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Snowboarding News - February 2007
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Wednesday, 28 February 2007
TELLURIDE, Colo. - From the World Cup circuit and Winter X Games to the heralded Winter Olympics, American ski and snowboard racers have stood apart from the competition to gain headlines and grab more than
their fair share of gold, silver and bronze hardware on the podium. This storyline is holding true for professional snow sports' most prestigious event, the Jeep® King of the Mountain Series, where U.S. standouts Nate Holland, Lindsey Jacobellis and Casey Puckett will pursue the season-long title of World Professional Champion on March 2-3 at Colorado's Telluride Ski Resort.
The stakes couldn't be higher in Telluride, where 24 premier athletes, including Winter Olympians, World Champions and National Champions, will battle head to head for a share of the event's record cash of $450,000 plus $20,000 in bonus cash from John Paul Mitchell Systems and the keys to a new 2007 Jeep Patriot. Most importantly, at the end of the competition new World Professional Champions will be crowned. Point totals at the final race will be doubled, meaning that numerous racers have the opportunity to earn the ultimate title.
With news that 2006 Winter Olympic gold medalist Seth Wescott had injured himself at the recent FIS World Cup race at Furano, Japan, the men's snowboarding competition took on a decidedly different look. Wescott had won each of the first two races of the season in Snowbird, Utah and Beaver Creek, Colo., but his absence in Telluride has created an opening for Squaw Valley, Calif.'s Holland, a 2006 Winter Olympian and recent Winter X Games gold medalist, to grab professional snow sports' most coveted honor.
Holland will find himself in the company of many challengers, including third-ranked Drew Neilson of Canada, a 2006 Winter Olympian with six World Cup titles, a Continental Cup Championship, and a slew of gold, silver and bronze medals from the Winter X Games. Right behind the pair is defending World Professional Champion and 2006 Winter Olympian Graham Watanabe of Park City, Utah, and Mario Fuchs of Austria, a 2006 Winter Olympian and Austrian National Champion. The event's newest addition, World Cup titlist and 2006 Winter Olympian Jason Smith of Durango, Colo., will make the competition that much more intense.
In women's snowboarding, Stratton Mountain, Vt.'s Jacobellis will have to fend off a field as diverse as it is deep. She won the first two races of the season, but with double points at stake in Telluride, there's little margin for error. On her heels in second place is Julie Pomagalski of France, who has amassed two French National Championships, a World Championship and nine World Cup titles in her career. Other notables include Doresia Krings of Austria, a 2006 Winter Olympian and two-time defending World Professional Champion, Tanja Frieden of Switzerland, the snowboard-cross gold medalist from the 2006 Winter Olympics, and Seattle, Wash.'s Marni Yamada, a member of the U.S. Snowboard Team. The roster is rounded out by Joanie Anderson of South Lake Tahoe, Calif., who just nipped Jacobellis at the finish line in Aspen, Colo,, to earn the Winter X Games gold medal.
In men's skiing, Aspen, Colo.'s Puckett, the defending World Professional Champion and a four-time Olympian, sits on top of the standings. Behind him is Lars Lewen of Sweden, a U.S. Freeskiing Champion and two-time gold medalist at the Winter X Games. A three-way tie for third place includes Jake Fiala of Frisco, Colo., a Winter Olympian an U.S. National Champion, Enak Gavaggio of France, winner of six World Cup titles, a Winter X Games gold medal and four International Free Skiers Association World Championships, and Tomas Kraus of the Czech Republic, who has earned a World Championship and two World Cup Championships in the past two years.
The women's ski competition is equally as intriguing. Ophelie David of France, the seven-time World Cup titlist, three-time World Champion and French National Champion has won both events thus far and seems primed to repeat as World Professional Champion. Behind her are three racers tied for second, including Canadian Anik Demers of Truckee, Calif., a Winter X Games gold medalist, Magdalena Iljans of Sweden, a six-time World Cup titlist and Brett Buckles of Steamboat Springs, Colo., a Gravity Game gold medalist and North American Freeskiing Champion.
