- Riders Article

PLAYLIST: with Taylor Godber

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 16:01:00 -0400

Taylor Godber has been our go-to fitness girl at SBC Women's for the past few years. This month instead of featuring a snowboard playlist, we asked Taylor to give us her top 12 work-out tunes.

"When I am hanging out at home I listen to a lot of indie and classic rock. When I am riding I listen to a little bit of everything and when I am at the gym its like I am at the club. Fast tempo house and electronic. Music to keep your heart pumping and your motivation up. I put the songs in order as if you were warming up, doing cardio, strength training or circuit training, followed by a cool down and stretch. It will get you through a quick 45 minute workout."

Capital Cities, Safe And Sound (Cash Cash Remix)

Calvin Harris ft. Florence Welch, Sweet Nothing

David Guetta, Titanium ft. Sia

Anthonio, Designer Drugs Remix

Axwell, Feel the vibe

Rhianna, Right Now Feat. David Guetta

Vicetone, Heartbeat (feat. Colin McLoughlin)

iSquare, Hey Sexy Lady (Laidback Luke Remix)

David Guetta feat Taped Rai, Just One Last Time

Rhianna, Stay (Branchez Bootleg)

The Killers, Runaways (RAC mix)

Julie C, Tomorrow (Tuff Gong Reggae mix)

PLAYLIST: with Laurie Gauvin

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 22:05:00 -0400

This month we tracked down Quebec's own Laurie Gauvin to take part in our playlist feature. As a guest dj at Garfs in Whistler, we knew Laurie would be prefect for this. "I like pretty much any type of music, as long as it's got good vibes. Someone once told me every moment has its music, and I think that pretty much sums up how I roll. My snowboarding playlist is filled with what I like to call 'feel good music.' Riding deep pow calls for more down tempo electro while trani-finding in the park is usually a case of more upbeat indie sounds. Tough call for a top ten but here's a glimpse of what I've been snowboarding to lately."

Simian Mobile Disco, I Believe

Nothing new but I'm just not getting over this one.

Purity Ring, Grammy

The ultimate boarder babe song.

Kendrick Lamar, Bitch Don't Kill My Vibe

Nollies onto everything.

Grimes, Genesis (Ryan Hemsworth Remix)

Find the inner motivation you need to send that 100 footer cliff

Rebecca and Fiona, Dance

Oh, don't you wish you were dropping from a heli too!

CHVRCHES, The Mother We Share

Powder alert soundtrack.

HAIM, Falling

Cause it just sounds really good.

C2C, Happy feat. Derek Martin

For this one, make sure you are riding down very fast and hit as many features as you can on your way.

9. Grouplove - Tongue Tied (Gigamesh Remix)
The perfect soundtrack to a sunny day riding the park with all your friends.

10. Will Smith - Getting Jiggy With It
This one's a banger, save it for the last run.

Vera Janssen takes 2nd place at the World Freeride Championships

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 11:49:00 -0400

Greetings from Valdez, Alaska. It's been a great bluebird week here on Thompson Pass for the World Freeride Championships.

For our first day, we got heli-bumped to the top of notorious "Slough City" and all competitors got a big Alaskan run that showcased everyone's ability as you headed down through "every snowpack known to mankind". I was happy to be in a ship with Iris Lazzareschi and Yoko Nakamura. With no time to pick lines, we stepped out of the heli and had to drop in immediately. The three of us all had good runs down this technical terrain, and were happy for each other's turns and to be able to ride such amazing mountains here.

The second day we jammed the Python Shoulder, right above the Tailgate Basecamp. Yoko chose a tight chute that she rode in confidence and style, while Iris and I went on a long mission on the ridge to access the farthest-away part of the venue because it was the longest run and had the best snow at the bottom. On our way to our drop-in we had to crawl through tight rock holes and balance on the narrow mountain ridge.

The contest was rider-judged and the media team managed to blast out a 17-minute-edit showcasing everybody's runs.

Japanese rider Yoko Nakamura took home the championship title and the legendary sword, followed by myself and Iris who still got to take home daggers (it's gonna look good next to my 2010 sword).

Its dumping now in Valdez. Sixty centimetres is expected in the next 24h hours and there's 20cm on the ground right now. Next week is going to be amazing.

Check back for another update next week.

Contest run point of view

Slough City

The women's World Freeride Championship Yoko Nakamura with Vera Janssen

PLAYLIST: with Natalie Allport

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 10:45:00 -0500

Ottawa's own Natalie Allport recently let us on her top 10 songs to snowboard to. This up-and-coming slopestyle rider's playlist features a little old school hip-hop and alot of Top 40 hits. "My music changes on the daily. It all depends on whether I'm hitting rails, filming, or getting sendy on a jump day. I like to listen to happy fun music on sunny days and gangst beats when the bad weather rolls in. The following songs are on shuffle no matter what the weather's like."

A$AP Rocky ft. Lana Del Rey, Ridin'

"I am OBSESSED with Lana. I'm also a big A$AP fan. She's so sassy and his voice is pretty cool."

Rihanna, Diamonds (Jacob Plant Dubstep Remix)
"The original is better than this remix, but the remix is better to snowboard to."

MIA, Bad Girls

"This is my go-to song. I have a habit of requesting this song at parties, and get so stoked when I hear it. MIA is one bada$$ chick."

Justin Bieber, Boyfriend

"Hey JB you can totally be my boyfriend. Seriously though, I am digging the new hairstyle, kind of a Stefan Salvatore (from Vampire Diaries) look."

Public Enemy, Harder Than You Think

"This song is so classic. I love old school hip-hop, it's probably the best music to ride to. My brother and I turn this song right up on road trips."

Lana Del Rey, Heavy Hitter

"She has so many unreleased songs it's crazy. I think I have finally found them all...might even be able to claim I have every song Lana's made. But I'm still discovering new ones."

Cypress Hill, Latin Thugs

"I'm half Venezuelan, my mom would be proud of my Latin-inspired music selection here. Except she probably wouldn't aprove of this song.."

Nicki Minaj, Beef Stew

"I definitely can't rap like Nicki, but I try. This song is kind of weird though..."

Rihanna, Phresh off the Runway

"Can't ever get enough RihRih"

Florence and the Machine, Lover to Lover

"Florence is an angel on Earth. Or so they say."

Claudia Avon takes on the silver screen

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 16:16:00 -0400

Some like it hot, Some Like It Cold ... sounds like the name of an adult film right. Get your mind out of the gutter people. Cineflex Production Company teamed up with Helipro Co. to send Canadian snowboarder Claudia Avon to Sochi, Russia to help film Some Like It Cold in March. Given the amazing opportunity, Claudia jumped on board and had a few hiccups along the way but there was nothing she couldn’t handle.

Claudia had to make three glorious connecting flights to get from Vancouver, B.C. to Sochi, Russia. Through snowstorms, trying to sleep in a busy airport and missing flights due to the huge language barrier, she finally made it.

Airport shutdown for two days

Cineflex Cameras

As the stuntwomen Claudia had to wear the same gear as the main actress Lyanka Griu from Russia. The bright pink outfit was tight for Claudia but it will provide pure entertainment when her friends see her wear gear she would typically never rock.

Maxim Balakouski played the stuntman for leading male actor in the movie. He's a Russian snowboarder that has traveled the world and is also the owner of Helipro Co.

Snowboarders and actors

First day of filming

On the first day of filming, the snow conditions looked unstable. However, Maxim dropped first, followed by Claudia. The guide mentioned to the conditions to film crew but they wanted the shot, so the production went on. While Claudia’s intuition told her not to drop, the crew signaled her to go right after Maxim …..so she did.

Claudia waiting for the heli to take off

Coming down the mountain she became more and more concerned. Halfway down the mountain Claudia could feel the snow under her board and started to realize that the snow was pushing her. She tried hard to ride it out and within seconds couldn't see. She then realized she was caught in an avalanche. The snow kept taking her but she fought to keep herself on top and not be taken under. It got to the point where she had to pull the ABS bag and start floating on the snow. When she made it to the bottom seconds later, she sat in silence realizing she was safe but was still in complete shock.

Later she sat down with the crew and explained how dangerous that was and how she just risked her life. The guide said the snow wasn’t stable and the riders felt the same way. The movie crew was very apologetic and they became more considerate of Claudia, Maxim and the guide's input.

Let this be a lesson to any professional or enthusiast rider, don’t let anyone push you around when you don’t feel safe and listen to your instincts because it can save your life.

Max and the guide looking at lines

On the very last day their flights were delayed and because they still hadn’t gotten any good shots for the film. As Claudia and Maxim arrived at the heli pad, the pressure was on. Last chance to get the shots and there was a chance the snow wouldn’t be right. Cloudy with a mix of sun but it wasn’t clear enough to fly with the helicopter; the riders waited more than seven hours.

Maxim and Claudia get ready to drop

Finally the guide and riders got in the helicopter to go and test the snow. They arrived at the top of the ridge where the lines were going to be filmed. All three of them were safely dropped off, but Claudia saw a natural slide already present. As Maxim dropped in, he was calling Claudia's name. After hesitatating for five seconds, she went for it and realized that she can’t let the fear from the other day hold her back. This time she did get the ok from the guide that the snow was stable and that made her decision to drop easier.

While the snow was heavy, the crew got the shots they wanted. This was a very intense trip for Claudia but she felt proud. From the experience in unknown mountain territory to the Russian culture, she has no regrets about this fantastic opportunity. The trip was a success.

Flying in Sochi

Behind the scenes on the last day of filming

PLAYLIST: with Esthera Preda

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 07:05:00 -0500

For our final Playlist feature of 2012, we teamed up with Quebec’s own Esthera Preda. From Pink Floyd to John Fahey and Joy Division, here’s Esthera’s Top 10 songs of all time.

Arcade Fire, Tunnels

"The absolute amalgam of feelings and genius."

David Bowie, Five Years

"Bowie just blows my mind. This song has a subconscious feeling of doom accompanied with a whirlwind of emotions."

Pink Floyd, Echoes

"Perfectly haunting."

Brian Jonestown Massacre, Maybe Tomorrow

"I'm just a big fan of Anton Newcomb. I think he's brilliant."

Daniel Johnston, True Love Will Find You In The End

"Simply the most honest and unadulterated love song ever written."

Donovan, Atlantis

"Let's just say that I had some sort of epiphany while listening to this song one day."

Joy Division, Atmosphere

"I like how perfectly this song combines minimalism and anti-climax."

John Fahey, Sail Away Ladies

"My favourite folk artist. Timeless feel good song."

Leonard Cohen, So long Marianne

"Although many of Leonard's songs could easily fill a top 10 songs Of All Time list just by themselves, I'll go with that one because I think it's particularly pretty and nostalgic sounding."

Timber Timbre, Cedar Shakes

"I love the unique, lo-fi, filled with white noise style of this song."

PLAYLIST: with Mercedes Nicoll

Fri, 20 Jul 2012 11:00:00 -0400

Halfpipe rider Mercedes Nicoll recently took a break from glacier shredding, to give us the lowdown on her top 10 songs of the season. From Neon Trees to Train, find out what songs she’s singing along to this summer.

Of Monsters and Men, Little Talks

"It’s a nice mellow song to wake up to."

Neon Trees, Everybody Talks

"Because EVERYBODY talks. Just a fun song."

KO KO, Float

"I don’t know where I stumbled across this song but it’s been a favourite for a while. It just puts a smile on my face. I can relate to it."

Train, Drive By

"Great song to work out to."

Chiddy Bang, Happening

"What are you waiting for? Time to wake up!"

Robyn, Dancing on my own

"Because who doesn’t like a dance party?"

Carly Rae Jepsen, Call me Maybe

"Had to, I do love it. Judge away. XOXO"

Olly Murs, Dance With Me Tonight

"I like the oldschool feel to this song"

Rihanna, Cheers (Drink To That)

"Makes my weekend everytime"

Emile Sande, Next To Me

"Love her. And this song."

PLAYLIST: with Breanna Stangeland

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

Chances are if you really want to get to know someone, you should take a look in their iTunes library. We recently put National slopestyle team rider Breanna Stangeland to the test. From country (Tim McGraw and Taylor Swift) to classics like Wilson Phillips and Patsy Cline, Breanna's musical tastes might just surprise you. "Not sure anyone else likes my music but I sure think its great."

M.I.A, Bad Girls

"This song has a really good beat to ride to. I listen to it whenever I start to get lazy with my riding."

Wilson Phillips, Hold On

"I got this one from Bridesmaids. Its just really good to sing along too."

The Black Keys, When the Lights Go Out

"I like the country feel to this song"

Little Boots, New in Town (Fred Falke Remix)

"On repeat for hot laps on Red Chair in Whistler"

Patsy Cline, Walking after Midnight

"Sometimes you need a slow song to calm you down when your going to space on jumps."

Gob, I Hear You Calling

"Gob came to Whistler this summer and it reminded me of this gem from way back."

Hugo, 99 Problems

"A favourite for pow tree runs"

Taylor Swift, Ours

"I love everything by Taylor Swift but this one is just nice to sing to"

Tim Mcgraw, BBQ Stain

"I really like country music and this one is a classic"

Airbourne, Too Much, Too Young, Too Fast

"Another song to get you really hyped up."

Marie-Andrée Racine's Season Update

Thu, 12 Jul 2012 10:51:00 -0400

I remember my first day of shredding this year on Whistler. We got 70 cm of new snow… balls deep. Such an awesome start to the season and a good workout too because when you get stuck in 70 cm of unpacked snow, it’s not too easy to get out of there. So a lot of pow riding and of course some park on days with less then 15 cm of new snow. I rode a lot with my friend Matt Belair and we got to film quite a bit with the Go Pro's and had such a good time riding everyday.


Backlip, Whistler                                               Hand plant, Blackcomb

Early January, it seemed like there was no snow anywhere, the winter pressed pause and it was cold and dry everywhere. Almost everywhere but Alaska was getting dumped on and so Joanie Robichaud and I decided to head there for a couple days to go do some street filming. Yeah you read that right, street riding in Alaska.

Alaska is known for having the gnarliest big mountains lines but it also has a lot of good original street features. We hit up a couple cool spots all around Anchorage in -30º C. Shoveling was the best thing to try to stay warm. We also went and hiked a mountain on the side of the highway. We built a jump at the top, hiked it all day, then just before sunset, rode back down. Unfortunately, on one of the rails that we were hitting, I tore my meniscus and wasn’t able to ride for the rest of the trip. Alaska was awesome. I will be back!


