Westbound Boarder

With all five Grand Prix events officially behind us, today, the 2010 US Winter Snowboard Team was finally announced, with one spot on both the women and men up for grabs.  Without further ado, here are the six shredders who will be representing the US in Vancouver next month (the last two will be announced in a press conference Monday afternoon):

Men
Shaun White
Louie Vito
Scotty Lago

Women
Kelly Clark
Gretchen Bleiler
Hannah Teter

Congrats to all, and good luck!  And in case you missed yesterday’s Grand Prix in Park City, you can catch the highlights and full event coverage today at 3pmET on NBC.

UPDATE: Elena Hight and Greg Bretz were added to the half pipe team, rounding it out to a full team of eight riders.  Yeah!

I know we have all been anxiously waiting to hear who will be riding on this year’s 2010 Olympic Halfpipe team.  This weekend, Park City, Utah will play host to the fifth and final round of the Olympic qualifiers, where 30 riders will be vying for the remaining spots on this year’s team.

The US Snowboarding Grand Prix made stops earlier this year at Copper Mountain and Mammoth Mountain, so Park City will be the third and final stop of the tour where the 2010 Olympic team (four men and four women) will officially be announced.

We know that Shaun White, who has already seen two first place finishes in former qualifying rounds, has already solidified his spot on this year’s US Olympic team in the men’s category.  Louie Vito, with two second place wins, is in good shape as well. Other probable contenders include JJ Thomas, Zach Black, Scotty Lago, and Mason Aguirre, though the last two spots remain somewhat uncertain.

On the women’s side, Kelly Clark’s two earlier wins in qualifying rounds have already secured her a spot on the team, with Gretchen Blieler being a shoe in as well.  Elena Hight and Hannah Teter also have the odds in their favor, though Ellery Hollingsworth will give them a good run for their money.  Between these five ladies, the four open spots up for grabs this weekend in Park City seem fairly predictable.  The only question now is, which one won’t get to see Vancouver this winter?

Catch the US Snowboarding Grand Prix on January 23, 8:30pm ET/5:30pm PT on Fuel TV or via the live stream here: http://www.fuel.tv/USSnowboarding

In case you haven’t religiously been following Dancing With The Stars this season (like, um, we have been?) pro snowboarder Louie Vito, along with fellow competitor Melissa Joan Hart, were finally eliminated last week.  It was a good run, and I think Vito shocked viewers nationwide, churning out some pretty good dancing moves.  But, hey, someone had to get cut, right?

Check out the video of his latest (and last) dance below from ABC below.  Hey, Louie, can we expect to see some Jitterbug-influenced moves in the Olympic pipe comp. this February?

And of course, Louie’s exit just wouldn’t be complete without some good ol’ fashioned Kimmel commentary:

Despite the judges criticism (and my undeniable bias) Louie Vito and his super hottt dancing pro, Chelsie Hightower, can dance like there is no tomorrow. Perfecting the Jitter Bug this evening, Louie brought his snowboard skills to the dance floor with an impressive back flip down the stairs to an all star sexy smooch at the finish.

Louie Vito has made it through ABC’s Dancing with the Stars through week six, however tomorrow night is the eliminations. Want Louie to make it through week 7? Call up and vote tonight!

My just left for Costa Rica, and its starting to rain in LA (OK, well, it sprinkled the other day… that so counts!) - naturally my mouse wandered to travel sites this week ;)  Here are some of our favorites!

• Interested in skiing in Austria? Um, I am!  This week, the Telegraph published a guide of the best ski resorts in Austria.  Ischgl, here I come!  Next on the list - Switzerland, perhaps?
• What’s the best snowboard park in North America? Apparently Transworld readers voted Buttermilk.  Check out the full list.  Anyone tried more than two on the list, and do you agree?
• Billabong Rail Jam for Women: Billabong’s got a Rail Jam just for women?  Sweet!  Check out the deets for locations and specifics.
• Pics from More the B film premiere in Melbourne: Dang, this looks like fun…
• Louie Vito’s Still in the DTWS Running: What would a blog for chicks be without at least mentioning Louie Vito?  Well, after coming out of almost last pace last week, he’s still in it again after the elimination round of week 5.  Check out his performance dancing the tango below. (And seriously, will someone tell me what’s up with the hair?!)

