WhiteNoize The Noize from the UK snow scene
Butta
FBB
Gear Guide
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Contents 05 EDitors letter / contriibutors 06 Rider Profiles 07 News 8 highlights 20 Butta - Interview 24 FBBB - interview 28 WBB - Interview 32 seven Secrets - Feature 34 Chasing Winter - Interview 38 The Snowboard Test - Feature 40 Gear Guide 48 Capture Release - Interview 50 Boardercross - Feature 52 Camps and Courses
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Editors Letter This summer has been a wash out! There’s no getting around it. The only thing that can brighten our mood after the end of the winter season is a nice bit of sunshine but this year we were mostly left in the rain! You’ll notice the rain didn’t stop any of the events this summer though, with several of our best dryslopes hosting some awesome jams, we’re a nation that can handle any weather. Maybe it’s an apology for such a rubbish summer but it would seem winters starting early this year! We’ve already seen pictures from the Alps with signs of Snow! In August! Plus our neighbors across the pond have also reported early snow in their own resorts! This season is set to be a big one – just check out the diary pages, there’s two pages packed full with big upcoming events right here in the UK! To add to that we’ve picked out the best new season gear for both snowboarders and skiers plus a round up of the best freestyle and instructor camps for you to hone in your skills and make this season your best one yet! Harri Bennett - Editor
Contributors Front Cover Photographer: Laura Clayton Rider: Josh Davis
e Cody Heirons e
e Albert Binniekade e e Neil MacGrain e e Paul Parkinson e e Laura Clayton e e Butta e e FBBB e e Angus Leith e e Nick Tuckwood e e Jake Lloyd e e Julian Ball e e Will Bremmige e e Iona Fulton e e Mint Snowboarding e e Damian McArther e e Richard Clark e e Tom Farrow e e Sno-Limit e e Maverix e e Definition e
Contact Send your contributions, photos, comments, queries, praise and abuse to Editor@whitenoizemag.co.uk Follow us on twitter - @WhiteNoize_Mag and find us on Facebook Find all the issues at www.WhiteNoizemag.co.uk Download the App from itunes - search WhiteNoize
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Photograph: Laura Clayton 5
Rider Profiles Name? Cody Hierons Age? 19 Setup? Rome Agent 154, Rome Targa Bjorn Style bindings. Sponsors? Rome SDS, ThirtyTwo Clothing, Anon, Route One, Clast, Butta, FBBB Local slope? Chatham Dryslope Dryslope or Indoor? Both! Dryslope, if you can ride that you can ride anything! Plus the jumps are better on dry! But I don’t think you can ever beat indoor for rails! When and how did you get into snowboarding? When I was nine me and my Dad went and learnt at our local slope - Chatham for his birthday, that’s really where I started and got into it.
Photograph: Albert Binnekade Rider: Cody Heirons 6
What have you been up to over the summer? Working loads in direct sales, just trying to get enough money together for next year! Plans for next season? Breckenridge or Mayrhofen, not sure yet! Depends who is where! Favourite trick? Back 9 Melon. Any new tricks you want? Front 10s. Favorite resort? Breckenridge Who’s your inspiration? JP Walker – Love his style Most stoked moment? Every time I go snowboarding. What do you love about the UK scene? I love the fact that its a very close community. Everyone gets on and enjoys riding together.
News e After eight long years out at Laax, the Brits has found its self a new home for 2013! From the 23rd-30th March The Brits will settle into its new home in the French Resort of Tignes. e As well as the change of home The Brits are also mixing up the competition format, introducing a new rail contest and a nigh time Big Air event. e The Freeride World Tour is to merge with Freeskiing World Tour and the North Face Masters of Snowboarding to create one unified 5-star global championship series. e Glencoe announced they have received funding for a new piste machine, allowing for an improved riding experience on piste. e Work began earlier in the year at Hillend to install two new year round ski slopes and four tubing lanes. e Relentless Freeze announce 2013 headliners which include Public Enemy, DJ Shadow and Grandmaster Flash! For more info and tickets visit www.relentlessfreeze.com
e The British Indoor Championships have a new format this year. Keep an eye on the Facebook page for all the latest details. e Plans for the new snow dome in Southampton have been axed. e Refurbishment at the Snow Factor in Breahead has started to get underway. The bar area is undergoing a complete makeover, and an ice wall and permanent rookie park is being added to the mail slope. The works will continue to until early October. e Gloucester Ski and Snowboard Centre is to re-open with the new owners restoring the 30m of the slope lost in a land slide. They have also announced plans for a permanent air bag! Set to re-open in September. e Boarder Cross and Ski Cross are both cut from X Games! e Californian based Dual Snowboards are coming to the UK. To launch they are doing a Duals tour of 4 of the UK domes with 5 events in 5 days finishing in Scotland. Demo’s of the boards will be available at all stops,
e 13 year old Becky Menday beats the boys in the Big Air event at Rossendale Dry Slope
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e Highlights
Go Big Or Go Home Go Big Or Go Home returned to Bearsden back in June for another legendary event. The prize bag was humungous with swag from Salomon, Niche, Propaganda Holidays, Armada, Westbeach, K2, Nikita, Bawbags, Vans, Northwave, Bern, Mons Royal, Line, Hoppipolla, DVS, Matix, Rome, Skull Candy, Celtek, Animal, Clast, Oakley, Full Tilt, CLWR, Union, Boax, Bamboo Rider, Data, Butta, International Paintball and Park.
