Burton riders Peetu Piiroinen and Kelly Clark both won their fourth Burton European Open halfpipe titles on Saturday, January 15, 2011. Piiroinen’s run went like this: a frontside 720 indy grab, Cab double cork 1080 mute grab, frontside air and backside 900 mute grab, and an alley oop rodeo nose grab.
“I am very surprised to win, I was not expecting this,” said Peetu. “Winning here is what every rider dreams about, although I believe that Ipod’s run was much more technical than mine. In any case, the riding level here today was super high and the new guys coming up are really strong… I hope this doesn’t mean that I am getting old!”
Kelly Clark was likely a little less surprised by her win with a run that included: a frontside 900, backside 540 mute grab, frontside 720 indy grab, and a Cab 7. “It’s great to win here again,” said Kelly. “I really enjoy the pipe at Laax because I get to push my riding and take it to a new level.”
Follow the jump for all the official details, results, and a couple photos. [click to continue…]
Ryan Sheckler reportedly posted a photo of himself on Twitter showing a new Red Bull hat. Then, someone who follows Sheckler’s tweets much more closely than we do noticed what looks like a Storz & Bickel Volcano in the background. Ryan pulled the image down from his Twitter feed but not before someone posted the photo on a site called The Dirty with the headline Lay Off The Ganja Sheckler.
Now, according to TMZ, Sheckler’s lawyers want the photo removed from the site saying:
Your unauthorized use of the RS rights and promotions of your website, products and items involving RS’s name likeness, copyrights and related trademarks and may violate RS’s right of publicity, constitute trademark infringement, copyright infringement, dilution and unfair competition among other rights. . . Additionally, your actions may have placed RS in breach of current agreements has has in place, and may expose RS to liability and/or damages.
The issue does bring up one good question (not that Sheckler’s lawyers mentioned it). Does posting a photo on Twitter give anyone free license to use that image on the web or in print any way they see fit? Not necessarily, according to a recent federal court decision reported in PDNonline.com. Photographer Daniel Morel is suing several news organizations (AFP, Getty Images, CBS, Turner Broadcasting) after they lifted one of his Haiti earthquake photos from his Twitter feed and ran with it. A judge agreed with Morel saying his lawsuit could continue because the “defendants failed to prove they had a license to use Morel’s images.”
Sheckler’s celebrity status coupled with the fact that the photo he posted of himself sitting directly in front of a “plant ingredient inhaling device” is in some twisted way “news” likely means there’s not much his lawyers can do about it. Not only has The Dirty left the photo up, they added this comment: “The kid is claiming war against me when he is the idiot who posted the picture. How much weed did you smoke dude?”
Seems the smoothest route through all of this would have been for Sheckler to ignore the post entirely. But then the lawyers wouldn’t have written that letter. And lawyers love writing letters.
Marc Lacomare, the 20-year-old surfer from France sneaked in an ASP World Junior Championship over the US’s Nat Young in the Billabong ASP World Junior Championships Saturday, January 15, 2011 in North Narrabeen, Australia. And he did it wearing a bonnet de bain.
“I feel great,” Lacomare said. “It’s been a great event for me. Congrats to Nat (Young) and Jack (Freestone). “It was a great trip to Australia and thanks to the locals too for sharing their break.”
Australian Jack Freestone won the ASP World Junior Tour with a equal 9th. Follow the jump for all the ASP details. [click to continue…]
For those who (like us) were unable to wake up at an ungodly hour to watch the Burton European Open live online, here a little of what went down in the Slopestyle finals from Laax, Switzerland.
Roope Tonteri (FIN) shook up the men’s podium on his last run, beating competition powerhouse Peetu Piiroinen (FIN) by less than three tenths of a point. Roope won the BEO slopestyle title, his first major contest win ever, with an impressive run that included a pivot 270 out, backside 360 nose bonk, alley oop 50-50, gap to boardslide, backside 720 mute grab, Cab 900 indy grab and backside double cork 1260, finishing things off with a jaw-dropping Cab 1440 indy grab. Roope had the highest scoring tricks of the men’s competition, sealing his victory and first Burton European Open title. Last year’s BEO slopestyle champion Peetu Piiroinen almost had today’s competition on lock-down, but his best run, which included high-scoring tricks on the kickers like a backside double cork 1080 mute grab, backside rodeo 900 nose grab and a Cab 1260 mute grab were not enough to win it. Peetu took home second place followed by Chas Guldemond (USA) in third.
Steve Berra cruises around LA in a new hybrid Lexus CT 200 and discusses his history and the founding of The Berrics. It’s an advertorial for Lexus, but it works really well. Check it.
On Monday, January 17, 2011 a group gallery collection of photos shot on cellphones and titled phonography opens at The Blind Lady Ale House in San Diego, California. The show features the photography of legendary skateboard photographers, skaters, musician, and artists including Grant Brittain, Miki Vuckovich, Dave Swift, Lance Mountain, Otis B., Mark Hoppus and Ed Templeton just to name a few.
“Phonography” looks at this phenomenon in a new way – with a fascinating exhibit of photos shot on nothing but phone cameras. In a greater sense, it’s an expression of modern aesthetics, and a journey through the highly personal interests of designers, photographers, musicians, skaters and creative people alike.
Chad Muska opened his “private studio in New York” on January 8, 2011 and gave the world a peek at what he’s been working on lately in a show titled One Year In NYC, according to a post on the Kr3w.com site. While his influences could be up for discussion, the show seriously looks good.
The exhibit featured mixed media pieces ranging from prints, paintings, spray art, epoxy, ink on paper, photographs, video and jewelry all created in New York City over the past year, including a piece dedicated to professional skateboarder and long time friend Harold Hunter.
It also appears that Mr. Muska will be bringing the show to LA soon. Click the link for more photos.
Today Burton Snowboards officially dedicated the 10,000 square foot Craig Kelly Proto Facility, a new “state-of-the-art” prototype manufacturing facility, in Burlington, Vermont.
“Craig Kelly was an engineer at heart, and one of the big reasons he chose to ride for Burton back in the late eighties was because he saw how committed we were to R&D and taking snowboard technology to the next level,” said Jake Burton, Founder and CEO of Burton Snowboards. “During the 15 years that he rode for Burton, Craig had a huge impact on snowboard design, technology and the sport as a whole. So it was an easy decision to name the new prototyping facility after him. I think that Craig would be proud that every new board that comes out of our new R&D space reflects his spirit and legacy.”
Mike Ranquet, Terje Haakonsen, and Kevin Pearce were all in attendance. Follow the jump for the official details and photos. [click to continue…]
Suffer from Insomniac? Looking for an quiet apré party cruise on the Interwebs? The 2011 Burton European Open live webcast may just be the perfect way to spend the wee hours of the morning on Friday and Saturday.
The men’s slopestyle finals will be going down at 4:45 AM PST (7:45 AM EST) Friday (Women start at 3 AM PST/ 6 AM EST) with the halfpipe beginning Sunday at 3 AM PST (6 AM EST).
Birdhouse Skateboards wanted us to know they have a new website and logo coming really soon. In the meantime, they’d like us all to view this European Tour footage.