Again, as always, our favorite links of the week.  Check ‘em out and leave a comment with your faves!

• Ride With Vito: After a fab debut on TV show Dancing with the Stars, pro snowboarder Louie Vito’s bringing action sports to the living room’s of millions.  Now, Louie will be auctioning off a day of riding with him as a fundraiser plus a whole premium get-up, Lat34 reports.  Girls, get those bidding dollars ready!  The fundraising package will go to benefit the Park City Snowboard team.
• Shaun White is Awesome: Shaun’s so cool that Red Bull built him his own personal half pipe (and Web site to go along with it).  Check out Project X on ESPN.
• Win A Trip To Mammoth: Matix Clothing and Ride Snowboards are giving away an all-expense trip for two to Mammoth Mountain, complete with a set-up from Ride (my second favorite brand of snowboards!)  The contest runs until November 23, so be sure to enter here!
• What Will Tourism Look Like in 2023? One initiative called “Tourism 2023,” recently profiled in Fast Company, is attempting to find out.  What do you think tourism to ski resorts will look like in 2023?

Despite some less-than-ideal scores after last night’s Cowboy shindig, pro snowboarder and Dancing With the Stars contestant Louie Vito and partner Chelsie Hightower are in the competition for another week.

And why we keep following this story?  We’ll get back to you after this short commercial break

UPDATE: We found a video of Louie’s dance from Week 4 on ABC’s YouTube page (below) - what do you think?

Louie Vito the Olympic Snowboarder from Bellefontaine, Ohio is still gracing us with his presence on Dancing with the Stars’ Week 4. Vito has been paired with dancing professional, Chelsie Hightower, and they have been quite the pair.

Coveted for their chemistry this pair is super hottt. Last night they mastered the country two step and are keeping their fingers crossed to make it to next weeks competition. For Louie and Chelsie at least one thing’s for sure, their adorable smiles and irresistible chemistry.

ABC brings you their dances Monday nights at 8pm and the results on Tuesdays at 9pm PST. So turn it on and vote for Louie!!!

I never thought I’d be blogging about a reality series involving ballroom dancing, celebrities and tights, but, well, Louie’s got my attention this time around.  With the first episode of this season’s “Dancing with the Stars” behind us, pro snowboarder Louie Vito owned it.  In a recent Washington Post article, Louie talks about his experience on the show thus far, and I have to say that last night he performed pretty well (almost as good as his snowboarding… almost).

Check out the video below to catch Louie in action (courtesy of Transworld Snow).  Did you get a chance to watch DWTS last night?  What’d you think?

lou from TWSnow on Vimeo.

Cool stuff from around the Web, plus cool events, equals cool article; check it out!

• Louie Vito Turns in His Snowboard For… Dancing Shoes? That’s right, pro snowboarder Louie Vito is joining the cast of Dancing with the Stars, which premieres Sept. 21.  Will his cha-cha-cha’s are as good as his backside 9’s.  You decide.
• The Best Beach for Beginning Surfers: This week, LA mag highlights the best beach for beginning surfers in LA.  Known for its long, slow waves and forgiving wave riders, this is the perfect beach to hit if you’re just starting out.
• 2010 Winter Olympics Snowboarding Schedule Set: Add these dates to your calendar now, because you won’t want to miss ‘em!

Upcoming Events

• Saturday, Sept. 19, 9am - noon: Coastal Cleanup Day, Southern California, 70+ locations
• Saturday, Sept. 19, 2pm till dark: Bear Mountain Hot Dawgs and Hand Rails, pro invitational rail jam event, music, autograph signings, film screenings, and more; Free admission
• Saturday, Sept. 26: Red Bull Soapbox Los Angeles