Snowboard Girls 1st - Vaila Chapman 2nd - Nathalie Silkstone 3rd - Abbie Dorward Boys 12 and Under 1st - Findlay Bremner 2nd - Tomski Robinson 3rd - Cameron Smith 13 to 16 1st - Matt McCormick 2nd - Matt Corry 3rd - Nathan Sim 17 + 1st - Danny McCormick 2nd - Jesse Smith 3rd - Pete Meadows
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Photograph: Neil MacGrain neilmacgrain.com
Yet again the competition was fierce and riders were going huge and doubles and switch 9’s became pretty much mandatory for a spot on the podium. Once the dust settled and the judges deliberated and cogitated the days events, Danny McCormick and Vaila Chapman took home top places for snowboarding and Grant Donald & Cory McVicar took home the goods in skiing. Congratulations guys! Full results below:
Ski Girls 1st - Cory McVicar 2nd - Madi Rowlands 3rd - Molly Summerhayes Boys 12 and under Extra Prizes: 1st - Hayden Fiori Best Bail (Girl) - Amber Cordingley 2nd - Keilan Bremner Best Bail (Boy) - Sam Gaskin 3rd - Findlay Jacob 13 to 16 Best Unsponsored - Nathan Sim 1st - Tyler Harding Best Trick (Switch B/s 900) - Matt McCormick 2nd - Harris Booth 3rd - Chris McCormick Bearsden Club Champions for 2012: + 17 Skiing - Harris Booth 1st - Grant Donald Snowboarding - Danny McCormick 2nd - Murray Buchan 3rd - Chris Wadsworth
Photograph: Neil MacGrain neilmacgrain.com 9
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Photograph: Neil MacGrain neilmacgrain.com 11
e Highlights
Southern Freestyle Over 50 competitors turned up to take part in the annual Southern Freestyle event held at the John Nike Ski Centre on Saturday 9th June. Sponsors such as www.surfdome. com, Atomic UK, Animal Clothing, Butta Wax, Carters Reading filled the prize bag and made it possible for the event to go ahead. Ski Under 16 years (Male) 1st - Michael Rowlands 2nd - Tom Saunders 3rd - Kyle Wood Over 16 years (Male) 1st - Tom Coe 2nd - Ollie Powell 3rd - Kiran Patel Under 16 Years (Female) 1st - Maddie Rowlands 2nd - Emily Keen 3rd - Lexi Rowlands Over 16 years (Female) 1st - Rachael Walsh
Snowboarders Under 16 years (Male) 1st - Jake Binnee 2nd - Max Wittrick 3rd - Bradley Gaulter
Photograph: Supplied by Southern Freestyle Club Rider: Michael Rowlands
Over 16 years (Male) 1st - Jack Labbett 2nd - Dunstan Langrish 3rd - Matt David Under 16 Years (Female) 1st - Becky Menday 2nd - Amber Cordingley 3rd - Bradie Zimmer-Collins Over 16 years (Female) 1st - Sam Rogers 2nd - Helen Pickford
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Photograph: Supplied by Southern Freestyle Club
Photograph: Supplied by Southern Freestyle Club Rider: Tom Saunders 13
e Highlights
Strawberry Jam On 7th July Chatham Dry Slope hosted the first ever Strawberry Jam! The prize bag was bursting with goodies from the sponsors who without, as always, the event would not have been able to to take place! So a big thank you to; SCUK, Whitelines, Ride, Capita,
SP, Union, Westbeach, UK Tall Tees, Waterbird, Colossal, Salomon, MRKD, Snow & Rock, The Riders Lounge, BawBags, Crab Grab, Skull Candy, Demon, Inch, Maverix, Ski Bartlet, World Snowboard Guide, Butta, SS20, Planks, ESDS, Carters and not forgetting Chill Chalet.
Snowboard Male 16 and over 1st - Dunstan Langrish 2nd - Triston Brookes 3rd - Phil Mills
Ski Male 16 and over 1st - Kiran Patel 2nd - Steve Weeks 3rd - James Elston
Male 15 and under 1st - Jake Bennee 2nd - Luke Kimble 3rd - Bradley Caulter
Male 15 and under 1s t- Kyle Woods 2nd - James Colclough 3rd - Calum Brown
Female 1st - Bradie Zimmer-Collins 2nd - Amber Cordingley 3rd - Sian Davies
Female 1st - Emily Keens 2nd - Milly Scott
Most improved skier - Oakley Banks Most improved snowboarder - Chris Woods winning a day on a maverix training course. Chill Chalet Holiday - Kiran Patel winning a weeks stay at Chill Chalet.
Photograph: Paul Parkinson www.parkylondon.com 14
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Photograph: Paul Parkinson www.parkylondon.com
e Highlights
Gap Nation Gap Nation returned to Hemel for its second year, hosted by FBBB and FSBS. The DWA park team pulled out all the stops and created gaps just about everywhere, the most noticeable being the massive van under the big kicker!
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Just under 90 people showed up to compete in this years event. The format was a super chilled jam session with no pressure and the only aim to have fun! Live DJ’s set the energy levels high and contestants were flipping, spinning and grabbing their way to the top!
Ski Male Under 16 1st - Mike Rowlands 2nd - Monty Wright 3rd - Tom Saunders
Snowboard Male Under 16 1st - Josh Ogden 2nd - Jake Binnie 3rd - Max Wittrick
16+ 1st - Joe Hides 2nd - Simon Stephens 3rd - Chris Reynolds
+16 1st - Simon Cudlip 2nd - Ollie Dutton 3rd - Cody Hierons
Femaile Under 16 1st - Madi Rowlands 2nd - Emily Keen 3rd - Lexi Rowlands
Female Under 16 1st - Becky Menday 2nd - Cerys Allen 3rd - Nathalie Silkstone
16+ 1st - Molly Summerhayes 2nd - Anna Vincetti 3rd - Millie Scott
16+ 1st - Faye Young 2nd - Kat Miller 3rd - Alise Balode
Photograph: Laura Clayton 17
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Rider: Becky Menday Photograph: Motion Stoppers Photography 19
Pass The
This year UK wax company Butta have exploded on to the UK snow scene, their sweet smelling wax range includes a dryslope, rub on, eco and a more traditional wax product. We chat to Jim Stewart, one half of the greener, all temperature ski and snowboard wax company. Tell us about Butta, who’s involved? Butta is one of the most surreal things that has happened to me! Butta started as a product which was created purely to use myself as a technician and a snowboarder, but it seems that what was created was something that the UK was crying out for! There are two of us that own the company, myself (Jim Stewart) and my business partner Dan Soane (Burns). We are both keen snowboarders who have big love for the mountains. What made you set up Butta? I’ve worked as a technician both in the mountains and in the UK for many years now, yet I never bothered to look at what products I was using. I would always just use the wax given to me.
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Then one day I was given a press release from a medical research company in California, it shocked me, I never really understood what Flouro carbon was, let alone the damage it was doing to not only the environment, but to me! In some states of America you are only allowed to be exposed to Flouro carbons for half an hour in any 8-hour day, and there’s me with my waxer going for 8 hours a day!! So that’s where it all began… Off I went to create Butta… the HYDRO carbonated wax. So tell us about Butta Wax, what makes it different to other wax out there? Other than what I have already mentioned I think the main difference I see is the process, every block of Butta is hand-made and packaged by myself and Burns. So every time you pick up a block, you know the quality is there. We carry the ethical way throughout Butta, you only have to come to our office to see that everything gets recycled, from our paper to our desks and furniture! Who’s on your UK team? The team has grown A LOT in the last few months and we have some amazing riders. Being on the Butta team is not just about how good you are on the slope, but off too! These guys and girls are out there representing Butta 24 hours a day! Here they are: Josh Ainger, Liam Beardsmore, Katie Blundell, Simon Cudlip, Tom Farrow, Cody Hierons, Emily Keen, Seb Kern, Angus Leith, Becky Menday, Scott Penman, Marty Roberston, , Tom Saunders, Anna Vincenti, James Webb, and Ross Welch.
