go back to Szine Newsletter IndexThe Snowboard Szine
Vol. 1, Issue 22
2/06/05
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In This Issue
1. Report from Stratton Demo Days - Hayes Bros. - Rail Jam
2. Halfpipes - Gunstock - Stratton - Safety Education
Session
3. US Open 2005 and New Video Available
4. Crotched Mountain, NH has LATE night Riding
5. Rossignol and Dynastar Announce Recall of Snowboard
Bindings
6. US Snowboarding Video Contest - March 31 Deadline
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1. Report from Stratton Demo Days - Hayes Bros. - Rail
Jam
Just came back from the Demo Days at Stratton Mountain, VT. This is a
trade show for snowboard and ski shops to see their reps and try new
equipment before ordering for next season. And of course, some fun stuff
occurs outdoors and in. Hayes Brothers Snowboards out of Vermont got the
award for best new exhibitor at the show. Hayes is run by Steve and Mike
Hayes. They’ve been in the snowboard business since the beginning, having
worked for Burton way back. In fact they rode for the first Burton Team and
were on the cover of the first Burton catalog.
Hayes Brothers was started 7 years ago and their niche is to create
handcrafted boards in VT. Steve Hayes seems to knows everybody and is the
unofficial "Mayor of Stratton." Hayes Brothers threw a hot party Wed. night
at the Green Door with Brotherhood of Groove from New Orleans supplying big
band funk music. TFR (Team from Rumford, among other translations), the
Sunday River boys from Rumford, Maine represented and showed their excellent
new DVD, which I hope to get to sell here.
The Smith Grudge Rail Jam was held Wed. night, at the Demo Days, with the
rail atop a car buried in the snow. 12 year old local Forrest Bailey won
$750 for best trick with his styley one footed rail slide with a poke
(straight leg out front.)
Speaking of which, if you saw Antti Autti go HUGE in the preliminaries
and finals of the X Games on tv last week, then you know why I don't have to
feel like an outsider anymore because I wear Flow bindings. The 19 year old
Finnish snowboarder rides for Flow.
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2. Halfpipes - Gunstock - Stratton - Safety Education
Session
The halfpipes in the East are finally opening up. It's been tough finding
the snow to build them until now. I visted Gunstock, NH this week. The pipe
is a little narrow, but rides nice. Much care and attention are lavished
into building a good pipe and park there by Steve Lee and his crew. Matt
Gormley taught Steve how to build a park before he left for the west.
Gunstock is a fun New England style mountain opened in the 1930s and
thoroughly up to date. 220 acres, 1400 foot vertical. Night riding. 22 acre
terrain park. There are fun winding trails with knolls and rollers. 72% of
the terrain is intermediate. Snowboarders there seem pleasantly "attitide-free."
I had a good time riding at Gunstock.
Stratton’s supepipe is BIG and as always, perfectly shaped. There was ice
from half way up to the top when I rode it this week. Stratton is "park
crazy" this season. 2 or 3 rail parks scattered around and some giant jumps.
You have to watch a short safety video (in a yurt with a fireplace - not
bad) and get a SES (Safety Education Session) card before you can ride the
big Powers Park at Stratton. Excellent idea that should become a standard at
the bigger hills. The movie this year was especially made for Stratton and
Ross Powers narrates. Much better film than the hokey one I watched to get
my card last year. You DO have to get a new card every season so don’t
bother digging out your old SES card from last year.
Remember to yell "dropping in" if there is a line at the pipe and you’re
ready to go next.
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3. US Open 2005 and New Video Available
The 2005 US Open Snowboarding Championships' website and schedule are up
now at
http://www.usopen-snowboarding.com/usopen05/.
I had a great time watching the events live at Stratton Mountain, VT last
March, and I hope to go up earlier to see the Qualifiers, as well as the
Semi-Finals and Finals this year.
If you haven't made it to a US Open yet and want to see the superb riding
that gets thrown down in competition by the world's best, there's a new
video that a friend of mine who is a professional videographer just made. It
chronicles the last 3 Opens and is mesmerizing to watch. Events are halfpipe,
rails, and slopestyle. There are soundbites from Travis Rice, Ross Powers,
Hannah Teter, Kelly Clark, Keir Dillon, Danny Kass and his Dad, the judges,
and more.
It's $24.95 + $2 shipping to US and Canada. A limited number of videos
were made. To buy go to
http://www.snowboardsecrets.com/usopen3.htm
Paypal and credit cards accepted.
You are supporting our snowboard sites when you buy.
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4. Crotched Mountain has LATE night Riding
Crotched Mountain, New Hampshire is offering snowboarding from 9PM to 3AM
on 100% of the mountain on Friday and Saturday nights. Incorporated with the
events are other on-mountain happenings – bonfires, fireworks, terrain park
shows, live music and more. Crotched Mountain is the only ski area in the
eastern United States to offer skiing/riding beyond midnight. Peak Resorts,
Crotched’s parent company, currently runs Midnight Madness at its ski areas
in the Midwest.
Midnight Madness at Crotched Mountain began Friday, January 21st and is
scheduled to run every Friday and Saturday night, 9pm-3am through March 5th.
100% of the mountain is open for night skiing and tickets are only $29. The
mountain is currently offering an unlimited “Midnight Madness Season Pass”
for only $69, or $99 w/ rental equipment.
http://crotchedmountain.com/
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Are you
Experienced - Riding Rails?
Beginner - Falling a lot?
AZZPADZ hard plastic tailbone and butt protector
http://www.azzpadz.com/
Lauren says "I wear mine EVERY time I ride. That's why I can still walk!"
Call toll free -866 299 -7239 -if you want to order.
(They're in Ontario, Canada, on Eastern Standard Time.)
The owners Neil and Jason are friendly snowboarder guys who want to make
sure you order the right size.
Tell them you heard about AZZPADZ here from Lauren at
SnowboardSecrets.com. Thanks! You are supporting our snowboard sites when
you buy.
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5. Rossignol, and Dynastar Announce Recall of Snowboard
Bindings
Details at
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml05/05535.html
11,000 pairs of This recall includes all 2003/2004 model year Rossignol-brand
HC 500, Zena, Unit Pack, HC Rental, and Unit Rental snowboard bindings. Also
included are the 2003/2004 model year Dynastar-brand Classic RL and Classic
Pack snowboard bindings. This recall does not involve current products
(2004-2005) or other models.
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6. US Snowboarding Video Contest
March 31 Deadline
Bust out your camera and send them your best video. They say "We’ll pick
a winner and send them and a friend to Windell’s Snowboard Camp for a free
week of sessioning the best kickers, pipes, and rails that the Mt. Hood
summer scene has to offer. Some of the videos will be featured in the U.S.
Snowboarding video due out next year. We’ll even hook you up for entering.
The best part is, you’ll be riding."
http://www.ussnowboarding.org/video/index.php
http://www.summitdaily.com/article/20050124/SPORTS/50124008
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Thanks for reading The Snowboard Szine!
Lauren
Editor -
http://www.SnowBoardSecrets.com
http://www.WhatsonSnow.com
http://www.SnowboardRegistry.com
