- Kara Rennie's Blog

Athletes Invited to the 2013-2014 Canadian National Team

Mon, 13 May 2013 10:57:00 -0400

In accordance with the Canada Snowboard High Performance Selection Protocols for Alpine and Snowboardcross dated July 23, 2013 and Freestyle dated April 8, 2013 the athletes listed below have been selected for the Canadian National Snowboard Team.

SLOPESTYLE NATIONAL TEAM

A-TEAM
Mark McMorris (Regina, SK)
Sébastien Toutant (Montreal, QC)
Maxence Parrot (Bromont, QC)
Spencer O’Brien (Courtenay, BC)

B-TEAM
Tyler Nicholson (North Bay, ON)
Matts Kulisek (Mont-Royal, QC)
Charles Reid (Mont Tremblant, QC)
Breanna Stangeland (Calgary, AB)
Brooke Voigt (Fort Mcmurray, AB)
Samm Denena (Orillia, ON)

HALFPIPE NATIONAL TEAM

A-TEAM
Brad Martin (Ancaster, ON)
Alexandra Duckworth (Kingsburg, NS)
Mercedes Nicoll (Whistler, BC)

B-TEAM
Derek Livingston (Aurora, ON)
Michael Ciccarelli (Acaster, ON)
Katie Tsuyuki (Toronto, ON)
Calynn Iriwn (Toronto, ON)

ALPINE NATIONAL TEAM

A-TEAM
Caroline Calve (Lachine, QC)
Ariane Lavigne (Montreal, QC)
Matthew Morison (Blackstock, ON)

B-TEAM
Jasey Jay Anderson (Lac Supérieur, QC)
Marianne Leeson (Burlington, ON)

C-TEAM
Indrik Trahan (Trois-Rivières, QC)
Darren Gardner (Burlington, ON)
Michael Lambert (Toronto, ON) ***
Matthew Carter (Maryhill, ON) ***
Steve Barlow (Courtice, ON) ***

*** Selection is conditional

SNOWBOARDCROSS NATIONAL TEAM

A-TEAM
Maelle Ricker (Squamish, BC) 
Dominique Maltais (Petite-Riviere-St Francois, QC)  
Robert Fagan (Squamish, BC) 
Chris Robanske (Calgary, AB) 

B-TEAM
Jake Holden (Caledon, ON) 

C-TEAM
Kevin Hill (Vernon, BC) 
Michelle Brodeur (Calgary, AB) 
Carle Brenneman (Whistler, BC) 

All national development teams will be announced at a later date.

Bikinis for Breast Cancer 2013

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 13:56:00 -0500

Sun Peaks Resort and Lake Louise Ski Area will host the annual Bikinis for Breast Cancer events to raise money and awareness for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. The first event will take place at Sun Peaks Resort on March 30th and we will end the ski season at Lake Louise Ski Area on May 4th.

The event is open to women of all ages including skiers, snowboarders and telemarkers and each year we do have men take part to support women close to them who have been affected. All participants are required to raise a minimum of $150 in pledges for the CBCF by event day. We encourage everyone to raise as much money as possible as prizing for top fundraisers, most creative bikini top and youngest female.

Everyone will wear a bikini top and snow pants and we will all make our way down the front side in an “S” formation. The course is always an easy wide run that is suitable for all levels of skiers and snowboarders but also allows for a slow parade from top to bottom. The event will finish at our “Pink Party Pit” at the base where all of the participants gather for photos, awards and cheque presentation to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.

For more event details and to register email: karen@threetwodone.com and visit https://www.facebook.com/BikinisforBreastCancer

For more information on The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation visit: http://cbcf.org

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Santigold, Skratch Bastid and Cosmo Baker to Perform FREE Live Shows at the Burton US Open Snowboarding Championships at Vail Mountai

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 14:39:00 -0500

BURLINGTON, VT (February 14, 2013) Burton Snowboards is thrilled to announce that Seattle-based hip-hop duo Macklemore & Ryan Lewis and singer/songwriter Santigold will both perform FREE concerts at the 31st annual Burton US Open Snowboarding Championships presented by MINI , taking place from February 25 - March 2 at Vail Mountain.

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis will kick-off the Burton US Open free concert series on Friday, March 1st following the world-class US Open slopestyle finals at Vail. Known for their electrifying live performances, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ hit single “Thrift Shop” is currently number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the third straight week.

On Saturday, March 2nd, Santigold will take to the stage for a free show following the legendary Burton US Open halfpipe finals. With two critically acclaimed albums to her name, Santigold also created the song "Girls," which is the lead single for the album Girls Soundtrack, Vol. 1: Music from the HBO Original Series.

After the Santigold show, the good times continue with the official Burton US Open closing party featuring DJs Skratch Bastid and Cosmo Baker. As one of Canada’s most treasured DJs, Skratch Bastid is a turntable champion and crowd favorite recognized worldwide for his beloved remixes. And widely considered one of the top party DJs on the planet, Cosmo Baker is a master of everything from hip-hop to disco & funk to electronic music.

The 2013 Burton US Open is the must-attend snowboard event of the season where crowds can watch world-class, Olympic-level snowboarding competitions by day and incredible music acts by night – all for FREE at Vail Mountain in Colorado.

For more details on Burton US Open concerts & parties, check out the info below:

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Concert – Friday, March 1st
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis will play from 6:00pm – 9:30pm at Solaris Plaza in Vail Village. Get there early to watch the US Open slopestyle finals with top confirmed riders like Mark McMorris & Jamie Anderson from 10:30am – 2:30pm (MST). For more information on Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, head to www.macklemore.com

Santigold Concert – Saturday, March 2nd
Santigold will perform from 6:30pm – 9:30pm at Solaris Plaza in Vail Village. Get there early to watch the US Open halfpipe finals from 10:30am – 2:30pm (MST) with top confirmed riders like Shaun White & Kelly Clark. For more information on Santigold, head to facebook.com/santigold

Official Burton US Open Closing Party – Saturday, March 2nd
Skratch Bastid and Cosmo Baker will headline from 10:00pm – 1:30am (MST) at the Dobson Ice Arena located at Vail’s Lionshead. The 18+ party is free to attend but a ticket is required for entry. Tickets can be picked up at the Burton stores at Lionshead or Vail Village, as well as the Burton Stone Hut at Golden Peak and Burton Airstream in Solaris. For more information, head to www.skratchbastid.com and www.cosmobaker.com

All events are free and open to the public. For more information on the 2013 Burton US Open and a full list of competitors, follow #BurtonUSOpen and head to www.Burton.com/USO

And if you need lodging for the US Open, a limited number of rooms are still available. To book your lodging, please click here or call Eve Harris at 970-476-6797 x110.

A big thanks to the following partners for their support to the 31st edition of the Burton US Open: MINI, Vail Resorts, Mountain Dew®, Town of Vail, Nokia, Paul Mitchell, 3M, GoPro, G-Shock, Shiseido, Matador, Clif, Transworld, Snowboarder, Analog, anon and the World Snowboard Tour.

World’s Best Riders to Compete at the Burton US Open Snowboarding Championships in Vail

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 13:24:00 -0500

BURLINGTON, Vt. -The 31st annual Burton US Open Snowboarding Championships presented by MINI is excited to announce an impressive list of confirmed riders, all on deck to compete at the sport’s most legendary event taking place in Vail, Colorado from February 25th - March 2nd, 2013. Some of the biggest names in snowboarding are confirmed, including Shaun White, Mark McMorris, Kelly Clark, Torah Bright, Jamie Anderson, Iouri Podladtchikov and more, who are all heading to Vail Mountain for the Burton US Open world-class slopestyle and halfpipe competitions.

“The US Open is one of snowboarding’s legendary events, and some of my best competition memories are of competing at Vail, so for me, bringing the two together is all time,” said Shaun White. “I’m excited to compete in Vail's new pipe and see everyone come out for the next evolution of this contest.”

It all gets started on Wednesday, February 27, with slopestyle semi-finals, which will be more exciting than ever now that slopestyle is an official sport at the 2014 Winter Olympics. At the US Open, the best slopestyle competitors in the world are confirmed to compete, including X-Games slopestyle gold medalist Mark McMorris (CAN), 2012 Burton European Open (BEO) slopestyle winner Aleksander Oestreng (NOR), 2012 US Open slopestyle champ Sebastien Toutant (CAN), and World Snowboard Tour overall title holder Stale Sandbech (NOR), among others. The women’s line-up is equally impressive, with X Games gold medalist and 2012 US Open slopestyle champion Jamie Anderson (USA), 2012 X Games gold medalist Enni Rukajärvi (FIN), Olympian Kjersti Ostgaard Buaas (NOR), three-time BEO Junior Jam winner Ty Walker (USA) and Cilka Sadar (SLO) all confirmed to compete.

On Thursday, February 28, the legendary Burton US Open halfpipe semi-finals begin. The US Open halfpipe rider list is stacked with nine Olympians, including Shaun White (USA), Louie Vito (USA), Greg Bretz (USA), Kazuhiro Kokubo (JPN), Kelly Clark (USA), Elena Hight (USA), Hannah Teter (USA), and Torah Bright (AUS). Also competing are World Snowboarding Championships gold medalist Iouri Podladtchikov (SUI), Queralt Castellet (ESP), Peetu Piiroinen (FIN), Christian Haller (SUI) and 14-year-old halfpipe phenom and 2013 X Games silver medalist Ayumu Hirano (JPN).

Competitors and spectators alike will be in for an amazing week in Vail where they can watch world-class, Olympic-level snowboarding competitions during the day in Golden Peak and soon to be announced top music acts by night in Solaris – all for free. The entire event is open to the public with slopestyle finals taking place on Friday, March 1st at 10:30 a.m. (Mountain Time) and halfpipe finals going down on Saturday, March 2nd at 10:30 a.m. (Mountain Time).

If you can’t make it to Vail to experience the Burton US Open in person, check out live webcasts of the slopestyle semi-finals on Wednesday, February 27th, halfpipe semi-finals on Thursday, February 28th, slopestyle finals on Friday, March 1st and halfpipe finals on Saturday, March 2nd. And tune in to Universal Sports and NBCSN on Friday, March 1st and Saturday, March 2nd to watch the men’s and women’s finals live on TV.

For a full list of competitors, full broadcast and webcast schedule and more event details, head to www.burton.com/USO and follow the hashtag #BurtonUSOpen.

A big thanks to the following partners for their support of the 31st edition of the Burton US Open: MINI, Vail Resorts, Mountain Dew®, Town of Vail, Nokia, Paul Mitchell, 3M™ Thinsulate™ Insulation, GoPro, G-SHOCK, Shiseido, Matador, Clif, Transworld, Snowboarder, Analog, Anon and the World Snowboard Tour.

RIPZONE & POWDER ROOM LIFT LID ON BIG CHANGES FOR WINTER 2013/2014

Wed, 23 Jan 2013 17:01:00 -0500

Mississauga, ON (January 23, 2013) – Ripzone™ and Powder Room™ head into 2013 riding a wave of change as the Canadian snowboard and action lifestyle company looks to rebrand. Celebrating a 20th Anniversary the brands have added fresh talent to their roster, will launch re-designed logos and are introducing new collections and co-lab stories for Winter 2013/2014.

Ripzone™ and Powder Room™ recently announced plans to increase its support of the brands with the addition of a new General Manager. Kris French joins Ripzone™ and Powder Room™ with a strong background in sales and marketing. He spent the last eight years at Nike Canada in key leadership positions, including National Sales Manager for Sportswear and Action Sports.

Ripzone™ and Powder Room™ product in Winter 2013/2014 will feature new levels of sophistication, innovation and technology. The Trilogy™ collection is the most technical weather protection system in the line. Winter ’13/14 will see the introduction of Outlast® technology in both the Ripzone™ and Powder Room™ Trilogy jackets. Originally developed for use in space suits at NASA, Outlast® is a material that works by continuously balancing the temperature inside the jacket, storing excess heat then returning it later when needed.

Winter 2013/2014 will also see Ripzone™ joining forces with one of Canada’s biggest music icons – Rush. The RPZN x Rush collaboration features a technical outerwear jacket inspired by classic rock. The denim jacket has zip off sleeves and the interior features original album artwork printed in full colour on a sateen lining. Vintage inspired crests finish the look and feel of this ready to rock jacket. The RPZN x Rush collection will be available at select dealers in Winter ‘13/14.

For 2013, the brands will evolve and see noticeable change with redesigned Ripzone™ and Powder Room™ logos. To celebrate the 20th anniversary a “Limited Edition” outerwear jacket will be available, each one individually numbered. Ripzone™ and Powder Room™ will also launch a “Canada Capsule Collection” for Winter ’13/14 with styles being entirely designed and made in Canada.

The X5™ collection is inspired by the team riders who demand versatile outerwear that combines on-hill performance with leading edge style. The X5™ collection for Winter ’13 includes Primaloft® ECO insulation. Primaloft® ECO uses post-consumer recycled material to create a high loft, thermally efficient, earth-friendly insulation. Approximately 28 recycled bottles are used in making each kilogram, which equates to 4 bottles per meter or 6 bottles per garment.

A new collection for Ripzone™ and Powder Room™ is the newly developed Verso™ line up. Verso™ is inspired by vintage Canadian outdoor looks and Canada’s unique northern heritage. Verso™ will also feature Primaloft® Eco, combining style, performance and earth friendly insulation.

Canadian owned and operated, Ripzone™ and Powder Room™ have proudly sponsored the Canadian Snowboard team through two Olympics, hosted the world’s best riders at the Ripzone™ Invitational and have been worn by recreational and professional riders alike.

