Kimberly Bland, a skier from Florida is suing South Lake Tahoe’s Heavenly Ski Resort after she was hit and injured by an on-the-clock mountain employee riding a snowboard, according to a story in the Reno Gazette-Journal.
[Bland] was stopped on the lower Olympic downhill run on the Nevada side of the resort, at about 3:50 p.m. on Jan. 18, trying to decide where to ski next, when Heavenly lift operator Daniel Barreno crashed into Bland on his snowboard, the suit said. . . Bland, a paramedic in the Miami area, was knocked unconscious by the impact and was taken by ambulance to the Barton Hospital emergency department, said the lawsuit filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Reno. . . She suffered injuries to her head, neck, shoulder and back, the suit said.
In the suit Bland is seeking “at least $350,000 in damages, plus costs and fees.” We’ll say this again, though it seems so obvious to us. Any snowboarder who can’t avoid hitting a person stopped on a run, has no right being on the snow. The courts will decide how responsible Heavenly is.
Want to try out all the new Burton product, catch some live music, maybe compete in a snowboard contest while you’re at it? The Burton Mountain Festival (traveling to 10 mountains in four months) has it all covered in this traveling marketing extravaganza brought to you by Mini, Kodak, Mitch by Paul Mitchell, Snowboarder Magazine and sadly, a caffeinated, carbonated, high fructose corn syrup peddler.
Burton Mountain Festival stops will include up to four key elements: Burton Test Ride, Riglet Parks, Pro-Test and live music for an entire day of good times. And while each festival stop will be unique, the foundation of the festival is the Burton Test Ride program, which will be at all 10 stops. Test Ride is where virtually the entire 2012 Burton hardwoods line will be on tap for riders to test at absolutely no charge. Riders can try out a variety of boards, boots and bindings to get a feel for their ultimate set-up.
When we think of hard-charging snowboard boarder cross racers bumping and hopping down an icy race course, we don’t exactly think L.L. Bean. But it appears the Maine based maker of all things classically backwoodsy is trying to change that by signing up two-time Olympic Gold medalist Seth Wescott as a “brand ambassador.” Apparently:
“Seth and L.L.Bean share many of the same values – a love and respect of the outdoors and a passion to educate and inspire youth to enjoy the outdoors,” said Steve Fuller, L.L.Bean Chief Marketing Officer. “He will be a great brand ambassador both here in Maine and around the world.”
The deal is for three years. It would be kind of epic to see Seth flying down a world cup BX course in this. Follow the jump for the official word. [click to continue…]
Stainless steel water bottle maker Mizu has announced today (December 20, 2011) that Ride Snowboards co-founder Tim Pogue is their new CEO, according to Mizu’s Jussi Oksanen.
“We’ve built the Mizu brand on a strong foundation in action sports with several industry partnerships and new pro bottles,” said Mizu founder, Jussi Oksanen. “Tim’s extensive experience with brands like Mizu will help us take the company to the next level in 2012.”
Sounds like exactly what the company needed. Follow the jump for the official word. [click to continue…]
This weekend (December 16-18, 2011) while snowboarding’s top sponsored sign spinners were busy getting on-cameras time at the Carbonated, Caffeinated, High Fructose Corn Syrup Tour in Breckenridge, Colorado, the hardcore faithful (including Terje Haakonsen, right) were at Central Oregon’s Mt. Bachelor for the fifth annual Dirksen Derby banked Slalom. More than 300 snowboarders gathered to race with friends and raise money for snowboarder Tyler Eklund.
Pipeline surfing legend Gerry Lopez was even able to make it home from Hawaii in time to win the “older and wiser” division. The Dirken Derby is everything that is good and right about snowboarding and competition. We’re bummed we missed another one, but Yobeat was there and they have all the photos and coverage. Click here for full results.
The Nike Open Slopestyle from Breckenridge, Colorado looked a little like this. Giermund Bratten won the men’s event and Spencer O’Brien the women’s. For full results follow the jump. [click to continue…]