Backlip, Alaska                                     Beautiful sunset in the mountains

February 6th, I got meniscus surgery so no more riding for a while. This time instead of just waiting around in Whistler watching all my friends go shred everyday, I saved up some money and went down to Asia for 3 months. I spent a month in Thailand and two months in Indonesia, which was amazing. We did a lot of surfing around Bali and Lombok, went on volcano hikes, sun tanned and did scooter road trips. Definitely a good trip as I ended up meeting up with some friends from the states, Whistler and some more friends from Quebec. As if we were on the other side of the world and there were at least 20 people I knew from back home. It’s a small world they say.

Surfing in Medewi, Bali

I am now back in Canada right in time for Camp of Champions. The first week of July, Camp B, was Roxy week so we got to shred with the girls. Robin Van Gyn, Erin Comstock, Ty Walker, Joanie Robichaud, Samm Denena, Zoya Lynch and myself were up there all week shredding and having a time. As it was +25º C down in the valley, we were riding up there in the sun. Tough life right. About two more weeks of riding now and then I’ll be working, skateboarding, biking and getting ready for next season: waiting patiently for the snow to start falling and start shredding again.


Joanie, Marie-Andree Racine, Erin & Ty               Marie-Andree & Joanie

Method on the bottom hip at COC                    Handplant at COC

April Rider of the Month: Cheryl Maas

Sun, 03 Apr 2011 17:56:00 -0400

Dutch rider Cheryl Maas’ part in Dropstitch, a 2004 all-girl snowboard film, blew my mind. The rails she hit were bigger and more technical than anything girls were attempting at the time, and she was even out-sliding some of the guys. Her natural talent was apparent and extra impressive given that she had grown up riding artificial slopes in the Netherlands. Despite dealing with multiple blown shoulders over the last two seasons, Cheryl is back and pushing the limits of women’s snowboarding. Last month at the European X Games Cheryl landed the first ever 900 in women’s slope competition, and she just released the teaser for her own web series called “Open Air.” Prepare to have your mind blown, or blown again as the case may be.

1. What are you most looking forward to this month? Easter holiday in Norway, going cross country skiing with family.

2. Do you sit down and make goals for yourself every season? I know what I’d like to do each season but they are not really goals. I just know what I’d like to focus on, but I don’t always make a goal. But this year I did, I would like to get best girl video part of the year.

3. What do you remember about your first time on a snowboard? That I was really bad at it! And they could not figure out if I was regular or goofy.

4. When did you first realize you could be a snowboarder for a living? I guess when I was getting paid enough to not have to keep my summer job any more and could go riding.

5. Who is the best female snowboarder of all time? Janna Meyen-Wetherby

6. How do you get over a bad fall? You just have to get back out there and do it again. And fight the bad memory.

7. What do you do to keep from burning out? Treat yourself good! Like, good food and massages.

8. Which women (snowboarders or not) most inspire you? My wife Stine Brun Kjeldaas.

9. What is your guiltiest pleasure? To do nothing for a day.

10. An Olympic gold medal or Best Video part award, which would you prefer and why? I would like a Best video part because that means I had a good, fun winter. But a gold medal would be good for the future, because the mainstream only knows the Olympics.

11. What is the best thing about your home mountain? That I don’t have one, so I don’t have to wait for snow! I just travel.

12. What scares you? Gap jumps ever since I fell into the X Games gap.

13. Favourite on the road food? Sushi

14. One must-have item for snowboarding? A riding friend!

15. Who would you like to thank? Mom and Dad. Stine Brun Kjeldaas. My brother. Jeroen Baziun. And Volcom, Nitro, Electric, Vans, Nixon, Rockstar, Celtek.

Photos courtesy of Volcom.

PLAYLIST: with Diane Rudge

Wed, 05 Sep 2012 00:00:00 -0400

"When it comes to music I feel like I am always the last to know. For some reason I cannot stay on top of what’s new and current, so typically I turn to the classics. My playlist is also very small. I can never find the time to add more or when I do, I forget what I want. But right now this is what I’m listening to."

Stevie Nicks, Sorcerer

"She is one artist I never get bored of."

Florence and the Machine, Only If For A Night

"Another album I always have on repeat, love her free spirit."

Spice Girls, Spice Up Your Life

"After watching the closing ceremonies of the Olympics, I love them all over again."

Beach House, Other People

"Very mellow and relaxing to listen to, it’s a nice summertime dock tune."

Lana Del Ray, Born to Die

"Her whole album, so good."

Robyn, Dancing On My Own

"Great song to have on for when I’m getting ready to go out."

Santigold, L.E.S. Artistes

"Love it, for any mood its a good one."

Bruce Springsteen, Dancing In The Dark

"It's a classic"

Rihanna, Cheers

"Yup, I'll drink to that!"

Zion I, Coastin'

"Great song for the gym."

Diane Rudge, Hogue photo.

Taylor Godber's Scooter Fail in Bali

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 11:23:00 -0500

In attempt to escape the overcast skies, the consistent rain, and the intense anticipation of counting down the days until the snow creeps down from the mountain tops, sticks to the village stroll, and opening day is released, I made a classic pre-season move and decided to take to the beach. With my ever growing passion to surf and an addiction for the ocean that was sprung as a child, I hopped on a plane solo for Bali.

The first 2 weeks were comprised of surfing a couple times of day, eating amazing food, watching the sunset from the cliff top or in the water, drinking Bintangs (cheap beer), reading books, and just hanging out with a rad crew: Andrew Sayer, Ashley Barker, Kenta Goto, Dario Phillips, and Colin Adair. To say that every aspect of my Bali adventure was going more than perfect would be an incredible understatement.

Then, epic fail by means of the primary transport method: scooter. In Bali, the scooter is a must to get around. The 125cc powered vehicle is the quickest mode of transport, easily and cheaply rented everywhere, amazing on gas, a requirement to access certain surf spots, and dangerous. Scooters litter the streets; and have a road presence ratio similar to the ratio of men to women in a ski resort. The list of legal street rules of driving are as follows: the larger vehicle always has the right away. That’s it! Legal consumption of alcohol, high speeds, cutting people off, not shoulder checking, texting, three adults plus one four month old baby—everything goes. Every man for himself applies at all times.

And so I joined the Minimum of 10 Injuries a Day club and got myself what the locals call a serious “bali kiss.”

Heading home from a night in Kuta, I hit one of the big gravel potholes on the side of the road and flew right over the handlebars. I hit the road traveling at roughly 60km/h. I do not remember anything, but got the play-by-play of what happened next from my good friend, and Bali local, Ricky Wunderlich.

Blood covered and not so conscious my buddy tossed me on the back of his bike and zipped me back into town to the BIMC hospital. I got stitched up, cleaned up, and wrapped up. Luckily my injuries were only suffering: a black eye, a concussion, tiger-attack scrapes, 12 stitches, and a broken scapula. I spent three nights in one of the best hospitals that I have ever visited. The doctors were professional, the nurses were gentle, the cleanliness standards were amazing, and the food was actually healthy and delicious.

On Day 2: Getting the wounds re-cleaned and rocking my first shiner. Dudes dig scars, right?

Here I sit, still in Bali. I am quickly recovering with the help and company of absolutely amazing, caring, and fun new friends that continually keep me smiling. With a firm belief that everything happens for a reason and that something positive must come from this, I fight the urge to be un-motivated watching everyone in the water surfing and the consistent snowboard-related status updates and mountain opening date releases. How often do we all as athletes and, even more so, snowboarders put ourselves in danger on the mountain and in life in general? I feel very lucky to be hobbling away with the manageable injuries I received.

For the time being, it’s all about soaking up as much sun while on the road to recovery. My opening day will be a few weeks later than everyone else, but it will still be just as exciting and just as much fun. And I am already counting down to my next surf adventure.

Marie-Andrée & Joanie's Alaskan Adventure

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

Since there was no snow anywhere in North America, we decided to plan a trip to Anchorage, Alaska. We heard on the news and the Internet they got about 18 feet of snow since the beginning of the season. One of our friend’s Danyale is from there and she invited us to go stay at her parent’s place. On January 16, at midnight, we land at Ted Anderson Anchorage international airport. We were excited to see the mountains but we couldn’t see anything at the time because it was so dark out. We will see them tomorrow I guess.



When we woke up at 8 am, it seemed like it was 5 am because of how dark it still was. We finally got to see the mountains around 11 when we were driving to go hit our first spot. This was our warm-up day. We hit a down ledge all day, even if it was a warm-up day. The temperature was another story because of how cold it was. Hand warmers became our best friends.

Our second day in Anchorage, started with a bit of getting lost, followed by a bit of getting stuck, trying to drive up a really icy road with the van. We ended up having to push it but that failed again. We then parked the van in the parking lot and walked up to find our spot. We were up top of Arctic Valley and surrounded by mountains. With the beautiful scenery, the sun shining and best view ever and it was really productive. We finished up as the sunset, went home for a good dinner, played Mexican train and called it a night. We have to get some rest for tomorrow, our first day in the Alaskan backcountry.

Early start for today, we’re going for a hike in the backcountry with Jake. He's Danyale’s dad and a really cool man. He's a backcountry skier, climber, hunter, surfer and I’m sure much more then that but that’s all we know. Anyway, he knows the Alaskan backcountry really well and he brought us to a turnagain pass, a 2,200 feet hike, which bring us about 5,500 feet above sea level. The long hike was definitely worth it with bluebird skies, a lot of good dry snow and mountains all around us. We built a jump and hiked it all day. After a really good ride down, we ate the best smoked-salmon on Earth. Jake caught it himself and had it smoked by the Indian valley meat. Absolutely delicious.



The rest of our Anchorage trip was mostly trying to hit as much street features as possible and trying to get some shots on them. This became really hard, as we got kicked out of lots of spots. It wasn’t always working as we wanted to but that’s what it is... It can’t always be easy. On one of our late night sessions, Marie kind of hurt her knee so she didn’t get to shred anymore for the rest of the trip. During our whole trip, we got to eat some good Alaskan food, got to ride some of best snow in the world, meet some Alaskan esquimau, got to see a new place and on our last night, we got to see the Northern Lights.

So it’s now time to fly back home but for some reason, we have this random connection in Phoenix, Arizona. We tried every-way possible to get that flight changed but couldn’t do it. We had to fly all the way down south, pretty much to Mexico. Everyone was wearing shorts and flip-flops, while we had our toques, puffy’s and boots on. Carrying our Banshee Bungee and GoPro on a ski pole, also got the attention of everyone at the security gates.



We initially thought we had three hours to wait for our flight, so we went for dinner and had a beer at Highway 66. When it was time for us to go check on our flight, no one was at our gate. We quickly realized our plane was in process to of leaving right then. That’s when we also realized there's a two hour time difference between Alaska and Arizona, not a one hour difference. With all of this frustration we had towards Phoenix, now we have to spend the night here since we’ve missed our flight. The next flight for Vancouver leaves tomorrow morning at 11:30. We then book a hotel room for the night. On our way to the hotel, in the shuttle, to add to our luck, the back door of the van opens while driving 60 miles an hour on the highway and we almost loose our luggage. We ended up not being the only one to miss our flight. We make some friends, get some beers and enjoy a out night in Phoenix with a pilot, a marine and a scientist. Ended up being a cool night. Now we have some cactus and palms trees pictures from our trip to Alaska. We’ve finally made it home safe and are happy to be back.

PLAYLIST: with Darrah Reid-McLean

Tue, 13 Nov 2012 19:38:00 -0500

We recently put Winnipeg's own Darrah Reid-McLean to the test to find out her favourite songs to snowboard to. From Dinosaur Junior to No Doubt, and The Pixies to The Presidents of the United States of America, here's a small sample of her eclectic musical taste.

The Presidents of the United States of America, Lump

"One of the first cds I ever owned when I was a kid. I still love this whole album."

The xx, Crystalised

"This song reminds me of Desiree, she has a couple songs that she plays over and over again in her truck. I heard a lot of The xx while traveling with her."

The Pixies, Hey!

"The first Pixies song I was introduced to when I was 15. Soon after I went on a road trip to Regina to see them live. It was amazing."

Radiohead, Karma Police

"I like a lot of 90's music a lot"

Dinosaur Jr., Blowing It

No Doubt, Don't Speak

Azure Ray, Displaced

"Nice to fall asleep to."

The Black Keys, Tighten Up

"This song has a good feel, and it was used in Kevin's 8mile part one year so it always makes me think of him."

Coco Rosie, Noah's Ark

"Jake used this in Jersey Cream spring park edit years ago when we were all living together and I've liked it a lot since then, reminds me of good times."

Tegan and Sara, Living room

"First Tegan and Sara song I heard. I love them so much."

Arcade Fire, The Suburbs

Modest Mouse, Alone down there

"From my favourite Modest Mouse album, but they're all good"

Bahamas, Caught me thinking

"I just saw this band live in Winnipeg ... look them up ladies, your heart will seriously melt for the lead dude."

Waka Flaka, I don't really care

"Lately I've been listening to a lot of shitty rap music, it gets me so hyped."

2 Chainz, Spend It

Winter Prep with Helen Schettini

Thu, 14 Oct 2010 07:00:00 -0400

Rider Helen Schettini fills us in on how she gets prepped for the winter from head to nose (of her snowboard).

How do you get ready for the season ahead fitness-wise?
"I head to the gym a lot in the off season—though no more in the fall than in the spring. Eric Soucy, a great friend and a personal trainer, sets me up with amazing work-out programs all year long. We definitely focus on heavier lifting and plyometrics going into the winter season. So this means lots of Olympic lifting and jumping techniques (box jumps, quick feet exercises) to get the "pop" back in your legs."

Does this affect your diet?
"I've always been a very healthy person. I'm actually doing distance courses in nutrition right now, so my diet generally stays healthy all the time. Maybe I do eat a little more in the fall since I'm using up so much more energy at the gym, but nothing changes drastically."

Do you do anything to get yourself ready, mentally?
"I don't really do that much for my head. I find that overthinking and over analyzing messes me up, so I just think about the snow falling and hope for a great winter!"

Have you started making travel plans for the winter and meeting with team managers to plan your season?
"I've spoken with a few team managers in the last few months but no plans have been made. I don't compete so that is probably a big reason why I have no set dates. I'll definitely head to the Interior and the Kootenays for some sled trips. I hope to get on a plane and go somewhere cool like Japan or Europe—but no word yet."

