Snowboarding

On April Fools day Eric Sweet, 47, and nine other Jews will take a 36-foot-long snowboard to Jackson Hole Resort and hopefully ride into the record books on the world’s longest snowboard, according to a story in the Jackson Hole News & Guide.

Sweet has also procured a trademark hold from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office giving him rights to the name “Ten Jews, One Snowboard” and “The Minyan Board.” . . . Sweet says he’s having fun with the whole project. . . . “It was more difficult to put 10 Jews together and agree on something,” Sweet said. “That’s part of what I think is funny: With 10 Jews, can we actually pull it off? I don’t know. With 10 Jews on a snowboard, it’s going to be hard for us to look athletic.”

The board breaks down into 10 pieces so Sweet and his friends can ride up the lift. At the top they will apparently put the board together and then ride down the mountain (without any official permission from the resort, Sweet says). l’chaim

[Link: Jackson Hole News & Guide]

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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.

[Link: Mountain News]

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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.
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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.

[Link: New York Times]

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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.
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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.

[Link: CharityJam via Yobeat]

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