` We also support the Blitz Freestyle team, various UK University Teams and SuperRad summer camps. What do you think makes the UK scene so special? Here in the UK we have passion and enthusiasm. We don’t have mountains on our doorstep, so you really have to LOVE skiing and snowboarding to get good! Here in the UK we all have the right attitude to the sport, and the support we get for being a UK company is immense! Where can we pick some up? The list of stockist’s isn’t huge, but its growing. Get your self on www.butta.co.uk to find your local stockist or pop down to our workshop at the Bracknell dry slope. If you’re a distributor and are interested in stocking our products be sure to get in touch! jim@butta.co.uk Future plans for Butta? Oh yes, of course! We are always working on new things! We have just released the Dry slope wax, and we have our new PRO wax that will be getting released at the London Ski Show, plus much more so watch this space! Interview by Harri Bennett Images Supplied by Butta
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Photograph: Laura Clayton 23
For Boarders By Boarders For Boarders By Boarders are a non-profit snow, skate, music and art community. Their involvement in the UK snow scene is monumental, supporting and promoting all levels of riders and grass route talent. We chat the Mikee Chen, one of the founders to find out exactly what FBBB stands for.
Who is FBBB?
There are so many of us now that all bring something beneficial into the mix but the main crew actively working on stuff at present are: Myself (Mikee Chen), Thom Boddington, Chico, Aly Mac, Sarah Sepahi, Mel Cheng, Neil Campbell, Rich Clark, Rowan Biddiscombe and Duncan Brown. If I were to mention everyone who contributed and makes FBBB what it is then it would take all day!
Tell us what FBBB means to you.
Haha it means everything! My life would be meaningless without it! No seriously, it’s very much an organic project but the main emphasis is that FBBB is a community formed from the sub cultures that surround snow and skateboarding. FBBB is the bridge that links everything and everyone together, in order to help each other in one way or another and have as much fun as possible. At the same time it means so many different things as well - for example, we also act as a platform to help promote those that want to reach out to a relevant audience and we provide creative content for events/festivals etc. In a nutshell our existence is to always give back, promote and benefit the entire scene from top to bottom - and in every possible way.
Tell us the story of the early days, how FBBB has grown to what it is today?
Chico and I (who met through pirate radio station 20 or so years back) visited SNO!zone, Milton Keynes at the end of 2005 and immediately saw massive potential to put on some sick
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events there but didn’t want it to just be about snowboarding alone. We didn’t want to make it exclusive in anyway, hence why we just started off doing jams to make it appealing to everyone of all levels, and to also attract an audience outside of just the core that go to shred. Combining music, art and fashion was the initial plan. We met Thom B who was part of the park and slope team there (still is) and we got chatting and it just so happens he had been given the challenge to come up with some new and exciting event ideas so the timing of how we all met couldn’t have worked out any better. As they say, things happen for a reason. So anyway, we brainstormed and put on our 1st ever event in July 2006 and built a DJ booth kicker (DJ playing underneath the jump) and got some up & coming independent brands on board and producers provided tons of raw material on CD’s as well so we had loads of goodies to throw out to riders. Along with some local graffiti artists to do some live street art and it went down pretty well. We didn’t know what to expect to be honest but all we wanted to do was just create something a bit unique and something that was fun for everyone. The feedback we got was positive so we planned more events and with each one something special started to happen and we really felt like we could turn it all into what it is today. Forever evolving and more ideas being thought up as we grow organically. At the time back then, all events were comps, which are great but only appeal to certain riders (i.e if your really good - or think you are) and that then creates a different type of atmosphere. We wanted to do something which wasn’t about how good you are but how much fun you have, because lets face it, we all shred, listen to music, dance, paint and all of that jazz because it makes us feel good right? So we just wanted to create
fun and good times but combine all the elements at the same time and promote it all as one big family type thing. Hence why now we have a snowboard, skateboard, art and music team in place and we will continue to keep pushing boundaries and expanding our network so everyone can mingle and hopefully experience good things along the way. We just want to keep having the opportunity to provide events and work on projects where we can offer opportunity for progression on every level and within all the elements.
We provide creative content for brands at festivals; riders, music, art, fashion, media etc. Also planning camps and trips for next season and a few other undisclosed projects that we shouldn’t hype just yet because that would just be telling. But the main core element to what fbbb is all about is just putting on fun events where people just come and hang out, ride, socialise and have a little party.
“our existence is to always give back, promote and benefit the entire scene...”
We all do this in our spare time so it is what it is and it’s very much a team effort with tons of support from various different people in the scene/industry.
Give us a round up of everything you do now.
We are working on plans for another snowdome and skate tour for 2013 (depending on sponsorship of course), then we have a few indoor dome events this summer. Gap Nation, Snow + skate team jam, some summer skate gatherings, a ton of film edits with our team riders & friends, sorting out our online shop (which is taking forever sorting the merchandise out) and various other things such as plans to work with Desperados for Boardmasters and Freeze again.
What changes have you seen in the industry since you started FBBB?
Mainly budget cuts - new businesses coming and going because of the rise and then the credit crunch/recession. Also things like the fashion, which always amuses me and I come from a bit of a fashion background as well so its something I always notice. Seeing everyone go through the cycles, because that’s all fashion is, one big ass cycle, which just keeps going round and round. Progression is obviously something which is key for us and what were all about - watching the likes of Gazza Andrews, Jake Terry, Jamie Nicholls, Sparrow Knox and loads more of them (too many to mention, you know who you are) all stepping it up as the last 7 years have flown by has been quite a privilege to be a part of.
Photograph: Richard Clark Images supplied by FBBB 25
Plans for next season, what trips do you have planned?
Where do I start?! It’s non stop... Hoping to do another FBBB chalet trip - maybe Andorra so we can go film some skating in Barcelona as well, along with a winter freestyle camp as well. We should be working with Snowbombing again, doing loads of filming with our team - covering riding, music stuff and art. There’s a lot of talk at the moment so we’ll have to wait and see but it all depends on how much budget we can raise to be honest, so if there’s any potential sponsors out there that want to support a good cause and do some cool stuff then get in touch!
