Loveland Ski Area officially ripped open Colorado’s 2010-2011 season on Sunday, October 24, 2010 and look who was on the first chair: snowboarders, of course. As sometime Colorado local Todd Richards said yesterday on Twitter: “Its officially open season on the white ribbon of death.”
This year’s opening was a little later than last, but it didn’t seem to bother anyone according to the Denver Post:
“It’s been a really strong turnout,” Loveland director of marketing John Sellers said. . . “Everyone’s been saying that the snow’s riding great,” Sellers said. . . . Eight inches of natural snow fell on the slopes in the two days leading up to the opening, making for good conditions on the big day, Sellers said.
Just tempting enough to lure snowboarders out into the trees on those brand new boards. . .
The Volcom Damn Am wrapped up yesterday in Costa Mesa, California with Oklahoma City’s Kyle Walker on top. David Loy took the best trick according to a post on The Skate Park of Tampa. Here are the rest of the finalists.
1. Kyle Walker
2. Louie Lopez
3. Anthony Estrada
4. Anthony Schultz
5. Alec Majerus
6. Brodie Penrod
7. Tommy Flynn
8. Boo Johnson
9. Tyson Bowderbank
10. Kevin Romar
11. Jack Olson
12. Kechaud Johnson
Aaron Draplin, designer of so much we know and love in the world of snowboarding graphics (Union Bindings, Coal Hats, Grenade, etc. . . ), has pulled together “pretty much everything since we spit town” for his Thanks MPLS show tonight (October 23, 2010) at CO Exhibitions in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Here’s what Aaron says:
“Dear Minneapolis: In 1998, after five wild winters cutting my teeth out west, I made my way back to the Midwest to see if I could hack in the big leagues of Art School at MCAD. Things like those Replacements and the ever-inspiring Charles Spencer Anderson brought me to you. Sure, I got myself a hi-falutin’ graphic degree, but more importantly, I fell hard for yer design community and the mountain of great work always coming out of it. And I’ll be forever hooked on you. What you are looking at in this show is basically, “Pretty much everything since I split town.” So that’s what we’re calling it. Thanks, Minneapolis. You were the kick in the ass I needed.” – Aaron Draplin
The show runs until November 20, 2010 and the party tonight is from 7 to 10 PM. Those who attend will get to meet Aaron’s parents, listen to The Evening Rig, and even purchase some exclusive prints, tees, and more.
While we’re pretty sure the Tony Hawk Foundation’sMiki Vuckuvich was at the Stand Up For Skateparks Benefit last weekend in Beverly Hills, California we’ve recently received puzzling evidence suggesting he’s been moonlighting as a French police officer. Then again, Miki would never turn a blind eye as a protesting skateboarder was hauled away. No way. Never.
Lucas McKaine Ransom, 19, of Romoland, California died Friday morning October 22, 2010 after being attacked by what witnesses say was an 18 foot long shark at Surf Beach at Vandenberg Air Force Base, according to a story in the Lompoc Record.
The friend, Matthew Garcia, told The Associated Press that he was two feet from Ransom, who was wearing a wet suit, when the shark rose out of the water without warning and bit into Ransom’s leg. . . . Garcia says his friend cried ‘Help me, dude!’ before he disappeared under the water in a cloud of red. . . .Garcia was pounded by waves as he looked for Ransom. He estimates the shark was 18 feet long.
Garcia (who was on a surfboard at the time) found Ransom and pulled him to shore, but Ransom died on the beach. Ransom was junior at UCSB majoring in chemical engineering. Our thoughts are with his family and friends.
Photographer Deanna Templeton will be presenting a collection of images in a show titled Scratch Your Name In My Arm at LA’s Paul Kopeikin Gallery. The show, which features mostly girl fans getting their bodies signed, runs from October 30 to December 18, 2010 with an opening party on October 30, 2010 from 6 – 8 PM. A 130-page hardcover catalog of the show will also be available.
Personal brand marketing has peeked in snowboarding as the China Air & Style becomes the Shaun White Air & Style (with a little help from Oakley) on December 4, 2010.
“This is a huge opportunity, and it’s really great to be part of it,” said Shaun White. “We’ll bring together top riders and showcase global talent, and we hope to stoke all the homegrown talent that’s coming out of China and see some of their best in action. To partner with Oakley and share our ever-progressing sport with Beijing and Chinese society as a whole is an amazing honor,” White concluded.
A group of big wave surfers and photographers have convinced the San Mateo County Harbor District to give them the permit to run the Mavericks’ only annual surf contest, according to a story in the Peninsula Press.
Under Harbor District rules, only one organization can hold the permit needed to host the annual Mavericks event, which takes place about half a mile offshore of Pillar Point Harbor and uses harbor facilities as a staging and viewing area. Last night, the Harbor District commissioners voted to award this winter’s permit to the new Hay Moon Bay Surf Group that includes Washburn and fellow big-name surfer Peter Mel; Clark’s wife, Katherine Clark; surf event organizer Darren Brilhart; and several surf photographers.
Will be good to see the event return to surfing. The over-promoted surf rodeo/circus thing it had become was sad.
