You are currently browsing the monthly archive for March 2007.
The MMPfilms crew is working hard on producing their 2007/08 video. Last week they uploaded their first podcast about a little rail trip to Prague that they did early this season with Iouri Podlatchikov, Christian Haller and Gianluca Cavigelli.
Check it out on their webpage!
Yes that’s right! This week-end non less than three TTR 3*** contests are happening in Europe: the Hemsedal Nordic Open, in Norway, the Absolut Spring Park Battle in Flachau (Austria) and the Grandvalira Total Fight in Andorra! Pick your favorite event and stay tuned!
Check out our video interview with swedish rider Michael Lundmark.
Michael is a strong allround rider and proved it in 2004 when he won the Billabong Jr Pro and imposed himself as a force to be reckoned with.
We met him in Leysin beginning of March and asked him some questions about his season and set-up. Michael is equipped head to toe with Rossignol snowboards gear and seems stocked about it. Check it out!
This coming week-end (March 31st, and April 1st) Central Camps present the the first edition of their last event the Goodie Lady Billabong Session.
As you can imagine the event is 100% for girls which doesn’t mean dudes don’t have to go to check out the action and the party scene!
The event will be held on the perfect Central park of Thyon. Saturday will be dedicated to the slopestyle contest and sunday an open photoshoot session will be organised.
Definitly good vibes, sunshine and laid back riding can be expected for this unique session!
Straight out from les 2 Alpes, Arthur Longo is the new hot shot from the french snowboard scene.
Arthur has had an amazing contest season winning the O’Neill Pro Freestyle in Avoriaz, scoring big in the O’Neill Evolution in Davos, flying high at the Artic Challenge and finishing -only- second at the Billabong Jr Pro in Leysin!
And that’s a season for Arthur during which – in his own words – he didn’t push it to hard!
That’s right, Arthur is concentrating on finishing school this year but is completly pumped up already for next year when he plans to push it to the next level!
Check out our video with Arthur shot during the Billabong Jr Pro and get to know this super talented rider. Oh, I almost forgot, Arthur also plans to improve his English so in the meanwhile it’s your turn to improve your French…
Forget all your prejudices from the past. Hammer snowboards reborns in 2007 and is heading for a brand new dimension!
Hammer is independent again. It has been bought last summer by M. Herbert Marxer from the Rossignol group and has established its offices near Lausanne, Switzerland. The small team of people working there are pumped and dedicated to bring a new image to the brand and push product innovation to bring you the best snowboards ever!
Plus Hammer is the first snowboard brand to include a full range of skis in its product line!
Yes skis, but not your average ski. Skis made by snowboarders!
A few years ago, skiers looked at snowboarding and realised progression was into stealing snowboard technologies and applying them in the ski’s construction. They took the technologies but they didn’t manage to get a grip on the feeling and the lifestyle. What Hammer brings on the market are skis with a snowboard construction and feeling – made by snowboarders!
Check out our visit at the Hammer offices where Alex presented us the full 2007/2008 Hammer snowboards range!
Enjoy and support Hammer!
The Ästhetiker Wängl Tängl Jam final went of yesterday, Sunday 25th 2007.
On a super creative park including either a three-kicker line to a step-up bowl or a banked slalom rail line followed by a half-cradle, a corner and two rails, the 30 finalists battled their way to the top. Some sick riding!
At the end of the day local hero and Aesthetiker spiritual leader, Steven Gruber won the contest with an impressive and most stylish run: Cab 720, switch backside 540, backside 720 and a super smooth move in the Taco. The strongest oppostion came from scandinavian riders Jaakko Ruha from Finland and swede Kalle Ohlson who finished second and third respectively with strong runs.
As always the spirit was great during the whole 4 days of contest and the set up really allowed the riders to show their skills and creativity.
Keep da spirit!
We told you he was our favorite! Xavier de le Rue continues his incredible season and adds another trophy to his collection with his first place at the O’Neill Xtreme Verbier 2007.
The frenchman nailed some impressive runs with dedicated lines and fluid turns, ponctuated by big cliff jumps. After a disappointing 5th place last year, Xavier enjoys his triumph this time around!
The men’s podium is completed by Verbier old timer Serge Cornillard from France and swiss freeriding legend Cyril Neri.
If you missed out on the action, storm to freecaster for highlights and Xavier’s victory run!
Perfect spring conditions prevailed at Park City as the Slopestyle contest of the 3rd Annual Roxy Chicken Jam became the deciding TTR point-earning event for the women’s Champion title. With one of the most talented rider line-ups of the season, the best-of-4-runs jam session culminated in a 15-woman Final that proved a close-cut challenge for judges to call. After tough deliberation, Slopestyle victory finally went to accomplished rider Tara Dakides (USA) who delivered amongst her best runs a backflip over the kicker, backside rodeo to a clean backside 720, ending with a boardslide-to-fakie on the flat down flat. Jamie Anderson’s (USA) fluidity and impressive rail maneuvers throughout the course earned a second place finish, and take her back to the TTR World Nr 2 spot.
But it was Torah Bright’s clean mix of cab 540s and cab 720s that earned her a 3rd place podium result – and win enough TTR points to extend her Nr 1 lead over last season’s Tour winner, Cheryl Maas (NED) – and secure the 2nd Women’s TTR World Snowboard Tour Champion 06/07 crown.
Bright (AUS) joins recently crowned male Shaun White (USA) as the TTR World Tour Champions 06/07.
Don’t miss out on the Xtreme de Verbier which is scheduled for tomorrow, sunday.
