Andrew Sayer's Column

Jake Kuzyk Is One Of The Cool Kids

2010-03-16T01:32:00Z

If snowboarding were high achool - a comparison that may not be that much of a stretch - Jake Kuzyk would be one of the ‘cool kids.' The crew that lurks on the sidelines of the big football game with leather jackets undone, jeans tapered in all the right places, and sunglasses hiding their ‘who cares' attitude. Backs are turned toward the game not paying it any attention, although everyone notices their presence.

Jake is far from one of those "too cool for school" students though. He would be the member that everyone likes, even the jocks (the contest riders). The kid that all the guys want to be and all the girls have a crush on, as the saying goes. All eyes are on Jakuzy, even if he is too humble to admit it.

A natural snowboarder whose riding has an appealing personality, Jake's style stands out in a time when every shredder can do every trick and look similar doing it. His top-shelf skateboarding abilities are visible in his riding before even seeing him hit a handrail. There's no costumes or flashy fashion accessories when Jake's on the hill. No wizard tricks on rails or hucked doubles off jumps, preferring to just cruise like a regular guy when on his board.

Watching last year's Sandbox film, Shine On, in a room full of sponsored snowboarders they will skip to this regular guys' part and shake their heads at his natural talent. Then the credits will roll - because Jake Kuzyk closes down snowboard movies.

Last year you bagged the ending part in Sandbox's Shine On. What was the hardest trick for you to get?
Kev (Sansalone) and Clay hooked me up last year BIG. Huge thanks to those guys on that one. Hardest move? Well the ones that took the longest were the front board pretzel at the beginning and the switch nose-blunt 270. I had to re-watch it to remember.

You've graduated to the big leagues now, filming for the Transworld video. How does that compare?
It's pretty similar. I mean, there is always a method to filming. I'd say its more organized now, and a lot easier to get photographers on your crew. I'm lucky enough to be filming entirely with people who I'm already friends with or have at least met. I'd say I rode some different stuff this year for sure.

What would be more satisfying, a full ending part in Sandbox, or splitting a part with other riders in a TWS part?
That's tough. I can't really pin that down. What about filming a half part in both? If all goes as planned this year then I guess my pick will come true. Haha.

You have a somewhat active vimeo page and blog going with some smooth edits. Have you always been into the whole filming/editing thing?
Yes, I'm super down to film and edit. I used to own a DVX100b, but I had to sell it to pursue my snowboarding a little more. I'm gonna buy a new camera soon once I can afford it. Maybe make a homie video?

Minnesota and Quebec are the two hot spots right now. Do you think kids will start moving to urban centres like these instead of places like Whistler or Banff to ride?
It's hard to say. I don't know about permanent moves but I could for sure see a few months at a time. I need a good resort to make base in. I've been based out of Winnipeg this year with no mountains near whatsoever. It's been hard. Rails are such a small part of snowboarding. I need some transitions in my life to keep sane, actually feel my board.

Which reigns supreme for rail spots, Minnesota or Quebec?
Well if I told you I'd just be adding to the problem wouldn't I? Haha.

What are those scenes like coming from an outsider's perspective? It seems like many of those guys are never going to leave, they just love it.
They are two very good locations each with their ups and downs. The main hurting factor is the lack of big resort and powder experiences. But like you said the scenes are tight and I feel the industry keeps a watchful eye on these spots. Lots of good locals coming out of both areas too.

You have to hit one rail for the rest of your life. Which one is it and why?
Oh wow. It's probably gonna be the second part of the famous Quebec double line. The low, square one that is silvery grey. I'm not sure the name. Jed (amongst others) annihilated it. That rail has a little drop in and what not. It's the most fun street spot I've ever been to.

(Please visit the site to view this media)

Same question for a mountain/resort. Which one, and why?
Damn, this one is harder. I haven't ridden enough resorts to make the call. I'd say Seymour, or Bear maybe? Both are small but have almost all of the elements. Good parks and interesting terrain.

The USA is kinda jacked with their 21+ drinking age. How does it feel to still have to sneak into bars?
Oh dude it sucks, I was so bummed on being a minor again. We made it work on this last trip though. My fake was so suspect. Scope the video.

What is a "wizard trick" and what should kids know about them?
Haha. Mainly any trick where you spin more then 90 degrees while still on a rail into another trick is a ‘wizard' move. More commonly known as a combo. I'm not down. They seem pretty out of control. Trick selection is 75% of what distinguishes your riding from others I think.

Are you part of the whole Etnies/Bearics thing? Being a pretty damn solid skateboarder what do you think about the whole bite/homage?
I was not present for "The Bearics." I think I have no comment on the situation, ha.

Did you think JP's ‘First Try Friday' doing a front board was as lame as I did? Shit it's JP, why didn't they get him to switch back lip or something?
I'm feelin' you on that one. For real.

Which riders are you really impressed with these days?
Scott Stevens, Louif Paradis, Jake Olson-Elm, E-man Anderson, Phil Jacques, Nicholas Muller, Jonas Michilot, and Keegan Valaika. That's just off the top of my head. I could go on forever, but those dudes eat hammers for breakfast it seems, so I'm down.

Jake Olson-Elm is dubbed "Springbreak Jake" while you were christened "Jakuzy." Whose do you like better? Who thought up these amazing nicknames?
I think Justin Meyer came up with the both of them. For sure he thought of mine. I like Springbreak's better. You're thinking "woah that dude must party." Jake keeps it fresh.

How is the blog coming along? Seems like it's getting updated nicely.
It's pretty fun. It's a good way to keep a little log of my season almost, all the good times.

Anything else you want to put out there?
Scope the blog www.jacobkuzyk.blogspot.com, and just for shits www.cheesedickclick.blogspot.com and www.houseof1817.blogspot.com. There's a good way to pass time for ya.

Jake rides for K2, ThirtyTwo boots and outerwear, Etnies, Ashbury, RVCA, Elm Company and Source Boardshop.

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Related:
The Magical Stance Width Formula
Video: DC & Quiksilver at Lake Louise
Quebec Rails: Run It Back with Phil Jacques

Contest: Smolik Says...

2010-03-09T01:35:00Z

On an average day Smolik does not say much - he is a quiet man - but March 7^th, 2009 was no average day. The stage was set: 1 bluebird sky, 10 degrees on the positive side of zero, and 35 of Ontario's top snowboarders ready to do battle with a down rail in the Horseshoe Park. Smolik was armed with a megaphone and for the better part of the day riders would huck their meat at his command. The obstacle was a perfect down rail and whatever of-the-moment trick Smolik called out, riders would perform. The event was called "Smolik Says" and it wasn't just a clever name.

The man with the plan: Smolik.

The comp ran lazy like all good events should on a sunny day. The group of thirty-five males and two females (no discrimination of the sexual kind here), started easy with each rider getting two chances before getting knocked out. Unsuccessful trick attempts and presses not perfectly pressed were met with the game show-style buzzer of Smolik's megaphone - FAIL. After 29 men and 2 females failed themselves to the sidelines the final 6 men were left standing to duke it out in a game of S.K.A.T.E:

1) Jon Rusk
2) Craig B Gouweloos (CBGB)
3) PH Powling
4) Jamie Corneal
5) Jeffery Robertson
6) Brad Gauley

Smolik judging CBGB.

Sparing the details, many men did many tricks - but only one man pulled the switch back 50 - back 360 out. That young apprentice was Glen Eden local Jeffery Robertson. He rode a Capita so beat up that the top sheet would flop around in the air trying to keep up with the rest of the snowboard as he rotated on and off of the handrail. What a Cinderella story. Rob Madill should give this jedi a new Capita. Or just make him buy one on proform with his $250 winnings. Best to leave the young ones hungry so they don't get too comfy like the rest of the five (sponsored) finalists.

PH Powling.

PH Powling wore jeans without a toque and finished 2^nd. Brad Gauley wore jeans without a toque and didn't place top 3, but still impressed and left with a much nicer sunburn than PH. Jamie Corneal finished 3^rd. He must not have been wearing jeans or I actually would have watched him. The day was not over yet. There was a brief post-Smolik Says/pre-Best Trick Contest Party in the Crazy Horse. Note to future contest organizers: it is always a good idea to hold a pre-contest party when the sun is it out and the patios are full.

Skelhorn.

My girlfriend was all excited to watch the strippers perform over lunch, but unfortunately the Crazy Horse is just the Horseshoe Bar/Restaurant. They made up for the lack of talent by serving the beer cold, the food hot, and splitting the bill up individually for every member of the 30+ posse. Smolik says - "tip the server 15% you cheap asses, I have to eat here everyday."

Back to the hill, this time the staircase set took the brunt of the rider's punishment. The ‘Best Trick' was a free-for-all allowing riders to show off their whole bag of tricks. Smolik stayed out of this one to hang back and dole out the cash as tricks were being stomped.

1st place, best trick.

Who won money? Jon Rusk and Greg Florio earned it by tossing cab 270's onto the rail. Greg also performed the crowd pleasing ‘back one switch nose.' JRusk's board broke every time he landed a trick. A clue perhaps, that a man of such stature should not ride a miniature deck? Denny Duquette rode well both ways and brothers in denim, Gauley and PH, proved they didn't fluke their way into the finals by making all their tricks look proper. Craig B Gouweloos rode so well, and has been all year in fact, that I will now be referring to him solely as CBGB so I never have to type out his last name again. Better trade in those baggies for some tight leather Craig. Victim of an early knockout in ‘Smolik Says', Andrew Skelhorn made up for his departure by riding like a boss.

J Rusk.

Rider's left full of slush, sunshine, and goods from Nitro, Holden, Union, Ashbury, Sandbox Helmets, and cold hard greenery. Horseshoe put on an epic event and Smolik probably won't talk again until next March, so if you missed this you missed out big time. March is Ontario's time to shine. For two and a half weeks riding in this Province is amazing, all sun and slushy park terrain. Smolik Says was a perfect kick-off to the event triple header that consists of the actual Telus Triple Challenge: March 11-13 at Blue Mountain, followed by the Quiksilver Downlow taking place on Sunday, March 21^st at Moonstone. Watch for coverage coming soon if you can't get out to watch them live and enjoy the end of the season conditions.

Momar photo.

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Related:
Smolik: The Triple Threat
Down With Horseshoe
Horseshoe Resort: Signature Feature #2

The Magical Stance Width Formula

2010-02-13T17:12:00Z

The never-ending debate of stance widths is often summed up into two categories: narrow or wide. However, one key fact often overlooked is the rider's height; a wide stance on a shorter rider is actually narrow on someone taller.