What do you do as far as your gear?
"I'm pretty bad at tuning. I never sharpen my edges and I wax once every couple weeks (...or get the boyfriend to do it). That's definitely a New Year's resolution, I need to wax more! "

Is there anything else you do to prep for the season ahead?
"I have to go get a sled tune-up closer to the start of the season. I just got my truck checked to make sure it's running smooth and I need to build a new sled deck. Ummm....what else? I already have my Whistler pass so I think I've got all my bases covered."

How does this all help with making a better start to the season?
"It's pretty funny once the hill opens and everyone's bitching about how their legs are burning, or if you're hiking and everyone is out of breath and fogging up their goggles while you could be running up the hill backwards. It's also nice to have peace of mind that the sled and truck are running well. Overall, all this prep creates less stress on your body and mind and makes the season much more smooth and enjoyable."

PLAYLIST: with Kara Rennie

Tue, 12 Jun 2012 08:34:00 -0400

For our PLAYLIST feature this month we teamed up with Ontario’s own Kara Rennie. Featuring a little bit of pop, oldies and some good old Canadian content, Kara breaks down why these are 10 of her favourite songs of all time.

Rihanna, We Found Love

"This song reminds me of dancing with Tron Willies in SLC"

Tom Petty, Mary Janes Last Dance

"Classic song from my childhood"

Deep Dish, Dreams (Fleetwood Mac remix)

"Reminds me of my first time traveling to New Zealand"

Fleetwood Mac, Everywhere

"Reminds me of my edit from 2010/2011"

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, 40 Day Dream

"Reminds me of my other edit from 2010/2011"

Jean Elen, Killer

"Reminds me of road trips with my favourite teenager Kirra Kotsenburg"

The Naked and Famous, Girls Like You

"I enjoy them, especially live."

The Doors, LA Women

"Reminds me of going to some sketchy bar in Mexico with some Mexican dude, they had a jukebox"

Fresh Prince of Bel Air Theme song

"My ringtone"

Arcade Fire, Rebellion

"Just never gets old and they're Canadian"

PLAYLIST: with Robin Van Gyn

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

This time around for our Playlist feature we tracked down Roxy rider Robin Van Gyn. While on the road to Revelstoke, she sent over 11 songs that have a little something for everyone. When asked how she’d best describe her playlist Van Gyn says, “This is a mix in the literal sense of the word.”

Smith Westerns, Smile

"Love this bands original sound, its vintage."

Sleigh Bells, Rill Rill

"Makes me think of summer good times when winter gets dismal."

Lynyrd Skynyrd, Free Bird

"Classic"

Big Boi, Daddy Fat Sax

"Like Outkast? You'll love Big Boi."

Fleet Foxes, Lorelai

"The mellow interlude"

Kid Cudi ft. Bob Dylan, High n' Lows

"Awesome colab, Bob is the man."

Fitz and the Tantrums, Don't Gotta Work it Out

"Makes me want to dance."

The Decemberists, June Hymn

"A little country never hurt anyone."

Deer Tick, Art isn't Real

"Best live show I've seen in a bit"

Kanye West and Jay-Z, Murder to Excellence

"Good beats."

Robyn, Call your girlfriend

"Get seriously amped."

Robin sends in Whistler backcountry. John Scarth photo.

PLAYLIST: with Hana Beaman

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 11:59:00 -0500

In the first installment of our new PLAYLIST feature Hana Beaman took sometime to share with us some of her favourite songs and she explains why they made the cut. Hana describes her playlist as, "Pretty all over the place, but I guess that's me!" Perhaps you too can find some tracks in here that will get you stoked to ride this season, or maybe even a new favourite song...

Emiliana Torrini, Jungle Drum

"It's just happy and upbeat. Kinda wakes me up and gets me in that peppy mood."

Bob Sinclair, World Hold On

"I don't care how old or how overplayed, this song always gets me going and puts me on a positive note and reminds me to live for the day. How can you argue with this guy? and the whistling's so catchy.... just watch, it'll get stuck in your head."

The Gap Band, You Dropped A Bomb On Me

"Funky, good beat, makes me think of a bail section. Which probably isn't a good thing when you're early season riding."

Britney Spears, Till the World Ends

"I mean, what can I say, it's Brit.... great for a jog through the forest, or a post apocalyptic jungle if you prefer."

Rihanna, We Found Love

"The girls on FIYAH!! If I could time travel to the future I'd put her next #1 song on this list, but I can't."

The Black Keys, Lonely Boy

"High energy, and with that southern grit gets me feelin like a bad ass."

Agnes Obel, Riverside

"Almost like a lullaby, I like to listen to it in the evening. Her whole album is sweet and calming, lets me wind down from the day."

Chris Brown, Beautiful People

"Don't particularly like Chris Brown or any of his music, but I can't deny that I like this song. Sorry RiRi."

Keren Ann, My Name is Trouble

"I can relate to this song in the preseason because I feel like I'm constantly all over the place and trying to get my crap together, just being pulled in 20 different directions."

Puscifier, The Mission (M is For Mila MIx)

"Don't know why I like this song, but I do. Maybe cause I like Mila Jovovich, or because I picture myself on a horse, with a gun, in the old west."

PLAYLIST: with Molly Milligan

Tue, 22 May 2012 08:05:00 -0400

We recently tracked down Molly Milligan to find out her 10 favourite songs of the season. “These songs are currently featured on my growing "Summer 2012" playlist. I like shredding to music that I can dance to. Or at the very least jump up and down to. Listen to it in this order, start with the power song, move on to some dance, some hip-hop, some happy/sad/dramatic, and then finish off with another power song.”

Awolnation, Sail

"This is a kick ass song and so fitting when it was used for Travis Rice's Supernatural. Makes me want to kick some ass."

Selena Gomez, Love You Like a Love Song

"I discovered this song while most likely procrastinating on getting important things done, and instead watching Pop-Up Video. It's catchy."

Kazaky, Dance And Change

"I discovered this song while reading people rant about Madonna's new song Girl Gone Wild and how it was very similar to Dance for Change but I think it's just the back-up dancers that are similar. I dunno. This music video is dope: dudes dancing in heels and killing it."

Kanye West and Jay-Z, Ni**as in Paris

"This music video is so sick. The kaleidoscope effect added to their live performance makes you feel like you're right there in the crowd watching them, jumping up and down."

Beastie Boys feat. Santigold, Don't Play No Game That I Can't Win

"After the passing of MCA I did what I'm sure a lot of people did, listen to a lot of his music. This video is directed by Spike Jonze. Amazing. And I'd never heard this song before. Also amazing."

Ellie Goulding, Lights

"A little top 40 at the moment. A song that just makes me happy."

Gotye, Somebody That I Used To Know

"Totally played to death this year but dammit, who hasn't felt this way? I like turning this one up a lot on the car and singing to it loudly. Video is low budget but super creative. Love it."

The Naked And Famous: Girls Like You

"Just saw these guys live and they killed it. The song is sweet."

Tears for Fears, Mad World

"One of my favorite songs of all time. So dramatic."

Florence and the Machine, No Light, No Light

"Chick can sing. Powerful song."

As a bonus track throw in Small Town DJ's, Best of 2011
"Another hour and a half of greatness."

Bet there was some Kanye West and Jay-Z playing during this photo shoot

Molly sends it in the backcountry. Julien Salenave photo

PLAYLIST: with Gillian Andrewshenko

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 11:24:00 -0400

Playlist is back and this time we caught up with Gillian Andrewshenko. When asked about her musical preferences Gillian said, "My playlists are never technically playlists because my iPod is always on shuffle. I love so many different genres of music and get stoked on whatever comes on. 'Hear' are a few of my favourites for contest runs, pow days and cruising around."

Rick Ross, Stay Schemin (feat. Drake and French Montana)

"For da Haterz, for da big jumps"

The War on Drugs, Taking the Farm

"It's the bees knees knees - Whistler Park hot laps"

Real Estate, Beach Comber

"Listen to this album for hours on a road trip, you won't know where it begins or ends"

Norman Greenbaum, Spirit in the Sky

"Classic, summertime bike riding/hill bombing favourite"

De La Soul, Oooh

"A little bit of Old School hip hop for the dope stee"

Scarface, My Block

"I used to play this on the piano in high school. Everyday is the same ol' thing on my block."

Lil Wayne & Birdman, Over Here Hustlin

"Dope II"

Wiz Khalifa, GFU (Motto Remix feat. Juicy & Berner)

"On repeat when I'm learning a new trick"

Johnny Cash, One Piece at a Time

"Nashville Memories @_PowderRoom_"

Alexander Ebert, Bad Bad Love

"Easy listening from an amazing artist!"

Frontside 50-50 in Helsinki, Finland

April Rider of the Month: Erin Comstock

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Erin Comstock is a well known name in Female Snowboarding, whether she’s dominating slopestyle and rail events, taking her riding to the next level on the big screen or hanging with the Roxy Team Erin has had a solid presence in the sport. Calling Salt Lake City her home Erin honed in her talent in the vast backcountry in the surrounding mountains and took to the streets to perfect her rail techniques. With no signs of slowing down anytime soon between filming and representing longtime sponsor erin Comstcok is one busy lady. Check out what she’s been up to recently. - Roberta Rodger

What are your plans for the month?

I am currently in Mammoth about to compete in the Roxy Chicken Jam, Then next week I will be doing ms. Super park. Then that puts me into April. I will be filming for the rest of the season. Roxy is doing podcasts, plus I need to work on getting my Roxy Ads. We are thinking about doing a trip to Riksgransen, Sweden.

What is something you have learned this month?

Gosh, I have learned a lot this month! I have learned to live with no electricity and water. I have learned how it would be to live back in the 1920's. On one of my trips we had to boil snow water to wash dishes and ourselves.. So yeah no showers for 7 days.. Hahaha I can honestly say I have never gone 7 days without a shower or washing my hair.

Where is the craziest place snowboarding has taken you?

Wow, I just came back from Morocco. I have never been to Africa before and I never thought I would go there to snowboard. It was the most amazing experience ever! The culture is so different. I was also surprised to see how big the mountains are there. The only bummer was that when it snowed the electricity would go out so we could not use lifts. A little frustrating but overall amazing!

Who is your favorite person to travel with?

I really enjoy traveling with my Roxy mates! They are like sisters to me and we all know how to work really well with each other.

How do you entertain yourself on long flights?

Well, if I am going to Europe I usually just knock myself out with a sleeping pill. It makes the flight much easier and the jet lag is not as crazy. Coming back from Europe though I enjoy the movies, read a book or just start on my expense reports from that trip.

What is one item you will not go snowboarding without?

Besides my gear? I always have to have a scarf to cover my face. I am so sick of the sun giving me freckles. I was asked if I was a natural red head the other day.. The answer is no. Just sun damaged!

What is your favorite apres shred meal?

Salad is amazing! Or Pizza!

Aside from snowboarding how do you stay strong and healthy?

I actually am in the gym all the time or playing soccer. If I cant do either then I will just go on a walk. I need to keep my body moving and limber.

What is something the average person doesn't know about pro snowboarding?

They have no idea that it is a job!!!! Snowboarding is a lot of work! You still need to fulfill your paychecks and work hard to keep your sponsors happy.

What is one thing people should know about you?

Wow, I don’t know how to answer this question. I have a cat named Torres. And I speak spanish fluently. Oh and I meditate daily.

What is your all time favorite movie?

Can’t answer that one, sorry... To many.. "Pooty Tang" is pretty awesome though!

Which female snowboarder has influenced you the most?

When I was 15 and trying to ride well, I looked up to Janna Meyen. Now I just look up to all of my friends. Everyone is killing it!

Who is currently raising the bar in women's snowboarding?

MFR, Natasza Zurek, Torah Bright and I know there are some up and comers from Europe that I have heard about. I am excited to see all the young girls kill it!

If you could give one piece of advice to women, snowboarders or not, what would it be?

My advice is to be smart about snowboarding as a career. Just know that it does not last forever and work with the punches... But stay positive and always remember why you started doing it in the 1st place (Because you love it!!!!!!)

I remember when Erin was learning to perfect her Methods at the P!Jamma Jam at Northstar in 2002, she's still got it in Arlberg!

The Roxy girls are not just teammates they're best friends too, Erin and Alexis Waite

Shredding in Sweden with Vera Janssen

Wed, 14 Nov 2012 11:39:00 -0500

It's been snowing here in Sweden so before heading over to Canada for the winter, I needed to test out the Swedish mountains for some early season riding.

KJ made a little rail for me and we pulled that and the sled to some awesome spots this past week.

Sunsets, cliff drops, sledding, snowboarding, and a couple of fresh pow turns - it feels so good to be back in the snow after a long summer.

Frontside boardslide in the sunset

Backside boardslide

50-50 boardslide to 180 out

The 5 W's with Helen Schettini

Wed, 30 May 2012 23:01:00 -0400

You've got to work hard to make a name for yourself and Helen is a perfect example of that. Years of bumps and bruises are producing a backcountry savy shred and her list of sponsors shows that the right people are taking notice. It'll be a colder than normal season if you expect her to put out a rail part though.

Name:    Helen Schettini
Birthdate:   October 9, 1984
Hometown:   Kamloops, BC
Current residence:   Whistler, BC
Sponsors:  Billabong, YES., Vivo Headwear, Electric, Circa, Dakine, The Circle, NOW Bindings

Who's are the unsung hero's in your life?

My brother, he taught me how to snowboard; he is one of the best riders out there yet he changed gears a while ago and now works his ass off up on the oil rigs.

What's the perfect day involve?

Powder day on Whistler. Head up the chair first thing, ride Garbanzo lift line laps until the peak cracks, then spend the rest of the day up there. Afterwards, head down to the Brass and have some caesers with friends.. go home early, get a good night sleep and do it again.

Where in Canada would you live if Snowboarding wasn't the program ( not your hometown ):

BC for sure but I'm not sure where. I love areas of Vancouver but I'm not a city person, maybe North Van or Squamish. Even if snowboarding wasn't on the agenda, the sea to sky is the best place for most outdoor activities, I'm sure I'd stay in this area for life.

When do you plan on putting out a full rail part?

When hell freezes over.

Why do you do what you do?

It makes me happy

March Rider of the Month: Meghann O'Brien

Sun, 01 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0500

When people first meet Meghann O’Brien they think that she’s Spencer’s little sister usually for a couple of reasons, she gained notoriety in snowboarding after Spencer and she very quiet and reserved, compared to Spencer’s fun outgoing personality but what these two share is a love and talent for snowboarding. Spencer has gone the contest route while Meghann is all about the backcountry. Meghann’s goals are to follow in the footsteps of one of her idols Victoria Jealouse. With a sled and a love of all things powder especially in Terrace, BC. Spending most of the season so far in the interior there’s no doubt that Meghann will emerge as one of Canada’s top Female backcountry rider. -Roberta Rodger

What are your plans for the month?