With so much to look forward to Ripzone™ and Powder Room™ would like to invite you to celebrate with them. Come join us for a beer! SIA - Booth #4366 on Friday February 1st at 5:00pm.

About Ripzone:
Ripzone™ is a Canadian action sports brand that designs and markets a complete line of functional and technologically advanced apparel and accessories for the action sports consumer. Ripzone™ is available in 20 countries worldwide. For more information about Ripzone™ International please visit http://www.ripzoneinternational.com or follow @_ripzone_.

About Powder Room:
With direct roots in action sports, fashion, art and music, Powder Room™ is designed for the girl who lives the action sports lifestyle or genuinely appreciates the look. For more information about Powder Room™ please visit http://www.powderroominternational.com or follow @_powderroom_.

THE KELLY CLARK FOUNDATION AWARDS SNOWBOARD PASSPORT GRANTS TO NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS

Tue, 15 Jan 2013 20:25:00 -0500

Grant recipients of the Kelly Clark Foundation receive a total of $6,000
in funding to two non-profit organizations

Mammoth Lakes, CA (January 15, 2012) – The Kelly Clark Foundation (TKCF), a registered nonprofit organization that provides youth with the resources and opportunities to achieve their highest potential through snowboarding, announced today the distribution of its first round of grant awards through its new Snowboard Passport Program. A total of $6,000 will be divided between this year’s grant recipients, Stoked Mentoring, an action sports youth development agency, and The Station Camp, a youth transforming and empowering snowboarding camp.

“My goal with establishing The Kelly Clark Foundation was to give youth the opportunity to achieve their snowboarding dreams,” said Clark, an Olympic Gold medalist and Founder of TKCF. “With the Snowboard Passport Program we are able to expand our reach and by partnering with like-minded organizations, like Stoked Mentoring and The Station Camp, to help more kids make their dreams a reality.”

The Kelly Clark Snowboard Passport Program funds nonprofits and community groups who engage in multi-week snowboard programs aimed at teaching life skills and mentorship while snowboarding. The program seeks to inspire disadvantaged youth to succeed in life through the introduction to the snowboard lifestyle and culture.

Funds awarded are project specific and must be applied to food, equipment, transportation, lift tickets, or any aspect of taking disadvantaged youth snowboarding at a ski resort during the 2013 winter season. Criteria includes a qualified 501(c)(3) organization with a valid IRS Tax ID, the organization encourages youth outdoor participation, the organization teaches life skills specifically through snowboarding to empower youth to be successful adults, there are quantifiable projects with specific goals, objectives, and action plans, with a clear measure for evaluating success. Both Stoked Mentoring and The Station Camp met these requirements.

Clark, a three-time Olympian: 2002 Gold, 2010 Bronze medalist in halfpipe, is widely considered one of the greatest female riders in history. The West Dover, Vermont-native has won every major snowboarding title and event in the history of the sport including the Olympics, U.S. Open, Winter X Games among others. Her competition schedule for the 2012-2013 is due to include the U.S. Grand Prix series, Winter Dew Tour, Winter X Games and U.S. Open.

ABOUT THE KELLY CLARK FOUNDATION:
The Kelly Clark Foundation is a registered nonprofit organization that provides youth with the resources and opportunities to achieve their highest potential through snowboarding. Since it's establishment in February of 2010, the Foundation has awarded over $42,000 worth of scholarships in the last two and a half years, providing scholarships to young athletes with financial need. It now has also awarded $6,000 in Grants to two deserving non-profit organizations. The Foundation realizes that the key to success starts with the opportunity to follow your dreams and they aim to give every kid the opportunity to make his or her dream a reality.

O'Brien finishes second at Slopestyle DEW TOUR

Fri, 14 Dec 2012 18:57:00 -0500

BRECKENRIDGE, COLORADO - Spencer O'Brien wasn't feeling ready for Friday's season-opening snowboard slopestyle competition but the Courtney, B.C., native did what she had to do to get on the podium.

O'Brien, the TTR slopestyle world champion, put together an impressive opening run to grab the silver medal behind Jamie Anderson of the U.S. and ahead of Finland's Enni Rukajari.

“I'm really excited about that, second place,” said O'Brien, who won this event the last two years. “I had a strong first run, did the same run as last year. On my second run I went for a harder run and unfortunately fell on a trick I was stretching out.”

That allowed Anderson, who had trailed O'Brien after the first run, to step up her game and grab the gold medal with a run that earned her 96.00 points. O'Brien had earned 90.00 points to top all competitors after the first run.

“In her first run she scored a 90, which put a lot of pressure on Jamie Anderson,” said team coach Chris Witwicki. “And then Jamie Anderson really stepped it up on her last run. But Spencer had a very solid first run, a good creation of tricks and strong on the rails. She rode her best and second place is awesome for her and awesome for the program.”

This was the first major event of the season for the slopestylers and although it's not an Olympic qualifier, Witwicki said it “really set the standard for what we're going to see over the next season and going into the Olympics.”

Going into Friday's event, O'Brien wasn't exactly beaming with her normal level of confidence, saying she had a “little bit of a rough week” and wasn't feeling ready or prepared.

“It's just really early in the season and you have the pressure on you to get your tricks back and riding again and I just had a hard time getting my tricks back.”

Her coach, Logan Short, wasn't really worried. He said the team's preseason training didn't go as it should have because the team made “some bad calls on where we should go” and the boarders didn't get all they should have out of the training.

“I know she was a bit stressed out because there weren't any features that were similar to what we're riding now,” he explained. “But I just told her, don't worry about it. As soon as get on that (Breckenridge) course and you get on big, normal jumps, everything is going to come back. You're just over-thinking things. I knew once we got into the jumps she's used to riding and she gets into contest mindset I knew it would all be good. She's a professional and she knows when it's time to go to work she goes to work.”

She did that Friday and said afterwards she was “just happy to be able to get all my tricks back and be able to land the run.”

“It's a great way to start the season,” she said. “I'm really excited, happy with the way I'm riding. And I'm really glad how all the women are riding, pushing me to be better and learn new tricks and stay on top of my game.”

Short said her first run was “pretty much everything” she had in her bag of tricks and she had “really technical rails, which a lot of girls leave out. You couldn't ask for more for the beginning of the season.”

WOMEN'S SLOPESTYLE FINALS
1. Jamie Anderson - USA
2. Spencer O'Brien - North Vancouver, BC
3. Enni Rukajari - FIN

Burton Creates New US Open Snowboarding Qualifiers Competition

Tue, 20 Nov 2012 13:47:00 -0500

BURLINGTON, Vt. (November 20, 2012) Burton Snowboards is excited toannounce that as a part of the next chapter of the 2013 Burton US Open, thequalifying rounds will become a stand-alone, East Coast event called the Burton US Open Snowboarding Qualifiers presented by MINI. Created in association with long-time partner U.S. Snowboarding, the new US Open Qualifiers will take place during a U.S. Revolution Tour stop from February 1-3, 2013 at Seven Springs Mountain Resort in Pennsylvania, a resort that has a long heritage of supporting and progressing snowboarding.

“Breaking out the US Open qualifiers from the US Open semi-finals and finals is a big change, but it is a super positive change because it elevates the US Open qualifying rounds beyond where they’ve ever been before,” said Greg Dacyshyn, Burton’s Chief Creative Officer. “Now, not only will the talented riders who compete in the new US Open Qualifiers have an event all their own, they will also be formally rewarded and recognized for the first time with legit prize money, important tour points and increased media exposure via a live webcast and TV show. In addition, this new event format enables a part of the US Open to remain on the East Coast where it has such a deep heritage, something that was very important to us.”

The US Open Qualifiers represents a new era in Burton’s longstanding history of pioneering some of the world’s best snowboard competitions. As a result of this new format, riders both in the east and out west will get toexperience the excitement of snowboarding’s most iconic event that now kicks-off at Seven Springs and culminates at Vail.

For riders planning to compete at the US Open Qualifiers, here are a few key details on prizing, formats and registration. At the US Open Qualifiers, the top five women and top 10 men in each discipline will earn a spot to move on to the semi-finals at the prestigious US Open Snowboarding Championships, taking place at Vail Mountain from February 25-March 2, 2013. In addition to scoring a spot at the US Open in Vail, top placing riders will earn a piece of a $20,000 prize purse, 4Star World Snowboard Tour points and U.S. Revolution Tour points. The format at the US Open Qualifiers will feature 70 men and 30 women competing in slopestyle on Saturday, February 2 and in halfpipe on Sunday, February 3. Rider registration is open now through December 31, 2012.

And finally, guests at Seven Springs will have no shortage of excitement during the US Open Qualifiers weekend. In addition to watching the competition, guests can also enjoy the Burton Mountain Festival, which offers riders a full day of on-snow activities, including Burton 2013 product demos, live music, sponsor giveaways and a Riglet Park designed for the smallest snowboarders.

For complete event details, including webcast and broadcast schedules and rider registration, head to www.burton.com/usoquals

A big thanks to MINI, Mountain Dew, Paul Mitchell, Seven Springs and U.S. Snowboarding for their support of the US Open Qualifiers.

Vera Janssen's Instagram contest

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 15:01:00 -0500

Vera Janssen is hosting her very own Instagram contest this month and anyone can enter.

For your chance to win a Christmas prize pack of Nikita gear from their new winter collection, follow the rules below. Good luck!

THE KELLY CLARK FOUNDATION PARTNERS WITH NON-PROFIT CHARITIES FOR NEW SNOWBOARD PASSPORT PROGRAM

Wed, 07 Nov 2012 11:54:00 -0500

THE KELLY CLARK FOUNDATION PARTNERS WITH NON-PROFIT CHARITIES FOR NEW SNOWBOARD PASSPORT PROGRAM

New Passport Program adds to The Kelly Clark Foundation’s established dedication to fostering interest and dedication to snowboarding in youth

Mammoth Lakes, CA – The Kelly Clark Foundation, a registered nonprofit organization that provides youth with the resources and opportunities to achieve their highest potential through snowboarding, today announced the launch of their brand new Snowboard Passport Program.

The Snowboard Passport Program marks the partnership of The Kelly Clark Foundation with various non-profit charities to fund day trips for kids to go snowboarding. This brand new program will introduce and provide funding for inner city and disadvantaged youth to engage in the sport of snowboarding through trips to snowboarding and skiing resorts.

"I am excited about the announcement of our new passport program. It will continue to serve our vision of helping youth be successful through snowboarding, and it will help us have even more of an impact in the snowboarding culture,” says Clark.

Eligible charities for partnership consist of those who encourage outdoor participation and organize multi-week snowboarding programs. Approved organizations will receive a passport grant to support the funding of these snowboarding programs aimed at teaching life skills and mentoring, including equipment, transportation, lift tickets, and food during the upcoming 2013 winter season.

For the past two years, The Kelly Clark Foundation has awarded $42,000 in scholarships to over 25 student athletes across the United States, and this new program will continue their commitment to youth snowboarding. The foundation is now encouraging prospective applicants to download the application for a partnership at www.kellyclarkfoundation.org

Clark, a three-time Olympian: 2002 Gold, 2010 Bronze medalist in halfpipe, is widely considered one of the greatest female riders in history. The West Dover, Vermont-native has won every major snowboarding title and event in the history of the sport including the Olympics, U.S. Open, and Winter X Games among others. Her competition schedule for the 2012-2013 is due to include the U.S. Grand Prix series, Winter Dew Tour, Winter X Games and the U.S. Open.

ABOUT THE KELLY CLARK FOUNDATION:
The Kelly Clark Foundation is a registered nonprofit organization that provides youth with the resources and opportunities to achieve their highest potential through snowboarding. Since it's establishment in February of 2010, the Foundation has awarded over $42,000 worth of scholarships in the last two and a half years, providing scholarships to young athletes with financial need. The Kelly Clark Foundation also holds an annual golf tournament to raise money for the scholarships for young snowboarders. The Foundation realizes that the key to success starts with the opportunity to follow your dreams and they aim to give every kid the opportunity to make his or her dream a reality.

World Snowboard Tour: Bigger and Better than Ever

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 12:08:00 -0400

With the Southern Hemisphere contests finished, the World Snowboard Tour will take a short break and then return bigger and better than ever. The Northern Hemisphere competition calendar is chock-full of the best snowboard competitions in the world. The 11th edition of the Red Bull Nanshan Open will be hosting the first ever women’s 5Star competition in China. The Arctic Challenge (6Star/ Halfpipe) in Oslo is back and will be the season finale for Men’s Halfpipe competition. Another highlight to look forward to will be the two-day celebration of 20 years of Air & Style at the Billabong Air & Style in Innsbruck, Austria. If those reasons were not enough for this season’s World Snowboard Tour to be off the hook, TTR now has a special treat for you: ESPN’S X Games events and the Sprint U.S. Snowboarding will be part of the World Snowboard Tour. Those additions bring TTR Pro Snowboarding one step closer to its main goal: to unify competitive snowboarding within the World Snowboard Tour.

“This year’s World Snowboard Tour will be more exciting than ever.” – Reto Lamm, President of TTR Pro Snowboarding

X Games Join The World Snowboard Tour

ESPN´s X Games events in Aspen (USA) and Tignes (France) will join the World Snowboard Tour for the first time during our 2012/2013 winter season. X Games Aspen will be listed as a 6Star event on the 2013 World Snowboard Tour. The top 10 rated Male and top 5 Female athletes from the TTR Points List will be invited to compete in the event. X Games Tignes will also count as a 6Star event but will be listed under our 2013/2014 World Tour Schedule.