I thought it was time to figure out what type of stance snowboarders actually ride, regardless of height. With this simple formula you can ride the same "relative" stance as your favorite pro, even if he stands six inches shorter than you. Behold, the great stance width equalizer:

RIDER HEIGHT(cm) / STANCE WIDTH (cm) = your formula

How to Get Your Formula
1)     Figure out your height in centimeters. I am just over 6' tall, so 183cm. (http://www.worldwidemetric.com/metcal.htm)
2)     Do the same to your stance width. Mine is 24" making it 60.96 cm wide.
3)     Divide your height by your stance width to get your "formula" number. For myself this would be 183/60.96 = 3.002. Therefore, this is my stance width formula number.
4)     Match your number to your favorite pro below and see where you stand.

The lower the number, the wider your stance is relative to your height. ie. Andrew Geeves' formula is 3.149. So even though his stance width is 23.5", in relation to his height he has a narrower stance than Olympic halfpipe rider Kelly Clark (formula: 2.905), even though she has a 21" stance width because she is so much shorter. Make sense? Try it out for yourself to find out exactly where you stand.

Here are a list of some snowboarders and their thoughts. Remember, the lower the formula number, the wider the stance is relative to their height. Craig Beaulieu takes the honours of having the widest stance while Kael Hill goes the narrowest. Go find out what works best for you.

Mark Sollors
Height: 6'1" (185.42cm)
Stance width: 24.5 inches
Formula: 2.979

I'm spoiled with Burton's EST binding system. I change my stance every now and then because it's so fast and easy. I used to just max my stance out and go with it but lately I've started to play with it. I narrowed it to 24.5" and I think I'm sold on that. I have long legs so any narrower would have been too much. Angles vary though. I stick to almost equal duck. Your stance should depend on your height, how long your legs are, and what you're riding. Freestyle duck that shit out. If you're soul carving pow you can pull off a more directional angle set up.

Jake Kuzyk
Height: 5'11"
Stance width: 22.75"
Formula: 3.121

I like my stance...I think its perfect. Not so skinny that it looks weird. but there's still a lot of control for those quick movements.

Craig Beaulieu
Height: 5'3"
Stance width: 24.75"
Formula: 2.545

I have no hate against the way that people have their stance. It's all a personal preference. You must feel comfortable on your board, so you make the call on where you think your stance should be!

Adam Chuntz
Height: 5'10" (175cm)
Stance width: 23.5" most of the time.
Formula: 2.932

I've always been a fan of what feels good for where your feet feel like they should go. About five years back I widened my stance an inch or so, and it really made me feel like I could control my style while in the air a lot more. It's ridiculous when you see the extremes with stances - too skinny or doing the splits. When a kid has to drill holes in his board to mount his bindings, you know it's not going to look good or ride the way it's supposed to. Either way, if it feels good to you, then go for it.

Andrew Geeves
Height: 6'2" (187.96cm)
Stance width: 23.5"
Formula: 3.149

I'm 6' 2" and ride a 23.5 inch stance. I dig it for sure. Not too wide, not too skinny. I like it for everything, park and pow. Good times for sure. I used to ride a fuckin' 25 inch stance. Shit was hectic... I brought'er in a bit and boom...couldn't do another stance if I wanted to. Shit's tight.

Alex Cantin
Height: 5'10"
Stance width: 23"
Formula: 3.043

My stance is 23 inches wide and 15, -15. I got a standard stance I think. The point about your stance is just to feel comfortable with it. It depends on what you like to do. A pipe rider will have a different stance than a jibber. I don't care if people rock small or big stances. Sometimes we see people at the resort with a weird stance. I think there's a limit. I don't think you can do proper presses and ollies with a 17 " or a 26" stance. Haha.

Andrew Skelhorn
Height: 5'8"
Stance Width: 24" (or more)
Formula: 2.833

I'm 5"8 and my stance width I believe is 24 or a bit bigger. I like a bigger stance because I think it looks aesthetically more pleasing just riding around. I find it harder to press but I like that feeling of actually getting into a press. I've ridden on boards with tighter stances and I would press easier, but I felt less balanced. I'm not dissing tight stances; it's just a comfort thing. As long as you're having fun it doesn't matter how wide or tight your stance is.

Cory Gallon
Height: 5'11'' (180.34cm)
Stance width: 23.5"
Formula: 3.021

I keep a mellow stance; not too skinny or too wide, because it just don't feel comfortable to have an 18 inch stance feels awkward and having a 26" stance is very strenuous on your knees, right in the middle feels pretty rad.

Kael Hill
Height: 5'7" (170.18cm)
Stance width: 19 - 21" (formula done with 20")
Formula: 3.35

I'm 5'7" and I usually have between 19 and 21 inches. I don't measure, just kinda guess. I like to get it just a tiny bit wider than shoulder width apart. I believe that your knees are built to have a certain alignment, when you spread your feet too far apart the weight that should distribute through your knee down your leg and into your foot is off centered to the inside. Therefore your knee wants to push towards the board and not down through your foot. It is certain that the wide stance fad in snowboarding has unnecessarily caused many knee injuries. I have found a properly aligned stance to help with my board control, spinning, and also pressing.

Harrison Gray
Height: 5'6" (167.64cm)
Stance width: 23.8"
Formula: 2.773

I'm 5'6" and I got like a 23.8 inch stance. And I like nice and wide. I find it's mellower and makes your style look more calmed and relaxed. It's easier to put tricks down and have better style.

BONUS:
Here is a quick list of some of the world's best riders and their stance width formula's.

Chris Grenier
Height: 5'11"
Stance width: 23.5"
Formula: 3.021

Andreas Wiig
Height: 6'
Stance width: 25"
Formula: 2.88

Seth Huot
Height: 5'8"
Stance width: 23"
Formula: 2.956

Louie Fountain
Height: 5'9"
Stance width: 22.5"
Formula: 3.066

Hana Beaman
Height: 5'9"
Stance width: 23.5"
Formula: 2.936

Jussi Oksanen
Height: 175cm
Stance width: 24"
Formula: 2.871

Chas Guldemond
Height: 6'
Stance width: 23.5"
Formula: 3.064

Kelly Clark
Height: 5'1"
Stance width: 21"
Formula: 2.905

Jed Anderson is part of a new breed with small stances.

Wille Yli-Luoma
Height: 5'9"
Stance width: 23"
Formula: 3.0

Eiki Helgason
Height: 170cm
Stance width: 24.5"
Formula: 2.732

Devun Walsh
Height: 5'6"
Stance Width: 23.5"
Formula: 2.808

Austin Smith
Height: 5'11"
Stance width: 23"
Formula: 3.087

Molly Aguirre
Height: 5'4"
Stance width: 21.5"
Formula: 2.977

Danny Kass
Height: 5'6"
Stance width: 22.75"
Formula: 2.901

Stevie Bell
Height: 5'7"
Stance width: 22.5"
Formula: 2.978

Cheryl Mass
Height: 172cm
Stance width: 23.5"
Formula: 2.882

Aaron Biittner
Height: 6'
Stance width: 24"
Formula: 3.0

Chris Dufficy
Height: 5'11"
Stance width: 24.75"
Formula: 2.869

LNP
Height: 5'7"
Stance width: 22.5"
Formula: 2.978

Natasha Zurek
Height: 5'2"
Stance width: 22"
Formula: 2.818

Pat Moore
Height: 5'10"
Stance width: 23"
Formula: 3.043

Leanne Pelosi
Height: 5'4"
Stance width: 21.5"
Formula: 2.977

Sean Genovese
Height: 5'10"
Stance width: 23.5"
Formula: 2.979

Iikka Backstrom
Height: 5'8"
Stance width: 24"
Formula: 2.833

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Related:
Gearing Up: What You Need To Know
So Many Choices (Board Guide)
How-to: Waxing

Wearing The PeachHat with Alex Beebe

2010-02-03T20:40:00Z

Alex Beebe is the pied piper of the PeachHat crew and blog, Canada's latest breakout website and DIY shred proving grounds. He is a self-motivated snowboard media maven, as talented behind the camera lens and editing suite as he is in front of it. Evidence of the latter is affirmed by watching his footage in his own film, cleverly titled PeachFuzz, as well as coverage in Snowboarder Magazine. Acting as the Ontario tour guide for VideoGrass had it's advantages, as Beebe was graced with his own shot in the mag, and deservedly so.

What started out last season as a series of PeachHat webisodes quickly evolved into a full snowboard flick after a phone call from Nuulife Cinema (offering to include his footage on their DVD) gave Beebe a deadline. The blog has also become a viable outlet for Canada's best riders to get their riding viewed by the masses.

Footage is often posted mere hours after a session wraps, quenching the thirst for footy that Internet groms and potential sponsors alike have these days.

Olympic fever may have caused the PeachHat crew to migrate from Whistler and use Ontario as a home base, but this reduced-rent living now leaves them free to run amok across the Great White North. Knowing their every move will be captured on film, no rail, Corey-P, or dance floor will be spared the crew's vengeance.

Watch the full film below and don't miss any action as http://peachhat.blogspot.com/ is updated on the regs with footage from Beebe, Jake Kuzyk, and your other new favorite riders. Beebe, the fastest replier on the Internet, gave us a rundown of all things peachy and those not so, like a truck jacking in Winnipeg and swizzles.

Some of the PeachHat crew with Alex Beebe as Batman.

Give us the background of PeachHat.
PeachHat is just a series of webisodes that my friends and I started, basically because we wanted to have a good time filming and watching each other ride. It started early last year when Jake K[uzyk] and I were bored at home. There was maybe two inches of snow on the ground so we decided to go see what we could make of that. We filmed it and it ended up being pretty funny to watch. After that I just brought my camera up the mountain all the time or wherever we went just to see what we could capture.

Aren't the filmer/editor's supposed to be the chubby untalented ones? You kill it on a snowboard, just had a shot in Snowboarder even. So what's your problem?
Haha. Well I can't entirely take credit for all of the filming. When we are riding the mountain we pass the camera off so everyone gets a chance to be filmed. It's pretty much the same in the streets as well. Whoever has already gotten a trick or isn't feeling the spot will film.

So are you a filmmaker, a web geek, or a snowboarder?
I guess I would say I am a little bit of each. Snowboarding is first for sure, but I also love to film and edit. And anyone who has lived with me or knows me well can tell you that I am on my computer a lot.

Dave Hull.

Give one sentence on each of these PeachHat affiliated riders:
Tyler Ashbee - He has a big soft spot for the ladies.
Brody Pigeau - Doesn't care about anything really.
Dave Hull - Never has much luck with women.
Jake Fine - He likes to party...
Jake Kuzyk - Has the best family and he is a great skateboarder.
A. Rusk - Is really good at editing.
J. Rusk - He loves his video games.
Cory Gallon - He can always make people laugh in any situation.
Steve Cartwright - Perfect style.
PH Powling - You can always catch him on his fixed gear bicycle.
Neil Young - Always gets in the sketchiest/ funniest situations.
Lucas Ouellette - The most "grown" up out of the crew.
Andrew Skelhorn - Is a soul searcher.
Jordan MacDonald - The nicest kid you'll ever meet.
Alex Beebe (Yes, you...) - Lucky to have the best crew ever.