This March I have a North Face team shoot somewhere either in the interior of BC or up in Terrace, then an SBC shoot in Rossland, and maybe an island trip near the end of the month or Ms Superpark. Lots going on so that should be nice and fun and some good snowboarding. I like that every thing is in BC this month!

What is something you have learned this month?

Lots, I got to see DCP at work riding and learned so much just watching how he does things, and learned how efficient a person can become. I learned a lot watching some Mt Baker locals ride down there, and remembered just how cool it is to get out and snowboard without an agenda. I also have had the chance to try bouldering up in Prince Rupert, just yesterday actually, and am right stoked on doing that some more. I learned to use my sled better, and also learned a ton of new spots to go to when its good snow up in Terrace.

Where is the craziest place snowboarding has taken you?

Probably to the United States of America.

Who is your favorite person to travel with?

Natasza I've travelled with on most trips really this past season. We watch some really informative videos on some obscure topics that aren't normal areas of conversation so its nice to bounce ideas around.

How do you entertain yourself on long flights?

I'd like to think that I work on small weaving projects, but more often than not I just buy pretzels and become very thirsty.

What is one item you will not go snowboarding without?

In the backcountry it used to be my really good leatherman tool, but the security took it away at the airport and I was so bummed. I probably wouldn't go riding though without some lip balm, even though I usually lose it. I also just discovered that some people have GPS's, and that seems to be so useful, that I may have to get one to find lines rather than guessing.

What is your favorite apres shred meal?

Yeah probably some quinoa and salmon, and a nice big salad. Something to recharge me for the next day.

Aside from snowboarding how do you stay strong and healthy?

I've just started rock climbing so think that is going to be great, I also run in the fall, usually up hills because the challenge is fun, also road biking is sick and swimming in rivers. In the winter Bikrams yoga is great for the body as well.

What is something the average person doesn't know about pro snowboarding?

Maybe how the travel aspect can be draining. It is also very difficult to have a pet, something I miss very very much. Also perhaps that it requires a lot of understanding from friends/family/signifigant other.

What is one thing people should know about you?

That my glasses are broken because I stepped on them and am not willing to spend another large sum of money to replace them so long as they still work!

What is your all time favorite movie?

I’m not much of a movie buff, but Baraka, Nowhere in Africa, and maybe some of the Tim Burton movies, especially the ones with JOhnny Depp.

Which female snowboarder has influenced you the most?

I think the most over the years has been Victoria Jealouse. She was around when I started riding and is one of the only females who still is. Lately though there are some really powerful females too.

Who is currently raising the bar in women's snowboarding?

Marie France has, and I love how Jamie Anderson stomps her landings.

If you could give one piece of advice to women, snowboarders or not, what would it be?

Yikes, advice...to embrace who you are rather than fight it. I think when you can have your own integrity and direction that the world will respond, and a lot of boundaries or roadblocks along your path will drop away. Also, something that influenced me a lot was to release the amount of control I wanted to have over my own life and its direction, and rather to flow with it. It has made a lot for me more enjoyable, you know, to enjoy the process in each moment while working towards your goals. Its pretty simple but sometimes we are so wrapped up in getting somewhere that we forget about where we are.

Thanks?

My sisters Avis and Spencer, Mom and Dad and Grandma, Roberta and Sara at Infamous, Haley and Megan at TNF, Fran at Spy, and Mike at Beta Unit.

Terrace, BC sure looks good to me too!

Meghann about to drop into the goods

Shames Mountains

Digging in to some good Northern BC powder

Spencer giving Meghann a piggy back so she doesn't get the mocassins she made wet

PLAYLIST: with Natalie Gough

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

For the second installment of Playlist, we caught up with Ontario to Tahoe transplant Natalie Gough. She says the range of music on her iPod is pretty broad. "It varies from hip-hop, rap, top 40, reggae, Latin vibes and even a little country music (strictly Garth Brooks though). Not that I have all these genres in one playlist, that would just be weird." Nat likes to pick a genre at the start of each day and credits her good friend DJ Kruz for giving her the best mixes. To download his free mixes visit: http://paulkus.com/mixtapes

Mac Miller, The Spins

“Rap: Mac Miller can do no wrong if you ask me. Not yet anyways. He's still a youngin.”

Drake ft Nicki Minaj, Make Me Proud

“Top 40: anything with Nicki in it is going to win me over.”

Drake ft Lil Wayne, The Motto

“Might have had a dance party on New Years Eve to this song on repeat at one point. Got to have songs that bring you back to hilarious moments.”

Tyga, Rack City

“No story, I just like it.”

Mac Miller, Frick Park Market & Under the Weather

“His new album, Blue Slide Park, could fulfill a full day of riding. So good.”

Now for some Latin musica. Wish I knew what they were saying!
Jowell y Randy, Mi Dama De Colombia (Rmx)

Daddy Yankee ft Prince Royce, Ven Conmigo

Wishin y Yandel, Estoy Enamorado

Alexis & Fido, Donde Estes Llegare

And last but certainly not least....
Garth Brooks, That Summer

"On my bucket list is seeing Garth live. My brother and I flew to Nashville to see him perform. Dream come true. Takes a certain kind of mood to ride to country but his double live album definitely always makes it on the slopes every couple days."

Travelogue: Helen Schettini

Wed, 20 Apr 2011 13:35:00 -0400

Helen Schettini is the only female on Yes Snowboards’ stacked team roster. Being added to a family of riders that includes DCP, Tadashi Fuse and JP Solberg speaks volumes about Helen’s talent and passion for freestyle riding. After dedicating the last four seasons to honing her skills on a snowmobile and in Whistler’s backcountry, Helen has earned recognition from many of Canada’s most influential riders including Kevin Sansalone and Annie Boulanger. With the end of the 2010-11 season in sight, we caught up with Helen to get the inside scoop on her recent travels.

Last four places you’ve been and why you were there?
1. Nicaragua with the Ripzone team
2. Revelstoke sled trip
3. Secret trip with Yes Snowboards
4. Prince George for an editorial story with SBC

How does a snowboarder end up in Nicaragua?
I’m not really sure, but I thank my lucky stars. Ripzone has a surf side to it, and they were shooting their summer catalogue. I had mentioned that I was learning to surf and they invited me along, thinking I would get some chick action shots…I didn’t.

What was the highlight of your Nicaragua trip?
We got caught in the most intense tropical storm while surfing at this boat access only surf spot. It was completely surreal and such a cool feeling being in the middle of the ocean with such an incredible force of nature.

What do you like about snowboarding in Revelstoke?
Revy has the best dry snow conditions. And there is never the rush to get to a certain spot as there is in Whistler.

You’ve been sledding for a few years now. How is that? Do you feel confident on your sled and out in the backcountry?
I’ve been sledding for about five years now. I have a great sled, which helps, but yes I am feeling pretty confident on it these days. I still get nervous when I’m heading out back with people that I haven’t been with before, but that’s just part of it. As for backcountry itself, I make sure my crew is super confident with reading terrain and being safe.

Who was on this top secret Yes trip with you? What’s it like shredding with such an experienced team?
Romain DeMarchi, JP Solberg, Benji Ritchie, and Mikee Pederson. It’s unreal riding with those guys. I learn so much, and it makes me push myself to try new things.

Who is your favourite Yes team member to travel with?
They are all awesome.

What’s your funniest story from the Prince George trip?
Probably seeing us all looking like old grannies at night with our ice packs all over our bodies. It’s the end of the season so our bodies are not feeling epic. I put my back out (doing up my boots) the morning of our heli day, Dom [Vallee] worked her hand (it may be broken), and Mercedes [Nicoll] put a rib out but when we were on the snow. You’d never know but a little Advil goes a long way.

What have you learned from your recent travels?
Hard work and dedication is the only way you’re going to succeed in this sport. Having the opportunity to shred with seasoned snowboarders is an eye opener in that it never gets easy. You will always have to build your own jumps, sled to the spots or take a beating. It’s humbling and it really weeds out the shredders who don’t truly love the sport and who are doing it for other reasons.

What advice do you have for girls who want to get out into the backcountry and do more freestyle type riding?
Do it because you love it, not because you think it may be quicker to get yourself into the scene or that powder looks nicer to land in. Sledding is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to learn, and once you kind of figure that out, trying to read the terrain and remember what a line looks like when you’re on top is almost impossible.

January Rider of the Month: CHANELLE SLADICS

Tue, 20 Jan 2009 00:00:00 -0500

I remember the first time I saw Chanelle Sladics at Mountain High in 2003, she was spinning her way on and off the longest jib box I’d ever seen to take the top spot at Queen of the Mountain. Since then, Chanelle has been on many a podium and appeared in all the top international magazines as well as this year's Women’s Annual and a part in Oakley’s Uniquely female action sports video. On top of all her snowboard achievements, what has also impressed me about Chanelle is her drive and determination and how she does it all with a smile and a positive outlook. Always down to help her fellow female friends, Chanelle has gained a lot of wisdom that far surpasses her years. Also I think she has more energy than a two year old! Check out what she’s up to this month...

What are your plans for the month?
Things are kind of crazy! I'm currently at the Winter Dew Tour stop in Mount Snow, VT and it's dumping outside! Quite a treat! With some great girls, so far it's the best trip to Vermont yet! Then I am headed to the European Open in Laax, Switzerland. I'm finishing the month in Aspen, Colorado for Winter X Games! Well, actually the end of the month will be celebrated in Vegas for SIA and the TWS Rider Poll Awards!

What is something you have learned this month?
Pace yourself, less is more.

Where is the craziest place snowboarding has taken you?
China and Bosnia! China was the best trip of my life!

Who is your favourite person to travel with?
The ladies I’m with! Jamie Anderson, Marie-France Roy, Kjersti Buaas, and Bev! I left out Tara D! I love traveling with her as well!

How do you entertain yourself on long flights?
Reading, movies, writing, creating--the road really inspires me...

What is one item you will not go snowboarding without?
iPod

What is your favourite apres-shred meal?
Usually sushi or Italian

Aside from snowboarding, how do you stay strong and healthy?
Yoga, eating the best food I can get my hands on, supplement, cross-train, and dance!

What is something the average person doesn't know about pro snowboarding?
None of us like to be cold!

What is one thing people should know about you?
I love to cuddle. And I love to prank

What is your all time favourite movie?
Hard to narrow down to just one. But I love, "Life as a House"

Which female snowboarder has influenced you the most?
Tara Dakides... but currently the girls I am riding with day to day!

Who is currently raising the bar in women's snowboarding?
I'm really proud of the progressive and passion in women's snowboarding! I feel so honoured to get to spend my life traveling around the world with such amazing and talented people. I think the girls are killing it! I can't put the spotlight on any one girl, we are all pushing each other!

If you could give one piece of advice to women, snowboarders or not, what would it be?
Be true to yourself, follow your heart. Sounds corny, but it's easy to believe there is a certain path or way to create results or happiness in your life. But there isn't! Your system is the best system! Take your time, and appreciate the moment.

All photos by Roberta Rodger

Chanelle warming up at her backyard bonfire.

You should see Chanelle surf. Growing up in Laguna Beach has its advantages.

Chanelle is equally down for her friends: MFR, Silvia, and Kimmy and her dog!

Chanelle with Raewyn Reid at Mammoth -- always having a good time!

Another styley move, another spot on the podium at this year's S3 event.

Urban Camping with Alex Duckworth (Part 2)

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 20:00:00 -0400

Southern California, the Frendly Gathering, and Hollywood

Latres on the menjay, Venice. Off we went down the Pacific Coast Highway, dipping into each beach town. Every single one of them very different from the last. We had Encinitas on our minds. I went to school in Vermont with a bunch of cats who have been hanging there and can't stop raving about its perfection.

Encinitas

Yeah, we had arrived. Once we saw this horizon, we knew we'd be spending the bulk of our trip here. We spent a handful of nights camping on Cardiff Beach and then upgraded to the "Frends" side yard for another week. Encinitas is where we went pro boogie boarding, amongst other things – tanning, head-banging and eating Mexican food. Encinitas is the chill zone, as it were. Big ups to our boys Luke, Jack, Cole, Eric and Robbie. Much love.

Babe of the day. We got just as tanned as he is. Spent the whole trip looking for this kind of bikini bottom.

What? It's Mexican.

A big dilemma on this trip was Mexico: DO or DON'T? We were on the DO team all along; that was supposed to be the final destination. Just as we were ready to drive across the border in Tijuana, I got the sternest big sister scolding via telephone, forbidding me to drive into the drug war and risk, if not my entire being, my psychological sanity. Just after this phone call, a bird dumped on us. Was that some sort of bad omen? So we left the decision in a stranger's hands – a dude we met in the laundromat. DO or DON'T? This guy was a bad ass tatted up surfer bro who claimed he’d been driving down to Mexico every two months for the past ten years and said that not even he would cross over right now. Credible dude? I think so.

Instead, we decided to go clubbing in downtown San Diego! Same thing, right? This is a funny story. Once again, we headed south on the highway, cruising at a very comfortable pace. It only took about five miles before we started getting harassed by a tour bus megaphone with fifteen BMX bros behind the mic.

"Nova Scotia! Pull over! Get in our RV."

"NO! You get in our RV."

And sure enough one of them did. Yikes. We were essentially being held hostage by these guys because one of their men was horizontal in our trunk-bed and would need to be reunited with his brothers soon enough. This is where our night began. It was kind of perfect, really. It's a bit of a nightmare trying to navigate the downtown scene of a foreign city. It was their last night on tour so they were going big and well, so were we.

It all started in the RV, with a not so casual game of Cee-lo where we successfully took all of their money. Maybe not all, but definitely the ones and the fives. Next, we produced their photo shoot – directing poses and holding the flash. They were a boy band.

Here they are, the BMX boy band. Thanks for the money fellas. Oh yeah and Audrina's ex-boyfriend was there too (3rd from the right giving us the stink eye). He's an idiot.

Taryn nearly got married that night. She woke up with a wedding chapel search on her phone web browser. She's getting a visit from this guy in August - No Big Deal. Girl knows "How to Make a Man Fall in Love with Her." Ironically, that's the name of the only book we read to each other on the road. Best seller for sure………NAT.

Man of the hour, Mr. Wise. We'll be seeing more of these two. Stay tuned.

