Westbound Boarder

Well, Shaun White and Kelly Clark stuck it again in today’s US Snowboarding Grand Prix in Park City.  Shaun saw a near perfect score of 49.5 (out of 50), with Scotty Lago trailing just behind with a 48, and Luke Mitrini coming in third.  Today marks Shaun’s fourth first place finish (out of 5) in all Grand Prix Olympic qualifying events.  But then again, Park City was just practice for Shaun, as he was already confirmed as an Olympic team member after last round.  Scotty has now had two second place finishes and one third, so he will likely be invited to join the US Olympic team a well, alongside Shaun.  Danny Davis, the one competitor to beat out Shaun (in Mammoth), and formerly a likely Olympic teammate as well, unfortunately broke his back during an ATV accident last Sunday.  He underwent surgery Monday and is now being cared for in a local hospital, alongside Kevin Pearce.  Danny is an awesome rider – one of my personal faves – so it is unfortunate to hear he won’t be joining the team in Vancouver this year.

On the women’s side, Kelly came in first (again), followed by Hannah Teter and Kaitlyn Farrington.  Kelly, in comparison to the other riders, is absolutely going bigger, which is putting her in prime position to land some of the tougher spins and tricks that you need more time in the air to solidify.  She has been doing awesome through the thick of it all, so I’m excited to see what she’ll pull in Vancouver next month.  I also really like Hannah’s riding because she always throws down a smooth, solid run that’s fun to watch, and, minus a few small flubs, I think she really stuck it in Park City.

For the women, it is pretty obvious who will be going to Vancouver, and who will be watching from the sidelines.  For the men, however, there is some stiff competition, so it will be interesting to see how the last two spots play out.

Results, Day 1 (Friday)

Men
1. Shaun White, Carlsbad, CA, 49.00
2. Scotty Lago, Seabrook, NH, 47.70
3. Greg Bretz, Mammoth Lakes, CA, 46.70
4. Elijah Teter, South Lake Tahoe, CA, 44.00
5. Luke Mitrani, Mammoth Lakes, CA, 44.00
6. Louie Vito, Sandy, UT, 43.30
7. JJ Thomas, Golden, CO, 43.00
8. Danny Kass, Portand, OR, 42.70
9. Steve Fisher, Breckenridge, CO, 42.00
10. Dylan Bidez, Minturn, CO, 41.30

Women
1. Kelly Clark, Mt. Snow, VT, 45.20
2. Hannah Teter, Belmont, VT, 44.80
3. Ellery Hollingsworth, Stratton, VT, 43.60
4. Gretchen Bleiler, Aspen, CO, 42.50
5. Elena Hight, South Lake Tahoe, CA, 40.00
6. Kaitlyn Farrington, Sun Valley, ID, 39.20
7. Maddy Schaffrick, Steamboat Springs, CO, 31.40
8. Kelly Marren, Hillsborough, CA, 29.40
9. Clair Bidez, Minturn, CO, 19.30

Results, Day 2 (Saturday)

Men
1. Shaun White 49.5
2. Scotty Lago 48
3. Luke Mitrani 45.3
4. Gregory Bretz 44.8
5. JJ Thomas 44.2
6. Jack Mitrani 42.3
7. Dylan Bidez 42.1
8. Steve Fisher 40.6
9. Zach Black 38.5
10. Broc Waring 38.2
11. Danny Kass 37.5
12. Andy Finch 36.7

Women
1. Kelly Clark 47.40
2. Hannah Teter 43.90
3. Kaitlyn Farrington 41.00
4. Madeline Schaffrick 36.50
5. Elena Hight 36.20

Shaun White may already have ‘Pro Snowboarder,’ ‘Designer,’ and ‘Bad A$$ Video Game Developer’ permanently stamped on his resume, but didn’t you hear?  He may be adding pro ice-skater to the list as well!  (Watch out Louie Vito, it looks like you have some competition in more than just the pipe this month).  In fact, I hear Red Bull built Shaun a secret ice rink in the North Pole …  Watch the video below to see his rockin’ moves (Wait! Is that me, his partner?)

Disclaimer: This video is in no way, shape, or form real.  Though it may look like Shaun and Andrea are actually ice skating together, they are not.  It is totally made up.  In fact, Shaun may not even ice skate.  Welcome to the wonderful world of the Internet and photo manipulation.

