete opened the door to a career in television broadcasting. When she wasn’t traveling and competing, Darian was exploring the globe as a television host and sports reporter. Working for Fox Sports Net Rocky Mountain put her right in the game covering the Colorado Rockies (MLB), Denver Broncos (NFL), Colorado Avalanche (NHL), Denver Nuggets (NBA) and a variety of other sporting events.
Darian took part in post-game coverage; one-on-one interviews; served as a ‘dugout reporter’ for live telecasts; anchored segments of Live telecasts; logged footage and created packages at a moment’s notice. Darian’s work has appeared on ESPN, ESPN2, Fox Sports Net, ABC Sports and many more. These programs allowed her to showcase her athletic knowledge and her experience in outdoor sports.
Yet, Darian’s skills go beyond the slopes and TV. Several years ago she was anxious to take on a new challenge and immersed herself in a new family business, Typhoon Boat Works manufacturing custom boats and after years of hard work became the President of the company. Darian is proud to boast, “I learned all the ins and outs of the business and turned Typhoon into a prosperous company. There is no better gratification then seeing a Typhoon out on the water hooked up on a huge Tuna.”
From mid-winter surfing off the coast of New Jersey, to skiing the untouched mountain peaks of Alaska, to skateboarding the chaotic streets of NYC, to paddling 28 miles around Manhattan on a stand-up surfboard for charity, Darian has created a lifestyle out of her love for life’s challenges.
After all, you don’t just get a nickname like, “Digger”… you have to earn it. Maybe it’s the 50 bones she’s broken, or maybe it was her astounding comeback after breaking her neck in 6 spots and was still smiling. But, one thing is clear about Darian: whether it’s her attitude or her altitude; whether she’s in the starting gate or at the finish line, it’s her zest for life that drives her to compete with all she’s got.