Later in the trip, we linked up with BMX pal, Mike Clark (the man) for an epic night of shark fishing in Huntington Beach. Moms, watch out for this guy! He only dates gals with offspring. He might even take you for a moonlight shark fish! Don't think he's scared to decapitate the buggers on site for the freshest sushi possible. This was a serious highlight. We even caught a stingray.

One of the smaller bites. Apparently you can catch six footers in this bay.

From there, we were off to the first annual Frendly Gathering in Crowley Lake, just 15 miles south of Mammoth Lakes.

This would be the first annual Gathering organized by the Frends crew, a pack of American studs that like to snowboard, in case you haven't heard (www.wearefrends.com). It just so happened that the Gathering fit perfectly into our strict itinerary. We were obviously going to be there.

It was a weekend camping trip meant to gather old and new friends—snowboarders and non-snowboarders. But I mean, who doesn't snowboard? People came from all over to be a part of these shenanigans. I know we were amongst dozens who drove seven hours from So-Cal. Mind you, we did it with no A/C, spending the whole ride sitting in a puddle of our sweat with the windows down and the music blaring. I don't think Taryn said one word to me the whole way. But once we arrived, it was nothing but good vibes. Fishing, cliff jumps, paddle boardin', four-wheelin', beer drinkin', gigglin' and a carload of Texans doesn't really begin to do this weekend justice. Nobody slept in past 6 am in the 100 degree temperature and people definitely weren't going to sleep before 3 am. That means three hours of sleep or in some of our cases, none at all. You'll have to make it to the 2nd annual to truly understand the essence of this Gathering.

And now, off to find the A-listers.

Hey Taryn, Wanna go to Hollywood? Let's get on the guest-list! Big surprise: We didn't get on the list. We paid full price for our tickets to Billabong's Design for Humanity party in the Paramount Pictures backlot. This was the coolest block party I'll ever attend. It's a celebration to benefit Invisible Children– a movement raising support to bring home Ugandan child soldiers. In fact, better to be off the list because you're contributing to a huge cause, with all proceeds going to this organization. Combine that with some serious art, babes in bikinis, DJ Fischerspooner, hip-hop gal Kid Sister, a Celtics victory, and sexy people everywhere you look. This party earned itself some honest street cred. Support the cause next year! Here's a glimpse:

These aren't actually brick buildings. Just some facades for movie sets. Not a bad venue, eh? This block became densely populated as the sun went down. See below.

Taryn and I, designing our night. Nice eyes, Duckworth.

After Hollywood, it was time to zone out in Nor-Cal where we spent the more relaxed segment of the trip. We continued on the Pacific Coast Highway, stopping in Santa Barbara, Big Sur and Santa Cruz. Here, we visited our friend C-Bass's mama/our main woman, Joanna. She loaned us her guesthouse in Bonny Doon—a lovely wine making community with stand-up humans. She and her pals have created a genius website that is about to take off called www.whatwouldmomsay.com. The name speaks for itself and it holds many nuggets of wisdom. Spread the word! Thank you, Joanna!

Pizza/Tennis Party at the guest house. It was a dream.

From there, we hit Portland for a couple nights and got to experience a Timbers game—Portland's Minor League soccer team—and boy, do they have loyal fans. We left there shouting at the other team, "You're going home in a Portland Ambulance." Oregonians don't seem to think it's too harsh. I fully support that.

Liza, Alex, Taryn and Katlyn. Just after losing the game...and our voices. Not embarrassing, really.

Wait. Was it over? We left on this trip with an open schedule, not knowing how long we'd last. By the time we headed North to Whistler, it had been a solid six weeks on the road. My car is broken now but that’s a fair trade off for all the tomfoolery in which we partook. Oh yeah, just for the record, this trip was more economical than staying put in Whistler. Food for thought: Try it next year? Yes, Man.

December Rider of the Month: Kjersti Buaas

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 14:48:00 -0500

Despite some contest announcers’ inability to do so, the correct pronunciation of Roxy rider Kjersti Ostgaard Buaas’s name is something you should know (Shers-tee Bu-ahz). Not only did Kjersti win a halfpipe bronze for Norway in the 2006 Torino Olypmics, but she’s also a solid slopestyle competitor with podiums from the Burton U.S., New Zealand and European Opens as well as World Cups and Dew Tours under her belt. Her air to fakie is one of the best in the business and is (arguably) more stylish than most of the male competitors’ in the game. As seen in the Roxy Refreshments webisodes, Kjersti is also a pow slayer and a rap star. She has been competing for more than a decade and is continually stepping up her skills, so watch out for her as the contest season gets underway over the next few weeks.

1. What are you most looking forward to this month? Snowboarding—just in general—because it’s been so long. Also, learning new tricks and grabs and finishing my Bachelor’s degree, which I have been working on for a long time now.

2. Do you sit down and make goals for yourself every season? I make goals, both for my snowboarding and for my life, but I’m not very consistent at writing them down. I want to get better at writing my goals down, as I think it’s easier to reach them if I do.

3. What do you remember about your first time on a snowboard? I remember falling on my knees a lot! My parents had rented boards for me and my sister and they took us to a local ski resort called Oppdal in Norway. I was so excited to try this new, exotic way of moving around on snow. I remember some homemade pants that I think my older sister had made in a sewing class, Black Fly goggles and a jacket that was way too big for me. After my first run I was in love, and after that I could not get enough!

4. When did you first realize you could be a snowboarder for a living? I can’t remember realizing that. I think I was just loving snowboarding so much that I was determined to keep riding and progressing no matter what. It was and still is my creative outlet, where I really feel connected to myself and what I am capable of in this world.

5. Who is the best female snowboarder of all time? Hmmm… This is a question that I don’t have a definite answer to, so I’m going to make up some of those celebrity combo names: What about Taroah Dabright? Or Jamijenna Andermayen? Or maybe Stivictor Brujalous?

6. How do you get over a bad fall? I check what’s broken, get up (if possible) and start thinking about how I can find gratitude in the situation. When I can be grateful, I will be happy and hopefully get over the crash. Meditation also works to get rid of bugs from bad falls. If I slow down, zoom out and take it back to the basics, things seem easier to overcome.

7. What do you do to keep from burning out? I make sure I have fun, whatever it is that I do! I try to create and surround myself with playful and positive people. If things get unpredictable, it’s even better!

8. Which women (snowboarders or not) most inspire you? I get inspired by women that have good style in snowboarding and fashion and just in life. On a deeper level I get inspired from people who carry a light and playful energy and people that smile a lot. This is very contagious to me, so that’s something I seek a lot. Other things that inspire me are women who stand up and speak their heart, even when they know they are going to get judged hard. Women who participate in making this world a better place with green initiatives and non-toxic living have also been a huge inspiration to me the last two years.

9. What is your guiltiest pleasure? I love red wine and chocolate—antioxidants, right?!

10. An Olympic gold medal or Best Video part award, which would you prefer and why? Well, this answer would be different if you asked me five or 10 years ago, but today I would prefer best video part. Right now there are so many negative politics going on with the Olympics, I’m having doubts about the whole thing. I guess there is politics within filming a snowboarding part too, but at least it’s controlled by snowboarders and not ski federations.

11. What is the best thing about your home mountain? My home mountain is called Vassfjellet and if you translate it it means “Water mountain”.

12. What scares you? My own insanity. And sometimes planes.

13. Favourite on the road food? Homemade waffles or Wolfgang Puck at airports. Or good pasta with veggies. Or Mexican. Don’t panic, it’s going to be organic! Oatmeal is also a favourite, it fills you up and is easy to bring in the backpack.

14. One must-have item for snowboarding? My snowboard. Duh!

15. Who would you like to thank? My mum and dad because they have always inspired me to love activities and my sisters for being my best friends. I also want to thank my current sponsors: Roxy, Monster, MINI and Dnb Nor and everybody that has supported me up till now. The Norwegian national team has been and is still a big part of my snowboarding, so they deserve a big thanks as well. And last but not least I want to send a big Thanks to the One Life girls! They are amazing and inspiring humans!

August Rider of the Month: Natalie Gough

Wed, 04 Aug 2010 23:28:00 -0400

Natalie Gough is always on the go. Though she calls Ontario her home, she is almost never there. In the winter she can be found riding anywhere from Lake Tahoe, California to the interior of B.C. In the summer Nat heads south of the equator for a couple of weeks to coach at South America Snow Sessions (SASS), make some powder turns, and throw back a couple café con leches. We caught up with Nat while in Argentina getting ready for some summer, err, winter shred.

1. What are you looking forward to this month?
Another epic summer/winter at SASS in Argentina.

2. What would you like to accomplish this month?
Dropping a certain cliff I’ve been eyeing up since last summer down here in Bariloche.

3. Which female snowboarder(s) did you look up to when you were growing up?
Growing up I was a two-planker right up until late high school. When I did start getting into snowboarding and paying attention to what girls were doing Susi Davis was definitely someone whose riding abilities spoke for themselves. She was definitely ahead of her time, and I’m stoked to have had her guidance as I was moving up in this crazy industry.

4. Best female snowboard video part?
Marie-France Roy/Annie Boulanger in Absinthe’s Neverland.

5. What is your pre-shred routine?
Oatmeal for breakfast, mandatory coffee stop, and some good tunes for the car ride/chairlifts up the mountain.

6. What is the best way to avoid getting injured?
Staying in shape both pre and throughout the season.

7. Which trick could you use a little help with?
Switch backside. Can you say brain fart on those set up turns!

8. Where would you like to go snowboarding that you've never been to before?
Alaska is on the bucket list for sure, but I’d also be stoked to make it over to Europe at some point.

9. How do you motivate yourself to go out and ride when the weather is bad?
Good people and good music.

10. Who is your favourite person to snowboard with?
Nick Nack, Breeezie, Big haaas, the SASS familia!!! Different places, different countries, can’t pick just one.

11. What is your favourite song?
“Toot It n Boot It,” for the current top 40 pick. Otherwise, various Garth Brooks jams are always up there.

12. Other than snowboarding what are you most passionate about?
Trying to make it to as many NBA games as possible depending on my location throughout their season!

13. Best thing about being a girl?
No lines, no cover, and the occasional free drink at bars? [laughs]

14. Best thing about being a snowboarder?
Not having to be subjected to a Monday-Friday 9-5, while also getting to travel the world.

15. Thank yous?
My family first and foremost. Friends, photographers, and filmers who motivate and push me on a regular basis. Capita, Union, Bonfire, Dakine, Top of the World, SASS–many thank yous!

Photography by Jason Abraham

June Rider of the Month: Laurie Gauvin

Thu, 03 Jun 2010 00:21:00 -0400

Laurie Gauvin has the energy level of a three year old with a chocolate bar. She's a tech shredder with an enthusiastic approach to riding. Laurie's positive demeanour motivates those around her, and people are ultimately drawn to her. She is a committed, resourceful, and dedicated person with a dynamic personality and an unmatched passion for life. Currently juggling work, school, and play in Trois-Riviers, Quebec, Laurie is a super funny girl and an all-around cool chick to hang with.
-Jess Kimura

1. What are you looking forward to this month?
Finishing off school for the summer and heading out to Whistler.

2. What would you like to accomplish this month?
Get good grades to make my momma proud, and stack some cash so I can take July off to shred and chill tons.

3. Which female snowboarder(s) did you look up to when you were growing up?
Definitely Tara Dakides. I still wish I could throw flips as easily as she does.

4. Best female snowboard video part?
Marie-France Roy in No Correct Way.

5. What is your pre-shred routine?
Bowl of cereal with strawberries and bananas, coffee on the go and some good music.

6. What is the best way to avoid getting injured?
Stretch, work out and don't go for it when you think you might die.

7. Which trick could you use a little help with?
I really wish I was good at jumps and better with switch moves.

8. Where would you like to go snowboarding that you've never been to before?
Argentina or Alaska.

9. How do you motivate yourself to go out and ride when the weather is bad?
I guess I just call up some good friends to come out and shred, get all cranked on cheesy songs on the way and wear a plastic-bag pancho.

10. Who is your favourite person to snowboard with?
That's a tough one. There's so many people actually but I like how Stef Reno always makes me laugh, and there's also my snowboard twin Marie-Hélène Tremblay. Oh and can't forget Jess Kimura, she's always so motivated and dedicated. She's the shit!

11. What is your favourite song?
I like a bit of everything but there's always the good old 70's rock classics that stay!

12. Other than snowboarding what are you most passionate about?
Music, cruising around on my longboard in the summer, art.

13. Best thing about being a girl?
You don't have to guinea pig set-ups when you're with guys.

14. Best thing about being a snowboarder?
Not hating winter and getting to play outside all of the time.

15. Thank yous?
My parents for always backing me, my lovely friends, Peep Show crew, everyone helping me out at Nikita, Rome, Spy, Elm, Celtek and Nixon. And finally Ben and Karene at Perigny for always putting up with my weird schedules and letting me take the sketchiest last minute days off to go snowboarding.

Not just a pretty face, this girl's a rail slayer.

Nosepress on a sunny day.

Early morning 5-0 to 180 out.

Nose bluntside in the park.

Chattin' With Peep Show Film's Esthera Preda

Mon, 23 May 2011 20:58:00 -0400

Peep Show Films hardly feels like it needs an introduction these days, but lest you think we are about to delve into an interview about a pervert’s favourite pastime, we will set you straight. June Bhongjan and Esthera Preda have been producing all-girls snowboard videos for the last three years under the heading, Peep Show Films. Their self-titled first video was a DIY project that involved a group of friends filming each other with crappy cameras. Last year’s Let’s Make Better Mistakes Tomorrow was better quality both in terms of riding and production, and by the looks of the recently released teaser for Winter Wars, this year’s film will be Peep Show’s best yet. We caught up with Preda to get the low down on Peep Show and their forthcoming film.

Laurie Gauvin, Claudia Avon, Esthera Preda

Every year you seem to up the ante: better riding, higher quality filming and editing. How did you aim to step it up this year? "We just decided to try to become a real, legit film company. We're still DIY'ing things and thinking of ways to be as creative and economic as possible, nothing has changed on that side. However, we realized that if we wanted to be taken more seriously, we needed to step the game up a bit. First, June and I got ourselves legit cameras. That changed a lot of things, shots are easier to work with, and everything looks better. We can take no credit for the higher level of riding. Of course we try to always keep the girls motivated, but ultimately, they're taking all the risks and over the past years they gained a lot more experience and confidence with street stuff. As for the editing quality, it's seriously just due to a lot of practice and maybe more selectivity from our side on what we use and don't use in the video."