GNU and B4BC partner for October Breast Cancer Prevention Month

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 11:51:00 -0400

GNU GIRLS has been a strong supporter of B4BC for the last decade, donating a portion of sales from every B-Pro board and splitboard. We share a common goal of promoting a healthy active lifestyle through board sports and we want to remind everyone about the importance of early detection. October is Breast Cancer Prevention month, go to www.B4BC.org and find out more about this important foundation and their dedication to inspiring a healthier, happier you through snowboarding, skateboarding and surfing.

Mahfia.com Launches Mahfia.Tv

Tue, 09 Oct 2012 12:49:00 -0400

San Diego, Calif. – MAHFIA.COM, a digital hub for female action sports culture and lifestyle announces MAHFIA.TV, a web based TV channel featuring original content for women’s skateboarding, snowboarding, surfing and wakeboarding.

MAHFIA TV viewers will be immersed into the lives of the MAHFIA team and friends with an exclusive perspective as they travel the globe “killin it softly.” New episodes will premiere weekly.

WATCH THE TRAILER here:

ABOUT MAHFIA:
MAHFIA is a network of female pro riders, artists and action sports industry influencers who are hungry for creative progression. Founded in 2010 by Kim Woozy, Vera Janssen and Melissa Marquardt, MAHFIA represents an unparalleled generation of females whose physical skills and individual style are matched by their desire to push the limits and defy the norm.

TTR Continues to Unify Competitive Snowboarding

Mon, 24 Sep 2012 11:17:00 -0400

TTR´s World Snowboard Tour 2013 continuing to grow: Strengthening its North-American presence with X Games and Sprint U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix / Arctic Challenge back on the tour / 20 years of Air & Style / Women’s competition added to the 11th Red Bull Nanshan Open / Expansion into new markets

Scuol, Switzerland – September 24th, 2012

TTR Pro Snowboarding has taken a major step towards a unified competitive environment in freestyle snowboarding. As of the upcoming winter season 2012/2013 ESPN´s X Games events in Aspen (USA) and Tignes (France) will be included in the World Snowboard Tour schedule.

The X Games Aspen event will be listed as a 6Star event on the 2013 World Snowboard Tour. The top 10 rated Male and top 5 Female athletes from the World Snowboard Tour´s ranking list for each discipline will be invited to the event and will have the chance to obtain points for the Tour standings. X Games Tignes will count towards the 2014 Tour rankings as a 6Star event.

With more than 300 contests in six categories (1Star – 6Star) and three disciplines (Slopestyle, Halfpipe, Big Air) all over the world, the World Snowboard Tour is living up to its name. The 2013 season marks the return of the Arctic Challenge in Oslo. This 6Star Halfpipe contest will also be the season finale for Men’s Halfpipe competition. Another highlight will be the two-day celebration of 20 years of Air & Style at the Billabong Air & Style in Innsbruck, Austria. The 11th edition of the Red Bull Nanshan Open will host the first ever women’s 5Star competition in China. The World Snowboard Tour is actively looking to expand into new markets; these include further expansion in Asia and initiatives in Latin America.

The World Snowboard Tour is strengthening its presence in the world´s biggest snowboard market, North America. The Sprint U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix will be a true highlight in the North American Market. The contests will be both World Snowboard Tour 5Star events and FIS World Cups. This means that riders can win TTR and FIS World Cup points for the Olympic qualification process at the same events. This test comes as a result of talks between TTR Pro Snowboarding and FIS on how to improve the situation for riders during the Olympic qualification seasons. This follows TTR Pro Snowboarding´s push to improve the Olympic qualification process for the good of the sport and the riders. The test is signifying an important step in trying to alleviate the rider’s increasingly busy schedules and to minimize calendar Issues.

Reto Lamm, President of TTR Pro Snowboarding: “This year´s World Snowboard Tour will be more exciting than ever. We are proud to welcome the X Games to the World Snowboard Tour. This move is in full alignment with TTR Pro Snowboarding´s push towards a unified environment in competitive snowboarding. As we continue to grow and unify the sport, we open more opportunities to riders, allowing them to gain World Snowboard Tour points at the world’s most respected competitions. The inclusion of X Games and the Sprint U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prixs into the World Snowboard Tour will strengthen our global snowboard community and open the doors for more athletes to take part.“

Tim Reed, ESPN: “X Games is excited to further integrate into the global snowboard community and to provide the world class snowboarders who participate at the X Games in Aspen and Tignes the ability to obtain tour points and support their efforts to be crowned the World Snowboard Tour champion.”

Jeremy Forster, U.S. Snowboarding: “U.S. Snowboarding is proud to continue its long term relationship with TTR and to take part in finding a global solution for competitive snowboarding by testing a co-sanctioning model. We expect this to be highly welcomed by the riders, as it is helping them to better cope with the challenges during the Olympic qualifying season.”

The Keep It Real Challenge: 3 Day Campaign Targeting Unhealthy Use of Photoshop in Media (June 27-29)

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 14:31:00 -0400

SPARK Movement, MissRepresentation, Lovesocial and I Am That Girl Launch the Keep It Real Challenge
A 3-Day Campaign Targeting Unhealthy Use of Photoshop in Media

(Vancouver, BC) – SPARK Movement, MissRepresentation.org, Lovesocial.org and I Am That Girl are joining forces to host a three-day social media campaign to urge print magazines to pledge to use at least one non-photoshopped image of their young female models per issue. The Keep It Real Challenge, which runs from June 27th through the 29th is designed to start a media revolution and help girls, women and their allies realize the power of their individual and collective voices to create positive change.

As summer begins and teenagers wrap up school, the “bikini body” pressure is on. Instead of young girls pushing themselves to fit into a swimsuit, this social media campaign will inspire them to challenge the media creators who propagate unrealistic images of young girls and women, and encourage them to enjoy their summer in other more positive ways. Studies show that after reading a teen or womenʼs magazine, girls report feeling worse about their bodies and express a desire to lose weight. Eating disorders are the the leading cause of death for girls ages 15-24 (National Eating Disorder Organization 2012).

Inspired by 14 year old SPARK activist Julia Bluhmʼs successful Change.org petition demanding that Seventeen Magazine print one non-photoshopped model spread per issue, the campaign will continue to focus on this simple request.

The campaign will launch as a Facebook event where supporters can RSVP, comment, and collaborate. Each day of the challenge will be centered on a different online action.

On day one (June 27th) Twitter users will use hashtag #KeepItReal, directly asking magazines to pledge to change their practices around photoshopping bodies. During day two (June 28th) participants will create a blogging firestorm – personally reflecting on how unrealistic images of beauty have impacted them. And on the final day three (June 29th), via Instagram, users will post their own photos of “real beauty” to be entered in the #KeepitRealChallenge – with selected photos to be featured on a billboard in New York City later this year.

Taken collectively, the social media campaign will serve as a massive wake-up call for the entire media industry as ordinary citizens speak up about the harmful effects of photoshopping images of people.

Join us for this three-day event at Facebook.com/MissRepresentationCampaign or Facebook.com/ SPARKSummit

Para-Snowboard Added to the 2014 Paralympic Games

Thu, 03 May 2012 15:20:00 -0400

Canada~Snowboard excited by the latest development in the Para~Snowboard saga!

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has announced that two medal events in Para-Snowboard will be included in the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games. Male and female standing snowboarders will compete, marking the sport's debut as part of the Paralympic program. The last Paralympic Winter Games was held in Vancouver in 2010. The event featured 502 athletes from 44 countries who contested 64 medals.

“We are thrilled by this latest development for Para~Snowboard,” said Steven Hills, Canada~Snowboard, Executive Director. “Canada~Snowboard has worked extremely hard at developing the sport and athletes. Having it added to the Sochi Games after the earlier decision to leave it out of the program is very positive,” continued Hills. “ There is much work to do on a short time line to prepare our team for the games, however with the continued support of our valued partners, The WSF, Sport Canada and Own the Podium, I am confident that we will be ready to take on the world in what will be a historic event.”

Canada~Snowboard’s Para~Snowboard Program Manager and Head Coach, Candice Drouin added, “we are really excited about the inclusion for 2014. Canada~Snowboard has supported the development of athletes with a disability for the last six years and our athletes will be ready for Sochi!”

The Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games will take place from March 7-16, 2014. Para-Snowboard will be included in the Alpine Skiing program which also includes Downhill, Super G, Super Combined, Giant Slalom and Slalom events. Nordic Skiing will see a number of Biathlon and Cross Country events contested whilst other medal events will take place in Ice Sledge Hockey and Wheelchair Curling.

The qualification criteria for the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games will be published on Monday 28 May 2012.

Gunnar Tveit, World Snowboard Federation (WSF) President, said: “The WSF are thrilled by the decision to include Para-Snowboard in the Paralympic program of the Sochi 2014 Winter Games. Together with the IPC, the WSF National Snowboard Associations, and riders, we have been working towards this goal for the last six years.”

Xavier Gonzalez, the IPC’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “Snowboard is a fast paced and extremely exciting sport and we are delighted that it will form part of the Alpine Skiing program at the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games. I am particularly looking forward to see how athletes perform in this exciting new discipline and believe it will prove extremely popular with spectators and TV viewers alike.”
Dmitry Chernyshenko, President of the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee, said: “Snowboarding is a young and exciting sport and one which is attracting new audiences and participants everywhere.

For further information
About Sochi 2014 please visit www.sochi2014.com
About IPC  please visit www.paralympic.org  
About WSF Para-Snowboard please visit www.worldsnowboardfederation.org

ABOUT CANADA~SNOWBOARD
Canada~Snowboard is the governing body for the sport of snowboarding in Canada. Committed to high performance excellence, Canada~Snowboard provides a wide range of programs and support services based on established principles of long term athlete development, for all levels of snowboarding ability. With the support of its valued corporate partners – RBC and Under Armour - along with the Government of Canada, Own the Podium and the Canadian Olympic Committee, Canada~Snowboard develops Olympic and World Champions. For more information please visit us at www.canadasnowboard.ca.

ABOUT THE WORLD SNOWBOARD FEDERATION
The World Snowboard Federation (WSF) is the international organization working exclusively to develop the sport of snowboarding at all levels, including, competitions, education, Para-Snowboard, judge and shapers education and certification, and snowboard activities for riders at every age. WSF represents a network of National Snowboard Associations (NSAs) who work together at a worldwide level to promote the development of snowboarding. NSA members can find a source of inspiration and support from the WSF for the activities they are conducting within their nation. The WSF creates added value for everybody involved in snowboarding on a national level and can offer ideas, manuals, and initiatives as a result of unifying under one organization with the same goal: progression of snowboarding from the ground up.

WSF collaborates with the TTR Pro Snowboarding, the owner and operator of the TTR World Snowboard Tour and the TTR World Ranking System. Through this collaboration and coordination of events at the TTR World Snowboard Tour, WSF and TTR want to create an environment that fosters the development of competitive snowboarding. In February 2012, the World Snowboard Federation (WSF) and the TTR hosted the inaugural World Snowboarding Championships in Oslo, Norway, an elite level event to be held every four years in alternating cities around the world.
Official website: www.worldsnowboardfederation.org

ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL PARALYMPIC COMMITTEE
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) is the global governing body of the Paralympic Movement. The IPC organizes the Summer and Winter Paralympic Games, and serves as the International Federation for nine sports, for which it supervises and co-ordinates the World Championships and other competitions. The IPC is committed to enabling Paralympic athletes to achieve sporting excellence and to develop sport opportunities for all persons with a disability from the beginner to elite level. In addition, the IPC aims to promote the Paralympic values, which include courage, determination, inspiration and equality.

Founded on 22 September 1989, the IPC is an international non-profit organization formed and run by 174 National Paralympic Committees (NPCs) from five regions and four disability specific international sports federations (IOSDs). The IPC Headquarters and its management team are located in Bonn, Germany.

To watch videos and subscribe to ParalympicSport.TV, please go to www.youtube.com/ParalympicSportTV.
Also, you may follow the Paralympic Movement on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PaarlympicGames or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/paralympic

Canada~Snowboard's 2012 Season Highlights - 41 Podiums

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 15:05:00 -0400

(Vancouver, BC) The 2011-2012 season was a record year for Canada~Snowboard. The dual podium machines of Maltais and Ricker, along with the addition of Slopestyle to the High Performance Program were key factors in a season to remember for the National Sport Organization.

The Numbers:

• 15 FIS World Cup podiums (5x Gold, 5x Silver, 5x Bronze)
• 11 TTR (5/6 STAR) podiums (7x Gold, 3x Silver, 1x Bronze)
• 7 Winter X-Games podiums (3x Gold, 2x Sliver, 2x Bronze)
• 6 Winter Dew Tour podiums (3x Gold, 2x Silver, 1x Bronze)
• 2 Youth Olympic Games podiums (2x Gold)

As expected, the Snowboardcross team had another strong year in 2012. Dominique Maltais from Petite-Rivière-St-François, QC, was a contender in every race she entered. Maltais took home four World Cup medals and a gold medal at the Winter X-Games. In addition, Maltais won her third career Crystal Globe. Maëlle Ricker from Squamish, BC, had an incredible comeback year with two late season World Cup victories. Ricker made a charge for the Crystal Globe but ultimately came up just short of Maltais. Ricker’s return to winning form after a shoulder injury was an inspiration to the team and resulted in Ricker being named the inaugural recipient of the Auclair Team Spirit Award.