Why didn't you give yourself opening part in the video? Isn't that what making your own video is all about?
Haha... Well I always feel like if I do that, people will assume I did it just because I made the movie. In this case though, I didn't want to make the movie about who had first part or last part. It might have seemed that way, but that's really just how the movie panned out. That is also why I decided to give everyone a shot at the end of the movie instead of having just one person finish it off.

What was the biggest challenge in making PeachFuzz?
The biggest challenge was that I had no intentions of having a deadline for it and ended up with one. John Swystun, from Nuulife Cinema, called me up at the start of August and asked if I wanted to have my movie in the bonus section of his movie. He said he wanted everything in by the 22nd so I had to sacrifice a few days of doing nothing but sitting at home on my computer doing "work".

When the crew hooks up to make party do you drink Peach Schnapps like Trip Fontaine in The Virgin Suicides?
That doesn't happen, haha. It's usually a bad thing when all of us party together, especially now that we are back in Toronto. Partying here like we do in Whistler is not appreciated at all.

How was your time out west?
It was an awesome experience and it was really hard to leave, but I am sure I will end up being back there soon enough.

Whistler Opening Day w/PeachHat
(Please visit the site to view this media)

Tell us how much you love Winnipeg.
I am never going back there again! Skelhorn talked me into driving back to Ontario and it was our second day of the trip when we decided to stop by the Forks and have a late night skate session at the plaza with Jake K. We only skated for 40 minutes because there were no lights, but when we went back to our truck, it was gone. It would not have been so bad if it was just the truck, but we had everything we owned inside of it. [ed.: read Skelhorn's version of the story here.]

You're living in Ontario this winter?
A bunch of the crew decided to move back this winter just because we thought it would be better for filming and staying out of all of the chaos the Olympics would bring. Cheap-to-no rent is always a plus as well.

How'd you get involved with the Videograss guys?
My roommate (Jan Snarski) from Whistler was filming for them and I just happened to be in Toronto when they wanted to swing by.

You showed the VG crew around Toronto last winter. Receive any hate from riders for giving up the spots?
I don't think anyone really cared that much. I think I would still do it even if people did care. Snowboarding is about having fun and I think if I am having fun at a certain spot, other people will too.

Let's say I'm a hungry young snowboarder and my life's goal is to film with PeachHat. How would one go about doing this?
I would say it is pretty easy. For the webisodes, I will put just about anyone in. As long as you're not a dick and your riding with us, or whatever, there is a good chance you'll get some shots. As for the video though, we have a pretty solid crew right now and I don't think it will change too much. The friends section is always welcoming newcomers though.

What's next for PeachHat this season?
A lot of good times and hard work.

PeachFuzz [2009]
(Please visit the site to view this media)

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Related:
Unexpected Turns with Andrew Skelhorn
Nuulife Cinema: Claiming Their Piece

Another Jewel In The Crown: King Snow

2010-01-30T15:54:00Z

Print, in it's original formula, is dead.

This is a fact - not just a statement - that even your little sister is aware of. But if this gospel were true then what sort of masochist would start up a new print/web rag at the tail end of 2009, with non-mainstream snowboarding and skateboarding as the main objects of attention? This publishing deviant has a name. It is Ryan Stutt. He is a man who answers questions with questions and offers up quotes like this:

"...having only one national snowboard magazine in Canada is like having a whorehouse with only one whore in it."

How can you argue with that kind of logic? The Canadian snow and skateboard scenes are being shaken and the man with his hands around their corpses has a direct vision into the future of the print-to-internet relationship. With the help of snowboarders like Eric Greene (editor) and Andrew Hardingham, skateboarders like Scotty MacDonald, and "fat old guys" like Dave Carnie, how can it fail? Read on and listen to Ryan Stutt's logic.

TLG's Rob Fowler and Ryan Stutt.

Lets start at the beginning. King Snow - how did it get started?
When I was debating making the move from just web, to web and print for King Shit, I figured it just made sense to jump in with both feet and do a snow site and mag too, separate from King Shit. We'd have the infrastructure in place and we wouldn't be putting skate mags out in the winter, so why not, right? Canada's needed another snow mag for a long, long time and I felt like we could really make a go of it and do something cool. So I asked a few friends in the snowboard industry what they thought of the idea and the response was overwhelmingly positive-mostly "how has someone not done this sooner?" So I pulled the trigger, got Crispin Cannon and Natalie Langmann on board to help out, and off we went. Then it kind of snowballed, and Eric Greene got involved, and so did Andrew Hardingham. And Dave Carnie, of course.

Pro-rider Eric Greene was introduced as King Snow editor/shot-caller, post-magazine release, but still.
Eric's awesome. Probably has the most genuine love of snowboarding and writing out of anyone I've met in the industry. Plus, it's really good for us to have someone running the mag who's still actively out there filming and shooting photos as a rider, you know? I'm happy as shit we could get him to come on board as our editor.

Does Canada need another magazine publication? What does King Snow offer that others don't?
Were you happy with just one national mag? Because Snowboard Canada was the only coast-to-coast mag up to this point. And having only one national snowboard magazine in Canada is like having a whorehouse with only one whore in it. Slash holds down Quebec, UpDown holds down Ontario (and both do a great job) but we definitely needed another national voice. SBC covers the middle ground and the more mainstream stuff - it's the mag Mom's can pickup for their 10 year olds and not be worried about it. Which is great, and totally has it's place. But King Snow has a different take on snowboarding than everybody else- a little more raw and fun, like King Shit. Things have gotten pretty stale and boring in snowboarding media (just like skateboarding media), so I think us coming in and stirring it up with an irreverent take on things is going to be really good for the industry as a whole. Kinda remind everyone what it's supposed to be about, you know? Having fun and telling people to fuck off from time to time. And judging by the insane amount of hype that greeted the release of the first issue of King Snow, I'd say readers were itching for something like us to come out.

King Snow, issue 2. Ask for it at your local shop.

What's more important, the website or the printed material? Does one exist without the other?
Any day now we'll be making a big announcement regarding that, actually. But in the meantime, I'd say they're one and the same - same entity, just different mediums. Photos are always going to look better printed, and until we live in some sort of Minority Report-esque future, video is only gonna work online. How the two work and interrelate is still very much something that everyone's trying to figure out, ourselves included. I find the whole idea fascinating, which probably makes me a dork. But seeing where these traditional mediums are going and evolving - it's a very exciting time to be doing this for a living if you can appreciate change.

Will printed magazines in their current format still exist five years from now?
There's a big evolutionary step coming for print media, maybe it'll take longer than five years, but it's definitely coming. And anyone that doesn't understand that is pretty much brainless at this point. I mean, there's always going to be a desire for printed mags of some sort, but if you think that the old newsstand distribution model is going to be around and flourishing, you're insane. Much like it did to the music industry, technology is going to totally knock the publishing industry on its ass. Look what the iPod and iTunes did to record companies. It made their delivery method (the CD) obsolete and expensive by comparison. Same thing is going to happen with publishing. We're just one hot gadget away from it.

Is there an internal battle between King Shit and King Snow? What with skaters being more "hardcore" than snowboarders and all.
Not really. Mostly just good-hearted ball-busting. I mean, there's no question skateboarding is more progressive and trend setting, but I think everyone gets along, especially in Canada. In the US though, there's definitely a lot more hate for snowboarding from skaters. I think it's silly.

Like the early Blunt days, King interviews can get pretty raw. Any riders ever turn down an interview fearing they would be made fun of and have to answer "questionable" questions?
Nah, people get it at this point. They know what they're in for. Most people (especially the types of riders we're featuring) are down and just go along with it. I mean, if we can't make fun of each other, what the hell are we doing? No one who skates or snowboards should take themselves that seriously.

The skate site seems a little more North American whereas the snow side is a little more Canadian. How do you view the magazine? Are you trying to lock down a solid Canadian mag or would you rather be more international?
Carnie and I have had pretty lengthy discussions about this recently, actually. I'm pretty committed to the Canadian scene with both mags, but you'll definitely see more North American content with King Shit this year, mostly cause Dave is in California. He thought it was silly to identify the mag as "Canadian", because skateboarding is just skateboarding. So why limit yourself to a specific country? And I agree to a point, but I'm a big believer in supporting the Canadian scene, so even if we widen our focus to include international content, we're still a Canadian mag to the core.

Same goes for King Snow; if we've got a mandate, it's to cover snowboarding through Canadian eyes. I mean, we put Jake Olson-Elm on the cover of our second issue and gave him an Ambush interview (though, he's almost Canadian, being from Minnesota) - I'm not going to let us get hung up on geographical details. Good shit is good shit, you know? Who gives a crap where someone's from? Canadian kids are always going to have the majority of the coverage in our mags, I think it's a good thing to be open to including anyone who's doing something cool, regardless of where they're from.

UpDown is another free Canadian website/publication and they recently put out a cover of a close-up of E-Man's bloody nose, somewhat mimicking the bloody hands on the second cover of King Shit. Is there a King Snow/Updown media war brewing?
Ha. Are you trying to start one? I wouldn't say it's a bite of our cover at all. If they start foiling their covers and getting guest artists to draw new logos every issue, maybe we'll have to have a knife fight or something.

King Snow seems open to submissions from all. Has much content been generated this way? Are you trying to give people a voice or just trying to keep content submissions high?
I like the idea of opening up a medium to its readers, outside of just shit talking comment sections. But you can't just post any old shit. Editing is important. We get more user submissions on King Shit, a lot of which we actually post. I mean, two of the main photo/art features on the site are user submissions, and they're great. But of course, we get a lot of shit too. That said, more often than not, the content gets used. We weed through ‘em all and put the good stuff up. Unfortunately, I think people are a little scared to put themselves on the line for rejection, you know? But it's something we're going to continue to do and encourage. There's a lot of talented people out there without a platform to get their work out there, and I'm happy to provide it.

Is there a certain style of rider or brand that King Snow feels suits its style?
Any rider or brand that's in snowboarding for the love of snowboarding is welcome to the party. We covered a pretty wide range of riders in our first two issues, you'll see it across the board. Takes all kinds, you know? I'm not about to judge some brands or riders better than others. That's retarded.

Describe what King Snow will be like in 3 years time.
Still sending blood rushing to your mom's quivering loins, hopefully. But instead of doing it manually, it will be done with a complex series of holograms.

Any last words?
Yes.

See it for yourself at Kingsnowmag.com.

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Related:
Here Comes King Snow
The King of King Shit Speaks

Ashbury with Nima Jalali

2010-01-23T02:58:00Z

Ashbury Eyewear has the most well kempt blog in snowboarding.