Epic Shovelling: Bryn Valaika, Gabi Viteri

Do you feel like you have something extra to prove as the only all-girl film crew? "I wouldn't say that we feel like we have something to prove, but rather that we feel pressured. We’re concerned with making a good movie, with good quality riding. Every year there are multiple guys' movies released and there are movies for practically every taste. When you're the only women's flick of your kind and you pretty much represent that whole aspect of women's snowboarding, you surely don't want to blow it. You know people are going to criticize it no matter what. And since there is no other comparable girl's project, people generally compare us to the men's level."

Recently you’ve been getting attention from mainstream media like Paper and Nylon magazines. What does it feel like to get recognition outside of the snowboard industry for what you are doing? "It's always really surprising. I feel like the snowboard industry is so small compared to all those giants of fashion. It definitely brings some sort of feeling of added legitimacy to the project, or maybe it just brings satisfaction from knowing that we get to share our passion with people outside the snowboard world."

From the looks of the teaser, there was less of a focus on rails/street stuff this year than is years past? "Without trying to sound too critical, I think girls can be generally pretty limited with their tricks on rails. We figured that if we didn't want to have a redundant movie, we might as well use our brains to find creative things to snowboard on. The movie definitely features rails again, but we're just more selective with the tricks and the spots we decide to use. Since the beginning June and I have always wanted to include more powder in our movies. We just didn't have the means to do it. So this year we added a few riders that are more focused on powder and jumping such as Gabi Viteri, Claudia Avon and Silvia Mittermuller."

Getting The Shot: Desiree Melancon

How do you incorporate new riders into the crew? And has it been successful this season? "June and I are always looking for new underground/AM talent. We either get recommendations from our friends or the rider just manifests her interest in filming with the crew. There are also some well-known riders we've always wanted to work with but just never managed to make it happen. For example, Gabi Viteri has long been on our radar but was injured the past two seasons. So we just waited for her to heal and made it happen this year instead. We're really satisfied with the crew this year. I'm excited for all the new riders that killed it this season and that will have awesome parts in the upcoming movie. The girls are really coming up."

Andrecht: Joanie Robichaud

What’s the story behind this year’s film title Winter Wars? "This year's title is very literal. It's referring to the battle we have to take part in every time we go on a trip. Either we fight with the weather or with our own consciences. I guess the word 'war' has a pretty epic connotation, so are some of the events that happened during the season. I'm thinking of Darrah back taco-ing that fence gap in Minnesota or her getting hit by a car while riding away from a rail."

There were some really gnarly slams this season. Were Darrah’s the worst? "Terra Michilot's slam was the worst in my opinion. Last January, she violently face-slammed a tree, which was next to a rail. She broke her jaw in two places as well as her wrist. I recently talked with her, and she was just starting to board again. Unlike Darrah's slams, we preferred not to show it in a PMS webisode. Terra’s was so gnarly that June, who was filming at that moment, panicked and cut the shot early, right when she hits the tree."

How did this season of filming compare to the past couple of years making Peep Show flicks? "We had a very intense season with lots of planning. We filmed so much more. A trip was always going on somewhere in the US or in Canada. We also worked with new riders, considerably expanding the crew. We were stoked to add Gabi Viteri, Bryn Valaika, Danyale Patterson, Claudia Avon and Silvia Mittermuller. They are sick riders and they bring diversity to the crew. I was also really impressed by some of the rider's progression. Desiree did some gnarly stuff I've never seen a girl do before. She just executes every trick so properly, it's crazy. And Danyale is so motivated, she's a loose canon."

Trois Rivières: Desiree Melancon, Bryn Valaika, Gabi Viteri and Matt

The music in the Peep Show films always seems to be thoughtfully selected. How do you find the songs, who picks them, and are they usually associated with memories from the past season? "June and I pick the songs. We just listen to a lot of music and spend a lot of time searching. June is really good at finding new cool bands. I like digging in old stuff. We spend a lot of time on our computers. Besides the internet, I also have a precious source in my sister. She has an amazing music repertoire. It can happen that some songs are associated to season's memories, but ultimately we end up picking the tune that best suits the footage we're working with. There are so many slow/mellow songs we would like to use, but these kinds of songs are pretty hard to pull off because the footage needs to be really banger. Desiree did it really well in last year's video."

In the Hospital: Terra Michilot

Did you go to any new places to film this year? "This year we weren't super 'exotic' with our choice of destinations. We preferred to explore known spots extensively over wasting time finding our way around new cities/countries. Actually, that's not entirely true. In January, Desiree Melancon, Gabi Viteri, Marie Hucal and Colleen Quigley went to North Carolina after a huge storm hit the east coast. They didn't know anything about NC and had no expectations whatsoever when going there. Even though we started filming in November, it took the girls a while before getting on a good, productive schedule. That's why we preferred staying in locations we knew best. That way we could optimize the time left.”

What’s one thing you’d like people to know about Peep Show? "It's a lot of work and devotion. Anyone who wants to do it has to make big sacrifices. It's only worth it if you're passionate about it because in the end, the only reward you'll get from it is the satisfaction of putting a movie together."

One to Watch: Claudia Avon

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 12:57:00 -0400

Claudia Avon is the real deal. Any challenge that’s put in front of her in life, she charges at with authority. Whether it be on the snow, under the hood of her truck, or behind the controls of a full-size excavator, this girl isn’t afraid to step to anything. Her hard work and determination are what set her apart from other up-and-coming girl snowboarders, as well as her smooth style on her snowboard. Remember her name because she’s coming up quick.

Photo: Dave Demers.

Hometown: Montreal, QC
Current Residence: Whistler, BC
Age: 24
Years Riding: 4
Years Sponsored: 3
Sponsors: Volcom, Electric, Ride, Celtek, Herd

Damn, you've only been riding for 4 years? Why did you start so late?
Because I was a ski racer before. I was super focused on skiing, competing at a high level. I got over it and started riding. I was going to university, too, and it was taking a lot of my time.

What were you going to university for?
Business Management because I'd like to start a business of my own later in life

So what's your deal? You kind of seem like you're on your own program.
Yeah, I realized that I wasn't happy in Quebec and now I'm doing what i'm passionate about. I'm in the industry in order to push myself and I'm focusing on getting better, thats all. I don't give a shit about who is cool or not, my program is just to ride with people I like and who push me.

What is your opinion about the current state of women's snowboarding? What would you like to see changed?
Girls are getting better and I think its cool they are pushing the limits but I think we can still go way bigger and become way stronger riders. The gap is so big between guys and girls and I definitely think we can push it closer.

Photo: Dave Demers.

Why did you buy a sled?
Because I love shredding the pow. Sledding is sick, I love everything with an engine in it. I feel free out there, there's so much more room for creativity, its not just like riding rails. You can do some lines, jump off cliffs, build your own feature… I find the adrenaline is way more than when i'm riding at a resort. You have to depend on your own judgement. When you hit stuff that nobody has done before you, you don't know what the landing is like, if its doable, how big it will be, how much speed…it depends a lot on your experience and judgement.

You say you like anything with an engine in it, what else have you had?
Yeah, when I was younger I had sleds, dirtbikes, quads. I had a sport bike back home, a Suzuki PL1000s.

That’s a pretty big bike for a little girl.
Yeah, everyone was saying I would die on that bike, that it was too big for me but I told them to fuck themselves. I could handle that thing really well and I never crashed it. I was getting a bit too crazy at the end and thats why I sold it.

Photo: Claudia Simon.

What are your main goals in snowboarding?
To always go bigger, when I learn something I want it to look really good, to put style into it and then do the same trick but four times bigger.

Where do you see your riding going in the next few years?
I don't know where I'll be, but I know that I'll keep riding for sure because I'm loving it.

I heard you work construction and that operating an excavator is your specialty. Tell us a bit about that.
Back home I was going to school and I had to find a good job in the summer to be able to pay for my bike and all my shit so I started working in construction because it was good money. I was doing excavation, always jumping on the machines and getting told to fuck off by the dudes on the construction site, and going back on anyways until I was a full-on excavator operator.

Why don't you just hang your tits out and get a job bartending instead? Wouldn't that be easier?
[laughs] I'm better at doing other shit, that doesn't involve showing my tits off.

Photo: Dave Demers.

Do you have lots of tools of your own?
Yeah, kind of. I did a bit of carpentry so I bought some tools. I'm a pretty handy girl. I like working on shit, mechanics and stuff. I did a lot of work on my own truck when I was pretty broke, I had to do the work by myself. It was frustrating but I learned a lot.

So would you say you're kind of a tough-bitch?
I will put my foot down if somebody fucks around with me but I'm pretty friendly in general. If someone is giving me attitude I will say what's up but most of the time I'm pretty mellow. I like meeting new people.

Do you have a boyfriend?
Nope, I've been single for five years. I'm not looking, I'm pretty good by myself and I like to be able to do what I want, when I want.

So are you into girls or what?[laughs] No, but I think i'm scaring some boys sometimes for sure.

Photo: Dave Demers.

What did you do this summer?
Skateboarding, surfing, fishing…but mostly worked really hard to pay off my sled.

What's the best thing about living in Whistler?
Since I've been living in Whistler, I'm focused on the right stuff. Back home I was focused on material and money and I wasn't happy. Since I came here I've just been working enough to support my lifestyle and have realized that money doesn't buy happiness. I only want to have enough money to pay for stuff I love to do. I'm working to be able to enjoy my life and not living for work.

Who inspires you?
Nobody in particular, but mostly people who follow their dream and work hard for their shit and don't quit at the first failure. Strong people inspire me to be able to deal with all the hard shit in life.

Do you see a place for yourself in this industry?
I don't really know a lot of stuff about the industry or whats going on or who is doing what…I just ride. Thats all I want to do.

At Billabong Flaunt It.

February Rider of the Month: Kaitlyn Farrington

Sun, 06 Feb 2011 22:14:00 -0500

Kaitlyn Farrington –it’s a name you’ve been hearing a lot lately, and it’s likely one you’ll be hearing for quite some time. Prior to last season the 21 year old from Idaho had never won a major event, now she is consistently landing on the podium at everything from the first stop of the 2010-11 Dew Tour to last month’s Winter X Games. Though she is one of the younger competitors in the halfpipe field, Kaitlyn rides like one of the vets with style, amplitude and a bag of tricks that includes frontside and backside 9s and smooth alley oops.

1. What are you most looking forward to this month? I am really looking forward to the final Dew Tour stop and ending with a bang! Dew Tour is one of my favorite events cause there is always so much energy! Then it’s riding POW hopefully for the rest of the month.

2. Do you sit down and make goals for yourself every season? Every season I make goals, probably about 8 times a season. I am always thinking of new things I would like to try, so I would say my goals are more like guidelines.

3. What do you remember about your first time on a snowboard? All I remember is people laughing at me from the lower River Run lift!

4. When did you first realize you could be a snowboarder for a living? Well last year probably, it was my breakthrough year. I always thought I would have to have at least another job during the summer.

5. Who is the best female snowboarder of all time? Maddy Shaffrick! She may be hurt this year, but next year she'll be back to whip our butts!

6. How do you get over a bad fall? Like my dad used to say, "You gotta hop right back on that horse when you get bucked off!"

7. What do you do to keep from burning out? Well, I wouldn't say I haven't been burnt out before, but really what can you do? I always just remind myself I am doing this for me and no one else!

8. Which women (snowboarders or not) most inspire you? Maddy Shaffrick and Barrett Christy/Cummins

9. What is your guiltiest pleasure? Playing wii at my house, with snacks on snacks!

10. An Olympic gold medal or Best Video part award, which would you prefer and why? Olympic Gold! Halfpipe is my thing, and I don’t think I could get Best Video part for riding pipe.

11. What is the best thing about your home mountain, Sun Valley? All the open terrain and steep runs.

12. What scares you? Facebook!

13. Favourite on the road food? Apples and peanut butter.

14. One must-have item for snowboarding? Necky

15. Thank Yous? Sponsors, family, friends.

Urban Camping with Alex Duckworth (Part 1)

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 22:46:00 -0400

May 11, 2010: Car is packed. My girl, Taryn Cowling, and I are about to go on the most ridiculous road trip of our lives. Sleeping bags, Dakine packs, bikinis and Tilley hats—all suited up. Hasta luego, Whistler. Hello, police officer.

Rolled the stop sign out of my driveway. Got nailed with a $121 ticket. Cool. It's a good thing I've fully accepted that I'm just one of those people who pays The Man. Not once a year, but quarter annually. And that doesn’t include my weekly parking infractions. I guess I'm living fast. But I've decided that in many other areas, my traffic fines are paying for my life to be more entertaining. So, Man, hit me with as many fines as you want. I'm having more fun than you are.

Just to set the pace of this trip, we were urban camping. Not couch surfing. Not staying in hostels. Definitely no hotels! Showers? Questionable. We were strictly relying on ourselves. We had our trunk rigged up with camper curtains that were soon to be the only things shielding us from the outside world. Here's what we were working with:

No, you can't have our hats.

First stop: Vegas for our pal Benny's 21st HBD. That night, we drove to Yakama, Oregon and stopped for the night in a Holiday Inn Express parking lot. We took a whiz on the adjacent car's tire, brushed our teeth out of the trunk, and called it a day. We got a 6 a.m. start the next morning and hammered out a mellow 17 hours behind the wheel, stopping in the middle of the desert in one of those isolated trailer pods that you drive by and wonder what the F these people are doing living here. No Country for Old Men. Needless to say, we got our foot on the gas as soon as we woke up.

Things started to look up from here. Palm trees grew denser and it only took an hour before we were welcomed by the large and in-charge Vegas strip. Nobody told me exactly how large we were talking. It takes 45 minutes to walk the length of the Bellagio.

The birthday party was held in the Hardwood Suite of the Palms Hotel, where only famous people are allowed. We fit the bill. There was a basketball court inside of this thing with Murphy beds folding out of the walls. Our crew barely made it to the club because the suite was so accommodating. Peep these photos. If you've never balled in heels, I'd recommend it. Taryn out-swooshed the entire male contingency. Thank you, Benny!

Cirque du Soleil Love. We forgot how good the Beatles are—emotionally overwhelming. These shows are beyond belief.

Look closely here, friends. This is a dog stroller. Vegas attracts only the most rational people.

Hardwood Suite, topless high-heel pool parties, Playboy Bunny party, Cirque du Soleil, dog strollers, zero retirement savings, and a ban from the Palms Hotel for sleeping in the parking garage. We had done the shit out of Vegas.