The addition of Slopestyle to the High Performance Program was a huge success for Canada~Snowboard. Canada, already a world leader in the sport, took it to another level in 2012 following last year’s announcement that Slopestyle would debut at the Sochi Winter Olympic Games. Slopestlye athlete Sebastien Toutant from Montréal, QC, led the way with an impressive podium filled campaign. Toutant finished the season as the 2012 Dew Tour champion, the TTR Slopestyle world champion and the Burton Global Open series champion. The extremely talented Mark McMorris from Regina, SK, also had a strong showing in 2012, winning double gold at the Winter X-Games in Big Air and Slopestyle. To top it off, Canada won two gold medals in Slopestyle at the first ever Youth Olympic Games, a silver medal at the FIS Junior World Championships and a gold medal at the TELUS World Ski & Snowboard Festival in Whistler, BC.

On the women’s side, Spencer O’Brien from North Vancouver, BC, proved she is capable of dominating the sport. O’Brien’s dedication to off-season training, combined with her natural talents paid off with big time results in 2012. O’Brien finished the year as the TTR Slopestyle world champion, the Dew Tour champion and the winner of the O’Neill Evolution in Davos, Switzerland.

In PGS, Caroline Calvé from Aylmer, QC, made history at the World Cup in Carezza, Italy, becoming the first Canadian woman to win a gold medal in Parallel Giant Slalom. Calve also won the Canadian National Championship title in PGS. On the men’s side, Jasey-Jay Anderson from Mont-Tremblant, QC, came-out of retirement to work towards defending his Olympic gold medal in Sochi. Anderson showed promise by steadily improving throughout the season and winning the Canadian National PGS Championship. Matthew Morison from Burketon, ON, also had a good season with two top ten’s on the World Cup tour.

Highlights:

• Youth Olympic Games - Audrey McManiman, Slopestyle - Gold
• Youth Olympic Games - Michael Ciccarelli, Slopestyle - Gold
• FIS Snowboardcross Crystal Globe - Dominique Maltais
• Winter X-Games - Dominique Maltais, Snowboardcross - Gold
• Winter X-Games - Mark McMorris, Big Air - Gold
• Winter X-Games - Mark McMorris, Slopestyle - Gold
• TTR #1 Overall World Ranking - Sebastien Toutant, Slopestyle
• TTR World Championship - Spencer O'Brien, Slopestyle - Gold
• Winter Dew Tour #1 Overall Ranking (DEW CUP) - Sebastien Toutant, Slopestyle
• Winter Dew Tour #1 Overall Ranking (DEW CUP) - Spencer O'Brien, Slopestyle
• 30th US OPEN - Sebastien Toutant, Slopestyle – Gold
• Ride Shakedown – Sebastien Toutant, Slopestyle - Gold
• TELUS World Ski & Snowboard Festival – Antoine Truchon, Slopestyle - Gold

ABOUT CANADA~SNOWBOARD 
Canada~Snowboard is the governing body for the sport of snowboarding in Canada. Committed to high performance excellence, Canada~Snowboard provides a wide range of programs and support services based on established principles of long term athlete development, for all levels of snowboarding ability. With the support of its valued corporate partners – RBC and Under Armour - along with the Government of Canada, Own the Podium and the Canadian Olympic Committee, Canada~Snowboard develops Olympic and World Champions. For more information please visit us at www.canadasnowboard.ca.  

B4BC Expands Presence to the East Coast and Canada

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 11:12:00 -0400

16-Year Non-Profit Organization Officially Establishes Bi-Coastal and International Offices Due to Increased Demand for B4BC Programs & Outreach

Redondo Beach, Calif. (April 10, 2012) – After moving their headquarters to Redondo Beach in December 2011, B4BC (Boarding for Breast Cancer) is expanding their presence to offices in New York City and Toronto, Canada. The 16-year non-profit organization is officially establishing its bi-coastal and North American presence due to tremendous support and increased demand and need for youth-based outreach events for young women and those that love them.

“B4BC began its outreach and board-a-thon events in the East Coast in 1998. We are now equipped and excited to announce an official presence with offices in both Brooklyn, NY and Toronto, Canada to accommodate both the long-standing need and interest in our outreach, fundraising, and support programs,” said Erika Seward, executive director, B4BC. “As a strong advocate for young women and girls, B4BC is excited to expand our year-round reach to these major metropolitan areas in support of participation in healthy, active lifestyle pursuits.”

This year, B4BC’s Shred the Love Series included several stops on the East Coast including locations in New York, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Vermont. In 2012-2013, B4BC will continue its Shred the Love Rail Jam & Fundraising Series and expand its signature Check One, Two Campus Outreach Tour to campus stops in the Northeast, courtesy of The North Face. Additionally, B4BC will continue to align with Billabong’s Flaunt It! Series in Canada as well as other North American youth lifestyle events.

On April 27, B4BC Canada officially kicks off its launch at the Shred the Love Toronto celebration presented by Skullcandy. Tickets are available for $25 and include food, beverages, music and entertainment. Anyone that registers for tickets through the Skullcandy Canada Facebook page at www.facebook.com/skullcandycanada will be entered to win free tickets to see Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeroes and/or a free pair of B4BC Canada Launch Party tickets and Skullcandy Jib Earbuds. For ticket , press or informational inquiries, visit www.b4bccanada.org.

For more information about B4BC’s year-round programs both in the U.S. and Canada, or to find out how you can volunteer or host your own B4BC fundraising event, visit www.b4bc.org.

About B4BC
B4BC (Boarding for Breast Cancer) is a 501(c)3 non-profit foundation dedicated to providing education, prevention and support programs for young people and the action sports community at large. Through grassroots events, year-round educational outreach and the Survivorship Fund, B4BC is able to further its mission of promoting early detection + a healthy, active lifestyle as the best means of breast cancer prevention. To learn more, visit www.B4BC.org.

Huckleberry Rail Jam at Snowbasin, April 7

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 12:42:00 -0400

Ladies if your in the Utah area, head over to Snowbasin Resort on April 7 for the Huckleberry Rail Jam. This women's only snowboard and ski contest features Open and Amateur divisions.

Registration is from 9 am to 11 am. Contest starts at noon.

Crack the Vault at Brimacombe

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 11:51:00 -0400

On Saturday March 17 come out to Brimacombe's Crack the Vault challenge.

Registration runs from 9 am to 11 am at the East Chalet

Contest starts at 11 am
Finals are at 4 pm

$30 comp free for Brimacombe members
$40 include Lift/Comp pass
$50 for Lift/Comp/Park pass

30th Anniversary of the US Open Snowboarding Championships

Fri, 02 Mar 2012 17:21:00 -0500

Burlington, VT (March 2, 2012) - The landmark 30th anniversary of the US Open Snowboarding Championships presented by MINI officially kicks off this coming Monday, March 5th at Stratton, Vermont with non-stop action through March 11th. After three decades of making snowboarding history, the US Open has plenty to celebrate, and for 2012 this iconic event features the best line-up of competition, entertainment and activities ever presented.

So what’s on deck? First of all, the best halfpipe and slopestyle snowboarders in the world have confirmed that they’ll be at the 30th Burton US Open, including Shaun White, Kazuhiro Kokubo, Iouri Podladtchikov, Louie Vito, Mark McMorris, Danny Davis, Scotty Lago, Sebastian Toutant, Kelly Clark, Hannah Teter, Enni Rukajarvi, Jamie Anderson and Gretchen Bleiler, to name a few.

Secondly, in honor of the 30th anniversary, the Burton US Open has stepped up its late-night entertainment to a whole new level. Headlining live acts include popular mash-up artist dream team, Super Mash Bros, performing Friday at the Burton x Mountain Dew Party. And Saturday night, hip-hop superstars Method Man (of Wu-Tang Clan) and Redman (of Def Squad) will perform at the ‘30th Love’ party, powered by Nokia.

And finally, everyone is welcome to attend the historic 30th anniversary of the US Open for FREE. There will be plenty of snowboarding action and a next-level sponsor village for the crowds to enjoy at Stratton Mountain for the entire week of the Open. And heading into the weekend, things really kick into high gear with slopestyle finals going down during the day on Friday, March 9th, followed by a retro-themed ‘slingshot’ race for legendary Open competitors called ‘The Washed Up Cup’ taking place on Friday night. On Saturday, the signature US Open halfpipe finals will go down, followed by an invitational ‘Night Jam’ being held under the lights on Saturday night.

There will be no shortage of world-class riding going down in Stratton next week. Backed by a long list of live entertainment, sponsor activities in the village and special retro-themed celebrations, the 30th anniversary of the US Open is the must-attend snowboard event of the season.

If you can’t make it to Stratton to experience the 30th anniversary of the US Open in person, watch the semi-finals and finals live. For live webcasts, head to Redbull.tv

Complete event details, including schedules and spectator info are at opensnowboarding.com

Thanks to the following partners who provided generous support to the 30th anniversary of the Burton US Open: MINI, Nokia, Mountain Dew, Stratton Mountain Resort, Mitch by Paul Mitchell, 3M Thinsulate™, Contour, Shiseido, G-Shock and TTR Pro Snowboarding.

Watch the 13th Annual Burton European Open on Redbull.tv Starting Tomorrow

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 15:08:00 -0500

WHAT: The 13th annual Burton European Open, presented by MINI, is now underway in beautiful LAAX, Switzerland, and live webcasts of slopestyle and halfpipe semi-finals and finals are scheduled to begin tomorrow on Redbull.tv. In addition to coverage of the competitions, Redbull.tv will also provide live scoring, live chats,live standings, competition rankings and rider bios so the viewer can have a more interactive role.

WHO:  Jamie Anderson (USA), Sina Candrian (SUI), Spencer O’Brien (CAN), Enni Rukajärvi (FIN), Gretchen Bleiler (USA), Kelly Clark (USA), Queralt Castellet (SPA), Danny Davis (USA), Mark McMorris (CAN), Stale Sandbech (NOR), Seppe Smits (BEL), Roope Tonteri (FIN), Sebastien Toutant (CAN) and Iouri Podladtchikov (SUI) are just a few of the top riders planning to compete for a piece of the $125,000 prize purse and important TTR and BGOS ranking points.

WHEN: The entire event goes LIVEwith webcasts on Redbull.tv during the following times:

LIVE WEBCASTS: U.S. Time Zones (EST) Start Time:
Slopestyle Semi Finals, Wednesday, Feb. 29         05:45 am (EST)
Slopestyle Finals, Thursday, March 1                    03:15 am (EST)
Halfpipe Semi-Finals, Friday, March 2                    04:15 am (EST)
Halfpipe Finals, Saturday March 3                         03:15 am (EST)

(NOTE: times subject to change based on weather or other unforeseeable incidents)

For anyone who misses the live webcasts, highlights of winning runs and full webcasts will be available for on-demand viewing after the event on www.redbull.com/snowboarding-live

All results and further information can be found on www.opensnowboarding.com

About the Burton Global Open Series
The Burton Global Open Series events are the pinnacle snowboarding events of the season. Founded by Jake Burton, the Opens have grown from grassroots events to a global competition series, attracting tens of thousands of spectators and riders from around the world. Since the beginning, the Opens have been driven by riders, for riders evolving with snowboarding and riders' needs over the years. With events held in NewZealand, Europe, Canada and the United States, the Opens set the standard for snowboarding events around the globe. www.opensnowboarding.com

Four Slopestyle Podiums for Canada at the LG Snowboard FIS World Cup

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 11:21:00 -0500

Voigt and Versteeg finish second, Stangeland and Parrot third in Quebec

(Stoneham, QC – February 26th 2012) The sun finally came out today for the inaugural World Cup Slopestyle event held at Stoneham. Twelve Canadians riders started the day in the semi-finals with eight making it all the way to the finals.

Jonathan Versteeg from Vernon, BC, was the top Canadian for the men with a second place finish making it to the World Cup podium for the first time in his career.

“I pulled it together for my second run, the course got a little faster so I was going deeper in the landing which gave me extra points,” said Versteeg after his run. “It was my first start at a World Cup so winning the silver medal is a pretty big deal for me.”

Maxence Parrot from Bromont, QC, also made his debut on the World Cup podium with a 81.75 to take third place, his best results to date. “I’m very happy, it’s my first medal at a World Cup,” said Parrot. “My goal was to get the best result possible to improve my Canadian ranking, which I did.”

On the women’s side, a similar scenario came together with Brooke Voigt from Fort McMurray, AB, and Breanna Stangeland from Calgary, AB, coming in second and third respectively.

“I put down my safety run and it’s really what you want a do so you can step it up for your second run. Unfortunately, I fell on my first jump and wasn’t able to improve, but that’s why you have a safety run,” said Voigt after the medal ceremony.

“I had a lot of pressure because I fell on my first run. I spent the last 10 minutes up there focusing and it came together. I ended up third and I’m super happy,” said Stangeland after her second run.

Results:
Men
1st Dimi De Jong (NED)
2nd Jonathan Versteeg (CAN)
3rd Maxence Parrot (CAN)
5th Craig McMorris (CAN)
6th Darcy Sharpe (CAN)
8th Robby Balharry (CAN)
10th Craig Beaulieu (CAN)
14th Jordan Phillips (CAN)
16th Matts Kulisek (CAN)
19th David Kinskofer (CAN)
27th Antoine Truchon (CAN)
29th Derek Livingston (CAN)
31st Francis Lanchance (CAN)
32nd Andrew Matthews (CAN)
34th Julien Beaulieu (CAN)
38th Michael Roy (CAN)

Women
1st Charlotte Van Gils (NED)
2nd Brooke Voigt (CAN)
3rd Breanna Stangeland (CAN)
8th Laurie Blouin (CAN)
10th Gillian Andrewshenko (CAN)
11th Samm Denena (CAN)
13th Anne-Frederique Grenier (CAN)
14th Molly Milligan (CAN)
15th Audrey McManiman (CAN)
16th Tamara Truchon (CAN)
18th Victoria Marshall (CAN)

The Slopestyle was the last discipline of the Snowboard Jamboree and LG Snowboard FIS World Cup at Stoneham QC. Canadian athletes ended up with 7 medals: two gold, two silver and three bronze. The Snowboard Jamboree will host the World Championships next year prior to the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games.

