Luke Mitrani (pictured right) is apparently the US National Halfpipe Champion if the USSA has anything to say about it. By placing third in the Park City Grand Prix over the weekend secured the title.
The Vermont bred champion, was thrilled to take this weekend’s overall win in Utah. “I’m happy to have landed the run that I’ve been working so hard on,” said Mitrani. “Today’s finish feels good, I am definitely stoked. But there’s still a lot of winter left this year to get on snow, have fun and keep dialing in my riding.”
Jeremy Jones, Jones Snowboards, and Alaska’s Ultima Thule Lodge and helping to raise funds for Protect Our Winters with a raffle for three days of riding with Mr. Jones. Each time you donate $5 you are entered. The more you donate, the higher your chances of winning are. Help out POW and get a chance at riding some untracked by making a donation now.
Robert Sticky Shaw will be showing new work along with Karlee Mackie (KALM), Lauren Buckingham Over & Katherine Clarke Langlands in a new show titled Birds at Laguna Beach, California’s Artists Republic 4 Tomorrow on Saturday, February 9, 2013.
Birds have been symbols of power and freedom throughout the ages. Rising above the earth and soaring through the skies, legend has it that birds link the human world to divine realms. Birds are strong and mysterious – the majestic bald eagle, a trickster raven and a wise old owl. They are also comical characters – the Blue-footed Booby, large billed Toucan and talking African Grey Parrot. They are part of our lives from the stork bringing us into the world and they live among us as daily fixtures from imagery on currency and clothes to a V of pelicans gliding silently above the ocean.
For the second year in a row 686 hosted the Lights Out Boxing at the Denver SIA Show. A rowdy bunch of blood-thirsty snow industry fight fans crowded ringside at Casselman’s for five bouts of amateur (and we mean, really, really amateur) boxing matches. The bloodiest fight of the night was between Ion Camera’s Braly Joy and Wave Rave’sSteve Klassen. For the official results from all the fights (and some photos), follow the jump. [click to continue…]
John John Florence surfed with confidence throughout the entire Volcom Pipe Pro. But getting the warriors helmet was anything but easy. With legends all around and the chaos four-man heats Florence used all his local knowledge and got it done in the final against Chris Ward, Josh Kerr, and Olamana Eleogram.
“It was definitely a special final for me, my third time in a row, I can’t even believe it,” said Florence. “I was just happy to make it through today really, because the waves were small but still really good. Surfing the four man heats in small, peaky conditions like that is really tough and it’s quite a battle to even get a wave. I’m glad I snuck some in.”
In the quarter finals Florence went up against three Pipeline event winners in one heat: Jamie O’Brien, Reef McIntosh, and Bruce Irons. Yet, he survived.
“That quarter final heat was a scary one,” Florence said. So many of the guys that I really respect and have watched since I was so little. I knew I was going to have to go out there and paddle battle because it’s small. But I don’t want to paddle battle the guys I’ve been looking up to since I was little, so I kind of just went out and did what I could to sneak in a couple waves.”
It was a tornado tour at 2013 SIA Snow Show in the Denver Convention Center, but we survived. While we’re thinking about what it all means, here a few of the people (like Jack Mitrani, Jake Burton, John Jackson, and Gabi Viteri above), products, and booths that we saw in Denver.
Last night (February 1, 2013) in Denver’s spacious Filmore Auditorium the shred world gathered for the 14th Annual TransWorld Snowboarding Awards presentation where Peter Line was honored with the Legend Award.
Emcee’s GT and John Jackson presided over the ceremony—the biggest off-snow event in the industry—as the best riders of 2012 took the stage in recognition of individual progression and style in both riding and videography. To be recognized in this capacity by one’s peers is one of the highest accomplishments in snowboarding. Winners are determined by polling over 100 top pros to get their take on the best riding, video parts, and tricks of the year. Congratulations to all the nominees.
While we didn’t see any rotary bindings during our cruise of the 2013 SIA Snow Show in Denver (we’re sure they were there, they always are) we are glad to see that the ubiquitously useless innovation is not yet dead. A post on Shreddit alerted us to the Rotary Binding which is currently attempting to raise funds on Kickstarter. And there’s nothing new here:
Anyone who has ever gotten on or off a chairlift with a snowboard knows how uncomfortable it can be. Simply getting on and off requires painful bending of the knees and ankles in directions they were never meant to bend! . . Our state of the art bindings allow the board to rotate around the front foot by the simple tug of a cord. The Rotary Snowboard Bindings are extremely simple and safe to use while making your way to the next ski lift.
Michael Fultz, of San Diego, California, hopes to raise $100,000 for the project. With 28 days to go he’s got close to $3,000. We’re guessing he won’t reach his goal, but that’s probably best for everyone involved. Because seriously, we’ll say this again, “No one who snowboards wants a rotating binding.”
Legendary skateboarding pioneer Donald “Waldo” Autry was found dead in his van on January 23, 2013 “outside of the Upstairs Downstairs salon where he worked in Seal Beach,” according to a story in the Orange County Register. Autry was 55.
Autry was a pioneer of extreme skateboarding, featured in movies back in the mid-’70s when the sport was in its infancy, about the same time the now-famous Dogtown crew hit the scene. His early pool and pipe skills were featured in the iconic surf film “Five Summer Stories.” friend David Hegstrom said. . . He was featured recently in a documentary called “Signal Hill Speed Run,” which premiered at Cal State Long Beach recently. He was also an avid surfer who could be found near the pier in Seal Beach or Huntington Beach.
No foul play is suspected, according to the story. We will always remember those epic images of Autry in pools and pipes. Our thoughts are with his family and friends. A memorial service will be held February 23, 2013 at the north end of the Bolsa Chica State Beach parking lot.
Luke Mitrani (pictured right) is apparently the US National Halfpipe Champion if the USSA has anything to say about it. By placing third in the Park City Grand Prix over the weekend secured the title.
