Post By: Jessica Kimura

Looking at the explosion of women’s riding in the past few years, one might attribute that to the increasing availability of women’s snowboarding via production companies like Runway, Shot in the Dark, and Misschief, as well as team videos from brands such as Roxy or Oakley.  Those videos showed just how high the level of professional female riding has become.  Beyond that however, there was no middle ground  among the slop bucket of cell phone sponsor-me videos on Youtube.  Once in a while you’d find a gem hidden somewhere, but it was scarce to say the least.  As a last resort, you’d hope to scope some contest footy but consider it lucky if they showed one hit from the winning girl’s run.  As a result, the general snowboard public, up-and-coming girl shredders included, could assume that except for a few top-notch pros, most girls suck at snowboarding.

Megan Whiteside. Hogue photo

The problem is not that most girls suck at snowboarding, it's that most people can’t visualize themselves doing something they have never seen done before. Most girl shreds would find it hard to deny that seeing another girl land a certain trick, or do something with a certain style wouldn’t make it a more realizable goal in their minds. Video is like a tangible record of snowboard history.   In men’s videos, there has been a first for every single trick, with every single stomped grab or combo that technically exists.  The viewers would look to the videos for guidance and inspiration, with their own snowboarding following suit.  The same goes for women’s videos, except we’re quite a distance back from the guys as far as progression and riding level goes.  

Kea Mowat. Holmes photo

Gillian Andrewshenko. Hunter photo

Before this season,  opportunities to get video coverage were mostly reserved for an elite crew of fully sponsored pro female snowboarders.   There was a seemingly sizeable gap between the sponsored amateurs and the paid professionals.  With massive media vessels like Facebook and Youtube having a bigger impact on our lives than ever, where does snowboarding fit in?  Even more specifically, where is the female snowboarder’s place in all of this?  If a relatively unknown girl rider thinks she has the skills to measure up, what can she do to get that word out? How does one discover opportunity where nobody seems to want to give  anyone a chance?

Taylor Godber. Harvey photo

Darrah Reid. Unknown photog

At the beginning of the 2008/09 season, a group of young, creative, and passionate girls from Whistler, BC found the answer; the internet. After all, it has recently proved to be a viable means of conveyance for DIY shred coverage.  This year, the girls took it upon themselves to give an outlet to amateur female snowboarding.  Their plan centers around their website, www.eyesonthehorizon.com, and will feature blogs, photos, and eight feature web videos documenting the girls and their shred season.

Caley Vanular. Holmes photo

On The Horizon group shot.  

You can check out their first shred-web video here.  You can also go to the website to follow the girls’ adventures through BC, Quebec, Colorado, Califonia, Utah, and more!  

Here’s a mini-profile on the main crew:

Name: Caley Vanular
Age: 18
Hometown: Niagara-On-The-Lake
Mountain: Whistler Blackcomb
Nickname: CV, Caleybear, CaleyV, Caleywaley,Caleyberry
Sponsors: Electric, Volcom, Capita, Union, Nixon, Celtek, Frontline,The Circle

Name: Darrah Reid-Mclean
Age: 20
Hometown: Winnipeg
Mountain: Whistler Blackcomb
Nickname: Dare, Darrell, Diva & Darrahballs
Sponsors: ThirtyTwo, Dragon, Nitro, L1

Name: Gillian Andrewshenko
Age: 22
Hometown: Winnipeg
Mountain: Whistler Blackcomb
Nickname: The Gill, Smalls and G-Money
Sponsors: Oakley, Endeavor, Flux, Vixen Apparel, Rudegirls & Props

Name: Kea Mowat
Age: 22
Hometown: Port Albernie
Mountain: Whistler Blackcomb
Sponsors: Frontline Clothing
TV shows: No TV

Name: Megan Whiteside
Age: 20
Hometown: Boulder, CO
Mountain: Breckenridge, CO
Nickname: Longbody, LB, Legs
Sponsors: Ride, Cappel , Electric

Name: Taylor Godber
Age: 20
Hometown: Tsawwassen, BC
Mountain: Whistler Blackcomb
Nickname: TayTay, Snake, T
Sponsors: Option, Billabong, Home, Electric, Cilla