Tell us about the new workshops and winter camps.
Well in the long run we hope to be able to offer workshops across our whole team, covering music, art, media and riding. The ones we are focusing on most for now is the riding ones as those are what people seem to want the most. We work and help promote a lot of other camps as well so for us it’s all about being inclusive and helping everyone out by collaborating with them.
What do you think makes the UK scene so special? Everyone just gets on and has a laugh and no1 takes themselves too seriously so it’s just a fun environment to be amongst really. I think because we don’t have real mountains we make the most of it with dryslopes and snowdomes, so to see the level of riding that comes from that is what also makes it so unique and special.
Plans for the future?
Too many! Seriously, the amount of ideas that are constantly being thrown out there during our brainstorms and conversations is overwhelming at times. It’s a lot of work involved when you’re working other jobs to pay the bills as well. We want to get more involved in festivals and so at some point we hope to work with all the established ones and hopefully somewhere down the line we’d like to start our own festival. We’re always looking for ways we can team up with more like minded brands/companies. One of the ultimate goals for us is to help create an indoor freestyle academy (like in Laax and Woodward) and putting on more events to help riders progress and keep putting good edits out there. I guess for now you’ll just have to wait and see because there’s a lot in the pipeline so it wouldn’t be wise to mention them when nothing is set in stone just yet.
Whats been FBBB proudest moment?
There’s been a lot to be honest and its difficult to really pinpoint just 1 or 2... The recent roadtrip edit from the boardtest was a proud moment for us just because we really wanted to capture and portray how sick the UK ‘shred’ scene is and I think we did that to a certain level in that edit. The feeling after our 1st event was a proud moment. Working with the likes of Desperados, providing creative content for Parklife, BM and Freeze. Snowbombing, Big Snow, Winter Sessions, Whitelines rail jam, watching people get stoked and the chalet trip to Tignes - all these have made us proud but whatever we do is going to make us feel quite proud because we do it for the love and for the right reasons. Everyone’s a winner so to speak...
Interview by Harri Bennett
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Photograph: Richard Clark Images supplied by FBBB 27
WBB Angus Leith and Scott Penman are the guys behind our favourite webisodes WBB (Wee Breck Bastards). Angus gives us the lowdown on everything WBB from the beginning, to their plans for next season! Who are WBB?
Me and Scott Penman are the brains behind the shambles that is WBB. I do the editing but we both have a lot of input in the concepts and the final edits. It’s all about friends though, all our friends that we shred with are part of the WBB collective. It’s not like we’re a legit film crew or anything like that, so its not like we have a set crew you know. Watch all the WBB’s to know all the people that are part of it, I would say.
What’s WBB all about?
WBB is all about making people smile. Me and Scotty are pretty silly when we’re together, taking the piss out of stupid people, stuck up people who think they are to cool for school and people taking it too seriously, always taking the piss out our selves at the same time. In a way it is about how we are on the hill, stupid but always having
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fun with friends. Our goal with every episode is to make people smile and get people stoked on having fun, shredding with friends. That’s snowboarding.
Why did you start?
We started WBB season 10/11 for lots of reasons really, but the catalyst was probably because we thought it was a bit lame just filming for an end of season edit, like we had done the previous 2 seasons. To be honest, I have been sitting here for the last 20 minutes trying to answer this question without digressing to much and I cant. Basically we just wanted to put our stuff out there for people to see and hopefully enjoy.
How long does each edit usually take to put together?
Totally depends really. Once we have all the footage, it could be done in a day of editing, or maybe 3 days doing a bit every day. Hours all together for a longer edits would probably be round about 20 odd hours, depending on how long me and Scotty are arguing about the edit for… Some edits take months to do though… We have a WBB road trip edit coming out… Um, soon? It should already be out but its a long story.
Do you plan each edit or is it just whatever happens when the camera’s out?
We plan ideas and stories roughly and have a list of edits that we want to do, but a lot of the time funny stuff just happens and we just go with it. We have a lot of ideas from last year that we didn’t
What are your plans for next season?
Going to Breck for sure and hopefully going on a few trips to Europe as well, nothing planned properly though. WBB’s main goal is to improve the quality of our shots and try to make people laugh.
“To make people smile and get people stoked on having fun, shredding with friends. That’s snowboarding.”
do and still want to this season, its just a case of actually making them work and getting them done.
Which is your favorite episode?
Probably episode 6.5, the 2nd half of it is a trailer for episode 7 (the freeway edit). When me and Scotty were recording the dub over, we were hung over as all shit in Scotty’s bed with the curtains closed and just spent the whole day pissing ourselves laughing, it was ridiculous! If only we could have kept the deleted dub over’s.
Will there be an end summer edit?
We have a lot of edits coming out in the lead up to the winter, the first will be the Austria road trip edit from May, a bit overdue but hopefully coming soon. I think I will have all the ingredients for 5 edits on my laptop after that, I just need to cook them up correctly. We would also like to do a skate/snowdome edit before winter is here.
Favorite place to Snowboard?
Breckenridge, the jumps and park are amazing and I enjoy all the friends I hang out with there. Also the Cairngorms because there’s no place like home.
Favorite event of the season?
It has to be the UK Snowboard Test. It’s a great vibe and always fun, especially going with the ROME boys. We know how to get loose. I also get to shred and party with so many good friends that I don’t see often so its rad!
What do you love about the UK scene?
I love that I am part of it and have met so many great people through it. Interview by Harri Bennett
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Photograph: Laura Clayton 31
Seven Secrets of Surviving Summer My board sits in the corner. It’s sad. My board is sad. I walk over and stroke its waxy coat; run a thumb down its slightly burred edge. Those final, bittersweet days of the season seem so long ago. Slashing in the slush and the sun, beering it up on the balcony, lapping the jumps in Lizard Bowl and comparing dirty goggle tans. A love of the life-snowtastic. It’s fifty shades of grey right now, but despite the afore notioned romanticism, I sadly mean the weather. It’s shoulder season. And it sucks. Truly there is no sadder time for a snow junkie than when it’s not board season. We are strong, however. We pursue a sport where playing around in -10 is quite standard and -20 is merely a better temperature for blower-pow. When Britain is brought to its knees by snowfall we are the ones who break out our sticks and hike the hills and make the most of it, if indeed we are still in the country. However many riding days you manage to bag during the winter, we are all hooked by our passion for the white stuff and our misery without it. We are comrades. We are friends. We are soldiers of the snow. And a soldier never leaves a man behind… So here are my Top Tips for getting through the “summer”:
1. Trailers and Teasers You’ll be bored of them come November when the full film drops (and there is plenty of argument about over-teasing - which is a topic for another time and place) but right now is high-season for trailers and teasers. Think Thank have been dropping some insane clips, companies such as Capita have been releasing last year’s film parts in full (my favourite being Scott Stevens in “Defenders of Awesome”) and a certain JP Walker, not content with 20 years spent pushing the boundaries of jibbing, has just released his full season edit completely independently which is a first amongst the snowboard film industry… AND he is still slaying world-firsts with two never-done-before tricks. JP, we salute you.