True, this is personal preference and grammatically questionable, but I consider myself quite the internet connoisseur and it sounds great. Who doesn't like a nice tidy blog about today's best snowboarders that is updated daily, and interrupted with the antics of skate team members like Antwuan Dixon and Lizard King?

With a snow team consisting of: Jon Kooley, Jordan Mendenhall, Joey Sexton, Zac Marben, Justin Bennee, Louie Paradise, Matty Ryan, Josh Mills, Desiree Melancon, LNP, Nick Dirks, Gus Engle, and co-owner Nima Jalali, it's no wonder the rider owned eye-wear brand is one of the hottest brands on the hill right now. Add to this a skate team of Bryan Herman, Antwuan Dixon, Lizard King, Billy Marks, Garrett Hill, and Theotis Beasley, and Ashbury becomes a legitimate double sport threat.

The sole fact that skateboarders of this magnitude would ride for a snowboard brand tells a lot. All this hype has been built around a brand offering one goggle and a few sunglass styles. That is amazing, but is it marketing at it's finest or just a really good product? Nobody seems to care...Ashbury is hot right now. While my blog preferences might be personal, this terrible cliché is FACT: "Put on your Ashbury shades because their future is looking bright."

But seriously, with a stacked team, Berrics collab's, snow team demo's at Bear and much more going on for Ashbury, there is a reason why every cool kid wants an Ashbury sticker on their board, even if they don't actually ride in goggles. I spoke with Nima Jalali, co-owner of both Ashbury and Videograss, about many things including how they have time to run a company and still blog about their riding adventures everyday.

Nima Jalali.

How did the idea for Ashbury come about?
We just noticed that there were no eyewear brands out there doing it right, so we thought we would just step right in.

Ashbury is a rider owned brand. Who does what over there?
Lance (Hakker) does team stuff, and domestic sales, Mike (Hakker) does all the art, and I do international sales and product management.

What did everyone do before starting Ashbury?
Lance was the K2 team manager, Mike was working at Hurley and Planet Earth, and I was just being a pro snowboarder.

Most guys start a snowboard brand with dreams of riding all the time but the reality is you often need to work 24/7 once starting it. The crew at Ashbury seems to be out shredding and traveling on the regular. How is this possible?
I don't even know how we pull it off. But when we do get in the office we always have a million things to take care of, it's hectic.

The Ashbury website is home to the most entertaining blog in the business. Effective marketing or just good times?
Maybe a bit of both. But doing the blog is a good time. Kids just like to check it out to see what their favorite snowboarders/skateboarders are up to.

When it's no longer cool to be a greasy, gypsy will Ashbury still be around?
Yeah, ‘cause I don't really think our team is gypsy. I wouldn't say Bennee, Theotis, Herman, Twuan, Louif, Jordan, Sexton, and a bunch more are gypsy at all.

In a short period of time Ashbury has amassed perhaps the finest snow and skate teams in the league. The snow team is stacked and the skate team is ridiculous. How did this happen?
We were homies with all of them, so they definitely wanted to ride for a company that was ran by their friends.

How do new team riders get selected? Do they have to be part of the club?
Yeah they actually do. We're getting ready to announce a new snow team rider, people are gonna trip. [ed. note: It was Jed Anderson.]

(Please visit the site to view this media)

Kids are obsessed with Antwuan and Lizard these days. Can we please have one good story for each?
Antwuan's ad photo shoot. Just drunk as fuck, getting a tattoo on his head, drinking Malibu like crazy. Lizard's always up to some kind of hijinx.

Who is the Antwuan of the snowboard industry?
I don't really think there is one as far as style goes. Antwuan has got the best style ever. As far as the way he parties and shit, Homewreck (Matty Ryan) for sure.

LNP, frontside 180 to switch nosepress. Gagnon sequence.

Skateboarding vs. snowboarding. Thoughts?
They should never be compared. They are two way different things. I think surfing is closer to skateboarding than snowboarding is. I do know that skaters don't like snowboarding for the most part. Snowboarding is the most fun thing I've ever done, but it ain't similar to skating; they're just two different things.

The "Berrics" Daytripper collab. So many questions. How did this come about? When is it available? What are Ashbury's thoughts on the controversial Berrics Unified program?
The collab came about through Billy Marks; he wanted to make a Berrics/Billy/Ashbury shade. We are good homies with Berra. The Unified program isn't really that crazy to me...hundreds and hundreds of shops are signing up for it.

Does anyone on the snow team hit rails while wearing goggles?
Yeah, when it's snowing we all do.

Can you guys explain to the kids out there why it is not cool to, as Joey Sexton put it, "make more than one noise on a handrail"?
I've never liked combos, it just doesn't make sense to me and I don't like watching them. I have good friends that like combos and do ‘em, so it's all preference.

Ashbury seems to take some cues from the skate industry, with the team demo at Bear last year. How did that go? Maybe a team video for the future as well?
The demo was amazing! We wanted to do a team video, but we decided to start Videograss instead. Maybe an Ashbury movie in the future, though.

Name 3 brands doing it right in snowboarding right now.
Ashbury, Videograss, Bozwreck.

Disappointingly you (Nima) didn't grace us with a full part in Videograss. Next year?
Yup. For sure.

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Related:
Warming Up with LNP
The Best Joe Sexton Interview EVER
Jed Anderson and the Cheese Dick Cult

Scotty Wittlake: Fact or Fiction

2010-01-13T21:47:00Z

X-Games, hype, neon gear, perfect conditions, robot style, Olympics, energy drinks, claiming, Audi's, corporate, expensive meals, commercial, reality shows, designer clothes... The list of what DOESN"T represent Scotty Wittlake seems to permeate the current snowboard culture everywhere you look.

Don't get totally bummed out though, there are still soldiers out there flying the flag for underground snowboarding like Scotty. Still living in Portland and riding whenever possible, Wittlake has personified "real" snowboarding from the day he picked up a board until his self-imposed professional hiatis. Creative, flawed, passionate, and style pouring straight from his soul into everything he does; when you lose site of how cool snowboarding actually is, just look to Scotty Wittlake for inspiration.

Photo: Brooke Geery

Like any great figure of historical significance there are many legendary stories floating around about Scotty. Whether the following stories are fact or fiction is almost irrelevant by now, as they have been created by years of snowboarders telling stories around campfires, video premieres, and trade-shows to relive his presence in the shred world. With a little help from his "bff" and supporter Mikey LeBlanc, we gathered up twenty of the various urban legends and true stories that have been told about the reluctant legend. Let the legend of S.E.W live on:

1. Tried to travel to Japan with just the clothes on his back and a snowboard with boots strapped into the bindings and no baggage. Customs freaked out and hassled him into buying a bag to travel with even though it remained empty.

2. Due to rare food allergies, Scotty can't eat wheat, amongst many other things. Scotty took a sponsorship from Slim Jim and ate almost nothing but for a few months straight. Most riders would take a Slim Jim pay cheque just so they can run to the nearest sushi joint and blow their budget. Scotty takes a processed meat sponsorship for dietary reasons.

3. For a good portion of his life WIttlake went without having a proper bank account. Sponsors paychecks went to his then-girlfriend ‘Emily' before being funneled into Not-For-Profit organizations.

Mikey Leblanc: NOT SURE ABOUT NO BANK, BUT THIS WAS TRUE. HE AND EMILY ARE NO MORE SINCE A FEW YEARS BACK

Scotty's part in Kingpin's Happy Hour
(Please visit the site to view this media)

4. Still competes in the Baker Banked Slalom but eases up near the finish line so as not to beat the locals or create any hype around himself that would be caused by winning the classic contest.

5. After some tooth problems Scotty decided to take matters into his own hands instead of visiting a high-priced dentist. In true DIY style, he filed down his own tooth with a snowboard edge tuning kit.

Mikey Leblanc: TRUE, IT WAS BROKEN, AND HE DID ONE PASS OVER THE TOOTH WITH A FILE A DAY. HE ADDED A PASS ONE DAY SO ON DAY 30 IT WAS 30 PASSES.

6. The Sid Vicious junkie-style bedroom in Scotty's introduction skit in Destroyer was his actual bedroom. Floor, mattress, and a roof over your head, what else do you need?

7. Rode his fixed gear bike from Portland to NYC on a whim with just the clothes on his back. To this day he still works as a bike messenger in Portland.

8. Fear of his own fans was partly responsible for his self-imposed retirement/disappearance. His fans might startle him but he is far from a thankless celebrity, and more of a reluctant hero who can't understand what all the fuss is about.

9. Still rides over 150 days a year, without any cameras, and often by riding his bikecar to the mountains.

Building The Bikecar:
(Please visit the site to view this media)

10. Much like a high-profile international spy, everything Scotty owns (minus his veggie fueled truck and bicycles) fits in one backpack. Always ready for adventure on a moments notice.

11. Not only did he help popularize grease powered trucks and car conversions, but is working on the first French-fry grease powered snowmobile to get him to the deep stuff.

12. Wrote his Lib Tech contract on a napkin with a pen. All he wanted was a few free boards for his childhood buddies and his royalties to help others. All of Scotty's royalties from his pro-models went to "Food not Bombs." Not 10%, not 20%, but 100% of these earnings went to feed folks that cannot afford to feed themselves.

Mikey LeBlanc: STILL DOES A BOARD ART GRAPHIC FOR LIB EVERY YEAR AND LIB DONATES THE PROFITS

Scotty Vision, filmed and edited by Scotty:
(Please visit the site to view this media)

13. Scotty is no longer welcome to cross into the Great White North due to some a previous incident. However, he does have the ability to become a temporary citizen.

Mikey LeBlanc: BANNED FOR LIFE FROM SOUTHWEST AIRLINES FOR MAKING A BOMB JOKE (PRE-9/11).

14. Competed in the 2007 North American Cycle Courier Championships in San Francisco, finishing with a respectable result against the worlds best bike messengers.

15. Was put in a headlock by Team Manager Corey Smith until he agreed to come out of "retirement" and ride for COMUNE.

16. Still rides for and always has for Holden. Down since day one, Scotty is always down for supporting his homies and companies that are doing it for the right reasons.

17. His personal favorite snowboard part was in "Back in Black." You know the one where he almost decides to hit a kinked death rail in the middle of the night but then it cuts to a minutes worth of classic Wittlake cereal eating footage? That one.

18. After coming up a couple feet short on a Mammoth Park jump has 50% of his face rebuilt with metal. Kind of like the "Six Million Dollar Man", only minus the six million dollars.

Scotty, post-injury, with bail footage:
(Please visit the site to view this media)

19. An average pair of Wittlake pants are worn for a year straight without any launderings.

20. Over the last couple seasons the neck tattoo has become a common site on both skate and snowboard pro-riders. Back in the early millennium when pro's were still getting sleeves and tribal tattoos, Wittlake dropped in heavy, popularizing neck tattoos for other riders with his "Trust Jesus" and double cross combo, even though he is not religious.

