Ross Rebagliati Tells The Snowboard Story

by The Editors on October 20, 2009

Off The ChainRoss Rebagliati won snowboarding’s first gold medal in Nagano ’98. Though the IOC tried and failed, no one can take that away from him. Sadly, it was a medal in giant slalom and not in the crazy, off the hook halfpipe. This hasn’t stopped Ross from telling the story of snowboarding history himself in the book Off The Chain.

Off the Chain takes readers on a wild ride through the rise of snowboarding, from its hippie origins in the backwoods of Vermont and California to its present incarnation as a $150 billion global industry. Illustrated with 100 color photographs, Off the Chain begins with the sport’s early days, when the pioneers built their own boards and snuck onto the slopes. Author Rebagliati profiles snowboarding’s most notorious figures, explores the nature of snowboarding culture, and tells what touring as a young World Cup snowboarder is like. . . . He’s unsparing in revealing the sport’s more controversial aspects, from groupies to drugs, including his own experience having his gold medal revoked — and then restored — after failing a drug test. Rebagliati pulls no punches in this lively mix of personal memoir and sports history.

Seems like a bit of a strange title coming from Ross, but regardless, we’re looking forward to checking it out. Click here to pre-order the book.

[Link: Amazon]

{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }

JAF October 20, 2009 at 5:43 pm

ain’t gonna be no ‘p3’.

Amsterdam Pub October 23, 2009 at 9:48 am

“Smoke a fatty with Rebagliati” was a popular bumper sticker in Whistler
after the Nagano Olympics

Lew October 23, 2009 at 3:55 pm

150 billion. Really?

Northern Nelly November 18, 2009 at 3:45 am

I’ll buy the book
He signed my snowboard when I worked at Nic North…now its been tagged by so many people.

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