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2. Chill out, literally We all know that summer is the time to pack the fridge with your mates. Of course usually by this time of year it means a trip to Sainsbury and filling the refrigerator floor to ceiling full of BBQ meat and cider. (Which you then spend the rest of the weekend trying to empty by way of consumption.) The UK, however, is blessed to have fridges of the other kind - those which can produce and hold the closest thing to real snow that an artificial atmosphere can create. Cas-vegas, MK, and Hemel all have excellent facilities including a freestyle night (usually on a Friday) so what better way to get your riding winter-ready than a bit of time in the fridge. Failing that, Bearsden, Bracknell and Southampton (amongst others) all have dry slopes which still allow you to get on a board and lay something down.
3. Porn, the worst kind. The internet; it’s full of porn. In fact I would go as far as to wager that 99% of internet users browse with the sole intention of viewing porn and that 80% of their time is spent on porn sites. You know what I mean… I’m not talking about tits-and-arse. I’m talking about the other kind, the kind that you cant help looking at on your lunch-break or researching in great depth long in to the night… gear porn. As long as you have a passion in life you have porn. Whether you’re a petrol-head, a fixie-fanatic or model-train collector, there is porn to be had more enthralling and enriching to you than any paid-forpanty-party.
You want to know what those Ride bindings are like? Now’s the time to read every review you can. Need a new boot? Bored of your board? There are hundreds of bloggers/reviewers/forums out there with user-driven news and views. thegoodride.com is a favourite of mine due to their willingness to answer your queries directly via email or Facebook and the fact they’re unsponsored means no bias in opinion. They are just one among many. Be careful though, gear-porn is not without its cost. I’ve already chosen the 2012/2013 binding and board combo I want… and it only started from a curoisity about binding size. Just don’t tell my current set-up...
4. Family planning Of course, if you’re going to go dabbling in all that porn then you need to be aware of family planning. “It’s too early, it’s too soon, I’m not ready!” I hear you cry. I’m not talking about child benefits (or perhaps I am, your circumstances depending) but now is a great time to get you and your buddies a killer earlyseason deal on that holiday or season pass. Providers such as Inghams and Skiworld are keen to get deposits on their books, and many resorts are offering discounted season passes before October. Fernie, for example, was offering early bird passes at $599 if bought before 1st June. With day passes costing $85 you only need to ride 7 days before the pass has paid for itself. Worth considering if you’re planning a two week trip. They’re still just $999 until October, compared to a full price of $1,499 and this is just one of many great deals if you’re willing to do some research.
5. Go camping What better quintessential summer activity than camping with your mates? Especially when it involves shredding! Leave the tents and Trangias at home, this is all about ride time. Definition and Maverick both run weekend freestyle camps at the fridges around the country giving you full day or half day training on kickers and boxes. Having just completed a half day camp with Definition, I can’t speak highly enough of the progression you’ll achieve from riding in a small group with expert coaching. For the more adventurous or those with a healthier bank balance there are spring and summer camps at Hintertux and Saas-Fe in Europe and High Cascades and Windells (Mt. Hood) and Camp of Champions (Whistler) across the pond. Actual shredding on actual snow in the middle of June with some of the world’s best riders on some of the world’s best park lines. All for the same price as a lad’s trip to Ibiza would cost. Just sayin’...
6. Chase the winter There is one truth above all that we snow lovers can hold on to: it’s always winter somewhere. As the chairs stop spinning in the Northern Hemisphere and the base begins to melt away, the snow begins to fall on the other side of the world. Many of the Aussie lifties I befriended this season have returned home and bounced straight in to another season in their motherland. And while some complain that conditions aren’t amazing I think they should be grateful just to be able to actually ride and spare a thought for those of us who still see winter as a long, grey, 4 months away. Some careful visa planning (as per my recommendation in my last article) and you too could bounce form winter to winter… to winter… to winter... It’s not just Aus and New Zealand that have winter in July, there’s also the allure of the Andes which are now breeding mega-resorts such as Cerro Catedral in Bariloche. I’m heading there at the end of August for a camp with SGT so keep your eyes peeled for my report in the December issue of WhiteNoize.
7. Hit the books So that summer trip is already planned and it’s looking like all pool, no piste. Or is it? Despite the internet becoming the driving force for our information gathering, there’s nothing that quite beats a good read by the pool and a sport with an ever-growing popularity has a wealth of literature to go with it. Novels such as Snowdrift by Lisa McGonigle let you lose yourself in someone else’s anecdote about living the snowbum dream, technical books give you pointers on a plethora of tricks and techniques and lesser recognised magazines such as Frequency and Huck can provide really unique viewpoints on the sport and lifestyle we love. (There is of course your favourite UK snow mag WhiteNoize but alas, we don’t publish in print.) I hope that helps. I for one feel better just from having written this article and reminding myself how good it feels when the stoke-ometer hits red. So however you chose to spend your summer one thing is true: No matter where we are, or what we’re doing it’s always winter in our hearts. As my favourite Stoke-Folk band Shred Kelly sing “When the snow starts falling, all my friends and I concur: Goodbye, July, I want December”. Well. Amen to that.
Words by Nick Tuckwood
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Chasing Winter UK skiers Jake Lloyd and Julian Ball have been out in NZ for the Southern Hemisphere winter. The pair have been working hard on putting together a series of webisodes from their time out there entitled ‘Chasing Winter.’ We chat to them both and delve a little deeper into the webisodes.