Mikey Leblanc: "TRUST JESUS, NOT RELIGION" IS THE WHOLE TATT.

With these immortal words we leave you: Give your money and used gear to those who need it and get on your board (or bike). W.W.SW.D?

----------------------------
Related:
Comune: Some Thing Better Change
Mikey Leblanc Stay True

Snowboarding with the Bra Boys

2010-01-06T21:29:00Z

The Bra Boys: Australia's most notorious surf "gang." Their 2007 documentary, Blood is Thicker than Water, is the highest grossing non-Imax documentary in Australian history. Some of the world's best heavy wave chargers, like Mark Mathews and Koby Abberton, are key members, but their reach transcends surfing. The media loves a good Bra Boy story, whether it's clashing with the police force or hooking up with Paris Hilton.

"My Brothers Keeper" is a tattoo adorned by members around the beach in Maroubra, as well as the name of their clothing company. While living in Sydney over the summer I discovered that they also have a passion for snowboarding, which is how the Bra Boys became my new surfing mates.

The morning after a shithouse night on the town with the whole crew, I found myself in the water with Ahu Taylor and Richie "Vas" Vaculik, two lifelong Bra Boys. During our two surf sessions on this first day I witnessed three people get "sent-in" from the beach by the Boys, as well as a pretty epic parking lot brawl, (Warning: Do not attempt to push a Bra Boy off of his surfboard after dropping in on him, you will not go home in one piece) and things only got more interesting from there. These guys are no joke. Thankfully they had my back, treating me with respect and going out of their way to help my surfing and show a Canadian a great time while Down Under.

This "sending in" business of regulating their waves had me thinking how it would cross over into snowboarding. With the backcountry getting more crowded, you hear stories of areas being claimed by certain groups, film crews racing other other to spots, and blowing up cheese wedges post-session. Are snowboarders going to start taking matters into their own hands, sending others off the mountain for tracking their pow? It may not be far off.

Post-surf, Bra Boys Ahu Taylor and R-J Williams took some time to shoot the shit about regulating the line-up, My Brothers Keeper clothing, and snowboarding in Australia. Check out their Aussie slang below and get some "My Brothers Keeper" clothing at www.mbksoldiers.com.

Ahu Taylor, Mark Mathews and Andrew Sayer.

While starting off as predominantly surfers, there now seem to be Bra Boys representing different sports and cultures all over. Where else are guys getting noticed?

Ahu Taylor: Man, we have boys repping all kinds of industry and sports, we have MMA fighters -- one of the boys, Ritchie Vas, holds the record for quickest knock out in Australasia -- Mark Mathews just won the biggest wave award for last year; it was like a 30 foot wave. We have boys playing rugby league, pro skaters, pro boarders, some off the hook artists and one of our boys is blowing up with his rapping -- Kid Mac. He is supporting The Game at the end of the year.

R.J. Williams: We've had a presence at the snow for some time now, a couple of the boys even own lodges and tour businesses down there; Torah Bright's brother and coach Bennie Bright rides for MBK, too...

What's the snowboard scene like in Australia?

Ahu: What scene? [laughs] We were hoping Whistler Blackcomb were going to buy our resort last year and make one. Nah, its OK, bra... It's pretty tight; our parks are not huge, but our park crew is world class so they do there best with what they got.

RJ: The snow scene in Australia is small... there are very few mountains, but the terrain is world class. It's just a way shorter season, and everyone knows everyone else, so it's pretty tight like most surfing communities.

What gets you hyped on snowboarding? Are there any similarities to surfing?

Ahu: Mate, the boys are always up to going down for the weekend from time to time, but if I don't get down there for at least one or two days in the week I start bugging out. Yeah, surfing we don't have fuck-wit lifties checking on tickets and surfing you paddle, unless we are tow-surfing.

RJ: Surfers love their slash turns, and high speed charger runs, the big difference is not having to paddle out...If they had chairlifts in the surf every break would be overcrowded.

(Please visit the site to view this media)

Can you explain how "sending someone in" works, as it is mostly a surf phenomenon that most of our snowboard crowd doesn't know much about. Does it stem straight from localism or is it just to keep kooks out of the line-up?

Ahu: It's unreal that peeps want to learn to surf, but they need to learn the rules first. Some just come and surf and think they own the place; not a good thing to do in Maroubra. You have seen it: I sent that fucker in when we went surfing remember? [laughs]

RJ: Yeah, I guess it happens in snow too. You get those dereks just sitting there all day, waiting to hit something, so once the first person charges through without waiting the others there should get the message. I think it's more about kooks just knowing their role and shutting their mouth.

Surf culture, especially in Maroubra, is a little different than snowboard culture. What are the best reasons for sending someone in?

Ahu: Fuck reasons, bra. Its all about crowd control. I have sent people out of the water simply because there were to many heads in the water.

Do your surfing strategies ever carry over onto the snow? Or is everyone a little more relaxed since there is enough snow for everyone?

Ahu: For sure... don't be scared, you are only limited by your own fears. Like anything, if peeps see you having a go then they normally give you props and stand aside.

RJ: Yeah and no. Tourist towns attract a lot of dickheads, whether it's the snow or the beach, so you have to stick together just to avoid drama.

Sayer and Richie Vas.

Let's talk about the clothing line, My Brothers Keeper. When did it start, what is the background story?

RJ: It all started in Sydney, Australia. A friend of mine got in trouble with the law and was facing a 14-year jail term, all for not telling on his brother, although he knew nothing. My Brothers Keeper is a fashion label for all out they're who are their brothers keeper. [It's for people] who believe their friends and family come before anything... It's for all races, whether you are Australian, Canadian, Lebanese, Asian, Greek, Italian, African, American, or from fuckin' Mars...

Who's behind the brand?

Ahu: Bra Jed, Koby, Jai and myself got it registered back in 2002. It has slowly but surely gotten bigger. Good things come to those who wait. We sponsor a few people now and it is getting out into other countries.

Any plans to move into Canada?

Ahu: Was that an offer to rep for us in Canada, bra? I want it there ASAP; I fuckin' love Canadians. We need some boys out there riding for us.

RJ: Hells, yeah. We wanna move in everywhere, I want your little sister wearing it.

Koby Abberton caricature.

The Bra Boys documentary from a few years ago was a massive hit both in Australia and overseas. Word is that the Hollywood version is getting set for production with Russell Crowe at the helm. Have you heard where it's at lately?

Ahu: Yeah, I spoke to Ron Jeremy a couple months ago... he has been hearing stories about me and wants to play me.

RJ: I heard they're gonna get Justin Timberlake to play me, Marky Mark is playing Koby and Ron Jeremy is gonna be Ahu. Jon Heder is gonna play Bennie Bright.

Bra Boys documentary trailer:
(Please visit the site to view this media)

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Related:
Sayer's Travel Blog

Hey Winter, Thanks For Showing Up: Horseshoe Valley Opening Day

2009-12-09T18:33:00Z

There is only one road to Horseshoe Valley: Highway 400. Just a flat-out high-speed burn through Barrie, passing exactly one Tim Hortons/Wendy's combo, a McDonalds, and zero Starbucks save for one off Mapleview Drive. But there's no time for such unnecessary detours: It's December 8^th and it is time to snowboard. Finally!

Andrew Skelhorn and Jeremy Ing greeted me in the parking lot. I filed down my board's Ginsu-sharp edges even though it was icy. Skelhorn felt over-gunned on a 156; the poor guy still thinks he is in Whistler. Jeremy makes his own stickers so he can pretend he's sponsored. (Jokes: he works for The Program).

Andrew and Jeremy.

A female representative from City TV ran over and asked what I was doing to my board. "Can you pretend to do it again? Our viewers will get a kick out of it."

"I don't think so lady, beat it," I replied. My audience laughed and guilt set in, but we didn't come up to Horseshoe on opening day to pose in front of TV cameras. Karma kicked my ass when I fell about five seconds after strapping in for the first time.

The crew for the day.

"Loose" is the word that first comes to mind to describe the riding I witnessed, as riders tried to get used to new gear and not riding for months. Many riders subscribed to this style, including: Steve "PH" Powling, Ryan "Smolik" Helstern, Skelhorn, Brody Pigeau, Craig Gouweloos, Blair McKinney, Andrew Rusk, Jon Rusk, and many more. There are probably five web videos already posted of sub-par, but good-times riding.

PH Powling on the feature of the day.

The highlight of my day, however, was taking the chairlift with Mike Scott. Not the No Limits soldier/Push.ca columnist Mike Scott. I'm talking about O.G., artistic recluse Mike Scott. The best switch rider in history, Michael-Jordan-tongue-swagger on every air, Mike Scott. He rode hard in six-year old gear, but left early. There must have been a karaoke session starting up in town.

Blair McKinney and Andrew Rusk keeping the park in check.

A quick wrap-up: Pole's were jammed. New outfits were shown off. Crotches were ripped out of brand new too-tight pants. Balance was shaky due to rider's narrowing their stances. Death cookies were pillow-dropped. Helmets weren't worn. Horseshoe will definitely be the place to ride this year. Brody and Kea Mowat looked cute in their matching but opposite outfits: black and red, red and black. Both were ripping, making it easy to tell who spent time in Whistler over the off-season. The crew in the old, muddy Tech Nine gear was riding hard. I think a few hockey rink sessions were to blame. Smolik was the man in black. Trevor Harris wasn't. Both looked handsome.

Break out the old gear...retro is in.

As far as terrain went, the offerings were meager with one red mailbox receiving the brunt of the crew's stoke. Luckily Pony Trail was one of the two runs open, a personal favorite. With the cm's about to get stacked by this weekend, a full park offering should be available by Friday. The Rome Premature Jibulation is set to run on Sunday, so get up to Horseshoe over the next few days and warm up those legs. The season started late, but the park will be taking shape very quickly now.

Thanks to Matt Baird and the rest of the ‘Shoe crew for catering to snowboarders this season. Get up to Horseshoe ASAP! Winter is finally upon us.

Ontario photog Richard Roth sent over these shots from the secret Sunday session that went down even before the hill opened to the public:

Tyler Ashbee. Richard Roth photo.

Andrew Rusk. Richard Roth photo.

Andrew Skelhorn. Richard Roth photo.

Ruskasode Sunday session edit:
(Please visit the site to view this media)

Powling Sunday session edit:
(Please visit the site to view this media)

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Related:
Unexpected Turns with Andrew Skelhorn
Opening Day Ontario 08/09
Down With Horseshoe

Teaching Yourself How to be a Better Snowboarder

2009-11-18T22:38:00Z

Snowboarding, in general, is a very expensive sport and the more you go/better you get the more dollars you will be dropping on it (until you cross the "sponsored" line). With all the private coaching, summer camps, winter camps, contest circuits, etc. it seems every avenue of improvement comes with a cost. Add on top of this the epic new gear you've been brainwashed into thinking you'll need just to land new tricks and you'll end up working a full-time job just to keep up.