For more information, complete results and more, please see the following link:
http://www.snowjamboree.com/?set_language=en

The Circle's Snow Bunnies Day Out

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 13:20:00 -0500

On Friday February 24, come out to The Circle's Snow Bunnies Day Out.

It's totally free. Starting the day off with a super fun shred day with a bunch of babes.

This girls only event is followed by a FREE party (limited spaces due to capacity) with food and drinks at the store with super deals for one night only and awesome prizes from Flux, Ashbury, Circa and The Circle.

Come see us in-store for details and schedule.
For more information visit: http://www.facebook.com/events/324790870906013/

**You MUST R.S.V.P in-store to register for this event. By Feb 22nd***

Horseshoe Open Ski and Snowboard Festival

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 11:28:00 -0500

The Horseshoe Open is Canada's newest and Ontario's largest ski and snowboard festival. This two day event will host some of Canadas best skiers, snowboarders, photographers , djs, concerts, snowmobile big air show and the best pro rider afterparty of the year.

Registration
To secure a spot in the railjam or slopestyle contest, complete the online registration form here

Event Schedule
*Please note the following schedule is subject to change

THURSDAY MARCH 8

TBA	Practice and Registration

FRIDAY MARCH 9

	Rail Qualifications
	Rail Final
	Rockstar Freestyle Snowmobile-X
	DJ Showcase

SATURDAY MARCH 10

	Slopestyle Final
	Big Air (Pro) Final
	Rockstar Freestyle Snowmobile-X
	Live Concert
	Coors Light After Party

FAQ'S:

How much is Registration?
Pre Registration is $25 to enter and a $25 lift ticket
Day-of registration is $30 with a $30 ticket

What else can I do while at the Horseshoe Open?
You can watch live concerts, attend after parties, hang out on the extended patio, take in the on-hill action, eat at the Crazy Horse and of course, hit the slopes

Accommodation:
The Inn at Horseshoe Resort and guests can quote "HR Open" for a special room rate
Click here to View the INN

Price to Register:
$25 Pre Registration Special
$25 Pre Registration Lift Ticket Special

Day of
$30 Registraion
$30 Lift Ticket

Sponsors:
Coors Light
Rockstar
Oakley
Snowboard Canada Magazine
SBC Skier
"Ride Shakedown Qualifier"
365 Sports

Categories:
Grom Rail Snowboard
Grom Rail Ski
Open Rail Snowboard
Open Rail Ski
Pro Big Air (Invite) Snowboard
Pro Big Air (Invite) Ski

Fore more info visit: http://www.horseshoeopen.ca/

Spencer O'Brien and Sebastien Toutant Win the Dew Cup Championship

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:24:00 -0500

(Ogden, Utah – February 12, 2012) Sebastien Toutant From Montréal, QC, and Spencer O’Brien from North Vancouver, BC, claimed one of the most prestigious trophies in action sports today by winning the Dew Cup Championship in their respective fields. The Dew Tour Cup is awarded to the athletes with the highest combined results at the Winter Dew Tour events. Toutant and O’Brien both won the last event of the season to seal the overall Slopestyle title.

"It feels great," said Toutant. "The first stop I got second place,
the second stop I got second. To end up with a first place to win the Cup, is a great feeling.”

Women's Slopestyle:
1st Spencer O'brien (CAN)
2nd Enni Rukajärvi (FIN)
3rd Joanna Dzierzawski (USA)

Men's Slopestyle:
1st Sebastien Toutant (CAN)
2nd Dash Kamp (USA)
3rd Spencer Link (USA)

For more information, complete results and more on the Winter Dew Tour, please visit:http://www.allisports.com/winter-dew-tour

2012 Bikinis for Breast Cancer

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:40:00 -0500

On SATURDAY MAY 5th, Lake Louise Ski Area will host the Annual BIKINIS FOR BREAST CANCER event to raise funds and awareness for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. This is a fun event, which is open to women of all ages. To date Bikinis for Breast Cancer has raised over $50,000 for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.

All of the Participants will ski, snowboard or telemark down an easy course in an "S" formation in their bikini tops and snow pants meeting at our Pink Party Pit at the base of the mountain. The event will be taking place during the Episode ’12 closing weekend at Lake Louise. This will be the best party in the Rockies and will include Outdoor Concerts by The Dudes, DJ’s, Beer Gardens and the Monster “Ruckus in the Rockies Snowboard” Event.

To enter you will need to raise a minimum of $150 in pledges through friends, relatives, co-workers or make a donation yourself. Pledges or donations that are collected can be as little or as much as an individual wants to give. There will be lots of amazing prizes for top fundraisers and bikini top creativity , so we encourage you to raise as much money as you can for this cause. You will be able to collect donations on-line this year through a link to the Breast Cancer Foundation.

For more information or to register for the 2012 Bikinis for Breast Cancer Event, email karen@threetwodone.com Once you sign up you will be sent your fundraising information. All registrations must be in by Friday, May 4th. Please pass this information along to your friends! New for this year, we will award a prize package from our sponsors to the participant who can recruit the most females to sign up. For more information on The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation visit www.cbcf.org LIKE us on Facebook at facebook.com/BikinisforBreastCancer

Fast and Female Innovative Girls' Programming

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:08:00 -0500

Fast and Female Partners with Canada Snowboard to Launch Innovative Girls’ Programming in 2012

(Vancouver, BC - February 6 2012) – Canada’s aspiring female snowboard competitors are about to get a boost thanks to an innovative programming being developed by Fast and Female and Canada~Snowboard.

In 2012, the pilot programming will feature two snowboard performance camps aimed at girls ages 12 to 18 years old who are already in the competitive pipeline at the regional and provincial levels.

While one camp will be held at Stoneham (QC) on February 26 and 27th around the LG FIS Snowboard World Cup, the second event will take place at Big White Ski Resort in Kelowna (BC) on Friday March 9 in conjunction with the Snowboard BC provincial championships.

Each camp will include technical on-snow segments with nationally recognized female coaches as well as National Team members specializing in the disciplines of freestyle, alpine, halfpipe, big air and snowboardcross.

“These performance camps are a chance for the country’s top young competitors to come together, meet friends in snowboarding, train and learn about the many opportunities competitive snowboarding can bring them,” said Natasha Burgess, Manager, Sport Development for Canada Snowboard. “It will also allow for the early identification of talented up-and-coming female athletes, across Canada, in all disciplines,” she added.
In addition to the camp’s on-snow activities, Fast and Female will lead a variety of seminars aimed at inspiring the girls as well as giving them the tools to achieve their goals.

“Snowboard is a super dynamic and exciting sport, with many opportunities for girls to thrive,” said Marie-Hélène Thibeault, Executive Director for Fast and Female. “The staff of Fast and Female very much looks forward to uniting its strengths with Canada Snowboard and their tremendous athletes to host two unique camps aimed at inspiring and supporting the next generation of female snowboarders.”

The registration for the two-day Quebec camp is $55 and the fee for the one-day BC camp is $25. Registration fees include on snow coaching, a meal, a Fast and Female t-shirt and Buff, a gift from Under Armour, an autograph poster as well as goodies from various event sponsors.
Financial assistance is available for participants in need. Please contact info@fastandfemale.com to inquire.

All youth event registrations are bring compiled online at: http://www.canadasnowboard.ca/en/dev/events/?
This activity is made possible thanks to valuable local partners such as Canada Snowboard, Women in Snowboard and Under Armour. Fast and Female’s national sponsors – including Best Buy, Buff Multifunctional Headwear, Cold-FX, Clarins, Lululemon Athletica, LUNA Bars and LIT Glitter - are also providing key resources to make this event possible. For a complete list of Fast and Female national program supporters and sponsors, please visit: http://www.fastandfemale.com/default.asp?lang=&mode=webpage&id=89.

ABOUT FAST AND FEMALE
Fast and Female is a not-for-profit society started in 2005 by Chandra Crawford, the 2006 Olympic gold medalist in cross-country skiing. The organization’s mission is to support, motivate, inspire, and empower girls to stick to sports and the healthy lifestyle. Fast and Female fulfills its mission of "Empowerment Through Sport" by hosting fun-filled, non-competitive initiatives all across North-America aimed at exposing young female athletes to inspiring female Olympians and elite level athletes. The young girls who attend Fast and Female events today will lead it in the future, may it be as athletes, coaches, volunteers, parents, and community leaders. For more information about Fast and Female, visit www.fastandfemale.com

Park Brawl After-Party at Casbah, Collingwood

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:52:00 -0500

The Beaver Valley PARK BRAWL, Ontario's big 3-Star TTR Slopestyle event goes down this Saturday Feb. 4! And the event's party vibe will now continue with the announcement of the rider's PARK BRAWL After-Party at the Casbah Bar in Collingwood. Presented by Monster Energy in conjunction with Fathom Board Shop and PBR, this party will be a guaranteed shaker with special guest DJ Strummer.

Doors at 9:00pm. Arrive early to avoid disappointment.
Casbah Bar, 18 Huron Street, Collingwood, Ontario

For the latest info on the PARK BRAWL contest click here!

TELUS World Ski and Snowboard Festival: April 13-22, 2012

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500

TELUS World Ski and Snowboard Festival: The season ender party to rule them all!

Whistler, B.C. – Voted Whistler’s Best Event in Pique Newsmagazine’s annual awards, the TELUS World Ski and Snowboard Festival is back for its 17th year and is bringing back all the goodies plus some extra toppings in the way of sports, arts and music. With the Mayans pitting the end of the world for December 21st, this could be your last chance to strap on that board, click on those skis, and get your shred on. From April 13-22, Whistler Blackcomb resort will be transformed into a thriving hub of foot-stomping live music, adrenaline pumping sports competitions and awe-inspiring arts and lifestyle events. Plain and simple, you couldn’t ask for more, and you couldn’t ask for a better way to see out what could be the last winter on earth.

This year sees the rejuvenation of Fashion Exposed, complete with an apocalyptic theme and sexy, sassy fashion brands strutting the runway in preparation for the end of the world. Adding to the energetic vibe will be a selection of incredible dance crews, vying for top spot in the Freeze Dance Showcase. Busting mind-blowing moves, these crews are being judged by the fashion elite, the audience themselves, for the People’s Choice Award and $1000 prize. The end of the world may be coming, but at least we’ll be going out in style! The Fashion Exposed: Armageddon, and Freeze Dance Showcase will be held on Friday April 20 in the Whistler Conference Centre. For teams wishing to enter Freeze Dance Competition, please visit www.wssf.com/event/fashion-exposed

Already in the music lineup is the world famous, and self-proclaimed genre-smashing, band The Cat Empire. Playing Sunday April 15th, The Cat Empire will help kick off the 10 days of festivities with their iconic ‘anything goes’ sound. Up and comers from Saskatoon, the Sheepdogs, purveyors of “good ol’ fashioned Rock and Roll”, rock the mainstage on the following Sunday, April 22nd. With many more acts to be announced, be sure to follow us on Twitter @wssf and Facebook for all the up to the minute news.

The bad boys of energy town, Monster Energy, are back to present The Shred Show, 5 days of steezy shredness from the who’s who of snowboarding. From their infamous party style to their do-or-die snowboarding attitude, these riders lay it all on the line for the true snowboarding lifestyle. Presenting a Big Hip competition, alongside firm favourites in slopestyle and moguls, Monster Energy’s The Shred Show is more than just snowboarding, it’s a way of life. The Shred Show: April 13-17

The Association of Freeskiing Professionals, AFP, is back to present the World Skiing Invitational, and set the bar that little bit higher in the freeskiing world. Ranked as platinum on the freeskiing lineup, the crème de la crème will be out to thrown down and show the hill who’s boss. The evolution of freeskiing is well underway and the best in the world will be out to defend their titles alongside the rising stars of the ski world who will be out in full force to challenge them. There will be hundreds of thousands of dollars on the line, infinite bragging rights, and the opportunity to be crowned at the World Championships of 2012. World Skiing Invitational: April 18-22

For information on the 2012 TELUS World Ski and Snowboard Festival, April 13-22, visit http://www.wssf.com or follow us on twitter @wssf.

The Canadian Shield: Everything you need to know

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:55:00 -0500

The Canadian Shield Ski and Snowboard Slopestyle Tour is set to embark on it’s first season, awarding $80,000 to top Canadian athletes along the way. The first tour of its kind in Canada, The Canadian Shield offers skiers and snowboarders alike an avenue to showcase their slopestyle skills while earning valuable AFP, TTR and tour points. Additionally, a huge cash purse and a ton of prizing are up for grabs at each stop, along with the opportunity to compete for the highly coveted overall tour titles and prizing.

The 2012 tour includes four stops across Canada:

Mont Tremblant, QC. February 3-5 Mt Seymour, BC. February 17-19

Winsport’s COP, AB. February 24-26 Blue Mountain, ON. March 22-24

All four tour stops consist of a full-day competition dedicated exclusively to each of the two distinct disciplines (ski/snowboard). Both the ski and snowboard competitions are divided into four categories, based on age and ability, including Disney XD X-Elerator 12 & under, Disney XD X-Elerator+ 13-15, snowboard Amateur Open and K2 Ski Amateur Open, and the Pro Open.

