The final stop of the Roxy Ride Days Canadian Tour found itself at Lake Louise, Alberta on Saturday April 7^th, 2012. It has been years since an all girl freestyle camp graced the pristine parks of the resort and it was clear the Albertans had been through a dry spell and were in need of a sweet, sweet snowboard oasis to relieve them. Roxy was there to rain down with snowboard awesomeness, new tricks, new gear, and new friends. Bringing in coaches from across Canada and most excitingly, Roxy pros Erin Comstock and Robin Van Gyn joining the team to guest coach.
-By: Eve Northmore, Photos: Jeff Patterson

Warm-up & mini-shreds

There are several words that describe the Roxy Ride Days final stop at Lake Louise; sold out, progressive, fun, dance off, steezy, airtime and special guest celeb snow crew! Here are some quotes from the coaches and riders, and of course the photos that capture the vibe:


Gearing up in the park

“Thanks so much for such a great day, learned some amazing skills and met some sweet chicks. Epic day at Lake Louise loved every minute of it. Finally landing the 180 even after I buggered my tailbone. It made my season! :).”  - Tarryn O'Hehir (Participant)

"With 80 super excited girls in tow, energy was at an all time high. Roxy created a little nook in the terrain park with beats going all day and sessions going down on every feature. Definitely one of the funnest days of the season. Lets just say there was no shortage of smiles and high fives.” – Robin Van Gyn (Roxy Pro & Guest Coach)


Jump session

“It was really satisfying to watch the girls learn new tricks!  In the afternoon I played a game of Roxy with the advanced girl riders and it was so fun to see them try tricks they had never even thought of before and then to actually land them was so awesome to watch!” - Erin Comstock (Roxy Pro & Guest Coach)

Erin Comstock throwing down

“From beginning to end my Roxy Ride Day experience was fun, comfortable and rewarding! In one day I learned more than I had attempted in years of riding, all with a great group of girls who shared the same passion as me.” – Hailey Lacroix (Participant)

“I learnt new tricks I never thought of trying before along with a rad group of girls, Lake Louise Roxy Ride Days was a blast! Thanks to the coaches and riders for a super fun day!” - Kelsey Wilhelm (Participant)

Session

“The tent went up, the tunes were blasting, we got many a hoot and holler from the chairlift above our heads with the great excitement of a park full of 80 girls, all under a classic Roxy bluebird sunshine day, which has now become somewhat of a norm for the Ride Days (knock on wood).” – Eve Northmore (Coach, Event Organizer)


Rail Session

“The Roxy Ride Days are amazing; full of fun in the sun, smiles, good tunes, new tricks with friends, pony unicorns and puppies, everything that makes riding fun.” – Meg Watson (Head Coach)


Giveaways

“I've never rode, fell, laughed, or danced so hard in my life. RRD made me a sicker rider, new friends, and great memories!” – Hayley Houck (Participant)


Erin Comstock really throwing down

“My favorite moment was the one-woman dance off for the snowboard giveaway. After drawing two names for the snowboard we turned up the tunes and let the two girls rip it up. It turned out the other girl had to leave, but the winner danced like her life was on the line. Truly amazing to see her swinging her back protector over her head like it was a lasso!” – Robin Van Gyn (Roxy Pro & Guest Coach)


The Super Crew

“Each stop on the Roxy Ride Day tour grew consistently larger and crazier. We were like a band on the road and the entourage and noise just keep growing and getting crazier. Albertans always come out in full force and show what a crazy ‘givener’ and ‘beauty’ province it is.  This was only compounded by the great job that Eve’s crew did. Don’t miss ‘the bus’ next year!” – Joanna Majcherkiewicz (Roxy Marketing Manager, Coach)


The Crew

It feels like a very short 8 weeks since the Roxy Ride Days started back in January. Our second year of the all girls freestyle program flew by in a blur of boardslides, sweet air, high fives and good times.  New friends were made and tricks were stomped. The girls have a jam packed bag of tricks to take their riding to the next level. Here are some highlights from the 5 programs that ran across Ontario.
By: Eve Northmore, Photos: Erin Helstern

1. Blue Mountain Bonanza:

a.    Returning Rider - Selina Lai, Front Board
b.    Coaches - Jessica Woolsey, Erika Langman & Eve Northmore
c.    Airtime with the Blue girls
d.    Core Rider - Keegan Klinkman, Tail Press

2. Another Thursday night park session. Blue Mountain.


3. Roxy Core! We added a core program for competitive riders as well as the Ride program. Head Coach Meg Watson with her Glen Eden Core crew.


4. Courtney Munroe. Tail Press at Horseshoe Valley.


5. Lakeridge Resort Mondays.

a.    Kristen Carr - Frontboard
b.    Clare Zeltner – Straight Air
c.    Lakeridge Roxy Crew with coaches Meg Watson & Ashley Braun    

6. Blue Mountain, always a fun time with a premier park and pipe built to keep our girls amped all season long.

a.    Allison Abbott – Tailslide
b.    Coach Eve Northmoer & Selina Lai
c.    Double Trouble Boardslides – Core girls, Allison Abbott & Keegan Klinkman

7. Glen Eden group shot. No surprise that this was the biggest program location with 2 parks to cater to our mix of beginner to advanced riders progression.