Racing against top rivals in front of thousands of spectators and millions of television viewers is challenge enough. Add in the Jeep King of the Mountain Series' innovative Y-cross racecourse and the result is one of the most exciting race settings in the industry. For the first part of the course, two competitors must navigate the dual features section consisting of single and double rollers. Once through this section, the two courses converge into a single course, forming the approximate shape of a Y. The second section features terrain characteristics of snowboard-cross racing, including banked turns, jumps, and tabletops. Athletes must be able to "work" the terrain features in order to generate extra speed, use techniques such as NASCAR-style drafting, and feel comfortable with another racer literally breathing down their neck. Ski racer Tomas Kraus has been selected to put his personal touch on the Y-cross racecourse as part of the Jeep King of the Mountain Series' "competitor inspired" racecourse design program, which allows the racers to hand-select the layout and technical elements most desired by the athletes themselves.
World Professional Champions are determined based on points accrued during six races spanning from December 2006 through March 2007. Previous races have taken place at Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort in Utah, Beaver Creek Resort in Colo. and Taos Ski Valley in New Mexico.
The grand finale from Telluride will air on March 24 from 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. and March 25 from 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. on CBS Sports. Each race of the 2006-2007 Skiing & Snowboarding World Professional Championships airs on CBS Sports, with additional broadcast coverage on nationally syndicated television.
About the Jeep King of the Mountain Series
The Jeep King of the Mountain was established in 1993. Jeep is the title sponsor for the Jeep King of the Mountain Series. The Professional Skiing & Snowboarding World Championships are the sister competition to summertime's Jeep King of the Mountain World Professional Mountain Biking Championships. Other marketing partners for the Jeep King of the Mountain include Bern Helmets, Columbia Sportswear Company, Edge ActiveCare, Infinity Systems, John Paul Mitchell Systems, Michelin, Mopar, Rossignol, Ski Press Magazine, Sprint, Telluride Mountain Village and Telluride Ski Resort. Based on their points accrued during the season skiers Casey Puckett and Ophelie David and snowboarders Seth Wescott and Lindsey Jacobellis will wear the coveted John Paul Mitchell Systems black leader's bibs in Telluride.
Monday, 26 February 2007
For the last year, Jake Levine has been living the high life as the SNICKERS Brand and Burton Rover. Now he wants to share the dream trip with you. Check out Jake's blog at Read Full Story
m" class="InNewsLink" target="_blank">www.theonseason.com and tell The Rover why you deserve to live it up at the U.S. Open. You and a guest could win flights to Vermont, sweet lodging for the weekend, V.I.P. passes to the best parties AND a behind-the-scenes tour of the Burton headquarters in Burlington (complete with a ton of free Burton gear, of course).
So if you're interested in snagging this opportunity and winning a lot of freebies, then come and check out www.theonseason.com/contest.cfm for the contest rules and details.
Monday, 26 February 2007
With a slightly cut schedule, the Snickers Nordpark Sessions 2007 will start this week at Nordpark, Innsbruck/Austria. Due to the snow situation, the Hit da Pipe contest had to be cancelled while the Skyline
Expression Session at the snow park, the main event Check the Ripper and the parties will take place
just as planned. Thus, snowboarders and freeskiers are looking forward to a lot of action at the Nordpark from February 27th to March 04th 2007.
As there will be no super-pipe at Nordpark this year, the Hit da Pipe Session 2007 can't take place. As a countermove, the Skyline Expression Session will be extended and will now happen from February 28th to March 02nd. A brand new kicker line at the superpipe area will be the setting for this freestyle session for freeskiers and snowboarders. The Night Session on Friday, March 02nd will be the highlight of the Skyline Expression Session. Apart from the "Most Impressive Rider" decision, there will also be a photographers' contest: the best pictures will be shown at the After Contest Party on Saturday.
One for all: Nordpark Check the Ripper
On March 03rd and 04th 2007, the Nordpark Check The Ripper will be the final climax of the Snickers Nordpark Sessions. The main goal of the contest is to select the perfect allround rider - simply the RIPPER! That's why the course contains all kinds of rideable terrain. Each rider will do a single timed run through three different sections: the park with several freestyle elements, the second section with well-shaped banks and finally a steep off-piste slope. If the snow situation should foil this planning, there will be two courses: a short freestyle course at the fun park with a corner, a kicker and a rail as well as a steep banked freeride course.