With the addition of slopestyle to the 2014 Olympic Games, the Canadian Shield is excited to announce its official designation from Canada’s governing snowboard body, Canada~Snowboard, as a key part of their competition and athlete pathway towards the Olympic Games and other major events. The Canadian Shield is officially recognized as Canada~Snowboard’s Long Term Athlete Development Plan (LTAD) Stage 5 Competition Series.

“The Canadian Shield will be a platform for today’s top Canadian athletes to showcase their skills as well as a launching ground for Canada’s future top athletes. We couldn’t be more pleased with the wealth of industry and sponsor support along with the commitments and compliments from athletes in both sports since we launched in December.” - Andrew Singleton, creator of The Canadian Shield Ski and Snowboard Slopestyle Tour and founder of eventSing promotions inc.

Online registration is currently open to all competitors at each of the four stops. For a detailed daily event schedule and stop specific information, including online rider registration visit: www.thecanadianshield.ca. Please note, each stop allows for a max. of 100 competitors per discipline, online registration is therefore highly recommended.

PRIZING

Each of The Canadian Shield’s four stops will be awarding $20,000 to the ski/ snowboard, male and female, Pro Open division winners for a total of $80,000 throughout the tour.

In addition to the cash prizing, Snowboard Canada Magazine, sbcwomen.com and SBC SKIER Magazine will be awarding a bonus of $100 and 100 tour points to the standout trick performed at each stop by both a male and female skier and snowboarder.

To top off the alluring financial prizing throughout the tour, pro competitors will have the opportunity to earn valuable tour points based on their finishes at each contest. The pro male and female skier and snowboarder who earn the highest number of points by tours end will be awarded the overall tour titles and prize, a 7-day surf trip to Eldorado Surf Resort in El Salvador. For a detailed break down of the cash purse and overall prizing for the Pro Open division, visit: www.thecanadiansheild.ca

K2 has teamed up with The Canadian Shield to present the K2 Ski Amateur Open category. Each tour stop will see prizing awarded from series sponsors including: K2 skis, Eira Outwear, Skull Candy paraphernalia, Ogio bags, Electric goggles and New Era gear. Additionally, K2 will be awarding athlete contracts to the overall male and female ski amateur tour winners, who will be determined based on the highest number of tour points accumulated.

The snowboard Amateur Open category will feature prizing from tour sponsor at each stop including: Salomon snowboards and bindings, Ogio bags, Pow gloves, Electric goggles and New Era swag.

Winners in both Disney XD categories will be awarded prizing from tour sponsors including: West 49-Billabong gift cards, Skull Candy apparel, Ogio bags and Pow gloves. You can visit the Disney XD ultimate lounge at all the events where they will be showcasing the channels content, ‘Disney XD Drops In’ episodes and awarding prizes throughout the day to spectators. Muskoka Woods Action Sports Camp will be awarding an overall series prize to the top ranking male and female, skier and snowboarder from either of the Disney XD rookie categories. Winners will be selected based on accumulated tour points from all four stops and the overall winners will receive a week at Muskoka Woods Camp.

In February at Mont-Sainte-Anne, Tuesday is Ladie's Day!

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500

IN FEBRUARY AT MONT-SAINTE-ANNE, TUESDAY IS LADIE’S DAY!

Beaupré, QC – In February, Mont-Sainte-Anne continues the Ladies Tuesday tradition! The event is a series of four consecutive Tuesdays [February 7, 14, 21 and 28] where ladies enjoy exclusive privileges including a 2 for 1 on lift-tickets, outdoor cardio and a cozy girl’s après-ski with massages and live music! Join them and see yourself how it’s awesome to be a lady!

PRIVILEGES FOR WOMEN ONLY
Every Ladies Tuesday, women enjoy two lift-tickets for the price of one [day ticket]; a great occasion to invite a girlfriend. New this season, Lolë offers to ladies the opportunity to take part of a free cardio session on the stage located at the base of the mountain. Water bottles and healthy snacks will be supplied. Be there from 3pm to 4pm! [Booking not required.]

PAMPERED GIRLS APRÈS-SKI
From 3pm to 5pm at the Chouette resto-bar, ladies are invited to a friendly après-ski in which professionals from ZoneSpa will offer free massages. For the occasion of the last Ladies Tuesday [February 28], a fashion show will be the icing on the cake; an activity to absolutely add to your calendar.

PRIZES EVERY TUESDAY $100 of Lolë material at the Sports Alpins boutique, One night lodging at the ski-in ski-out Château Mont-Sainte-Anne [including lift-tickets for 4 persons], A gift card for a 30-minute massage at ZoneSpaü, passes for bath access at ZoneSpa

Brooke Voigt takes 1st place at the Gatorade Free Flow Tour

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Another first place podium for Brooke this time at the Gatorade Free Flow tour. Brooke took 1st place in Slopestyle at the Vail, CO stop securing an all expense paid trip to the Finals in Ogden, UT where she will have the chance to earn a spot into next years Dew Tour. Although the park set up was small Brooke charged the jumps going huge and stomping her tricks with style.

Amer Acquires Nikita

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 10:51:00 -0500

For immediate release:

Amer Sports acquires Nikita Apparel, for “Girls Who Ride”

Amer Sports is acquiring Nikita (www.nikitaclothing.com), a snowboarding
inspired action sports apparel brand, which focuses on female consumers.
Annual net sales of Nikita are approximately EUR 8 million.

Brad Steward, Head of Action Sports at Amer stated, “Amer Sports is filled
with people who skate, surf and snowboard, and we’ve got great brands with
Salomon Snowboards, Bonfire and now, Nikita. Nikita will give us a broader
portfolio in the area of Action Sports, complementing Salomon snowboards and
Bonfire. Amer now has a platform to grow with new consumer groups and bring
a broader range of exciting, authentic products to market”.

Nikita offers apparel “For Girls Who Ride” with a full year offering. Nikita
sales are mostly in Europe and distributed selectively also in North America
and Asia. Nikita originates from Iceland, where co-founder Heida
Birgitsdottir is based. Said Birgitsdottir of the purchase, “We are all
really pleased to work with a company that can give our brand and our
customers a solid base. As the Head of Design, I’m excited to see what we
can create with Amer Sports’ support”

Nikita Co-Founder and Brand Director, Runar Omarsson stated, “We are all
really excited to be a part of Amer Sports. The resources of the Amer Sports
provide many expansion opportunities for Nikita”.

For media inquiries contact:

Colleen Quigley
Communications / Community Marketing
Salomon & Bonfire Snowboarding Inc.
colleen.quigley@bonfiresnowboarding.com

Like Bonfire
http://www.facebook.com/bonfireSNOWboarding.fans
Like Salomon
http://www.facebook.com/SalomonSnowboardFans

Nikita Snowboards -For Girls Who Ride!

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 13:01:00 -0500

Over the last ten years NIKITA has established itself as an independent, rider owned streetwear clothing company designed for girls who ride. Founder and head designer Heida Birgisdottir expanded the line a few seasons back by introducing an outerwear collection to complement her streetwear designs and ensure girls had style and function when shredding the slopes. Now the time has come for the next chapter in our story: here begins the adventure of NIKITA SNOWBOARDS.

This has been a project bubbling on the back burner since the very beginning. Being a snowboarder herself, Heida’s introduction to designing clothes was through snowboarding. Since establishing her own clothing brand worldwide, represented by snowboarders and available in snowboard stores, it was a logical progression that NIKITA would one day tap into the hardgoods market.

Launching for Winter 2012-13, NIKITA SNOWBOARDS will comprise of a mountain freestyle board called the Sideway Sista in sizes ranging from 138 – 156 and a loose edge slopestyle board in sizes 135 – 152 called the Nikita Chickita. The freestyle board is designed to carve smoothly, but still be loose enough to try any trick on the way down the mountain, while the slopestyle board is designed to handle a bit softer, making it easier to do tricks in the park or slide some rails downtown.

The graphics and colours are by default a bit girly, but with a Nikita twist. First ambassador for NIKITA SNOWBOARDS, team rider Gabby Maiden confirms, “Nikita is more artsy and cool than hearts and lollipops.” Heida’s academic background in fine arts and her personal fascination for how boards (snow, skate and surf) function as a canvas for so many artists in the industry has always been a testament to the connection between art and snowboarding. Check out the funky logo design on the Nikita Chickita and detailed and illustrative graphics from Icelandic artist AC Bananas on the Sideway Sista board.

The boards are designed in Iceland but manufactured in Austria using top quality materials and technology. The roots of NIKITA run deep and we’re proud to launch NIKITA SNOWBOARDS for girls who ride. We now can serve you the sushi with the sticks.

It's All About The Ladies At Big White Ski Resort

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 17:32:00 -0500

It’s time for some girl powder at Big White Ski Resort with unique women specific events, camps, and packages. There’s something for all levels of ability, from the women looking to throw it down in the Big White Telus Park, to those looking to catch up for some precious “girl time”. Whatever you’re after, Big White has some exclusive options this ski season.

Rugged Riders Freestyle Camps – NEW THIS YEAR
Over a 6-week period female coaches will be putting snowboarders through their paces at the Rugged Riders Freestyle Camps. These camps are for girls who already love snowboarding but want to improve their terrain park skills. Campers will ride with other girls like them in a fun, chilled out environment. Professional female coaches will show campers the basics of the park and help them progress to the next level of freestyle riding. They will also be introduced to the exciting world of competitive snowboarding with entry into a local “Kinky Rail Jam” contest. Whether they have never been in the park, or they want to learn new tricks and perfect their style, riders will have a good time, shred hard, and win huge prizes from Nitro snowboards and L1TA outerwear.

The cost of the camp is $299 and includes six nights of coaching (one each week) with professional female coaching each Friday from 5-8pm, entry into the “Kinky Rail Jam” contest or similar, BC Snowboard Association one-year membership, goody bag and chance to win a Nitro snowboard or a L1TA outerwear jacket or pants. There are two camps happening at Big White; Dec 23 - Jan 27 and March 9 - April 13, space is limited, sign up at: www.bigwhite.com> or call 1-800-663-2772 for reservations and bookings.

Rugged Riders “Kinky Rail Jam” Clinic and Contest
The Kinky Rail Jam clinic and contest series started in 2007, and participant numbers have been growing every year. The day kicks off with a morning clinic where riders can get comfortable with the private park course with tips from the professionals. The jam contest format means that riders can session the course features they want in an allotted timeframe, with the winner of each ability category being the highest scoring athlete based on technical ability, style and creativity. Find out more online at www.ruggedriders.com . The contest comes to Big White Ski Resort on January 21. If riders take part in the camp from December camp, the entry is free. Later in the season Big White, along with the BCSA, will be hosting the Telus Park Night Rail Jam on March 31st, for those who attend the March camp entry is also free.

Downhill Divas
Looking to getaway with the girls? Big White’s new Downhill Divas package is the perfect answer for a winter escape filled with fun and frolic. The Edge, the resort’s premium condos design was inspired by famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright, providing accommodation and inspiration with breathtaking views and the perfect atmosphere. The package includes a two-day Edge Camp experience, which is defined by outstanding professional coaching from Edith Rozsa, one of Canada's best Alpine Ski Racers, as well as Big White's top Pro Instructor. Edith represented Canada on the National Alpine Team for seven years; she also had a successful stint in the Skier Cross and endurance downhill racing. The Downhill Divas package doesn’t end there, guests will enjoy a welcome basket filled with goodies, private shopping at Big White’s Edith Boutique, massage, and choice of private boot-camp or yoga class. The 2-night package is priced from $660 per person for a gaggle of 6 ladies.

Located in the picturesque Okanagan Valley and a short 55-minute drive from Kelowna International Airport, the award-winning Big White Ski Resort is British Columbia’s second largest resort and boasts the most ski-in, ski-out accommodation in Canada. Blessed with sunny weather, dry powder and a mild average temperature, Big White is best known as a family friendly resort where kids and adults can all have fun. For more information, visit www.bigwhite.com> or call 1-800-663-2772 for reservations and bookings.

Billabong Flaunt It Back For 6th Season

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 14:44:00 -0500

November 15th, 2011

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Billabong Flaunt It, presented by Sony Ericsson is returning for its 6th year as the most prominent all girls snowboard series in North America. Flaunt It kicks off the tour on January 21st at Blue Mountain for the first of 7 stops with over $30,000 in series cash and prizes. As part of the TTR World Snowboard tour, Flaunt It’s first 6 stops are TTR 3 star events with the Slopestyle winners receiving airfare and accommodation to the series finals. New to this year are stops at Lake Louise, AB and Mont Saint-Sauveur, QC. The Flaunt It Finals (with Jamie Anderson) are back to Sierra-at-Tahoe March 31st, which will be a TTR 4 star event featuring a $10,000 cash purse, plus lots of additional prizing from tour sponsors.

The Flaunt It series is open to ALL female riders from around the globe as the first 6 stops have friendly courses that cater to all levels. The contest format is designed to be stress free as the “jam format” allows each girl to ride all day long and continually progress and throw down tricks. The top Slopestyle and Rail Jam winners will be rewarded for their talent, with additional prizing including the ‘Dakine Best Trick’ and ‘Nixon Style Award’. Gift bags and lunch are provided to all competitors.

The series final is open to ALL female riders. Athletes do not need to be pre-qualified to compete at the finals, but early registration is advised. The Finals will have Billabong’s International Team rider and snowboard superstar Jamie Anderson in attendance as a guest MC. Jamie Anderson says, “I am so excited to host and be a part of the Flaunt it finals at my home resort, Sierra-At-Tahoe. It's going to be a great event, so make sure to come check it out!”

Billabong Flaunt It is proudly supported by Sony Ericsson, Contour, VonZipper, Dakine, Nixon, Snowboard Canada Women’s Annual, and Snowboarder Magazine.