Don't despair: this list of tips has been compiled from years of information from top pro's to help make you a better snowboarder without spending a dime. You can pretty much Jedi mind trick yourself into going pro. Imagine that.

1) Spend time on-snow and always innovate.

Regardless of conditions, spend as much time as possible on the snow. If it's foggy or icy, don't go into the lodge just yet. Get off the lift switch, nollie off those little bumps, spin all 4 ways off small obstacles. This especially holds true for your first few years snowboarding. Riding as much as possible no matter the conditions or quality of terrain is one of the defining features of most top snowboarders. Mountain quality is irrelevant during the beginning and may even be a drawback, given the number of great snowboarders from Ontario, Quebec, Minnesota, and other vertically challenged places. Many pro-snowboarders don't have the best school attendance record as this requires a lot of free time. Get out there at night or convince your school you have a special talent and need to work out a program that allows you more time in the park. Get everything locked down on your crappy home mountain first and then worry about moving out West, and filming your dream part in the backcountry.

Andrew Burns gets creative outside of the park.

2) Ride with people of greater ability and desire.

Frends, Wild Cats, Gypsy Mob, Gnarcore, Grenerds, 8-mile, etc. This list is endless and helps show that almost every pro from the last couple decades has been part of some sort of crew in their early stages. Film each other, call each other out for doing something wack or getting a big ego, and push each other everyday. It is a tough go doing all this alone. If you are the only one in your crew that is willing to get up early and stay on the hill late, maybe it's time to find some people that are down to ride 24/7 before you're stuck being a weekend warrior. Being the worst rider in a crew of sponsored rippers is a surefire way to improve real fast and probably pick up some hand-me-downs on the way up. Coincidently, it's always hardest to improve when there is no one better around to push you.

I see a Wildcat, a PartySnake, a Skid...

3) Get a trick/obstacle locked, then move on.

It is just as important to get the confidence that you can do a trick through repetition, as it is to always be changing things up. Getting stuck in a rut is a killer. No one wants to watch someone ride that can only spin frontside or can't boardslide a rail. The same goes with terrain. You don't have to be a pipe master if you just enjoy jumps and rails, but at the same time it is embarrassing when someone you thought was a sick rider can't even do a stylish overhead backside air in the pipe. Learn how to use those edges and all aspects of your riding will improve.

Get out past your local hill. Even just riding a new park will give you a challenge and teach you how to adapt to different terrain. Strong riders can show up at a foreign park and straight kill it.

One exception to this rule: never stop working on your method, even if you get one as stylish as Pat Moore.

4) Watch snowboard videos.

Most pro riders can recall the smallest details from the videos that they grew up watching. Pick a pro that rides the same way as you (regular or goofy) and whose style you like, not to copy but to pick up on small nuances, and really study what is going on. Slow-mo those take-offs as they are the most important part; watch where the head is looking and how the lead shoulder drops as the body will follow. When examining new tricks, also watch for the point where you will be able to spot the landing.

Hell, you can learn a season's worth of tricks before the snow even falls. Snowboarding is 90% mental.

Watch two...then watch two more.

5) Film yourself and be your own harshest critic.

You may be in for a shock the first few times you see yourself on video. In your head those methods may feel all Jamie Lynn-ish, when in reality they're more like stiff legged nelons (a nose/melon hybrid grab that isn't tweaked). This visual feedback is the quickest way to relate to what you are actually doing on snow. Whether it's slipping those takeoffs when spinning as opposed to popping, or over after-banging those landings, watch yourself as much as possible and develop your own style.

(Please visit the site to view this media)
T.J. Schneider is no stranger to filming himself, entering the third season of The Snowboard Realms.

If you are thinking about sending out a promo video, do yourself a favor and show it around to someone in the industry first and ask yourself "does this video stand-up to footage that is being posted daily on websites like Push.ca and Transworld?" If not, don't fret, just keep going for it and eventually it will come. But keep those videos to yourself in the meantime.

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Related:
8 Mile: A Life Worth Living
Methods Gallery

What I'm Rocking This Winter

2009-11-06T21:18:00Z

Kids these days! All you hear is: "I wanna get sponsored." Or: "I've got all four three's; I should be sponsored." Or how about: "Here's a list of every trick I can do. Sponsor me!"

Yeah, you can get into the whole "love of the sport" deal here, but one of the best reasons to just ride for yourself is because you can ride whatever the hell product you want. Want to ride TechNine bindings on a Dinosaurs Will Die board with Ride Boots? Go for it. How about Holden Pants and a Sound Jacket? Done. You want to sticker up your Burton board with Capita logos? Questionable, but what the hell? Go for it.

The thing about riding for a company is that you actually have to back that brand and everything they stand for. It's not so hard when they're creating the best goods in the industry, but what about all the sub-par brands out there? It sucks having to walk around a trade-show in some crappy purple Hooger Booger logo'd tee when you wanna be wearing an Ashbury deep-V. And it sucks even more when their shoddy product is impairing your actual skill as a snowboarder.

Anyway, after 20 years of snowboarding I've become quite the product snob. And it is a treat to pick out and ride exactly what you want to ride because it looks and performs the best. So after painstaking research, here's the list of the product that I am backing and paid full retail prices (or would have paid retail prices, anyway) for the upcoming winter.

Full disclosure: When you have been involved in the snowboard industry for a long time, it's possible to get your greedy hands on pro-forms, free product, and so-on. While this is the case for a few, but definitely not all of the products showcased below, the point of the article is this: Given the choice of every product across the board, these are the ones I have researched and chosen, regardless of friends, personal hook-ups, or anything else. Enjoy.

KIT #1: The everyday park set-up

1. Board: Ride Machete 152 ($499): Perhaps a little short, but perfect for Ontario park conditions. There's a little bit of camber, but it's still solid for jumps. It's also a Transworld Snowboarding "Good Wood" winner, and the sick graphics make this an all-around killer.

2. Boots: Burton Grail ($390): Expensive, yeah sure, but boots are by far the most important piece of equipment you have, so don't skimp.

3. Bindings: Burton Infidel ($330): The winged-backs do wonders for board control and give a bit more stability when riding a smaller board.

4. Jacket: Holden Patch jacket, black ($169): Part of the Holden Classics line. Solid colors, basic styling, and a rider-run company: If only all outerwear brands were this dope.

5. Pants: Holden Sonny Denim Skinny pant ($279): The kids can stick to the bright colours. Personally, I don't like putting on a costume when I go ride. I'd rather just look the same as if I was walking down the street.

6. Toque: Brixton Heist ($20)

7. Gloves: Drop Bronco: Skin-colored for those days when it's too cold to go gloveless.

8. Goggles: SPY Soldiers MFM: The man, the myth, the legend. These are functional and basic looking in all black.

9. Under-layer: Under Armour Cold Gear: Yeah, it's a jock brand, but their gear is mad functional and will keep you warm so you don't have to wear as much on top. Plus, they support Kyle Clancy. Done.

10. Socks: Burton Mega Sock: Don't even come with those cotton socks.

KIT #2: Get me to the mountains

1. Board: Ride Machete 158 ($499): When riding a real mountain, it's usually best not to shred on a chest-high board. Step up your regular board by 5 cm or so and you won't have to get used to dialing in a whole new board.

2. Bindings: Burton Infidel ($330)

3. Jacket: Holden Puffy Woods jacket ($199): A classic-looking puffy. Perfect.

4. Pants: Holden Sonny Denim Skinny pant ($279)

5. Gloves: iDiom Superpipe gloves ($110)

6. Goggles: Spy Orbits: I normally prefer something that looks a little more basic, but these things work too well not to try them out.

7. Mask: Airhole bandana print: Support your Canadian boys.

KIT #3: Hit times jibbing in the city

Note: Going riding in the city lets you get a little more creative in your gear, as the elements play less of a role. If you get cold, just hop in the car for a minute. Worry less about functionality and let your creativity shine through. Give those internet haters something to talk about.

1. Board: Ride Crush 147 ($459): Short length, good price, perfect for thrashing walls and ledges with.

2. Bindings: Burton Cartel with low-backs: Keep your old bindings or build up some Franken-bindings out of old parts so you don't have to do the switch-around every time you hit rails.

3. Boots: Burton ‘08 Jeremy Jones shells w/ Grail liners: For mad cush' and board feel. Don't throw out those beat-up boots from last season; they're the way to go for the city.

4. Jacket: "Vintage" Holden Mississippi Camo jacket: I found this on Ebay for just $27. Three are all kinds of deals on old product online.

5. Pants: Holden Standard Skinny pant ($149): Plain black, no funny business here; they, could pass for a pair of Dickies for some pure SF-style.

6. Hoodie: Stussy

7. Sunglasses: SPY Stratos II ($89): Frogskins and Wayfarers look sweet, but you'll look like everyone else.

Gloves: Nope.

Goggles: No way; never on rails.

BAGS

1. Gravis Jetway ($210): Perfect size for stuffing a week's worth of crap in the airplane overhead. Gravis bags are next level.

2. Incase Messenger Bag ($100): If you're down with dope products, you no doubt already own some Incase gear to house your Mac gear. Function never looked so good! It's a perfect compromise between a briefcase and little kid's backpack.

3. Incase Nylon Sleeve ($60): When you're just biking to the coffee shop to work on your poetry, this is all you need.

KICKS

Note: You've gotta get to the hill somehow. From skate parks to bars and snowy parking lots, these will do the trick.

1. Nike SB Stefan Janoski: Sailor style is all the rage these days. Nike got it bang on with these.

2. Cons Skate CTS: An ill upgrade on the OG's. Comfy and skateable.

3. Vans Chukka Lows: Amazing skate shoe with laid-back Chukka boot styling.

4. Clae Romare Hi: The comeback of 2009? I think so.

5. Gravis Skate Dylan Mids: Gravis is doing sick things with their IV skate line these days.

6. Red Wing Gentlemen Travelers: Keeps you warm, dry, and stylish over the fall and winter seasons. These will last a lifetime, so they're worth every penny.

RANDOM STUFF

Note: You're not always riding, right? Here are some personal favorites.

1. Comune snap-back: Be on the look-out for Comune over the next year.

2. Brixton painters-style hat: Another brand that's solid across the board.

3. Nixon, The Sentry Leather: Nixon has been doing it right for ages.

4. G-Shock 7800 Black: Want a watch with a timeless look, that you can beat the hell out of for years on end without ever breaking? Look no further than a classic G-Shock.

