Greg Johnson has been lurking around the back door of snowboard contests for more than 20 years with job titles ranging from judge to competition director of the US Open (his most recent gig). The Mountain News checks in with Johnson to get his views on the snowboard industry in the face of global economic collapse.
He said the snowboarding economy has been very strong the past few years, but has, like everything else, shown recent impacts from the global economic downturn. . . “This year snowboarding (competitions) took kind of a big hit, the Air & Style in Europe and the Vail (Honda) Session events didn’t happen based partly on economics,” Johnson said.
Greg is truly one of the nicest guys in snowboarding and we’re glad to see him getting a little coverage.
Chas Guldemond had a $145,000 payday when he won the US Open Slopestyle and clinched the Burton Global Open Series Championship at Stratton Mountain, Vermont. “I really wanted to do good on the Global Open Series, but I never planned on this,” Guldemond said. “I really appreciate the people above that took care of me, and everyone along the way. This is such a great day.”
Chas’s run included: a frontside boardslide 270 out to a 50-50 backside 180 followed by a switch backside 900, backside 1260, Cab 900 ending with a backside rodeo on the jumps.
Kjiersti Buaas (pictured above, photo: Jake Stangel) proved that she’s still well in the game by throwing down a nosepress on the box, 50/50 to frontside 180, Cab 540 indy, backside 360 indy, frontside 360 stalefish ending with a frontside 720 mute to edge Jenny Jones for the win. “Being the best overall rider meant a lot to me because I strive to be good in the pipe and slope,” said Kjersti. “I was trying all season to be good in both disciplines, it makes me so excited. Now people can’t just define me as a pipe rider, and that means the most to me.”
For the full results and official press release follow the jump. [click to continue…]
The New York Times sports section decided to cover the women’s halfpipe competition at the US Open. Wasn’t that nice of them to say that there really aren’t any new girls making it to the top? Read it if you want the Gray Lady’s take on the shred girls of 2009 or click here for another Matt Higgins piece of the Frends crew.
Okay, so the big question from those of us who did not make the pilgrimage to Vermont for the US Open of Snowboarding was, “Where the hell is Shaun White?” But then, that’s how well we’ve been following along lately. Because if we’d been paying attention we would have know that he pulled out of the competition this morning only hours before the start with a “severely sprained left ankle,” according to the International Herald Tribune.
That appears to have left the door open for almost anyone to win and Danny Kass was the one who casually walked through the open door to win the US Open Halfpipe Title for a record fifth time with a run that included “a frontside 1080, Cab 1080, frontside 900, backside 720, ending with a switch alley-oop 540.”
“I feel amazing, I am beyond stoked that this is my fifth win,” said Danny Kass. “It feels great to come out again and put together some runs. I was feeling it today for sure.”
On the women’s side Torah Bright tied Kelly Clark’s record for the most US Open halfpipe wins. They each have three.
Torah Bright’s final run stole the show when she dropped in switch, starting off with Cab 720 indy, followed by a crippler, backside 360 indy, switch backside 720 ending with a backside 540. Kelly had one more chance to top Torah’s amazing 96 points, but she fell on her last run.
For the rest of the official details (and the results) follow the jump for the press release. [click to continue…]
Marc Frank Montoya’s Wham Bam Charity Jam at Mt. Hood Meadows on March 27-28, 12009 will be raising money for Invisible Children, an organization that works with children in war-torn African countries.
A group of six snowboards planned to hike Japan’s Mt. Kurodake on the north island of Hokkaido to cap off the 2009 season of snowboarding, but when a storm came and they got lost, their plans changed according to a story told by Chris Holmes to the Times Online. His first quote kind of explains the situation.
“I’m a relatively inexperienced snowboarder so I didn’t want to go on,” Mr Holmes, 34, told The Times from his home in Hokkaido where he is still trying to get feeling back into his icy cold feet. . . Three of the group continued on to the peak and returned safely to base camp later that evening. But the other six who descended earlier were less fortunate. . . The men and women from New Zealand, Australia and Holland became so lost and disorientated trying to navigate their way down the steep mountainside they were forced to dig a snow cave and sleep huddled together on a bed of pine leaves as the temperature dropped below zero.
Another lesson in backcountry snowboarding from the “inexperienced.”
This Saturday night March 21, 2009 Whistler’s Blake Jorgenson Gallery is hosting the opening party for OG snowboard photographer Dano Pendygrasse’s showOdds And Ends from an Unusual Life. This week Pique News Magazine profiled Dano and got behind the man behind the lens.
While there are plenty of Whistler residents who have been around for the long-haul, witnessing the town’s evolution from a garbage dump into a world-class resort. Dano Pendygrasse has been busy capturing the transformation of the community – more specifically, the snowboard community – from behind the lens of his camera.
If we were in Whistler this weekend, we’d be there.
Riding the lift at the Tahoe Legends of Snowboarding on March 14, 2009 with Joel Gomez, Mike Chantry, Tina Basich, Jeff Brushie, Mikey Basich, Dave Seoane, Tom Burt, and Norm Sayler with the closer.
Dave Seoane’s Life Sentence lifetime season pass was denied, Shawn Farmer poached the pipe, Tom Burt charged the Palisades on a 25-year-old board, Mike and Tina Basich put another siblings halfpipe win on their resumes, Edgar “Pineapple” Rivera did some spittin’ on the mic, Mike McDaniel sat in the judges chair, former resort owner Norm Sayler hung out at the bottom of the pipe, and Damian Sanders, Keith Kimmel,Amy Roberts, and Joel Gomez were inducted into the Tahoe Legends of Snowboarding and get their names listed on the perpetual trophies kept in the old school lodge at Donner Ski Ranch. (Neither Damian nor Keith showed up to accept their awards. Damian got wrecked on his moto bike, and we think Keith is just shy.)
Throw in Chris Roach, Jeff Brushie, Jim Rippey, Jason Borgstede, Noah Salasnek, Rocket Reeves, Jon Baiocchi, Dave Alden, Bob Klein, and four-time world champion Terry Kidwell on rhythm guitar and you have a rockin’ day on snow with most of the people basically responsible for what snowboarding isy all together on March 14, 2009 for the 5th Annual Tahoe Legends of Snowboarding.
The group congregated at an authentic u-ditch pipe for an old school halfpipe contest, and freeriding on classic snowriding crafts. It was an impressive gathering of snowboarding’s living history that often gets overlooked in the commercial rush to move more units. To those who grew up idolizing snowboarding’s pioneers, The Tahoe Legends of Snowboarding is a chance to remember why we got into it in the first place: hanging out with friends and sliding on snow.
A big thanks to the original Tahoe Legend Don Bostick for making it all happen.
Greg Johnson has been lurking around the back door of snowboard contests for more than 20 years with job titles ranging from judge to competition director of the US Open (his most recent gig). The Mountain News checks in with Johnson to get his views on the snowboard industry in the face of global economic collapse.