Tell us a bit about each of you: JL: Im Jake Lloyd, 23 years of age hailing from Stanstead Abbotts, Hertfordshire. I grew up rollerblading, mostly street and went on my first ski trips as a teenager which soon developed into a serious interest. I started participating in comps when I started at Uni, which is where I first met Julian Ball, and then never looked back really! I then headed to Morzine for the season and have been riding non stop since. I’m now riding for Liberty Skis, Planks Clothing, Alpoholics Chalets, and ForSkiersBySkiers. I’m also on British development team for slopestyle. JB: I’m Julian Ball. I’m 27 years old from Tunbridge Wells, UK. I first went skiing with my parents when I was 9, to Courmayeur, Italy. I started to take it more seriously at 22 and since then have been more or less doing back-to-back seasons. So tell us all about your new webisode’s: JL: So the webisode is put together by Jules and I and mostly featuring skiing from the two of us and Geoff Howison. However the idea is that it’s
a montage style edits reflecting our riding and lifestyle so lots of friends and fellow GB skiers will be in there too. We mostly ride park and pipe so they will reflect our creativity and progress riding what we love! JB: We don’t really have a set cast of skiers but I guess the people that’ll be in each episode are Julian Ball, Jake Lloyd and Geoff Howison. On top of that there will be little sections from our friends. This series will all be filmed in NZ and for the most part at Snowpark. We will, however be trying to film at a few other locations including the Clubbies and some of the other resorts surrounding Wanaka and Queenstown. How long will the series last? JL: Series will last until the end of this season and maybe carry on next season. We will be filming throughout northern hemisphere winter but just depends if we’re in the same countries at the same time. Ill be in Morzine Poland and Breckenridge CO next season. Your out in NZ at the moment filming, where will you be for the Northern Hemisphere winter? JB: We’re not sure about next season but no doubt at some point we’ll meet up and continue filming edits. I like the idea of chasing winter so hopefully we can make it work!
Interview By Harri Bennett Images Supplied by Jake Lloyd
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Rider: Jake Lloyd Photograph: Will Bremmige
Rider: Jake Lloyd Photograph: Iona Futon 35
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Rider: Jake Lloyd Photograph: Jake Lloyd 37
The Snowboard Test From the 5th -12th May the biggest names in UK snowboarding made the long trip to the beautiful Kaunertal glacier in the Tyrol region of Austria for the traditional end of season blowout, the Mecca of UK events, the only one that really matters. The Snowboard Test. A week filled with snow, sunshine, demos, booze, bacon sandwiches, rail jams, pub quizzes, booze, waffles, skate jams, more booze, bonfires, pork and good times - its always a memorable week. Most people arrive on the Saturday giving brands such as Burton, Forum, Head, K2, Thirtytwo, Never Summer, Capita, Union, Vans, Ride, DC, Endeavour and Westbeach the chance to set up their gear for the rest of the week. Smashing up the park and making us mere mortals feel like its out first time on a board, the likes of Jamie Nicholls, Billy Morgan, Andy Nudds and the rest of the UK pro’s are all there to ride and help out their sponsor teams giving advice and causing general chaos through out the week. With the first day of official test riding starting on the Sunday we were treated to fresh snow and even stashes of pow across the mountain... in may! Conditions for the week really were first class, after the first few days of freshies the sun came out and treated us to t-shirt riding and spectacular views of snowcapped mountains and lush green valleys. If that wasn’t dreamlike enough, on top of the amazing conditions, we practically had the whole mountain to ourselves, no lift que’s or ski schools in sight! Wide empty pistes, spots of untouched pow… Snowboarding glaciers in May rules! Obviously the main point of the week is to test next season’s gear... Hence the name, and what an awesome job it is, not only can you score bragging points with your mates but you can also make a solid decision on buying your next board! Plus all the reviews and data gathered goes into helping others who weren’t as lucky to attend. All the big names in media use this data when creating their gear guides and reviews, shop crews
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come out to train up on the boards they’ll be selling next season which means they will be able to help customers figure out which boards are right for them with a knowledge of tech spec and honest reviews. If you thought the whole week was just about testing however, you’d be wrong. There’s a whole wealth of events, activities and general good times going on through out the week. The first night sets the pace for the rest of the week, Austrian beers are flowing and the Pfiffalm is packed with snowboarders who haven’t seen each other in months. The one beer turns into several and the floor is soon covered in Jager lids. Its fair to say the welcome meeting instructions and advice for the happenings of the coming week are in some cases forgotten when waking up the next morning. With 50 cents off beers, the Pfiffalm is the drinking spot of choice and Sunday night Whitelines host their own party. Monday afternoon Analog treated us to ‘Analog Après’, an afternoon of beer, Jager and classic Austrian tunes, a perfect warm up for the Monday night annual pub quiz hosted by Westbeach and The Reason Magazine. This one is always memorable, snowboard, celebrity and royal trivia make up the question rounds but the real fun lies in the challenge rounds, which break up each quiz section. Drink downing, human pyramids, Marmot art, clothes swapping and a game of soggy biscuit sorts the best from the rest and ensures a very loud, extremely competitive and super fun night! The evidence of which can be found in the green faces the next morning! Props to the Whitelines team for winning the quiz and spending the £110 prize money on Jager! Tuesday Whitelines take centre stage once again for the Whitelines Rail Jam, hosted in the superbly shaped park, the name speaks for itself – it’s a rail jam. Some of the best UK riders battle it out and this year Andy Nudds reigned champion. Following the rail Jam something else that’s becoming a bit of a tradition – the skate jam/bonfire down at the skate ramp in the valley.
When there’s no official events going down the party’s still going hard, you’d be hard pushed to find anyone who’s not had a weeklong hangover by the end of the week. Luckily the lovely people from Westbeach slave away each morning over a hot BBQ up on the hill to provide bacon sandwiches for all and the Vans crew cook up their famous waffles helping to sooth those sore heads!
who hold their own with international riders born and raised in the mountains.
After an equal week of snowboarding and partying everyone leaves a little emotional, every year we say it but it’s always true – ‘best test ever’. The combination of snowboarding and catching up with old friends makes for a pretty awesome week and there’s no better way to end each season.
If you’re not at next year’s event, ask yourself why? There’s no good reason to not be there, everyone is always welcome, newcomers and regulars, The growth of the event will also mean a growth to UK snowboarding and that’s what’s important, we need more people to strap on snowboards and support our growing industry so that we can continue to do what we love. However if your not interested in the deeper issues, remember it’s a big party, a big week long festival on snow and everyone loves a party, right?