Held on the mythical Bec des Rosses, the 12th edition of the Xtreme is the final event of the the first European Freeride Tour which featured two qualifications events in Austria and in France. Tomorrow winner of these qualifications and invited riders will show their class and knowledge of the mountain and try to impress the judges. Among the riders attending the Xtreme are 2 times winner Cyril Neri, Jules Reymond, Alex Coudray, and our favorite Xavier de le Rue.
Don’t miss out on this incredible event which you can check out tomorrow live on freecaster.
Last weekend, the best snowboard rookies from Austria, Germany and Switzerland met during the Finale Grande of the Snowpark Tour 007 in Saas-Fee, Switzerland.
Patrik Huber (AUT) was crowned the “most impressive rider” and Anais Cettou (SUI) took the girls’ victory.
The shapers set up a kicker line with two kickers and a quarterpipe. At the in-run, riders could choose between two rails. The additional box line offered four different slide boxes. The 70 riders were also delighted by the nice weather and the fact that the participation in the event and accommodation were free.
The Pinky Jam, a 2 star TTR event and the finals of the SOUL GANG TOUR – the first European amateur tour exclusively dedicated to girls – will take place in Chiesa si Valmalenco, Italy from March 23rd till 25th.
As TTR tradition, the winner will gain the access to an even more important competition supported by http://www.snowbroader.eu: the Intergirlactik, at Les 7 Laux (France) from April 4th to 8th.
To who doesn’t want to take part to the female snowboard & free ski contest, the Pinky Jam prescribes the only rule of the event: have fun! As at the 2006 edition, there will be free snowboard and free ski camps for all the girls, altitude barbeque party, downstream well-being centre, dinners full of outstanding typical food and wine of the Valtellina, a floral staff, dj’s live set and one of the season most longed for party in Saturday night! All that will take place at the Palù Park of Chiesa Val Malenco, which will exceptionally be re-shaped for the event! If you have lost the 2006 edition now you can join the italian style into a female event.
All info, program, costs and whatever on http://www.pinkyjam.com
Kalle Ohlson is a talented rider who is part of the MMPfilms crew of riders.
We hooked up with him in Leysin where is was participating to the Billabong Jr Pro Champs and ask him some questions about his season, filming for MMPfilms, and his gear as he is riding Bataleon decks.
Check it out!
In our quest to always give you insights on different aspects of European snowboarding and people involved in making our sport grow, we bring you today a BrOADER[view] with Neil Slinger, Marketing and Product Manager for Blue Tomato Snowboard Shop.
Blue Tomato is an Austrian based retailing company which has chosen to develop a strong online strategy. We wanted to know how it was working for them and what benefits us – buyers of snowboard goods – could get out of it.
What we appreciate is that Blue Tomato (BT) is not just here for the business, they are riders and dedicated to promote snowboarding through their team, events and gatherings! Check it out!
On March 22 till 25, in the beautiful park of Mayrhofen, the Asthetiker Jam Wängl Tängl , an eclectic mixture of Austrian snow, skate, sound and street art will kick off. The comp is a TTR 5-Star event – which means a huge payout of $30,000USD and a brand new Suzuki LT-Z400 Quad Bike to the Wangl Tangl slopestyle winner.
Over 40 riders from all over will compete at this TTR event for big prizes on a slopestyle course featuring snow cradles – park-size skate bowls you can shred on. This skate-to-snow invention is credited to its inventors, the Shape Crew slopestyle makers, who also threw into the course a variety of wild rails and kickers for competitors to choose from.
“Last year was the first time we had a cradle in the contest. We had a one before, but we had it for ourselves,” says Bernie Koeffler, press manager for Aesthetiker.com. “Last year was the first time we integrated it as an obstacle in the slopestly contest.”
Riders who tackle the Shape Crew course select their own run from a mixed bag of options. The main rule: four tricks have to be thown and stomped for a complete run. The variety factor remains high as riders must test and trust their creativity to place first.
What have you ever wanted to ask Anne-Flore Marxer and never had the guts to?
Stuff like how is her season going, with who is she filming this year, how does her next year signature board looks like and feels, how does she dress up so cool and why is purple the hottest colour for goggles? All these questions are so overrated man.
Check out our video with Anne-Flore and get answers to questions that really – really – matter. pause. not!
Méribel played host to the first ever Sista Sessions on the 6th, 7th and 8th March.
The sun shone throughout both the coaching and competition days, and despite poor forecasts the girls came in big numbers.
On the first day the snowboarders received excellent coaching. With beginner girls trying the flat box and small kickers, many for the first time, they started on 50-50s and by the end of the day all got the boardslides down. The intermediate groups went off to do bigger obstacles such as the red kicker and the big rainbow rail. While the freestyle coaching was going on, the pros and more advanced riders ensured they got a few good shots for the cameras. A first session on the wall ride got everyone going and this led to another session on a roof just outside the park.
Photo credits : Ben Burnett, Rider : Lea Hein
Shaun White won today’s US Open halfpipe competition, the culminating event in the international Burton Global Open Series.
Following the halfpipe awards, Jake Burton presented the first ever Burton Global Open Series Championship awards to Shaun White, handing him a $100,000 check – the largest single payout in snowboarding history.
He won also the Volvo Most Valuable Rider Award, earning a new Volvo C30 T5 for his outstanding results during the WE.
Shaun got some more pennies, earning $5,000 in slopestyle, $20,000 in halfpipe, plus a Motorola cell phone.
Oh yeah! And to round it up White is the new 06/07 TTR World Champion!
www.snowbroader.eu 2006/07 version 