5. WeSC Bongo Stash Edition: Because iPod buds suck and who doesn't like music?

6. Nixon wallet: Not just great watches, but killer accessories as well.

7. Blistex w/SPF: I literally could not live without this crack-stick.

8. Nike biking gloves: Makes biking and skating in the late fall bearable.

XOXO: 09/10 Snowboard Collaborations

2009-10-27T20:07:00Z

Collaborations, or "collabs" as they are known in the street, have leapt from their origin in the streetwear scene into just about every consumer-based market there is, including snowboarding. Collabs can range from pure magic, when two market leaders in a certain field join forces and create a superb product that couldn't be pulled off by a single company, to questionable corporate buy-outs when a boring company needs the stamp of approval from someone "cool" to make a product that will sell, or at least blog-worthy.

With collabs at an all-time high, the 2009/2010 season holds something for everyone. Whether you want a dual-branded board, jacket, video, or just a fancy accessory, it's all out there waiting for your hard-earned money. If it isn't so limited edition that it doesn't exist, get out there and track it down.

HARDGOODS

Forum Chilly Dog/Peter Line x Cobra Dogs. Perhaps not a collab in the traditional sense, but this summer at Mt. Hood, Forum and Cobra Dogs collab'd and asked Peter Line to make up some coupons for them. Rent one Forum snowboard (featuring Chilly Dog technology) and get a free Cobra Dog. On the other side of the coupon they wanted some "art", for which Peter was paid for in Cobra Dogs. Not bad if you ask me.

Capita Stair Master Extreme x Corey Smith
Everyone's favorite snowboarder turned artist turned COMUNE mastermind, Corey Smith, came through strong on these decks featuring headline-grabbing celebs. This has cease and desist written all over it, which is usually a good thing for sell through.

Vans x POW boots - Definitely a good look here: Vans harnessed the power of POW (Protect Our Winters), who are dedicated to reversing the global warming crisis by uniting the winter sports community, to create a banging product that raises awareness for a worthy issue.

K2 x Original Penguin - Original Penguin? I'm imagining preps in collared shirts, not dirt bag snowboarders. The product looks cool and it was a nice excuse to throw a kick-ass party at The Standard hotel in LA. If Eero Niemela is backing the Slayblade, which has the featured graphics, it must be good.

Ride x 3^rd grade art class - Alright, now we are talking. No big name graff artist here. Ride teamed up with Pam Neithercott's third period art class (in West Seattle) to collaborate on a project that would promote both art and snowboarding within the local youth community. The art program chosen was in need of funding so Ride donated both art supplies and provided an on-hill snowboard day for the kids that they will never forget, in exchange for some board graphics. Not too mention the board looks sick. Congrats.

(Please visit the site to view this media)

SOFTGOODS

686 x Krew
686 x Krew, x New Balance, x Levis - 686 is perhaps the first to make the collab popular in the snowboard industry, first partnering with brands like Dakine and Dragon many years ago. This year they come on strong with an ill collection of jackets and pants with Krew. Rumours have leaked that Krew is putting their name and signature style on a snowboard program of their own so look out for more news on that down the line.

Also dropping is a New Balance boot and a 686 shoe. The boot seems like a stretch because 686 doesn't even make snowboard boots, but whatever, New Balance is a sick company.

Once again they also tapped into Levis to make some insane looking denim snowboard pants and jackets. Definitely one of this winter's best.

Burton x Paul Smith - For the third year in a row Burton and Paul Smith have joined forces to create a line of great looking outerwear and apparel sold in stores that we don't frequent and no one I know will be able to afford.

L1 x their riders - While many riders get a signature jacket or pant, for 2010 L1 did a great job of bringing the personality of their riders to the outerwear. Jon Kooley, Jordan Mendenhall, and Nima Jalali all brought their tastes to life by offering full collections of gear they wear both on the hill and off.

Vans x Seven Jeans - Sure they are from the same corporate family but that doesn't mean it is a sure thing. Show of hands who is rocking Seven jeans right now? Didn't think so. Better than True Religion for sure, but let's see a Vans x Nudie or Cheap Monday for next season.

The North Face x Bigfoot - Classic case: a functional big mountain company looking for the credibility of a street artist. They have done a great job picking up a sick team of riders, so no harm in making some dope looking gear.

ACCESSORIES

Oakley x Grenade - Frogskins + Danny Kass + limited edition = good luck finding a pair.

Target x Shaun White - Not available in Canada, but the first commercial was pretty dope.

Oakley x LRG goggles - LRG? Those guys snowboard? Alright then, cool.

Grenade x Thrasher Magazine - What do we have here: the hardcore skate bible Thrasher trying to cash in on the snowboard market? Too bad they don't want anyone to know about it as they are releasing solely in Japan. Kind of like Bill Murray and "Suntory time" in Lost in Translation.

OTHER

32 x Stepchild - This one is definitely pushing the boundaries by creating a marketing story that spans product (board and boots), and a full-length on-line video featuring both teams' riders. Look no further for where collabs could be going in the future: smaller companies using each other's resources to really get shit done.

COLLABS I'D LIKE TO SEE
Ed Hardy x Party Snake - On a product? On a party? Doesn't even matter as this would be hilarious on so many levels.

Spike Jonze x Robot Food - Imagine a snowboard video with these giants behind it.

Burton x Forum snowboard - Because that would just be ridiculous.

WORST
686 x Hello Kitty - Please. I know you want to sell pounds of gear overseas, but Hello Kitty on a snowboard jacket? Terrible.

BEST EVER
Supreme. They haven't really hit the snowboard market yet but they are one of the godfathers of the collab. How they managed to get Damien Hirst, Terry Richardson, Kermit the Frog, Jeff Koons, Peter Saville, Ghostface, and many more to work with their brands in such a positive way is amazing.

686 x Levis. A timeless classic: both bringing what they do best to the table to create an amazing product. Textbook.

------------------------
Related:
Comune: Some Thing Better Change
686 X New Balance Collaboration
Forum X The Hundreds

Comune: Some Thing Better Change

2009-10-22T21:23:00Z

"Comune was formed from the idea that there will always be people out there who not only embrace the rawness and imperfections of everyday life, but use it to creatively push the boundaries of what's possible in skateboarding, fashion, art, and music their own way, with complete disregard of the consequences."

True, true, and true. While the emergence of another "lifestyle" clothing brand may bring back memories of all those flash-in-the-pan t-shirts you have sitting in your closet gathering dust, Comune is making waves right out of the gate and is far from your average soul-less brand.

One glance at their garment offerings, their eclectic skate/snow teams and supporters, and the crazy minds behind Comune, and you know they mean business. Already succeeding with their goal of providing clothing and support to those living a lifestyle of carefree idealism, they've already proven they have nothing to prove: Comune looks to be changing shit up and you'd better be ready.

With artist/snowboarder Corey Smith at the helm of art and team direction, and Jesse Fox adding support across Canada, I'm sure you'll be skating, partying, and art'ing in Comune gear before you know it. Just don't get the name tattooed on your neck just yet. Why not, you ask? Read the following interview below with Corey Smith to find out:

How did Comune get kicked off?
Frank Delgadio, the founder of Comune has been toying around with the name and idea for years. We had a good crew of creative young minds and we decided the time was right to do our own thing. You only live once right?

What separates Comune from other skate/snow clothing brands?
I think the main thing is that while we do sponsor skaters and snowboarders and many of us who work here have roots in these activities it doesn't define us. We're definitely on the other end of the spectrum from say your extreme sports wild and zany skate/snow reality show clothing brand. We glean inspiration from contemporary fashion, art and music, friends and family. We have a very eclectic group of people making this brand unique. Everyone has a say in what we develop from the marketing intern to our pro skaters.

As an ex-pro shredder and artist, what role do you play in the brand?
I'm the art director, and I also help out with marketing and the team.

Both the skate and snow team are full of some pretty eclectic riders. What does it take to get on the skate team?
I think the biggest thing with our team is we want individuals. I'm not necessarily looking for a contest winner or who's the raddest. I'm inspired by style and creativity more than anything. Like [Charles] Bukowski said, "Style is the answer to everything. A fresh way to approach a dull or dangerous thing. To do a dull thing with style is preferable to doing a dangerous thing without it". I also want people who are easy to work with and want to be involved in shaping the brand as if it was their own, because it is!

What about the snow team?
Pretty much the same thing... There's some wacky shit going on in snowboarding and there always has been. I just want riders that make snowboarding look cool, fun, and attainable - not retarded.

Both teams look like a pretty tight crew. Do new riders get on without the backing of the rest of the OG's?
Yeah. I mean you gotta hang out and everyone's gotta be down with you. We are not just going to put some dude on because he's Johnny Rad.

How involved is the team in regards to product, ads, etcetera. Or are they just there to collect a pay cheque and sell a product?
They're as involved as they want to be. I mean, they bring us stuff they like and we make it. We all have a say. I don't really think any of our guys are good poster boys to sell product it's just who we are and what we're down with. If you like it perfect, please buy it ha-ha!

Is there a single rider that doesn't have a tattoo?
I'd say it's half and half. Some fools probably want tattoos but they can't afford it. That's where the ultra-shitty home tattoos come from.

Some winter-appropriate pieces from the Holiday '09 Comune catalogue.

Who is your money on to drop into a Comune neck tattoo first?
Hopefully no one! [laughs] I mean, I guess I couldn't really fire someone for that, but it would definitely be frowned upon.

Do you think having a snow program gives Comune less credibility with skateboarders than if it was a 100% skate brand?
Yeah, probably, but we make clothes not skateboards. And most of our snowboarders skate too or grew up skating. I mean if you don't skate, you shouldn't snowboard or else it'll look weird.

How did you get the infamous anti-sponsorship advocate, Scotty Wittlake, to ride for Comune?
I put him in a headlock. Literally...

What inspires the design elements of the clothing?
There are so many elements that go into the design process. I'd say overall when you look at out line there's a feeling of minimalism, efficiency, class, and individuality.

Any plans laid out for the brand over the winter and next year?
Just continue to create unique clothing and live every day to the fullest.

COMUNE and I: by Jesse Fox
"Once upon a time when I was ‘living the dream', I was getting free Ambiguous clothing through No Limits (their Canadian Distributor at the time). Anyways, I always thought there were some really good designs at Ambiguous. When I caught wind of Comune starting up, I figured it had potential. I hit up Corey Smith, who was starting there as art director and snow team manager. Corey and I had met through snowboarding, and I told him I was into working with the brand and he thought I'd be a good fit. He put me in touch with the sales manager, and dropped a good word.

Once I got a hold of the catalog, and realized all of the great people involved, I was certain I wanted to work with Comune one way or another. I called Brad Richmond of Wick Winder fame. I had been keeping in touch with Brad and Wick through out the winter, so I gave him the scoop and sent him the catalog. Brad did the research, and locked it down. Scott MB now takes care of Comune brand management out of Wick and is an old mate of mine. Wick Winder has a great team working there and have been picking up strong new brands with serious potential.

Yadda, yadda, yadda... now I'm working with Sean Miller at Feedback Management Inc. We do sales, road marketing, and distribution relations for Comune from British Columbia to Ontario. I've had a lot of good people open doors for me and I'm as happy now as I ever was 'living the dream'. Comune has a great future and I'm so stoked to be apart of it."