Aside from the parties, the fun and the general awesomeness of The Snowboard test, there’s still something deeper, something more important than all that. It’s about uniting the UK snowboard scene. We come from a small island with no real big mountains to match the likes of the big resorts and yet we have an explosive snowboard scene, we produce some of the most progressive riders
Every year we come away we a new set of treasured memories, a feeling of uniting with old friends and making new ones. Personally I don’t remember the last time I laughed as hard as I laughed on any one of the test days
Long live The Snowboard test. Words - Harri Bennett
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Gear Guide Snowboard As you know back in May we had the pleasure of attending the annual Snowboard Test held out in Kaunertal, Austria. The next few pages include some of the best reviewed gear from the test, all with personal comments and opinions from the guys that tested it. Awesome graphics and colors all round this season. there really wasn’t a poor board in the lot - just depends on your own personal needs and tastes. We’ve also included a recommended retail price and a UK stockist so you can find what you want with ease.
Vans classic, the Hi Standard is back for another year. The boot choice of many pro’s year after year. “Good to go out of the box. Don’t need heating. Will really suit freestyle riders wanting flex and beginners wanting max comfort and good value.” - Mark Harris RRP £149.95
Vans - Encore
Vans classic, the Hi Standard is back for another year. The boot choice of many pro’s year after year. “Super Comfy as soon as I put them on. Really supportive, easy to get on and off, felt super warm!” - Harri Bennett RRP £169.95
Burton Parkitect
Burton Antler
“This stick is RAD! Super poppy and fun in the park but holds an edge so well at speed. Go buy one!” - Tom Smith RRP £400
“Someone once said “A Whammy Bar on crack”, and they were right. Amazing all over the hill and builds confidence, makes snowboarding fun again. IT’S THE SHIT! “ - Justin Day RRP: £580
Designed with Jeremy Jones and Zak Hale this board has built specifically for park riders. The smoother flex, focused pop and direct edge control will keep you happy all over the mountain.
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Vans Hi Standard
Playful yet stable, the fiberglass contruction keeps the board light whilst creating a soft, stable and snappy ride! Hits jumps and slashes pow like a dream!
CAPiTA - DOA
Union - Contact
The graphics feature allgirl black metal band Sorceress.
“Never ridden Union bindings before, now I see what the fuss is about! I WANT A PAIR! Super stable but with a comfortable amount of flex. Some of the best bindings I’ve ever ridden!” - Nathan Gallagher RRP £200
There’s a lot of technology that goes into these bindings, too much to write here. All you need to know is that you won’t regret buying them!
Capita’s new DOA (Defenders of Awesome) is a hybrid freestlye board and takes full advantage of the benefits of traditional camber, zero camber and reverse camber. Making it just at home in the park as it is at the peak of the mountain.
“Love this board! Super easy to ride, carves around and still holds its own on the ice. Soft enough to play around on. This board would make a great all round board, and good fun in the park.” - Greg Smith, SS20 RRP £369
DC - Biddy
DC’s most versatile board for women. The abti-camber profile and radius to flat nose and tail profiles allows this board to go anywhere on the mountain. “Suuuper fun on this thing. May be an entry board but I think it would be a perfect dome board! Super fun, playful, light, easy to ride. Biddy - see you next season!” Kaz Wilmer RRP £220
Union - Milan
The female specific bindings from bindings
“Still one of my favourite bindings. Cant fault it, easy to assemble , good flex, comfy and lightweight. Cant go wrong.” - Helen Sansom RRP £160
DC - PLY
The mens PLY has a lock and load camber - a new approach to “traditional” camber, The contact points have been changed to a 20cm platform that locks into nose/tall presses, and loads up for huge ollies. “A nice forgiving freestyle ride - the multi camber keeps it prety playful without turning it into a noodle. This would suit anyone from two weekers to full blown dome rats. Boobs are always good too aren’t they?” - Tristian Kennedy RRP £250
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Endeavor - Colour The Color is designed with softness in mind. It maintains the fun with a buttery feel complimented by an energetic pop and still manages to back you up with stable take-offs and landings. “My favourite board of all time. Good fun in the powder, the reverse camber is just the best, love this board for all styles of riding. Super stable on the flats no twitching at all. The board is the best value for money.” - Wayne Taylor
Thirtytwo Lashed
The Level 3 Intuition liner is 100 percent heat-moldable and provides the ultimate in custom fit liners “The ThirtyTwo Lashed are the best boot I’ve ever used. If they were a girl I’d take them out to dinner and drop bare sheets”. Bartleberry Logan
ThirtyTwo - TM2 the TM2 Snowboard Boot is lightweight without compromising support and makes for one incredibly versatile boot.
“Very comfortable but not too wide, excellent flex, super responsive, holds you in at high speed still tweaks very well” - Pierre
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Ride - Rodeo
The Rodeo snowboard binding offers core mobility and premium flexibility for jib time enjoyment and freestyle action. “No nonsense binding comfort level 1000 and support level 1000. Simply what bindings should be.” - Nathan Gallagher RRP £191 Stockist: Skisurf.co.uk
Ride - VXN
Built for the progressing all mountain rider, the Ride VXN Snowboard Bindings provide performance boosting, all-Ride support. “I’m never riding any other bindings again! Super comfy, very secure, mould to your feet and the only binding I trust.” - Kaz Wilmer RRP £155 Stockist: Edgeriders.com
Endeavor - Board Of Directors
Zero Camber w/ DowTech & Flat Kicked Nose and Tail: The best of both worlds. With no pressure on the contact points due to the raised wings, this board feels loose and catch-free like a reverse camber board; however it remains more stable and predictable like a regular camber board. Because of the quick radius to flat on the nose and tail, the effective edge runs further than a traditional snowboard. This means the rider can drop 2cm in length and still have the same control. “All round good ship, stiff where you want it and a buttering nose. Great base graphic too.” - Justin Day RRP £448.95 Stockist: Absolute-snow.co.uk
K2 - Slayblade
K2 - Lime Lite
Do you ride the whole mountain with a freestyle mindset, constantly using the terrain to your advantage to boost, spin and flip your way down the mountain? The K2 Lime Lite Snowboard is as versatile as your imagination is wide. The K2 Lime Lite Snowboard’s Jib Rocker® Baseline balances a maneuverable and forgiving jib feel with grip and stability when you need it
The venerable K2 Slayblade Snowboard has been in K2’s lineup for four years, and it still rocks hard. This board gets an upgrade for 2013 with the addition of Tweekend™ rocker shaping at the tip and tail for more stability when you’re pushing the limits. The K2 Slayblade Snowboard remains the ride of choice for aggressive riders wanting a stiffer board for high speed strength and power.