8. Coach Sessions:

a.    Ashley Braun – Tailpress, Lakeridge
b.    Jessica Woolsey – Frontboard Guns, Blue Mountain
c.    Eve Northmore – Boardslide, Horseshoe
d.    Erika Langman – Frontboard, Blue Mountain

9. We were super stoked to be back with our weekend girls at Beaver Valley. With 3 sweet parks and a grom series spearheaded by Beaver Valley, competition training was the name of the game.

a.    The group with coaches Eve Northmore & Hillary Ledden
b.    The group, hillside at the Quiksilver King of the Park
c.    Coach Hillary & Alison Hansen
d.    Coach Hilary & Megan Kirwin

10. Sunday Funday. Taking a break with the Beaver Valley crew


11. Canadian Shield

a.    Ontario managed to squeak out one last competition in late March. The girls cleaned up at Canadian Shield! Andi Gendron (2nd, Girls 12 and under), Carina Buck (1st Girls 13-15), Not pictured: (Summer Gendron, 1st Girls 12 and under).

12.  Going out with a bang:

a.    Coaches Laura Brace, Jessica Woolsey & Eve Northmore with Andi & Summer Gendron at the Canadian Shield.
Many Thanks to Roxy and all of the 2012 riders for an amazing season!!

For more info on the Roxy Ride Days:
www.womenssnowboardfederation.com
Twitter: @womensnowfed
Email: info@womenssnowboardfederation.com
Phone: 705.721.3839

For Roxy Snow info, visit:
www.roxy.com
Twitter: @roxy #RoxyCanada

Facebook Pages:
Blue Mountain: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Roxy-Ride-Days-Blue-Mountain/134665616641780
Glen Eden: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Roxy-Ride-Days-Glen-Eden/226602964078677

Lakeridge: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Roxy-Ride-Days-Lakeridge/123618011084204
Beaver Valley: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Roxy-Ride-Days-Beaver-Valley/272904809422356
Horseshoe: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Roxy-Ride-Days-Horseshoe-Valley/225653524173717

In the midst of our 6 weeks of WSF events, we had one of our biggest, The Roxy Ride Days Canadian Tour had its second stop at Mont Avila, QC this Saturday. It's official, Mother Nature loves Roxy! With a high of 23 degrees, bluebird skies and great tunes, the girls sessioned with the coaches including special guest coach and Roxy Canada AM rider Joanie Robichaud. Joanie took a break from Whistler powder to return to her home province to show the advanced girls how to kill it.

EARLY MORNING. SETTING UP. WARMING UP THE RIDERS.


How good can it get with warm spring weather and a private park and DJ Quik spinning sweet tunes!

THE ROXY RIDE DAYS PARK

The day started with a warmup at the Roxy base zone and after group power laps ollying and popping their way down the mountain and into the park.

We like to start off the day with basic freestyle skills.  Once in the park, the girls can get set up with a demo the 2013 line of Roxy boards and then have a choice of 1.5 hour jump, rail or advanced mega park sessions. They have a chance to switch to the second round of sessions or stay on their first feature.

COACHING SESSIONS

Truly individualized for each girl to learn what she wants at her pace. For all levels of freestyle riders, we razzed the girls to olly higher, pop bigger and push their limits throughout the day. Hiking up a storm for 3 hours, we still had to tear the girls off of the hill to take a late break for lunch.

CAMP VIBES


Reenergized, the crew headed back up the hill to start the R.O.X.Y jump and rail jams. The coaches called out tricks and to no surprise the girls were throwing down and outlasting each other trick for trick.

JUMP JAM


With head to head sudden death finals, having worked through spins, grabs and shiftys of every sort,  the last jump trick was called by Roxy Marketing Manager Joanna Majerkowitch. Roast Beef!! An oldschool throwback that warranted confused looks from the younger riders.  Down to the wire, 1 rider was hungry enough; the youngest and probably the most flexible, 12 year old Alex Beaudoin nailed it!

RAIL JAM

Over on the rail jam side the girls slipped, slid and spun their way through their tricks. It was the young gun taking it again! Romy Ferland landed the final trick and took home a prize bag including fresh new Roxy outerwear! Looks like the older competitors will be getting a run for their money over the next few years with these up and comers breaking onto the scene.

HAPPY WINNERS

The day wrapped up as with sweet prizes, giveaways, high fives & hugs and even a draw for a 2012 Torah Bright pro model Eminence snowboard!



The final stop of the tour lands at Lake Louise, Alberta on April 7 and will feature special guest coaches from the Roxy pro snowboard team. This event is almost sold out so there is still time to register! See you at Lake Louise!