Comune snow team:
MATTY RYAN
JOSH MILLS
ERIC MESSIER
HARRISON GORDON
CALE ZIMA
JOHNNIE PAXSON
BILLY MACKEY
BEN RICE
SCOTTY WITTLAKE
ERIC FERNANDEZ

Comune skate team:
BRAYDON SZAFRANSKI
GARETH STEHR
MATT BALL
DON NGUYEN
JEFF LENOCE
PETER WATKINS
KEELAN DADD

Some riding from Eric Messier, Ben Rice and Jake Devine (not a Comune rider)
(Please visit the site to view this media)

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Related:
The Next Step with Jesse Fox
Rome Pop Rocks (Johnnie Paxson)

Smolik: The Triple Threat

2009-10-06T20:38:00Z

Very few snowboarders from Ontario are known from actually snowboarding in Ontario. Typically, a rider gets good, graduates from high school (or straight drops out), then moves west to live the dream. But what happens if your true passion is more skateboarding and art than being a sponsored snowboarder? Well, then you do what Ryan "Smolik" Helstern did and stay the hell put.

Against the advice of sponsors and friends, Smolik never strayed from his skateboarding and painting roots, preferring to lurk in the city rather than chase powder and live in some cheesy tourist trap mountain town. He gets his fill of creative, urban-style snowboarding when he isn't partaking in his other pursuits, making him a reluctantly sponsored snowboarder if ever there was one.

Riding may come third on his list of priorities, but don't hate just because he has a natural gift that makes sponsors want him in their gear. It's not his fault and it certainly isn't his style to get down on his knees for it like some of the kids out there. You won't find any corny sponsor resumes behind Smolik's success, just pure, raw passion mixed with natural talent.

Read on to find out what makes the enigmatic Smolik tick, tick... boom.

First up is the obvious question: Your name is Ryan Helstern although I knew you for about four years before this even came to my attention. Why "Smolik" and when did this start?
Smolik came from skating just after Fulfill The Dream came out [the Osiris skate video from ‘98]. I guess I was on some Smolik-type shit. Somehow it stuck.

Do you answer to Peter faster than you would answer to Ryan?
Nah, but I do like to introduce myself as Peter to confuse people sometimes.

"Trust" by Smolik.

What about Biggie Smol's?
I've heard them all.

Did you ever skate D3's?
Never. I did run some ODS's for a minute, though.

All right, enough of that. Where'd you grow up? When did you get involved with the boards?
I grew up in Barrie and started skating 14 years ago. Snowboarding came soon after that.

When did the paintbrush/spraycan start consuming your life?
I've done paintings for as long as I can remember but graffiti came in about a decade ago, thanks to skating and my homie Momar.

How did you first get sponsored for snowboarding?
I got hooked up with gear through Surf Paradise back in the day, just from always hanging around the shop and eventually working there. [Chris] Powling got me on the Salomon program a few years ago, thanks to spending all my time cruising Moonstone.

If you have to hang up one of these for life, which would it be: The skateboard, the snowboard, or the paint?
Sadly it would be snowboarding most likely. I just can't see myself not skating or painting.

What's your favorite place to shred in Ontario?
Hands down that's Horseshoe. It's got that good-times vibe.

Smolik at the Under Pressure Festival in Montreal.

Favorite place to skate in Ontario?
Around the corner at Dunbat or out in Scarbs. I'm still super fond of that busted-ass Barrie park.

Tell us about your various blogs.
Well, I have a Smolik Design blog (http://smolikdesign.blogspot.com/) just for people to get a better idea about me as an artist, and to see that new shit before it gets updated on my website. Then I have a music blog (http://bumpinmymusic.tumblr.com/), which is pretty fun to do. Its just music I find dope, funny, weird, or just interesting.

Why didn't you ever move out west like everyone else does?
I like Ontario and I'm not very into jumping so having Toronto's rails to ride is a good thing.

Kickflip.

How's living in the big city treating you so far?
My coffee intake has gone through the roof. I really dig our skate sessions, too.

You just did a trip to Montreal to paint in the Under Pressure festival. What was that like?
It's always fun... [It's] sketchy stand on scaffolding four stories high and maybe three feet wide, but it's worth it.

Over the last couple years you have had a few of your own art shows. Run down where those took place. Do you usually work with more skate-specific art galleries?
I've done a lot with The Bait Shop, Echelon, and Sleeping Giant. I guess low-brow art and skateboarding have the same D.I.Y. approach. It normally makes for a fun opening.

What medium do you prefer?
I love spray paint; you can go huge. The paint brush lets me get my O.C.D. on with detailed portraits. I like to mix the two.

Where are you looking to take your art in the future?
I want to show around the world. Hopefully I can do a good enough job to be living out of New York in the future. I just want to skate the city and maybe run into [Jason] Dill.

You're a pretty quiet dude. Being somewhat well-known in this little skate/snow scene that we live in, do you ever get concerned that people might think you're a dick or vibing them just because you are quiet?
I don't normally notice it. I always have friends confess to me that they were intimidated by me before they got to know me. I'm actually a pretty mellow guy.

Smolik Show at the Sleeping Giant Gallery in Toronto.

You spent the last season working in the terrain park at Horseshoe. What did this entail? How are things looking over there for the future?
It was really fun. It felt like the old days, when you would roll up to the hill and all the homies were there cruising. No egos, no stressing to film tricks, a serious lack of neon and sketchy landings, just playing around and learning. The future looks bright. There are some big things coming up over there for the season. Knowing how P.H. [Steve Powling] rides and that he's involved should tell you the level of creativeness going into the park. It's going to be the future of the Ontario shred scene.

Any last words?
I'm just going to keep skating, painting and get ready for the season. I'm definitely looking forward to taking it to the streets with you this winter... [laughs]

"A Good Ol' Boy" by Smolik.

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Related:
Down With Horseshoe
Mint Closet Showroom Shakedown

Summer Shredding in Beijing at the Burton Qiaobo Mellow Park

2009-08-25T20:49:00Z

Argentina, New Zealand, Mt. Hood, Blackcomb Glacier, Beijing... wait a minute, when did snowboarding in the middle of summer in Beijing, China, become possible? Since the opening of the Burton Qiaobo Mellow Park last year, that's when. Wanting to experience the novelty of indoor snowboarding in a truly foreign country, I found myself in Beijing last month suffering through a 35-degree heat wave, trying to locate my hosts Olli Fenwick-Ross and Steve Zdarsky from Mellow Parks, the kingpins of the Chinese snowboard scene.

The Burton Qiaobo Mellow Park is just 45 minutes outside of Beijing, accessible by car or public transit. It's open every day of the year, from morning ‘til night, and maintains a steady temperature of -3 degrees Celsius inside, regardless of how scorching hot it can be outside (especially in the middle of summer). With a riding surface of 40,000 square meters and space for up to 3,000 people, there's a sweet park section that may not compare to, say, the Mammoth Mountain or Whistler Blackcomb parks, but is completely satisfying considering the location and circumstances. With the Olympics coming, plenty of Chinese riders are getting damn good in the pipe (just check the recent New Zealand Open results), but here locals like Marco Huang, Wang Lei, Li Jie, Zhang Wei, Xiao William, and Perry and Fan Lei rip the park hard.

Steve, Sayer and Olli.

Getting There
The greasy details behind the 24-hours of traveling it takes to actually get to Beijing from North America will be left out, so pretend that you've already arrived. After meeting up with the typical "shredder looking" but fluent Mandarin-speaking duo of Olli (originally from New Zealand) and Steve (born in Austria), we drove the 30 minutes outside of the city to a strange isosceles triangle-looking building, which houses the indoor park.

Good luck finding it...

The Dome
Originally built as just an indoor beginner facility called the Qiaobo Ski Dome, Burton came aboard as the title sponsor in 2008 and thus the Burton Mellow Park was born. Perhaps a strategic move by Burton to get a piece of the massive emerging Chinese market, or maybe just a means of promoting snowboarding in a new country? Either way, they've done it right and given snowboarders in Beijing a place to shred year ‘round. Kudos.

Xiao Ba/www.mellow.net.cn photo.

The Park
Now going into its second year of operation, the park is ideal for hardcore riders that need their snow fix 12 months a year, and has become a must-visit for any self-respecting Chinese snowboarder. While the features can change depending on conditions and flow needs, one can usually find two medium-sized kickers (with approximately five meter and three meter tables), a brand new, fully shredable wall-ride, as well as a variety of boxes, rails, and rainbows that are suitable for both beginners and experienced shredders. The park is basic enough to encourage new riders to get out and allow them to improve rapidly, but offers enough challenge to keep aspiring pro's learning legit tricks. It succeeds in its mission as a perfect T.F. to hone rider's skills while they wait for the mountains to fill in with snow.

The park layout.

The Vibe
Empty during the days, somewhat crowded at nights, it's impossible to not have a good time ripping through this park. Our session consisted of just Steve, Ollie, two talented park diggers, and I. It could somewhat be compared to a typical opening day at an Ontario resort, but with slushier conditions. The park is consistently maintained for flawless take-offs and smooth sliding. Get there for one of their many events (like the "Great Grab Off" or the upcoming "Burton King of the Park") for a real taste of the indoor culture, complete with live DJ's and a full party atmosphere.

Xiao Ba/www.mellow.net.cn photo.

Shredding in China
Being a post-Olympic city located within a country of over 1.3 billion people, an explosive economy, and nearby mountains, Beijing is on the brink of becoming a snowboarding superpower. For now however, snowboarding remains somewhat of a niche sport that is just gaining popularity over the last six years. Due to academic and like-minded obligations during their childhood and teenage years, not to mention the financial reasons, your average snowboarder in China doesn't even get on a board until their mid-20s. While most North American riders at this age already find themselves washed-up and pushing pencils at a desk job, many of the top sponsored riders in Beijing are now into their early-30s and still killing it.

Opening day of the season. Mary Daniels/www.mellow.net.cn photo.

The Future
With snowboarding now a legitimized Olympic sport, and the Chinese being famously medal-hungry, they have begun recruiting members of the national gymnastic team to "become snowboarders." There are rumours of a Chinese female athlete (an ex-Olympic gymnast) with the potential to medal in the 2010 Vancouver Halfpipe, but would have trouble surviving a Whistler Peak-to-Creek run. You can bet within the next few years however, with such a vast pool of talent, that Chinese snowboarding will become an international force.

One for the road: Sayer, switch FS board.

As far as winter terrain goes, there are respectable mountains, with legit parks and pipes, located in close proximity to the city that hold some large contests like the Nashan Open (a four-star TTR event) every winter.

Check out www.mellowparks.cn to stay up-to-date on what could become the future of snowboarding as we know it.

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