In any case the Check The Ripper contest offers a unique combination of both style and speed. Only those who gain time by performing fine freestyle tricks AND who possess extraordinary freeriding abilities stand a chance of winning.
The international field of participants is made up of well-known freeriders, freestylers and local rippers. Riders like Innsbruck local Sani Alibabic, German freeski star Teddy Beer and Kathrin Gappmayr are confirmed. Two KTM 200 ESC motocross bikes and many more prizes are up for grabs.
Party time!
From Wednesday to Saturday, Innsbruck will defend its reputation as the perfect party location. After the SNICKERS WARMUP PARTY at Jimmyz on Wednesday, February 28th, there will be more parties at Jimmyz, Couch Club and Blue Chip. An essential part of the Snickers Nordpark Session is the legendary wild boar BBQ at Hungerburg on Saturday where two wild boars will be grilled. The party will then move on to Jimmyz where the prize-giving will be held alongside live gigs.
For more information please refer to www.nordparksessions.com
PROGRAMM SNICKERS NORDPARK SESSIONS 2007
Tuesday, 27/02/2007
16-17 h Inscription, Hungerburg
Wednesday, 28/02/2007
10-16 h Skyline Expression Session, Nordpark
16-17 h Inscription, Hungerburg
22 h Snickers Warmup Party, Jimmyz
Thursday, 01/03/2007
10-16 h Skyline Expression Session, Nordpark
16-17 h Inscription, Hungerburg
22 h Party, Jimmyz & Couch Club
Friday, 02/03/2007
10-16 h Skyline Expression Session, Nordpark
10-16 h Training Check The Ripper, Nordpark
19 h Skyline Expression Night Session & Cocktailparty, Nordpark
Saturday, 03/03/2007
09-15 h Check The Ripper, Nordpark
15 h Snickers Style Session, Nordpark
16-19 h Wild boar BBQ, Hungerburg
21 h Prize-giving & „Pics of the week" presentation, Jimmyz
23 h After Contest Party Blue Chip
Sunday, 04/03/2007
Bad weather day
Thursday, 22 February 2007
IN THIS ISSUE
By the calendar, springtime isn't far off in the Northeast. That may have been the shortest winter ever. Sure, you might have been surfing without a hood in January, but you didn’t log as many days on the hill this year. Also according to the calendar, the eighth issue of N'East Magazine is about to hit newsstands. The N'East crew has done a bit of thinking about global warming, as well as beach closures, greenhouse gasses, and recycling. They're putting out their first-ever Green Issue.
"This issue, and all to follow, being green; printed on post-consumer paper, aligned with the Forest Stewardship Council, and using veggie-based inks - is something we are very proud of. Not because it took so much extra effort or cost, it was really as simple as asking for it - food for thought for the entire magazine industry," Jim McGinley, Publisher.
The Green Issue brings you the people, businesses, and organizations doing right by the earth, plus a gear guide full of environmentally sound products, and information to help you make a difference. Keep an eye out for harrowing tales of Northern Baja, snow shredding in NYC, technical climbing at Moss Cliff, thievery in Oahu, and athletes who are running their cars on french-fry grease.
“Putting out a Green Issue is especially exciting for me, because I love to spend my time outdoors, and recently it has become impossible not to notice the ways in which our environment is changing,” says Amy VanHaren, Associate Editor.
Amy continues: “Human impacts have altered our climate and the landscape on which we live and play. I can't imagine climbing on 100 degree days in the near future or not being able to ride my snowboard in January. But I'm worried. We have to start changing the way we do things in order to preserve our earth and our active lifestyles.”
N’East Magazine continues to support and help promote the goals and ethics behind non-profits. Tyler Briggs, Communications Director: “In addition to continuing our relationships with environmentally conscious non-profits, such as Surfrider and Access Fund, we have joined 1% for the Planet.”