Ready for the beach, we drove directly west to Venice, California. As soon as we got off the highway, the car broke down. It was 10 p.m. We cruised into an upscale neighborhood, parked in front of the biggest mansion on the street and closed our curtains as we waited for the sun. The car managed to roll to Rony's Auto in the morning where we got a new wheel bearing and a hug goodbye. Thanks Ron.

Ron and the gals after washing our armpits in his garage.

People claim Venice is where the Crazies kick it, but I'd say it was one of our favorite zones. No doubt, there are some characters around, but we don't see enough of that in Canada so kudos to the Crazies. Make sure to visit Abbitt's Habbit on Abbitt Kinney Drive for breaky or lunch, or just to get a feel for what Venetians are all about.

Check this guy out. He's just doing his thing, not trying to make money. Just finding his Zen on a nice sunny afternoon in Venice Beach.

After a couple days in California, Taryn and I were starting to look pretty grimy. The only running water we'd seen in days was at gas stations. That night, we stumbled upon a free wine tasting in Venice where we met two fine young gentlemen that ran a medicinal marijuana shop. They got it. The true spirit of our trip, I mean.

Setting out we agreed that under no circumstances would we impose on anyone's personal space. So with kindness abounding, our new friends invited us to use the shower in their marijuana shop, The Green Dot. This was exactly what we were after. The next morning, after yet another delightful trunk sleep in an upscale neighborhood, we rolled into The Green Dot for an education. Taryn and I, neither pot smokers, got an intimate feel for the business—taking whiffs of all the different products. Turns out about 99 per cent of the California population has a scribe for medicinal marijuana. Maybe for all of the aches and pains inflicted by California living. Life's so rough on the beach.

Freshly shampooed and practically a licensed weed dealer. Thanks, Pat.

We were really getting a feel for urban camping culture. And who said Canadians were the nicest people on earth? We've never met such accommodating patriots. Thank you, California, for appreciating our greasy mops and lingering stench.

Stay tuned for Part 2: Southern California, the Frendly Gathering, and Hollywood.

Leanne Pelosi on Airblaster

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 14:05:00 -0500

Earlier this season Airblaster announced the signing of Leanne Pelosi to their pro team. We recently caught up with Leanne and here’s what she had to say. “I'm really excited to be apart of such an amazing group of talented people. The team is sick, and also the people behind the brand are awesome. It's a huge opportunity for me to work with them because they are such a tight knit crew and growing super fast. They're just as excited as I am about this. It's going to be a good future together.”

Cale Meyer, Airblaster’s Assistant Marketing Manger, says given Leanne’s experience in snowboarding, he’s confident they’ll be able to expand their women’s program and make it better than ever. “Leanne's on everyone’s radar. She's one of the most progressive women in snowboarding. With her talent and visibility she has created a strong name for herself. We've always been friends with Leanne, so we know she's an awesome person and ripping rider -the two criteria for Airblaster team riders.”

Keep your eyes peeled for Leanne’s influence in the upcoming 2013/2014 collection. For more info head over to myairblaster.com

January Rider of the Month: Helen Schettini

Sun, 10 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Born and raised in Kamloops, BC Helen Schettini has been a force to reckon with in the Canadian snowboard scene since she was a youngster. These days the lovely Whistler local can be found all over the pages of top snowboard magazines like Pleasure Girls Special and Snowboard Canada. Look out for Miss. Spaghettini because she is on the up and up.

What are you looking forward to this month?
A lot more snow. We had an insane early start to the season but it's been pretty dry since. The Olympics are going to make this place pretty hectic for the next few months so maybe I'll head to the interior to get away from the chaos.

What would you like to accomplish this month?
I would like to get out there as much as possible. I want to do lots of sledding, and get lots of photos. I have no one to film for but hopefully in the coming year things can happen.

Which female snowboarder(s) did you look up to when you were growing up?
Victoria Jealouse. She's from Kamloops as well so I looked up to her early on.

Best female snowboard video part?
Annie's in Neverland.

What is your pre-shred routine?
Coffee and eggs.

What is the best way to avoid getting injured?
Go to the gym. A lot.

Which trick could you use a little help with?
Not so much tricks but learning how to ride the backcountry better... adapting to natural terrain and learning how to read it.

Where would you like to go snowboarding that you've never been to before?
Japan would be the ultimate, hands down. Every video part you see coming out of Japan looks like so much fun. More realistically though, I would love to head up to Terrace this year. I hear it's amazing.

How do you motivate yourself to go out and ride when the weather is bad?
The friends you go with. The worst weather day doesn't matter when you're making fun of each other on the chair.

Who is your favourite person to snowboard with?
Rube, Sansibox, Kalina, Christian. The usual suspects.

What is your favourite song?
Anything my roommate listens too. My iTunes sucks on my computer and she's got such a good playlist. Clearly I have no idea what the names of any bands are. I am a music retard.

Other than snowboarding what are you most passionate about?
Nutrition. I've been super into healthy eating. I love cooking too so it's fun trying to make certain dishes healthier. I just read this book The End of Overeating, and it's pretty fascinating how there's a chemical change in people's heads that makes them purge on such shitty food. I am definitely interested in this field. It'll probably become more than just a hobby when I'm ready to take the plunge into school.

Best thing about being a girl?
Getting your drinks paid for at the bar. Oh wait, that doesn't happen. I guess it would be that the guys come quicker to help you out when you get stuck sledding.

Best thing about being a snowboarder?
Having your passion be your number one priority in life.

Thank yous?
Geoff Andruik, my TM with Powder Room. He's really taken me under his wing this last year. Sponsors... Powder Room, Electric, Ogio, Pow, and Salomon. My parents—they are amazing. They stood by me everytime I broke my leg. The boy, Rubenstein—constantly making fun of me. My brother, Dave, who beat me up because he said it'll make me stronger and Eric, my gym trainer cause he keeps me strong.

Helen Keeping her whites pearly. Photo by Brian Hockenstein.

Helen dropping in. Photo by Brian Hockenstein.

Tree gap. Photo by Brian Hockenstein.

Just, err, hanging out with nature. Photo by Brian Hockenstein.

Winter Prep With Robin Van Gyn

Thu, 11 Nov 2010 23:24:00 -0500

Rider Robin Van Gyn fills us in on how she gets set for the winter from head to nose (of her snowboard).

How do you get ready for the season ahead fitness-wise?
"When there is no snow to be had and even when there is, I make sure to work out most days. I am not a huge fan of the gym so I try to keep it outdoors with a combo of running, swimming, hiking, or circuits in the backyard. I used to bike until some loser stole my wheels, and that is always a great way to work those legs muscles into shape. Leg strengthening is important especially in the fall so I usually include lots of squats and burpees in my circuits. I also get really tight muscles from snowboarding and running, so I usually work in yoga three or four times a week to help my joints and get flexible. Yoga is awesome for snowboarders, not only does it keep you loose, but it is amazing at getting through old injuries and for focus."

Does this affect your diet?
"When I am in a routine at home in Vancouver, I eat really well, and mostly from my garden. My diet is balanced with tons of veggies and protein, but I don't 'diet,' and skimping is not in my vocabulary. I just make sure to eat all the good stuff so I can indulge on cheese and breads when I want to. Definitely I eat healthier in the summer, its hard to eat well when you are travelling and when après-ski kicks in. Nachos and beer are an accepted part of my winter 'diet,' I just deal with it!

Do you do anything to get yourself ready, mentally?
"Making goals is important. I often set out tricks I want to get, or powder shots I want to get, before the season even starts. Also, setting out with a bigger goal in mind, like getting a video part or a feature in a mag helps to focus your season and get the most out of it. Watching videos is a big part of this process for me because it makes me inspired to go bigger, stronger, faster. As for coaching, I have never really had a coach, but if you are into contests, that sounds like smart thing to do."

Have you started making travel plans for the winter and meeting with team managers to plan your season?
"Yes, there are always these ideas floating around from last season, and now is the time to let people know what you think would be cool to see in the mag or to make your trips happen. The fall is imperative for planning your season, although it never really goes as planned, it just kind of happens."

What do you do as far as your gear?
"Sometimes I just dust the ol' bag off from a long summer and get at it, but I seem to remember waxing last year and that was awesome, cause it turned out to be a powder day on opening day! I don't think there is much prep involved, just making sure you don't have two left gloves is a good idea."

Is there anything else you do to prep for the season ahead?
"I always take my sled in for a tune up. Never take your sled out without having it tuned up at the beginning of a season. I learned that one the hard way and burnt though my recoil in about 1k. Oh ya, and buy a pass!"

January Rider of the Month: Brooke Voigt

Tue, 04 Jan 2011 21:30:00 -0500

Who better to kick off our first Rider of the Month for 2011 than emerging talent, Brooke Voigt? Originally from Fort McMurray, AB, Brooke moved to Calgary two years ago so that she could attend the National Sports School and snowboard at the same time. Though still in high school, she is making her mark in snowboarding with slopestyle wins at events like the You Look Good Rider’s Cup and FIS Nor-Ams. Brooke has also been featured in several issues of our Women’s Annual and starred in an episode of Fuel TV’s New Pollution. Keep an eye on this one because she has more rail tricks in her arsenal than most dudes.

1. What are you most looking forward to this month?
Hopefully my injuries will be all healed up, so I’m good to go for the month. I’m looking forward to some healthy boarding.

2. Do you sit down and make goals for yourself every season?
Yeah I always make goals, but I usually keep them to myself.

3. What do you remember about your first time on a snowboard?
I had a lesson, and I remember thinking I was awesome, but once my instructor left I could barely stand up on my board.

4. When did you first realize you could be a snowboarder for a living?
I don’t think there was one specific moment that hit me. I guess I’ve just always hoped I was going somewhere with snowboarding.

5. Who is the best female snowboarder of all time?
MFR, she’s a great person and a great all around boarder.

6. How do you get over a bad fall?
I try for a good recovery and try to distract myself with other things.

7. What do you do to keep from burning out?
I’ll just take a day off when I feel it’s needed. It’s hard to burn out from having fun at the hill.

8. Which women (snowboarders or not) most inspire you?
Don’t even know where to start with this one.

9. What is your guiltiest pleasure?
Tea!

10. An Olympic gold medal or Best Video part award, which would you prefer and why?
Best video award because I feel there is way more opportunity for creativity. If I were able to beat out all the other video parts I think the reward would be very satisfying.

11. What is the best thing about your home mountain?
It’s walking distance from my house. I live on the same street.

12. What scares you?
Roller coasters.

13. Favourite on the road food?
Ham, lettuce, cucumber, pickle and Swiss cheese sandwich.

14. One must-have item for snowboarding?
Snowboard?

15. Thank Yous?
To everyone who’s ever done anything for me, I’m putting it to good use. Thanks mom and dad.

Roxy Women's Session at SGT Argentina

Tue, 04 Sep 2012 13:37:00 -0400

After enjoying some tanning over the last few months, Erin Comstock and I headed down once again to Bariloche, Argentina for the Roxy hosted session at Sass Global Travel. Headquarters at the base of Cerro Catedral, we headed up with eager girls in tow to enjoy some winter in summer. We were lucky enough to get some pow slashes in during the 10 day stint and when that was done we got out our touring gear and hunted for pow in the vast Argentine backcountry. While I was out at Refugio Frey hiking my face off for lines, Erin and SGT vet Nicki Slechta worked their shovel arms building jumps with some of the most awesome girls we have ever had the privilege to share our South American adventure with. Although I left a day early, the girls had one last dump on their way out. SGT seems destined to please no matter what and I can't wait to get back their for another dose. Until then, I count the days.

Winter Prep With Laurie Gauvin

Fri, 19 Nov 2010 18:02:00 -0500

Rider Laurie Gauvin fills us in on how she gets set for the winter from head to nose (of her snowboard).

How do you get ready for the season ahead fitness-wise?
“It is very important to work out more during fall in order to prevent injuries and increase endurance. One thing I’ve learned through my knee and back injuries is that it is essential to strengthen your muscles in order to reduce the overall effort. Exercises with a ball are good as they work the lower body and also help improve balance, which is very useful for snowboarding. As for flexibility, yoga turns out to be a good and accessible exercise to anyone, since you can find most yoga poses on the internet and do them at home.”

Does this affect your diet?
“Eating healthy on a daily basis and drinking a lot of water in preparation for the season works for me. It’s not always easy to have good habits while being constantly on the road during winter, that’s why I try to get the most of it before the season is officially launched. My friend Jess says you have to eat crappy food once in a while in order to be ready for nasty impacts. I have to admit that statement sometimes gets me.”

Do you do anything to get yourself ready, mentally?
“Premier season was the first thing that got me motivated. Seeing everyone’s accomplishments in their video parts and gathering up with friends that I see mostly during winter to party is a great way to get into the groove. Recently, I’ve been really into seeking new spots and areas to discover for this winter and setting up a list of places I’d like to go.”

Have you started making travel plans for the winter and meeting with team managers to plan your season?
“It’s pretty much all about the saying ‘go with the flow,’ a great way not to be disappointed and to get the most of every situation. Even if I do have a million plans for this winter, the best ones will probably be last minute travels or opportunities. I consider myself lucky to be supported by people who see things the same way as I do and that help me make things happen no matter what.”

What do you do as far as your gear?
“A bit of setting is always necessary for new bindings to fit my tiny feet, like adjusting straps, toe caps and forward lean. During winter I always carry rub-on wax in my backpack just in case the snow feels like gummy bears. Apart from that, I’m not really too concerned about technicalities. Usually, my bindings are set on a tailgate in the resort parking lot before hitting the slopes on the first day.”

Is there anything else you do to prep for the season ahead?
“Scheduling wisely in order to be able to fit school, work and snowboarding is a must. Last year’s little injuries and aches kept me going back to physiotherapy with my therapist Julie, who is pretty much like a second mom to me now.”

How does this all help with making a better start to the season?
“Simply because being well prepared and really hyped for the upcoming season makes it so much more fun!”