Series Schedule:

Blue Mountain, ON: Jan. 21st
Lake Louise, AB: Feb. 11th
Big White, BC: Feb. 18th
Mount Seymour, BC: Feb. 25th
Mont Saint-Sauveur, QC: March 10th
Waterville Valley, NH: March 17th
FINALS with Jamie Anderson: Sierra-at-Tahoe: March 31st

For all tour information, including registration, visit www.billabong.com/flauntit or visit us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/billabongflaunit

Camp of Champions "This Is My Camp" Video Contest

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 14:21:00 -0400

The Camp of Champions, Oakley, VitaminWater and GoPro are pleased to sponsor the “This Is My Camp” video contest. With $25,000 in prizing, and lots of ways to win, if you don’t enter you’re crazy. Winning a session at camp has never been easier… except for that time we gave away a session on Twitter. We have prizes not just for the winner, but sub prizes as well, so your chance of winning something is pretty great.

ANY ONE CAN ENTER

The “This is My Camp” is a pretty basic idea: download our footage and edit up a 2.5 minute or shorter video. Start with our opening credit, then you facing the camera, saying your name, where you are from, how old you are and then the term, “This is my camp.” after that, it’s up to you. There are a ton of prizes so get on making your edit.

How You Win

Once you have posted up your video, get your friends to like it on Facebook. The most likes combined with Vimeo stats and our personal opinion on the one we like, wins. The more likes, the more likely you are to win.

Each Video Must Have...

The video needs to start and end with the credits you

DOWNLOAD ALL OUR FOOTAGE HERE

then include your introduction, then get creative. The video can’t be longer than two and a half minutes. Edit up what ever would get you stoked at COC. There can’t be any foul language, in the video or the music. Winners will be chosen December 1st. To enter your video, simply upload it to Vimeo and Youtube, tag it "Camp of Champions" and send us the link so we can download it and post it up here. We will then upload all the videos to The Camp of Champions "This Is My Camp" Vimeo account and then we will track the stats on it. When you upload your video, tag it COC, Camp of Champs, Camp of Champions, Whistler, Summer Camp, VitaminWater, Oakley, GoPro.

All entries become the property of The Camp of Champions.

THE PRIZES

One Grand Prize – Become the COC Film Intern and win “A Mountain of VitaminWater”

The Grand Prize is an intern position at the Camp of Champions in the summer of 2012 as one of our film crew that chronicle everything that goes on at COC. Prize Value: $8,000. If you have skills with a camera and editing, this is the one to go for. It will launch your career, your goggle tan or both. Members of our COC crew have gone on to work with what seems like every company and magazine in the industry. Win this one and you will start living the dream. The prize of “A mountain of VitaminWater” is cases of Vitamin Water stacked up to your nose.

FOUR GRAND PRIZES – GET OUTFITTED BY OAKLEY HEAD TO TOE AND “A MOUNTAIN OF VITAMINWATER”

Prize Includes: Oakley Outerwear Pants, Oakley Outerwear Jacket, Oakley T-shirt, Oakley Hoody, Oakley Goggles, Oakley Sunglasses and an Oakley Beanie. Approx. Prize Value: $2500 each.

TWO GRAND PRIZES - 8 DAY OVERNIGHT CAMP AND “A MOUNTAIN OF VITAMINWATER”

Prize consists of an 8 Day Overnight Camp of Champions session. Approx. Prize Value: $2000 each.

Because there can only be one intern, we created this Grand Prize so that even if you don’t win the Intern position, you still win an awesome prize and get to get your shred on at COC next summer.

4 GRAND PRIZES - 8 DAY “PARK ACCESS ONLY” CAMP AND “A MOUNTAIN OF VITAMINWATER”

Four Grand Prizes of an 8 Day “Park Access Only” Camp. Prize Value: $695 each.

20 PRIZES - CAMP OF CHAMPIONS BACKPACK AND GLOVES

Prize Consists of: Camp of Champions Backpack and Gloves. Prize Value: $250 each.

CHOOSING THE WINNERS

Winners are chosen by Camp of Champions staff, using the same scoring model as the American/ Canadian/ Borneo Idol TV show. Part of results are your number of likes and plays on Facebook and Vimeo and part of the result is from our judging what we like the best.

RESULTS

Winners will be chosen December 1st.

All entries become the property of The Camp of Champions.

All Girls Video Premiere & Art Show

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Spread the word like wildfire, premiere season is upon us and the Women's Snowboard Federation brings the best in all girls action. Join us Friday October 7th at the Baitshop Gallery for an All Girls Video Premiere & Art Show

Doors open at 8pm. $5.00 cover.
Peepshow Films "Winter Wars" & Lipstick Productions "5 More Minutes Please?!"

. All Girls Art Show: Juliana Neufeld, Erin Hogue, Kristyna Mracek, Erin McInnis, Ally Boothroyd, Ashley Champion, Melanie Karas, Lydia Macintosh & Lisa Farrows.
. Free Food: Catering by Emma D Catering Co.
. WSF Bar: Cheap Drinks: Brought to you by the WSF.
. Photobooth: For your party memories get your picture taken
. Premiere Tees: The hottest in premiere threads.

More info at: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=236280476421494

FRIDAY FRIDAY FRIDAY!! AWESOMENESS. ART. DRINKS. RAILS & BAILS. PHOTO BOOTH. FOOD. PEEPSHOW. MINIRAMP. PARTY MEMORIES

Boarders Against Breast Canacer: Ticket Prices, Ticket Sales, Title Prizes and Porter Airlines

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 00:00:00 -0500

TORONTO, February 25, 2011 – Tickets are now on sale for Boarders Against Breast Cancer, happening on March 25, 2011. Tickets are $25 each with all proceeds going to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation (CBCF). Purchase of the event ticket gets you access to the action sport auction and raffle with more than $10,000 worth of prizes, including a Roxy luggage set and outerwear, a limited edition Ride Shakedown Kink Snowboard, a Burton Snowboard and a lot more! For all the latest information head to www.boardersagainstbreastcancer.org

In addition to the raffle, live bands, and art show, Porter Airlines has partnered with Boarders Against Breast Cancer to present an incredible door prize! All attendees will automatically be entered into the grand prize draw for a round trip for two with Porter Airlines departing from Toronto to Quebec City. The lucky winners will get to enjoy “flying refined” with Porter Airlines including complimentary Steam Whistle en route.

Tickets can be purchased at Longboard Living in Kensington Market (86.5 Nassau Street) or online at www.boardersagainstbreastcancer.org. For all ticket inquiries please contact boardersagainstbreastcancer@gmail.com

About Boarders Against Breast Cancer (BABC)

Boarders Against Breast Cancer started out in 2009 as an idea developed between Boardsports Toronto staff. BABC demonstrates that through passion for board sports and dedication to a worthy cause, affecting positive change is possible. Beyond generating breast awareness and donations for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, BABC also promotes youthful philanthropy through organizing their events for young adults involved in action sports. BABC believes in staying active, connected and engaged and aims to unite the incredibly energetic, thoughtful and generous action sport community with the collective goal of generating funds for the CBCF!

Press Contacts:
Emily Morton
Boarders Against Breast Cancer
Emily@emilymorton.com

Spring Break Shred in Switzerland

Tue, 22 Feb 2011 23:52:00 -0500

Looking to take a Euro Trip this spring? Be sure and hit up The Butterfly Effect in Grindelwald, Switzerland.

Record Snow For Ontario Resorts' Opening

Tue, 07 Dec 2010 23:36:00 -0500

With a "major multi-day snow squall event" dumping 50-100 cm of fresh and more still to come, southern Ontario resorts are set to kick off their season with a record amount of opening day snow! And that's on top of all the man made snow they have been pumping since last Friday.

Horseshoe Resort opens Wednesday, December 8; Blue Mountain opens Thursday, December 9 – a day earlier than originally announced; Mt St Louis Moonstone opens Friday December 10; and Snow Valley opens Saturday, December 11.

Throwing around terms like "staggering amounts of snow", "impressive snowfall accumulations", "remarkable snowfall totals", "persistent bursts of heavy snow", and "long-lived snow event" the weather experts at Environment Canada and the Weather Network appear to be just as excited as Ontario's skiers.

Some areas of southern Ontario received over 140 cm in the past two days. The London area was one of the heaviest hit with 80 -120 cm. The snow was the result of Ontario's famous lake effect phenomenon caused when strong, cold northwest winds blow over the relatively warmer waters of Lake Huron and Georgian Bay creating intense snow squalls.

A stalled storm system over Quebec and the Maritimes and a ridge of artic high pressure in the prairies created the perfect ingredients for the multi-day lake effect snow in Ontario. It's expected to persist through to the end of the day Wednesday.

"We're expecting more than 80 cm of snowfall accumulation by Thursday", said Blue Mountain's Public Relations Specialist, Kelly O'Neil. Blue will open Thursday with three trails accessed from their Silver Bullet six person high-speed lift and then will open more terrain as quickly as conditions allow for the weekend. Lift tickets will be $39 plus taxes through to December 15. Blue plans to have a hike-access terrain park in operation by Thursday December 16, the same date targeted to open their night riding (4:30-10:00pm).

Above: Blue Mountain Resort getting pounded Monday December 6th. Photo: James Clark.

Horseshoe is set to open Wednesday with two lifts and four runs including a few rails and jumps in their terrain park. Lift tickets will be $30 plus taxes through to December 17.

Mt St Louis Moonstone will open Friday with at least two lifts, including a six person high speed and the majority of their Junk Yard Terrain in operation. Terrain Park Manager Craig Burley said there will be several press boxes and hand rails set up, plus a 10-15 ft jump, a 35 ft jump, and a quarterpipe. Burley is hoping to have their superpipe built by Christmas. Please note that helmets are mandatory in all of Louis' parks this season.

Mt t Louis Moonstone's head honcho Robert Huter said the resort was expecting another 15-20 cm of new snow by opening day, on top of the 30 cm plus they have received already. They have also been making snow non-top since last Friday. With all of the snow, Burley reckons this Friday will be their best opening day ever. Louis is hosting a Burton Demo on Sunday December 12.

Check the Blue Mountain snow report at: http://www.bluemountain.ca/conditions_snow_report.htm
Check the Mt St Louis Moonstone snow conditions at: http://www.mslm.on.ca/
Check the Horseshoe snow conditions at: http://www.horseshoeresort.com/
Check the Snow Valley snow report at: http://www.skisnowvalley.com/reports/barrie-snow-conditions.aspx

Chaos Headwear Partners with Windells Camp for Summer 2010

Fri, 18 Jun 2010 19:51:00 -0400

Steamboat Springs, CO- June 16, 2010. Chaos Headwear is proud to unveil custom hats for visitors to Windells Camp this summer. With a prominent Windells logo, three hat colors and a multi-colored pom-pom, this year’s campers will be able to stay warm in style. Summer campers have just arrived for another dynamic season to hone their snowboarding, skiing, skateboarding and bmx skills.

“This is just a great opportunity to help make it more fun for kids to get outside,” says Chaos US director of sales, Gary Supple.

Made of a warm-yet-breathable acrylic blend and available in black, red, and green, these hats meet the needs of summer campers enjoying both winter and summer sports high up in Mount Hood National Forest.

“This summer’s Chaos/Windells hats are the best way to keep your ears warm, all year long,” says camp founder Tim Windell. “Campers love these hats because they come in bright colors, and when you’re on hill twelve months a year, you want a hat that looks good!”

The six-year partnership with Windells is an example of Chaos’ extensive work with both recreational and competitive programs, including the Birds of Prey World Cup downhill, the Telemark World Cup, SOS Outreach, Mountain Dew Vertical Challenge and Big City Mountaineers.

“Chaos has a reputation for being involved both in the industry and direct to the consumer,” says Chaos’ Supple. “Community programs like this help us stay close with retailers and their customers. This year interested consumers can find their favorite hat on line at the Chaos Shopatron web site. These hat sales will be pulled directly from their local shop, a win for all!”

Located an hour east of Portland, visitors to Windells can hone their snowboarding, skiing, skateboarding and BMX skills all summer. The camp runs from June 6 to August 11, in eight-day sessions, and five winter camps, running strong 365 days a year. Visitors to this world-class facility receive professional coaching in an environment that focuses on the enjoyment and experience of each camper.

In addition to a progressive on-hill park located at Timberline Ski Area in Oregon, the private Windells campus offers facilities including multiple trampolines, a foam pit, two dry slopes and a giant bag jump. Also new this year is a 25,000 square foot concrete skate park.

Windells hosts a myriad of nightly activities for campers, from zombie dodge ball, to T-shirt making, slip ‘n slides, and dance parties. Windells academy, where kids can gain school credit, shred on natural snow year round right out their back door and utilize all the amenities on Windells campus. For more information on Windells, visit www.windells.com.

Glacier Skiing And Riding On Blackcomb Mountain Kicks Off June 19

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 08:44:00 -0400

Biggest snowpack in years awaits summer skiers and riders

WHISTLER, BC, June 15, 2010 – After a record breaking year of snowfall, glacier skiing and riding returns on Blackcomb’s Horstman Glacier this Saturday June 19th with some of the best summer skiing and riding conditions in years.

“It’s looking like an amazing start to the summer season,” says Adam Francis, Whistler Blackcomb’s Summer Glacier Operations Supervisor. “With the incredible amount of snow we received this year, guests will be able to enjoy some of the best summer glacier conditions in recent years.”

