Today, March 8, 2010 marks the end of the IOC’s Rule 41 embargo that kept sponsors from marketing Olympic athletes during the Games. It didn’t take Flow Snowboarding long to dive back in and begin reminding everyone that bronze medalist Scotty Lago rides for Flow.
We also noticed that some of the other Olympic athletes are back up on their sponsors teams lists as well. While others are a little slow on the uptake.
[Link: Flow Snowboarding]
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Iris Martin is a “former psychotherapist” who blogs for the Huffington Post most likely without getting paid in hopes that people will buy her seemingly self-published books. But today Iris is not talking about Mortgage Wars. No. Today she is expounding on what the United States can learn from Shaun White.
White’s recent round of interviews and appearances has provided a portrayal of an old soul in a highly tuned young body–and potentially a global leader in the making, if still in a somewhat unassuming embryonic state. He has not only transcended the myth of the hippie-haired snowboarder on his quest to stick the perfect run, he has laid down a style of being in the world that’s awesome for our times.
Ms. Martin is probably the first (and hopefully last) writer to reference Goldie Hawn, Ghandi, New Age theorist Michael Sharp, the Obama Administration, Bill Clinton, the Dali Lama, Marie Antoinette, Edward Gibbon, and Toynbee and Burke in an essay about snowboarding. After slogging through the entire piece we’re not sure it something anyone else should attempt. But we agree with the premise: we all could learn a lot from Shaman White. . . especially in the revenue department.
[Link: Huffington Post]
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For the second year in a row Finland’s Peetu Piiroinen has won the TTR World Championship title. And on his way he won the Oakley Arctic Challenge. For the full story, follow the jump.
[click to continue…]
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A Vancouver snowboarder died Saturday, March 6, 2010 after apparently hitting a tree while snowboarding at Big White Ski Resort, according to a story in The Province.
Michael Ballingal, spokesman for Big White, said the young man died while snowboarding in bounds down Whitefoot Bowl run, an intermediate level hill. . . It’s believed the snowboarder may have struck a tree, but Ballingal did not have further details on the circumstances that led to the death. . . “It’s a tragedy. It’s very, very seldom that these things happen, a sudden death like that. It’s so close to home and it’s the first Saturday of spring break,” said Ballingal.
The snowboarders name and age have not been released.
[Link: The Province]
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The video includes what went down on March 5, 2010 during qualifications at The Arctic Challenge. Here are the results from Saturday’s semi-finals (read the story here):
1 30 Peetu Piiroinen FIN
2 23 Mikkel Bang NOR
3 8 Tore Holvik NOR
4 14 Eric Willett USA
5 9 Seppe Smits BEL
6 22 Torstein Horgmo NOR
7 33 Mark McMorris CAN
8 7 Ville Uotila FIN
9 12 Roope Tonteri FIN
10 15 Sage Kotsenburg US
There is still time to catch the final event live on Sunday, March 7, 2010. Click here beginning at 4 AM PST.
[Link: Two Left Feet and Freecaster.tv]
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We’re not the biggest fans of where all these halfpipe shenanigans are going. Yes, Shaun White got a big jump on everyone with his double-McTwist, but by summer we’re guessing all the top dogs will have them on lock. See, Iouri Podladtchikov already has them (although a little late for the Olympics). Then Shaun will have to triple up and the whole arms race will start all over again. Is this really where snowboarding should be going?
[Link: Two Left Feet]
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Snowboarder Erica Patterson, 43, of Hidden Hills, California was found dead in a tree well on Saturday, February 27, 2010 on Mammoth Mountain’s Lincoln Mountain, according to a story in the Orange County Register.
At 1:30 p.m. Mammoth Mountain Ski Patrol were told that Patterson. . . had become separated from her husband while snowboarding through the trees. . . .Ski patrollers searched the area and at 4:25 p.m. found Patterson about 50 yards off the side of a run in a tree well. Patterson was found when a senior ski patroller probed tree wells and first discovered her snowboard buried under the snow.
The Mono County Sherriff’s office is investigating Patterson’s death, according to the story, but officials believe she suffocated under about three feet of snow. Our thoughts are with her family and friends.
[Link: OC Register]
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The United States Snowboard Association has filed suit against Go211.com owner Action Sports, Inc. after they say the company failed to pay the USSA a “$175,000 sponsorship fee, plus a 30 percent share of the defendant’s advertising rev according to a story in the Salt Lake City Tribune.
Alleging breach of contract, unjust enrichment and trademark infringement, the USSA is asking a U.S. District Court for Utah judge to award the organization monetary damages and to stop Boston-based Action Sports from displaying USSA-affiliated materials. . . . Action Sports President Sean Aruda declined to discuss details of the case, but said, “we obviously have a much different view of the facts … This is just a business disagreement they chose to escalate. . . “We’re disappointed their attorneys took this action, and we’re confident it will be settled amicably,” he added. “We would love to continue doing business with them.”
Chances of that seems kind of slim at this point.
[Link: Salt Lake City Tribune]
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Not that we’re not getting enough Shaun White all over the rest of the world, now we get to see his bright, shining, flowing locks along with boardercross gold medalist Seth Wescott on boxes of our favorite breakfast cereal.
“It’s great being on a Wheaties box,” said White. “I remember being a kid and looking up to the guys whose faces were on these boxes and thinking how cool it was. I’m just stoked that Wheaties wanted me on the box and I can represent my sport in such a great way.”. . . “Having your very own Wheaties box is something many athletes strive for; so today it is an incredible feeling to see my box and know it represents determination, hard work and focus in a sport that’s relatively new to the winter games,” said Wescott. “To earn two consecutive gold medals means so much, and the culmination of now having a Wheaties box is the icing on the cake.”
The boxes will be available in stores beginning in April 2010.
[Link: Wheaties]
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Shaun White was on The Tonight Show on Tuesday, March 2, 2010. Sarah Palin opened for him. That’s how big the Flying Tomato has gotten.
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