High 5ives! with Laurie Gauvin

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Best places to ride in Quebec:
1) Mont Carmel
2) Le Chal
3) Mont Sainte-Anne at the end of the season
4) Le Massif after a massive snowfall
5) Anywhere that there is a good crew and good snow

On filming with Peep Show:
1) No stress
2) Good times with good human beings
3) There is always a funny/random story to tell at the end of a trip
4) For some reason we always end up having the dumbest incoherent conversations in between runs (especially Esthera and I)
5) Getting to ride with girls that are constantly pushing it is really motivating

Songs to shred to:
1) The Go! Team – Buy Nothing Day
2) Crystal Stilts – Shake the Shackles
3) Trouble Andrew – global trouble
4) Lil Wayne ft. Cory Gunz - 6 foot 7 (helps me get those late backside 180s dialed up)
5) Peter Bjorn & John - Second Chance

Five Go-To Tricks:
1) Even though everybody seems to be hating on boardslides, I still and will always love them
2) Backlips
3) Noseblunts
4) Rocket airs : THE best feeling
5) Methods

Catching Up With Kara Rennie Part 2: Burton Canadian Open

Tue, 15 Feb 2011 23:26:00 -0500

A 14 hour drive and one more time getting hassled at the boarder, I'm back in my home country for the third annual Burton Canadian Open. I've made it to all three Canadian Opens so far, and this year is by far the best slope course they've had. I ventured alone, but met up with some friends from all over the globe. I was the only Nikita girl. Stefi Luxton from NZ said it was her first time in Canada! Silje and Enni fresh off the X Games podium became my shopping buddies for a day. However, I mostly hung out with my Dad, who was in Calgary for a business trip. It was freezing the day most people arrived with temperatures at -25 C. For all you Americans, that's approximately -13 F. Not even 24 hours later it was on the verge of raining. Great for the weather to warm up but the ugly clouds made it hard to see. I didn't stick around for the whole thing but I heard it got windy, and everyone was still killing it. I hurried back home to Park City to try and get a few days in before Snow Basin Dew Tour. Dad stayed and watched finals, he was also pretty stoked to meet one of his favourite riders (other than me of course) Jamie Anderson.

Accidentally took the scenic route through Montana.

Stefi Luxton and I at the start gate.

Stefi with the view of Calgary.

Myself (Kara Rennie), Silje Norendal, and Enni Rukajärvi.

Stefi Luxton cab 5.

Diane Rudge: First Day Back

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 08:20:00 -0500

About seven months ago I tore my ACL, so it has been a while since I was last on snow. I spent the summer going to physio about three to four days a week along with lengthy gym sessions, to get back in shape and to avoid re-injury this winter.

The past couple of years I have spent the majority of December in Colorado getting some early season riding. This year I came down even earlier to make up for a bit of lost time. I arrived November 19 after a casual two-day drive from Ontario. I’ve had a lot of time to think about getting back on the hill and what it might be or feel like with a “new” knee. Obviously I was really excited, but also nervous. Even though ACL injuries are common among snowboarders and the surgery is routine for doctors now, it still is a complicated injury. If you rush back too soon onto snow or push yourself too hard too soon, you can risk re-tearing the ligament—not something I’m interested in doing. I spent my first day riding Keystone, lapping the mountain in the morning getting the feeling back of not only snowboarding but also wearing my new knee brace. In the afternoon I went into their park. So far it’s just rails, and rather mellow, just what I’m into right now. First rail I hit, “tacoed” it, so that was cool. Thankfully that was the only one of the day.

Next day I headed to Breckenridge to see what was going on in their park. It was similar to Keystone except they had 3 jumps as well: 15 to 20 to 30. It was super fun. I was more nervous than ever though about hitting the jumps, mostly about hitting the knuckle. I wasn’t sure how my knee was going to take the impact. The speed was really easy to follow, basically straight into each jump so I cleared them all fine. Even knuckled one pretty good but the knee held just fine, I actually didn’t even notice, so that was a relief and I’m glad I got it out of the way.

I’m really happy with how my knee is feeling and I think it’s going to be a good year, as long as I continue to pace myself for the first month.

Winter Prep With Alex Duckworth

Thu, 04 Nov 2010 23:03:00 -0400

How do you get ready for the season ahead fitness-wise?
"My summers include zero fitness. I indulge in a bit of trampoline, skateboarding, catch, etc., but I keep it pretty light. September through December on the other hand gets really serious. One of the perks of being on the Natty team is access to hot, ripped trainers fo' free. I meet with these guys a few times of week and rub shoulders with all the varsity athletes that are also trying to 'get ripped.'"

Does this affect your diet?
"The diet maintains throughout the year, no specific protein shakes going on. Healthy food is actually a constant for me."

Do you do anything to get yourself ready, mentally?
"There isn't too much mental prep going on right now. My brain is pretty swamped from school. School is actually a sweet way to get you pumped for winter. I'm going to feel so liberated once I finish these courses because I'll finally be off the hook. It's a good way to check myself—make sure I'm not taking the lifestyle for granted."

Have you started making travel plans for the winter and meeting with team managers to plan your season?
"There are some plans brewing. Should be a good season, I'm excited."

What do you do as far as your gear?
"I wax it! Sarah Conrad re-teaches me how to every year."

Is there anything else you do to prep for the season ahead?
"Pre-season is super important. There's a lot of stuff that needs to get dialed before winter starts because once it does, there isn't much down time."

Catching Up With Kara Rennie Part 1: Colorado

Tue, 15 Feb 2011 23:21:00 -0500

I was given a chance to spend the week in Breckenridge and I figure what better time to go, with SIA and X Games going on? I grabbed a ride from a friend, leaving my car in Park City, and therefore making it very difficult to get around anywhere further then the town of Breckenridge. I did however make it to the Winter Park Burton Am, where myself and 11 other girls rode our best for a chance to take home some bills and bump up our TTR points.

Winter Park Village after a long day.

The course was really fun, three jumps and two rails. It was my first time at Winter Park—I always get excited riding new resorts. Congrats to the girls who made the podium! Heal quick Stephy—a broken collarbone from a backside rodeo, but still in good spirits.

Winter Park Burton Am Slope results:
1. Heather Baroody
2. Haille Soderholm
3. Michelle Zeller
4. Ariel Friedman
5. Kara Rennie
6. Stephanie Feld

The whole week was bluebird, I had a great time riding with my friends, and doing some power laps alone. A couple days I spent riding with Silje Norendal, a 17 years-old girl from Norway, who inspired me to try new things and sew my pants. Thanks for that.

Lauren and Alexa at X Games.

By Sunday it was time to get back to PC, my friend Lauren picked me up and we stopped in Aspen for a quick minute to check out the last day of X Games. Alexa met us and we had a great two hours or so hanging out at the Oakley truck and watching men's slope finals.

Lauren and I hanging out at Oakley.

Super stoked for the boys who made podium, Seb Toots, Mark McMorris, and Tyler Flanegan (child-prodigy podium right there). Also congrats to my good friend Sage Kotsenburg for taking 3rd in Big Air a couple nights before. It's amazing what the not so little, little guys can do these days.

X Games slope, pipe and big air.

Chattin' About the Arctic Challenge: Spencer O'Brien Interview

Mon, 28 Feb 2011 20:11:00 -0500

This was the first year women’s slopestyle was included in The Oakley Arctic Challenge. It could also very well be the last time Terje Haakonsen’s rider driven contest will be held. Next year the World Championships of Snowboarding will go down in Oslo instead of the TAC, and it’s anybodies’ guess as to whether or not the event will resurface in years to come. Haakonsen has a new focus—the “Snowboarding 180 Olympic Charter,” which he presented at TAC last week. Essentially, the Charter states that snowboarders want a say in the events they compete in rather than having governing bodies like the FIS and IOC make the decisions without their input. We caught up with Canada’s top female slopestyle competitor, Spencer O’Brien, to get the inside scoop on her first experience at Terje’s prestigious event, and to get her take on the Charter.

Spencer O'Brien on course at the finals. Photo: Eleonora Raggi

How did it feel to be one of the few females to get an invite to The Oakley Arctic Challenge?
“When I heard that there was going to be a full girl’s field at this year’s TAC, I really wanted to go because it’s run and owned by Terje, and I’m still a super fan. But I was a bit worried I wouldn’t be able to get in because it’s based on TTR points. I haven’t done many TTR events this year, so I knew that I would have to get a wildcard. I was really honoured and stoked when I found out I got in, because I’d heard that Terje picked the wildcards himself based on what he saw at events like the Dew Tour and Canadian Open.”

How was Norway?
“It was my first time in Norway so it was pretty exciting. Cruising around Oslo I noticed two things, everyone is beautiful—of course all Scandinavians are—and everyone could speak English. I didn’t get to go shopping, which was disappointing but the riding was good. I didn’t get to see anything other than the t-bar and the slope course, but I was impressed.”

What was the set up like?
“When I first saw the course I thought it was weird looking, but it turns out that it was laid out really well and flowed really good. The first jump was huge. It was probably the biggest jump of the year, and maybe one of the bigger ones I’ve ever hit. There was lots of airtime. The last two jumps were pretty much true step-ups.”

The Women's Podium at TAC: Jenny Jones (3rd), Jamie Anderson (1st) and Spencer O'Brien (2nd). Photo: Olav Stubberud

Take us through the runs that landed you in 2nd Place.
“I fell on my first run and it stressed me out, but luckily I was able to put it out of my mind. My second run wasn’t perfect, but I was able to put down a front lip, a 50/50 on the canon, a back 3 melon, a front 5 indy, then boardslide to fakie to switch back 5. I cleaned it up a bunch on my third run, but I was a few points shy of beating Jamie [Anderson]. In the end I was stoked to land two of three runs.”

You had some special fans there to support you, right?
“My boyfriend had been over in Europe so he was there and so were my two friends from Sweden, Marie Louise and Henrik. I lived with ML and Henrik my first season in Whistler and hadn’t seen them since they moved to Trondheim [a city in the north of Norway] a few years ago. They took the train down to Oslo for the event. It was really awesome to have them there.”

Did you watch the men’s slopestyle?
“The level of the riding on the men’s side was crazy! Everyone’s riding was so on point, and the riding just keeps getting better and better with each contest. The guys used to be able to get away with runs that were messy as long as the tricks were technical, but now perfection is demanded. If a guy even puts his hand down, his day is over. It’s an insane level of riding.”

Is TAC really different than other events you’ve been to?
“It’s different because it’s run by an athlete. The hotel and food was paid for by the event, which is a huge help to athletes. The rider care was also good on other levels. There was a physiotherapist on hand and the prize money for the men was insane. It’s the same as the X Games prize purse because Terje is a big supporter of the money going to the athlete. But, it’s still a business and a snowboard contest made for TV.”

What is your take on the 180 Charter?
“The Charter was a main focus at our first riders’ meeting since Gerhard Heiberg from the IOC was there to meet Terje and check out the event. I learned that we have a lot more power as snowboarders than we might think. We can take back the Olympic qualifying system from FIS and have it be more in line with the core values of snowboarding. Everyone in snowboarding knows the only reason riders go to World Cups is to get enough FIS points to make it into the Olympics. Otherwise the World Cups would be irrelevant.”

Are you in support of the Charter?
“I totally agree with it. I think it’s great. I would really like to compete in slopestyle at the 2014 Olympics if it gets in, and I think what is proposed in the Charter is a way, way, way better system.”

November Rider of the Month: IRIS LAZZARESCHI

Sat, 01 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0400

If you don't know Iris Lazzareschi, or Iris Lazz for short, you soon will. This Tahoe, California native is certainly catching people's attention with her charge-hard-and-send-it style. She came aboard a Snowboard Canada Women's Annual road trip from Bear Mountain north to Sierra-at-Tahoe last season and proved she was willing to work hard and get things done. Sara Tollestrup caught up with her for a chat about the coming month, her favourite post-shred eats, and getting ready for the upcoming season.

What are your plans for the month?
Celebrate thanksgiving with the family, spend some quality time with friends, get back to Tahoe and ready for winter.

What is something you’ve learned this month?
How much I don't like drama.

Where is the craziest place snowboarding has taken you?
Iceland for sure -- never thought I would go there!

Who is your favourite person to travel with?
Traveling with people usually stresses me out, I like rollin’ solo.

How do you entertain yourself on long flights?
Daydreaming, thinking, knitting, writing, reading and sleeping.

What is one item you will not go snowboarding without?
A nose full of boogers, and a snack in my pocket.

What is your favourite apres shred meal?
Chicken wings

Aside from snowboarding, how do you stay strong and healthy?
Eating well, staying active in all different sports, working out, and laughing.

What is something the average person doesn't know about pro snowboarding?
It’s so mental and so much more a business than skills even though they go hand in hand.

What is one thing people should know about you?
I'm a serious person -- when I'm serious I mean it, and when I'm joking I'm seriously joking.

What is your all-time favourite movie?
Dumb and Dumber

Which female snowboarder has influenced you the most?
Janna Meyen

Who is currently raising the bar in women's snowboarding?
Janna Meyen

If you could give one piece of advice to women, snowboarders or not, what would it be?
Be confident in who you are, have good balance in all parts of your life, and don't be afraid of your own opinion.

Thanks?
God, faithfully letting it still snow in the winters to make our favourite hobbies possible. Mom, Dad, Joelle, Johnny, Nic, all the positive people in my life -- you know who you are and I'm stoked you've been apart of it.

Photos by Ashley Barker and Lisa Hughes

Jordie Karlinski & Kara Rennie's US Open wrap report

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 10:52:00 -0400

What can I say about the US Open ... Well other then last year, this event usually get hit with the worst weather. This year takes the cake. The event started off with freezing rain, to icy slopes and a snow storm followed by pouring rain. I'm definatly not hating on Vermont because the place is beautiful but geez. Either way, everybody who rode killed it and I'm impressed with those who made it to the finals as the conditions were sketch.

My best friend Jordie Karlinski was an invited rider, and 1 of 6 to make it to the slopestyle finals. She competed alongside Kjersti, Spencer, Jamie, Silje and Enni. While I was quite happy with being a spectator for that contest, I did go to the start gate for moral support, making my clothes soaking wet within 30 minutes. Still a fun week!

Silje Norendal FS Rodeo 7
I'm Jordies #1 Fan
Soggy Finals
Kjersti Buaas Indy

Leanne Pelosi at K2's 2012 Catalogue Shoot in Chile

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 00:29:00 -0400

Leanne Pelosi is currently hanging out in Chile shooting K2's 2012 catalogue with teammates like Gretchen Bleiler. She's blogging at her Tumblr Shenanigans. Here's an excerpt and a pic of her hanging out and a nice sunset at El Colorado:

Heyo! We’re here in El Colorado, which is also attached to resorts Valle Nevado and El Parva. Travis Parker, Gretchen Bleiler, Danny Larsen, Aaron Robinson, Jordan Mendenhall and myself are here to shoot the K2 catalog for 2012, and also do some much needed board testing to make any last minute tweaks. We’ve had 3 days of shredding a very shallow snowpack. I don’t mind, because so far its been sunny everyday, with jaw dropping sunsets. This place is awesome and the people are so nice. One lady gave us fresh bread she baked while we were hitting a small hip in front of our k2 house. So amazing!