Blitz Distribution has signed a multi-year deal to distribute the snowboard brand Technine in the United States, according to President Per Welinder.
“Blitz has been looking into getting involved in the snowboard industry for years and to have the chance to partner up with E-Stone and his crew at Technine is a perfect match,” Welinder says. “Technine has a super strong focus on its athletes and their lifestyles much like the brands we have built in the skateboard industry over the years. We are poised and ready to work hard together for good times ahead with Technine.”
Stone is excited about the new deal.
“Teaming up with Blitz is a dream come true. It’s been a long road for Technine and we’ve had many ups and downs over the past 19 years,” Stone said. “This partnership with Blitz couldn’t have happened at a better time. We’re one year away from our 20-year anniversary and joining a group of like-minded people from the skate industry–which we’ve learned so much from–is a breath of fresh air.”
This is Blitz’s second announcement this week. Early they signed Nick Trapasso and Patrick Pasquale’sLife Extension Skateboard Group. Follow the jump for the official Technine distribution info. [click to continue…]
Burton Snowboards has reportedly sued the Oregon based snowboard company INCA after being reportedly accused of patent infringement, according to a story in the Rutland Herald.
In a Dec. 6 letter from attorney Michael Kane of Fish & Richardson, P.C. of Minneapolis, Minn., to Burton’s general counsel Scott Barrett, Kane writes that through press releases and other literature, his client, INCA Empire Corporation found out that Burton sold snowboards that infringed on INCA’s patented features. . . For example, the snowboards sold by your company that incorporate the ‘Burton Flying V’ and ‘Burton Camber Humps’ features appear to meet the limitations of several claims of the ‘562 patent. Similarly, the snowboards sold by your company that incorporate the ‘Negative Core Profile’ features appear to meet the limitations of several claims of the ‘483 patent. Consequently, INCA Empire would like to license the patented technology to your company on reasonable terms.”
Burton is asking the court for a “declaratory judgement that it did not infringes on any of INCA’s patents, according to the story and claims that they were already selling boards “a year or more before the patents were even effective.”
It appears that not only are INCA’s hopes to license the technology peacefully are gone, and now they’re defending in a lawsuit that if they lose will see them paying for Burton’s legal fees. How’s that for proactive.
The Surf Industry Manufacturers Association is using all the tricks from late night cable TV commercials to sell spots in their four-times a year Boot Camp sessions. For a “Limited Time” only, they are offering four-packs for only $500 each. That is a savings of $200 per package (assuming you’d be sending someone to all four boot camps).
Book your annual passes now to ensure availability–once the 2012 SIMA Boot Camp annual passes are gone they’re gone. Annual passes will be sold in limited number until February 23, 2012
Get your now, now, now before they’re gone, gone, gone. Okay, we made up that last part. For more info in ALL CAPS no less, follow the jump. [click to continue…]
Holden, the Portland, Oregon based creators of snowboarding outerwear are apparently getting their street on with a new collection of sportswear designed in collaboration with Stussy and hipster bag maker Herschel.
“Holden’s roots are in snowboarding, but the truth is, most of our snowboard-specific pieces are already great crossover items,” says Nikki Brush, Holden design and development manager. “We see folks everyday rocking Holden jackets on the mountain and then taking them to the street. That’s why our sportswear collection is a natural evolution. We’ve remained true to the Holden aesthetic, but we are also dedicated to giving our consumers a level of performance that you just won’t find on most day-to-day sportswear.”
The lines will premiere at the Agenda Show beginning tomorrow January 5, 2012) in Long Beach, California. Guess if you want to grow you need to start making more stuff. One question? Is that Russell Winfield on the catwalk?
Sedition Surfboards (aka Cheapsurfboards.net.au), a shop on Australia’s Gold Coast owned by Neil Rech, 34, is reportedly selling China produced surfboards for $250 a pop and has understandably caused a bit of a stir in Coolangatta, according to a post on Businessweek.
Rival retailers averse to discounts and upset about local job losses questioned his patriotism, and even threatened violence, he said. . . “It’s quite heavy,” Rech, 34, said of the backlash. After teaching for two years in China before opening a store in Coolangatta, Queensland, “I realized how cheap you can actually get these boards so I thought it’d be a great opportunity to bring them here and sell them to the public cheaper.”
The best part of the whole story is Rech’s response that eventually the China pricing will be better for everyone’s business: “It’s like sticking a fat man on a treadmill,” he said. “First he doesn’t like it, but then he gets into it.” Apparently Rech is a glutton for punishment.
Launch LA the new west coast action fashion trade show from Surf Expo owner GLM Shows has announced the first round of companies that it’s “panel of advisory jurors has approved” to exhibit at their show in Santa Monica, California on July 25-26, 2011.
This Thursday, January 5, 2012, the action sports and street wear industries will gather in Long Beach, California for the January Agenda Show. For longtime industry heads this is a return to the Long Beach Convention Center after a eight-year absence and from the look of the list of the over 400 companies who will be exhibiting it’s going to be just like old times only better.
The message boards have been packed with this news for months, but yesterday (January 2, 2012) DC Shoes officially announced that they had made two “massive additions” to their skate program with Mike Mo Capaldi (formerly of Lakai) and Nyjah Huston (footwear free agent).
As usual, this announcement was followed by a flurry of comments from industry insiders and skate kids who don’t believe the publicly traded Quiksilver has skateboarding’s best interest in mind when it signs up major players.
One long-time skate industry head said:
Again skateboarders have sold themselves to a corporate giant who doesn’t care about skateboarding, just money. Happy 4 the skaters, though.
Another fired back:
. . . as long as that company funds skateparks, pays skaters well, makes cool videos and puts on cool events I’m backin’ it.
The first replied:
I know. Getting harder to hate buying credibility. I know it’s not rational but stills feel weird. Happy for skaters though.
Before getting all emotionally involved just remember: skateboarding and skateboarders are just the little donkeys who help drag the footwear marketing machine to the masses.
As if Mountain Dew’s caffeinated, carbonated high fructose corn syrup weren’t enough of a strain on the health of snowboarders and skateboarders, scientists are now suggesting further study of another of the soft drink’s ingredients brominated vegetable oil, according to a story on Scientific American.
Patented by chemical companies as a flame retardant, and banned in food throughout Europe and Japan, BVO has been added to sodas for decades in North America. Now some scientists have a renewed interest in this little-known ingredient, found in 10 percent of sodas in the United States. . . After a few extreme soda binges—not too far from what many gamers regularly consume—a few patients have needed medical attention for skin lesions, memory loss and nerve disorders, all symptoms of overexposure to bromine.
Hell yeah! Drink more Mountain Dew, kids. You may have all kinds of problems, but at least you won’t spontaneously burst into flames.
Guess we’re going to have to rename that action sports tour the “flame retardant, caffeinated, carbonated high fructose corn syrup tour,” or the FRCCHFCS Tour for short.
Sole Tech/etnies has lost another one as 2011 Street League champ Sean Malto officially moves over to Nike SB. Says Malto:
“I’ve always been a fan of Eric Koston and Paul Rodriguez. Being on the same team as them is truly amazing. Plus, Nike has always been the leading brand in sports, with the most incredible athletes past and present—including my favorites Michael Jordan and Kevin Durant. It’s just an honor to be associated with a company like Nike. I feel like we can do awesome things in and for skateboarding!”
Funny how long it takes for the rumors to be official. Guess all these contracts are on the calendar year. Follow the jump for the official word from Nike. [click to continue…]
Blitz Distribution has signed a multi-year deal to distribute the snowboard brand Technine in the United States, according to President Per Welinder.
Stone is excited about the new deal.