Grooming and parks crews have been hard at work building a summer mini pipe under the Glacier Express chair. The pipe construction and finishing touches will be completed shortly and the official opening date will be posted on whistlerblackcomb.com. When the pipe officially opens it will be hike accessible in order allow easy access and multiple runs for guests. As the build-out continues, the bottom of Showcase T-Bar will become jib central with features for both beginner and intermediate skiers and riders. Regular skiing and riding lanes will also be open to the public daily.

Summer glacier camps also hit Blackcomb Mountain, bringing in the hottest professional athletes to coach aspiring skiers and riders. Not missing out on the action, ski and snowboard magazines and professional film crews also frequent the Glacier to check out the scene. This year is no different, with Momentum Ski Camps and Camp of Champions returning for another season with the likes of guest coaches: gold medal winner Alex Bilodeau and snowboard pro Chris Dufficy. Other notable coaches include skiers Sarah Burke, TJ Schiller, Mike Riddle, Rory Bushfield, Corey Vanular, and Ian Cosco, as well as snowboarders TJ Schneider, Rube Goldberg, Beau Bishop, Verra Janssen, Andrew Burns and many more.

Access to the Horstman Glacier will start at the base of Blackcomb Mountain via the Wizard Express and Solar Coaster to the Rendezvous. Guests will then take a shuttle bus to the 7th Heaven Express Chair, which will bring them to the top of the Glacier. Lift access to the glacier is via Horstman and Showcase T-bars. Meanwhile, Horstman Hut will be open to the public, offering patio BBQs and light refreshments with a sunny outdoor patio overlooking stunning views of neighbouring Whistler Mountain and the surrounding Coast Mountain range.

General public access from the valley runs 10am-2pm for sightseers and 11am-1:30pm for skiers and riders. Glacier skiing is available from 12pm-3pm. Glacier skiing runs until July 25 and terrain park features will be available as long as snow pack and weather allows. For more information on the Whistler Blackcomb’s summer activities, visit www.whistlerblackcomb.com.

Fourth and Final Stop of the You Look Good Rider's Cup, Sunshine Village April 24th, 2010

Fri, 23 Apr 2010 09:51:00 -0400

Toronto, ON – The Coors Light YOU LOOK GOOD Rider’s Cup (YLGRC10), Canada’s premier slopestyle series, will complete its 2010 series at Sunshine Village on April 24, 2010. For the first time the YLGRC10 will be partnered up with the Coors Light Peak Party at the base of Sunshine Village. The days event will feature a Coors Light beer garden, live DJ’s, a live Fashion show and the traditional snowboarding talents found throughout Canada’s premier slopestyle series. YLGRC10 will be awarding $5,000 in Cash and $12,000 in prizing throughout the day. The 2010 Overall Male and Female in the Coors Light Pro category who managed to accumulate the most points throughout the series will be crowned with a 7-Day Surf Safari provided by Atlantic Riders and an additional 3 nights accommodation, a farewell dinner and an Algarve boat trip in the Natural Park of Ria Formosa provided by the Algarve Promotions Bureau and the Pedralva Village. In the Renegade Category, the Overall Series winners will be awarded with an Icarus Shreducation 2011 Season Scholarship worth $5,000.

    Sunshine Village is committed to supporting the fourth and final event of the series by designing a new competition site located at the bottom of Pandemonium hill where Angel Express and Strawberry chair meet. The event course will consist of three pods; the first pod will consist of rail options (Ledge, round bar, down-flat-down), the second pod will feature three jump options ranging in size from 15’ to 45’ feet and lastly, the third pod which inevitably filters you into the Coors Light beer garden will consist of varying rail ledge options. Riders will be encouraged to hike the short course or take the Angel Express chair to the peak and ride down.

    Pre Registration at Sunshine will take place on Friday April 23rd from 9:00am to 11:00am and registration will be available on Saturday April 24th from 7:30am – 10:30am in the Skier Services Building located at the bottom of the Sunshine Gondola. Event day registration: Groms can register from 7:30am – 9:30am and Amateur/Pro Open can register from 9:30am – 10:30am.

    Sunshine Village will be offering discounted lift tickets to our registered athletes for both Friday and Saturday, $67.95 for adults and $47 for Youth (13 – 17). Spectators and riders solely committed to hiking the event course can utilize a further discounted gondola exclusive lift ticket for $26.42.

Whistler Blackcomb Named One of Canada's Greenest Employers For Second Year In A Row

Thu, 22 Apr 2010 15:54:00 -0400

WHISTLER, BC, April 22, 2010 – At the same time Earth Day is celebrated across the globe, Whistler Blackcomb has been named one of Canada’s Greenest Employers for a second year in a row.

“We are thrilled to accept this award on behalf of our 3,800 employees,” says Dave Brownlie, President and Chief Operating Officer at Whistler Blackcomb. “This recognition could not be possible without the dedication, passion and commitment our staff and guests have shown to reducing waste and conserving energy. This is an award that we all can be proud of.”

Whistler Blackcomb participates in innovative renewable energy projects and encourages its staff and guests to become environmental stewards. The company received special recognition for its involvement in the Fitzsimmons Creek Run-of-River project. Located in the middle of the ski area underneath the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola, this hydro-powered renewable energy plant became operational earlier this year. This project, created in partnership with Innergex Renewable Energy and Ledcor Power Group, produces enough energy to match the total annual energy consumption of the ski area’s operating footprint (including lifts, mountain restaurants, and snowmaking).

From 2008 to 2009, Whistler Blackcomb’s food and beverage division, which includes 18 restaurants, reduced its waste by 75 per cent. Meanwhile, Whistler Blackcomb staff participate in a range of environmental programs, carpooling groups, energy conservation programs and community efforts, such as the Habitat Improvement Team (HIT). To date, Whistler Blackcomb employees have also donated $250,000 to the Whistler Blackcomb Environment Fund, which funds green projects in the community, including HIT.

“We are very grateful and inspired by the recognition,” says Arthur DeJong, Whistler Blackcomb’s Mountain Planner and Environmental Resource Manager. “Of course, with this award comes the humility of knowing we have so much further to go.”

Canada’s Greenest Employers competition has been running since 2007 and is organized by the editors of Canada’s Top 100 Employers project in partnership with Mediacorp Canada Inc.

Applicants were judged on a variety of criteria, including uniqueness, success and longevity of environmental initiatives, as well as employee and community engagement.

This year, The Globe and Mail newspaper has published a national report on the nation’s most environmentally conscious employers in celebration of Earth Day. The Greenest Employers are also recognized online at Eluta.ca.

For more information on Whistler Blackcomb’s environmental story, please visit http://www.whistlerblackcomb.com/mountain/environment/index.htm <http://www.whistlerblackcomb.com/mountain/environment/index.htm>

Indie Brands and Bands Showcased at Telus Festival's Fashion Exposed

Sun, 18 Apr 2010 22:57:00 -0400

The TELUS World Ski & Snowboard Festival’s iconic fashion show gets a dramatic make-over this April - a host of independent bands and indie brands will step out from behind the curtain to rock the runway in Whistler’s Conference Centre, on Friday, April 24, 2010.

A shredwear to bedwear take on Fashion Rocks, the Schick Fashion EXPOSED turns the runway into rock concert, matching the latest threads from upstart designers We3, Love Made Me and Lily & Jae and lifestyle brands Voleurz, Sitka, Orage, and Westbeach with live music performances from prog-rock-pop bands We Are The City and special guests The Zolas.

Joining these brands and bands will be the winner of the 4th annual Designer Search and EXPOSE contest, Guts & Guile.

Guts & Guile, who beat out finalists Red Jade and the Muttonhead Collective to take their place on the runway, is the prettied up alter ego of Whistler snowboarder Kalina Hornsby. Hawaiian-born and Hornby Island-raised, Hornsby ventured to Whistler after high-school and mastered “shred” style working in a local snowboard store. Despite following her snowboarding passion for a decade, Hornsby was also dreaming up a way to integrate true fashion, femininity and forward-thinking into the prevailing trend of highly-functional (often unflattering) outerwear. Guts & Guile is her way of injecting romance and style into life in the mountains.

Schick Fashion EXPOSED will be soundtracked by a live performance from Vancouver-based indie rockers We Are The City and special guests The Zolas.

We Are The City is a three piece progressive rock act fresh from winning Artist of 2009 in the Peak Performance Project. The Zolas will add their prog-pop treasure chest to the mix, ensuring that the 2010 Schick Fashion EXPOSED will introduce a 1200-strong crowd to a host of emerging talent and acts well-worth ‘discovering’ in Whistler, this April, Friday 24th.

Tickets to the Schick Fashion EXPOSED are $15, and can be purchased at the Whistler Activity Centre (or by calling 604-938-2769), daily from 10am-6pm.

Coors Light YOU LOOK GOOD RIDER'S CUP - fourth stop Sunshine Village April 24th, 2010

Mon, 12 Apr 2010 22:49:00 -0400

Sunshine Village is committed to supporting the fourth and final event of the series by designing a new competition site located at the bottom of Pandemonium hill where Angel Express and Strawberry chair meet. The event course will consist of three pods; the first pod will consist of rail options (Ledge, round bar, down-flat-down), the second pod will feature three jump options ranging in size from 15’ to 45’ feet and lastly, the third pod which inevitably filters you into the Coors Light beer garden will consist of varying rail ledge options. Riders will be encouraged to hike the short course or take the Angel Express chair to the peak and ride down.

Pre Registration at Sunshine will take place on Friday April 23rd from 9:00am to 11:00am and registration will be available on Saturday April 24th from 7:30am – 10:30am in the Skier Services Building located at the bottom of the Sunshine Gondola. Event day registration: Groms can register from 7:30am – 9:30am and Amateur/Pro Open can register from 9:30am – 10:30am.

Sunshine Village will be offering discounted lift tickets to our registered athletes for both Friday and Saturday, $67.95 for adults and $47 for Youth (13 – 17). Spectators and riders solely committed to hiking the event course can utilize a further discounted gondola exclusive lift ticket for $26.42.

Online registration is also available at http://www.youlookgood.ca

The overall days event schedule has changed compared to previous YLGRC10 events. Please note the updated event timelines as follows:
Grom and Renegade, Male and female, will complete qualifying and final runs between 9:00am – 11:45am.
The Salomon Amateurs and Coors Light Pro categories will complete qualifying and final runs between 11:30am – 4:00pm.
Detailed event schedules available at http://www.youlookgood.ca

Push.ca will be awarding its final Push.ca Slope-side Host Search. Get your video uploaded onto Push.ca to appear in Push.ca's live video coverage of the YLGRC10 Sunshine Village event as the slope-side host and win a Salomon Snowboard, Bonfire Jacket, and Camp of Champions Prize Pack. To enter to be the next Push.ca Slope-side Host at Sunshine Village visit http://www.push.ca/. The best video of the Push.ca Slope-side hosts will win a Camp of Champion Deluxe 5 day trip will also be awarded!

YLGRC10 has four signature events across Canada awarding a total of $20,000 and $50,000 in prizing. YLGRC10 is Canada's only open event that welcomes and encourages snowboarders of all ages and talent levels. The YLGRC10 is nationally - recognized as a launching ground for Canadian snowboard talent, assisting in riders' progression from amateur to professional.

For more info on visit http://www.youlookgood.ca.

61cm of Snow on Mt Seymour in 24 Hours

Thu, 08 Apr 2010 13:04:00 -0400

April 8, 2010 (North Vancouver, BC) – A massive storm dumped 61cm of snow on Mt Seymour in the last 24 hours. This is the most snow seen all season on the mountain and conditions are at their best for skiers and snowboarders wanting to get their fill of this fresh snow.

The current snow level at the base of Mt Seymour is 260cm with 614cm at the summit. The abundance of new snow is good news for the extended operating hours for the season. Mt Seymour announced on Tuesday that the mountain will be extending its hours of operation one more weekend and will now schedule to close on April 18.

The operating hours for the remainder of the season at Mt Seymour is as follows:

Friday, April 9                11am-8pm
           Saturday, April 10          8:30am-8pm
           Sunday, April 11 8:30am-8pm
           Saturday, April 17          8:30am-8pm
           Sunday, April 18 8:30am-8pm

For more information on weather conditions and hours of operation at Mt Seymour, please visit www.mountseymour.com <http://www.mountseymour.com/> .

Ditching the Desks: 5th Annual OfficeBooyz April 9th at Mount Seymour

Mon, 05 Apr 2010 22:13:00 -0400

Every year donut-fueled snowboard industry pencil pushers take to the slopes to get out their pent out aggression and show off heavily caffeinated style over a course of absured jumps, rails and features in a contest called OfficeBooyz. This year sedentary workers will dust themselves off and head to Mount Seymour, a change from past years where the contest was held on Grouse.

Events will commence Friday, April 9 at noon, and the paper shufflers will partake in a dual slalom, office cross (we hope this is some sort of course involving snowboarding to stapling and shipping stations), high jump, quasi big air, hotdog eating contest, best costume, scorpion king, standout gut of the day (have to feel sorry for the judge of that particular event), most grays, OB Champ among others. Sounds like the fraternity sports day from Revenge of the Nerds, minus the electric violins but maybe with jocks dressed as cheerleaders, either way, hilarious.

Whether last year's top dogs like Dez Price of No Limits who won Scorpion King status or Scott Herbert of Face Shots who reigned over Obstacle Avoidence will keep their spots of dominance remains to be seen. How someone trains to win the Least Flexible title we're not sure, but we bet Jay Good of No Limits won't give it up without a very stiff fight.

Prizes last year included a rubber chicken, Jamiesons scotch and a McDonald's gift certificate. With so much on the line, we're sure everyone will be in fine form. Be sure to show up to cheer on the unsung heroes of the industry as they fight for dominance, lose some dignity and enjoy an afternoon out of the office.