This week’s best, from around the snowboard Web:

• Kimmy Fasani Talks Filming: Recently presented with an opportunity by DC to film a part with Standard Films, Kimmy Fasani is on the fast track to film stardom.  Read about her experience!  Kimmy is one of my favorite riders to watch in film parts – I think her moves are so smooth and she has a lot of style – so I’m particularly to see what she is able to create during this immersive experience.
• Surfing Under the Golden Gate Bridge? Yes, it’s true.  California’s insane winter storms are creating waves under the GGB … and some local fellows are using this as an opportunity to catch some serious tube.  Check it out on CNN!
• 2010 Olympics – Learn to Speak Canadian: Fellow WTS blogger at Pretty Tough put together a guide on How to Speak Canadian in preparation for this year’s 2010 Winter Olympics.  So, if a double-double is a coffee with two creams and two sugars, and a triple-triple is, well, do the math … do they call a coffee with one cream and one sugar a single-single?  Sounds like a single shot to me; come on Canada, totally misleading!  I’ll take a triple-triple espresso with a single-single, please.
• Double Mc-What? Just when you thought Shaun White couldn’t pull anything better … he goes and captures an insaine Double Mc-Twist 1260 on video last night at the final Grand Prix practice at Park City, Utah.  Watch it over at Transworld Snow!  Yep, that move’s next on my to do list …
• MICA Minute #5: Some cool stuff from Loren Brinton over at Dan’s blog.

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

A few weeks ago, we reported on Shaun White’s private half pipe by Red Bull, deemed “Project X.”  That’s right, Shaun has a secret half pipe in Colorado where he’s throwing down some of the sickest tricks around (okay Red Bull, we know Shaun’s great and all, but when’s the secret Westbound Border pipe coming??)  Red Bull just release a new, exclusive video of Shaun shredding the pipe, and it’s pretty awesome.  Check it out below!

As if snowboarding at 13,487 feet in the back country of Colorado’s San Juan range is not enough, imagine having your own, personal, private, secret halfpipe built there, exclusively for you. Well our dreams just so happen to be Shaun White’s reality as Red Bull is bringing the world Project X.

Project X and Red Bull have given White his very own, private, personal secret halfpipe. White has been hiding out and inventing a plethora of new pipe tricks for the whole world to see on Nov. 3rd at the secret halfpipe home page. Whats not a secret? The pipe is a 550-ft long Superpipe complete with perfect transitions and the first ever on hill foam pit at the bottom – giving White a glorious opportunity to broaden his already extensive resume of pipe tricks – in order to give his very real contender, Kevin Pearce a double cork for his money at the 2010 olympics.

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?

If there’s anyone who has made a multi-million dollar name for himself, its Shaun White. From Xbox 360 games to AmEx sponsorships, some project the “flying tomato” will be making $10 million in the next year.

Last week, the much-anticipated kids clothing line for Target (one of Shaun’s sponsors), created by Shaun White, hit stores nationwide.  The line’s pretty legit (well, for twelve year old boys) and Shaun did a great job with the overall work and design – check it out for yourselves.

But not all members of the snowboard community are completely happy with Shaun’s decision to partner with a multi-billion dollar corporation.  For example, in “An Open Letter to Shaun White” on the Public Adviser’s Blog, the author asks, “is there any reason I can’t buy the collection at my local snowboard / skateboard shop where I would rather make such a purchase?”

Action Sports enthusiasts have always prided themselves on steering clear from mass commercialism, and Shaun’s new line walks a fine line between chic-cool, bringing action sports to the masses who may have never seen snow, and snowboard commercialization.  Though Shaun is a well-respected snowboarder who has accomplished things most only dream of, his loveable, unique personality is a prime target for large brands to hit an untapped market… and perhaps he may have taken his name (and awesome hair) a little too far.  Or maybe he’s just smart, cashing out while he still can.

What do you think of Shaun’s new line?  Smart move, or detrimental his name and reputation in the close-knit snowboard community?

Shaun White has been gracing the covers of our snowboard mags for quite some time now, but if you haven’t checked out his recent profile in Fast Company I’d highly recommend you read it!  Man, this guy’s really on a roll – not even 23 and his resume already boasts numerous gold medals, a video game in his name, his own clothing line … and now, an entreprenuial spirit and cool, laid back brand that kids can relate to.  This is one guy who’s giving snowboarding a great name.  I’ve had this article on my ‘to read list’ for quite some time now, and I’m so glad I took the time to read it; probably one of the most inspiring articles I’ve read in a while.  

The third and final stop of the 2008/09 Winter Dew Tour landed at Northstar-at-Tahoe in Truckee this past weekend and engulfed the town (and our TV screens) in probably one of the best and most exciting competitions I’ve ever seen.  The riders all stepped it up a notch from previous comps. but still not enough to compare to Shaun White, snowboard legend (at 22) and winner of the Dew Cup season title. This was Shaun’s second Dew Tour title, and according to Snowboard Magazine he’s stoked: “I wanted this Cup pretty bad so I knew I needed to just do well.”  Looks like the Flying Tomato prevails… this time around.

On the women’s side of things, Kelly Clark, Rhode Island native and Olympic Gold Medalist, took the title. Though she didn’t set out to win any titles this year, she dominated the women’s events and called her win simply “icing on the cake.”

All in all, the Dew Tour guys know how to put on a great event.  Check out Transworld Snowboarding for a full event recap and photos/videos.

Did you watch this year’s Winter Dew Tour?  What did you think?

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