RESULTS:
R.O.X.Y. JUMP JAM - Alex Beaudoin
R.O.X.Y. RAIL JAM - Romy Ferland
R.O.X.Y. ADVANCED RAIL JAM - Maude Tessier

MOST IMPROVED:
JUMP - Andrea Totten
RAIL - Hannah Jim
ADVANCED - Vanessa Cleroux

TOUR SCHEDULE:
Grouse Mountain, BC - February 4th
Mont Avila, QC          - March 17th
Lake Louise, AB         - April 7th
Blue Mountain, ON     - Jan 2nd - March 3rd
Lakeridge Resort, ON
Horseshoe Resort, ON
Beaver Valley, ON
Glen Eden, ON         

For more info on Roxy Ride Days Canadian Tour or to register for Lake Louise:
Twitter: @womensnowfed
Email: info@womenssnowboardfederation.com
Phone: 705.721.3839
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/events/354917794533965/
Web: http://shredsisters.com/blog/roxy-ride-days-events
 
For Roxy Snow info, visit:
www.roxy.com
Twitter: @roxy #RoxyCanada

On Saturday March 17th, Mont Avila in St-Sauveur, QC held the Roxy Ride Days event for a 4th year in a row. Under a bluebird sky and hot spring conditions, girls arrived at the hill to meet up and shred the day off.

This is my 4th year attending the Roxy Ride Days, and it is always an amazing experience. A group of girls, from beginners to killer skills, all get together once a year to celebrate the joy of riding and learning. The group has grown stronger every year, and the coaching sessions are so much fun!  I’ve been riding for a little over 10 years, but never got the “hang” of the park yet. What the Roxy Ride Day brings me year after year is the confidence to hit the jumps, rails and boxes. Every girl gets pumped; we motivate each other and have a blast all day. It is a fun and individually challenging competition, where every coach takes into consideration the skills of everyone, and tries to push beyond these skills. The day is always perfectly planned, from giving away bags of goodies, coaching sessions, rail jam, games of R.O.X.Y, and so much more. It teaches us from basics to more complex tricks, and I am proud to say that this year was the best day of my snowboarding career yet.

I’ve learned so much during the past 4 years, and I’m already waiting for the 2013 Roxy Ride Day in my area. If you have that passion for riding and are interested to learn some fresh moves and meet a group of girls who share your love for the sport, you girls should definitely register and discover yourself how you can constantly progress while having a blast.

Thank you so much girls for believing in our sport, in our passion, and thank you for making our lifestyle worth it each and every day. The Roxy Ride Day is so much more than a gifts-giveaway, it’s a way to follow what our hearts tells us to …

Anik Lefebvre
Axis Boardshop & Roxy Ride Days Participant year 4!

Words: Eve Northmore, Photos: Erin Helstern

In between coaching on Thursday and Billabong Flaunt It on Saturday, we found some precious moments to get out off the hill for an adventure. With the Billabong crew in town for the event and a limited time frame, we set up an easy spot at a playground in Collingwood. Richard Roth had taken me here years ago to shoot when the Rugged Riders crew came to town from Quebec. Gasp! Yes I doubled up. Those pics never surfaced and it was about 5 years ago, so I figured it was back on the market. If you live, ride, or are under the age of 12 in Collingwood, you probably know this spot. It has several great swing sets, slides and forts as well as an infamous rail heading out to Georgian Bay nearby. The concrete tubes are a mellow hit, easy to get to and also is lit up. Banger, I thought and a banger it was. Good times ensued.

Jackie working hard, however, not really hard enough to break a sweat. More like working at a medium pace.

Cold certified chillin’. The crew wondering what the heck concrete tubes are doing scattered around a playground.

Towing into the abyss. Banshee Bungee. A must have. Watch out or it will take your mittens off!

Jessica Woolsey.  Hit after hit, everyone got many turns rotating between dropping in and towing the bungee out.

Laura Brace.

Billabong Rider Victoria Marshall.

Erika Langman.

Eve’s Coach Demo 1: How to successfully gap a concrete tube.

Eve’s Coach Demo 2: How to unsuccessfully gap a concrete tube.

Gap to side impact landing. This ended my participation portion of the activity and was the start of a new late night adventure.

Hospital visits, that’s what friends are for.

4 painful hours later an X- Ray showed no damage except for some deep bruising, which has now since reared it’s ugly head on my body. It hurt to stand, it hurt to sit, mostly, it hurt to laugh which was especially noted when there happened to be numerous x rated ailments going on with other patients around me. As soon as we could we booked it out of there, driving over the hospital curb in a truck convoy to save on the parking tab, only to get dinged outside my house later that morning. Karma.

We made it home with 4 hours of sleep left before we had to be up and on hill for Flaunt It. We were judging, so the day wasn’t too taxing on our bodies, just our brains. All in all, a very successful night to lead into a very successful weekend!

Bonus: Speaking of bails: Check out the Flaunt It Best Bail. If you haven’t seen it already, this is a doozy!

Until next time…

Peace,

Eve