UPCOMING
N’East will be attending the US Open of Snowboarding in Stratton, from March 16 -18. Tyler Briggs, Communications Director: “This will be our second year as a media sponsor for the Open, and as one of the biggest events of the year for N’East, we plan to keep the vibe alive. With the Green Issue in hand we hope to school some groms on what to do with all that schwag after they are done with it.” Right after the Open, N’East will be back in Stratton at the VT Freeskiing Open from the 23-26 of March. You can also catch N’East at the Orage Pros and Powder Tour at Loon Mountain March 3 and Stowe Mountain March 31.
ABOUT N’EAST MAGAZINE
N’East Magazine can be found at Barnes & Noble, B. Dalton, Borders, REI, Shaw’s, Universal News, Eastern Mountain Sports, Big Y, Brooks Pharmacy, CVS, Hannaford Brothers, King Kullen, Stop & Shop, Victory Markets, and Independent Newsstands and retailers throughout the Northeast. For a full list, check out neastmag.com
Thursday, 22 February 2007
Marie Fortin, founder of Hilltrip, will host the Session from 7pm to 9pm. Adrian Nelson, the Chair of the Vancouver Surfrider Foundation wi
ll be speaking on local water quality and sewage treatment issues. He will also be presenting conservation tips to help improve the local watersheds. The presentation will be concluded with the video Sea to Summit and is followed by the Enviro-Mental Showdown Fundraising Party with DJ Matt the Alien who will step it up and play funky grooves all night long.
Adrian Nelson is a local Surfer and Snowboarder who has turned his attention to environmental issues. He has been working with the Surfrider Foundation across Canada and The United States for over five years now. He’s recently been championing the Surfrider Foundation here locally to give surfers and snowboarders an attractive environmental outlet. He will be speaking about the Hydrological cycle, Whistler sewage treatment practices, and water quality issues in the Howe sound.
The Sea to Summit video (Running time: 19 minutes) traces the entire hydrological cycle, using a mix of computer generated graphics and filmed footage to illustrate the process as water falls to earth in the form of precipitation, before filtering down through watersheds into urban and agricultural areas and finally flows out to sea, where it is eventually evaporated into the atmosphere to start the entire process over again. In addition to appearances by skateboarding legend Tony Hawk and top women’s snowboarder Tara Dakides, the video features professional surfers Donavon Frankenreiter, Brad Gerlach and Jodie Nelson. The video is also narrated by renowned ESPN and X-Games commentator Sal Masakela.
During the event, representatives from Surfrider Vancouver will be available on-site to provide information about the Snowrider Project and to recruit members and volunteers. Moreover, people will have the opportunity to neutralize global warming emissions generated from traveling 300 kilometers in the average car, an estimated 300 pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2) out of the air, by buying wind power credits in the form of Cool Tags from CLIF BAR.
Everybody attending the pre-party will get a free beer from Whistler Brewing Company and have a chance to win a prize during the Sustainable Watershed Session including a pair of SPY goggle and O’Neill gear. As always attendees will also have the opportunity to enter a FREE Raffle draw to win the grand prize of a 3-day Surf Experience Expedition sponsored by Deep Snow & Surf Experience or an Option snowboard among other prizes.
The Sustainable Watershed Session starts at 7PM sharp!
The Enviro-Mental Showdown Fundraising Party starts at 9PM.
Proceeds of each Step it Up event will support the Snowrider Project, a campaign of the Surfrider Foundation, which aims to bring greater understanding of the hydrological cycle and foster a sense of stewardship towards alpine and valley watersheds. One major initiative for Snowrider is organizing local mountain clean-ups in spring after the snow melts to pick up garbage haphazardly littered during the season by skiers and boarders.
The Surfrider Foundation is a non-profit Grass roots organization that is dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of our local beaches and oceans. Surfrider recognizes the biodiversity and ecological integrity of the planet's coasts are necessary and irreplaceable. Surfrider is committed to preserving natural living and non-living diversity and ecological integrity of the coastal environment. Surfrider also understands the unique balance the entire watershed plays on our coastal environment. Through the extension of the Snowrider project the Foundation is able to reach our local mountain users and teach them sustainable mountain practices.
Thanks to Whistler Brewing Company, O’Neill, Option Snowboards, Spy, Deep Snow and Surf Experience, and Clif Bar for their support.
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