“Real nice ride, super poppy, all it wants to do is play, was so much fun to ride! Also really stable on changeable conditions, handeled everything with ease. Does everything you ask it to, made to please.” - Harri Bennett RRP £329.95 Stockist: putniksnowboardshop.com
“Give me the knife to cut this mountain! Excellent fast board. Perfect edge and carve - no chatter - speed machine.” - Dave Ferneau RRP £460 Stockist: Freeride-snowboards.co.uk
Salomon Sabotage
With the new Salomon Sabotage you will get all the features you need to give you an advantage in the park. The Sabotage is the mother ship of park boards. “I’m not sure if they put some Nicholls magic into it but I learned half cabs after 18 years of trying! Equilizer sidecut made turn initiations a breeze! I was carving switch quicker than ive ever done before, soft flex but still tons of life and stability. Its official - this board kicks ass.” - Ian Sansom RRP £319 Stockist: Edgeriders.com
Ride - Machete
No one’s gonna get in your way when you chop your path through the park with the Ride Machete Snowboard. This freestyle twin gives you an edge with Ride’s versatile LowRize rocker profile for smooth edge control with power. Features Pop Rods 1.0 for pop, Slimewalls for smoothness, and Cleave Edge for durability. “Amazing pop and stability. Lets you carve the mountain hard and boost off kickers.” - Johnny Davies RRP £360 Stockist: Edgeriders.com
Rome - Garage Rocker
The Rome Garage Rocker Wide Snowboard is here for hitting up park laps with the punk rock crew. The Bambooster Centerline Technology adds bamboo inserts from tip to tail to increase the pop of the board while also reducing the carbon footprint of using a plastic style insert. “Super nice to press and nice on rails! Great flex, Very fun! “ - Adam RRP £235
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Gear Guide SKI We’ve put together a collection of 2013’s hottest freestyle ski gear, unfortunately we weren’t able to personally test any of the ski gear so theirs no personal reviews, but there’s plenty of product info and specifications. Ski’s, boots and poles, we’ve picked out the top gear from the top brands to help you decide on your new season kit. There’s kit from Line, Salomon, K2, Armada, Full Tilt and Nordica. Have a look and choose your favorites.
Salomon - Threat
Sound the alarm; the Salomon Threat Skis are here to take total control of freestyle skiing. These skis are for rising park riders who also want to ski the entire mountain. Composite Monocoque construction brings this next level threat down to Earth for those up and coming in the park. The Threat will pop with the best of them, but is much more forgiving on take-offs, landings, and ripping the rest of the mountain. Wide Edges are thicker for increased durability and improved shock resistance. Total Edge Reinforcement has a fiber directly on the edges providing edge stiffness for improved durability and grip. RRP £299
Line - Afterbang
The Afterbang is first choice for creative, buttery, jibtastic good times. Its playful flex pattern provides ninja-like control when buttering & pressing with tons of extra pop for ollieing & nollieing. Backed by a patented skateboard construction for durability, this is the park ski that gives Line’s pros the creative advantage no other park ski can. CONSTRUCTION Skate Deck™ Construction 7 ply Maple veneer core Butter Zones™ Carbon Ollieband™ Symmetric Geometry Symmetric Flex Extruded Fatty Base & Edge RRP £324.95 Stockist: Absolute-snow.co.uk
Line - Traveling Circus
Line bring back the legendary ski previously known as the “Anthem” with new Traveling Circus attitude. Being on a wider park ski like this gives you the added surface & stability to do more. It’s symmetric shape and buttery flex in the tips help you get creative without sacrificing all-mountain performance. If you enjoy watching their show, you’ll love riding their ski. CONSTRUCTION 4D Fibercap™ Construction Maple Macroblock™ Core Butter Zones Symmetric Geometry 100% Symmetric Flex & Stance Sintered Fatty Base Fatty Edge RRP £334.95 Stockist: Absolute-snow.co.uk
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Full Tilt - Tom Wallisch
This year the Tom Wallisch feature new replacable Natural Rubber Soles on the toe & heel for non-slip walking & hiking. RRP £359.95 Stockist: Snowtrax.co.uk
Nordica - Ace Of Spades
The Park&Pipe collection is designed to meet the demands of today’s highest level Park & Pipe skiers. With performance being the focus, features like the 45 closure buckle, progressive flex and full shock eraser technology make these boots perfect for athletes like TJ Schiller and Peter Olenick. RRP £380 Stockst: Edgeandwax.co.uk
K2 - Press
The new and improved Press is fully re-engineered for 2013 and remains the best valued twin tip ski around. Built with a strong wood core, a super low swing weight and K2’s Jib Rocker™, you will experience a snappy pop off the lip, spin without hucking, and never worry about hooking your edges during switch-ups. Jib Rocker - Designed for the terrain park, this elevated tip and tail and zero camber underfoot offers the best blend of playfulness for butters and surface tricks combined with increased pop. Directional Taper - A moderately wider tip than tail maximizes the ski’s performance in the forward direction. This means the ski makes a slightly different arc when skiing switch.
Armada - Halo
The Halo, formerly the Alpha 2, brings the revolutionary Elf Shoe Technology of the Alpha 1 to the masses and is more playful and manoeuvrable. It also sports a low maintenance base, which means you wont have to wax it up as much to keep it running smoothly.
Salomon Brigade
A performance pole with a totally unique “poker chip” grip, wide strap, and freestyle inspired graphic. RRP £45 Stockist: Snowtrax
Not only is this ski ideal for progressing tricks in the park, it handles all possible snow conditions; whether slush, powder, crud or cord. Because it has rocker, and early tapering in combination with normal camber underfoot, it not only performs outstandingly in all these condition but makes skiing in these conditions far more fun.
The Scott Team Issue Ski Pole offers a S4 aluminum shaft that is 18 mm in diameter. A lightweight construction adds more comfort and giving a better performance.
RRP £449.99 Stockist: Freezeproshop.com
RRP £55 Stockist: Snowtrax.co.uk
Scott - Team Issue
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Gear Guide Accessories
Bern - Carbon Fiber Helmet The Bern Carbon Fiber helmet brings you the thinnest, lightest and most durable shell technology available, constructed in carbon fiber and a removable, adjustable knit inner.
You can’t go riding without the essentials, whether you’re a snowboarder or a skier, we all need these must have peices. Helmets to protect your head and potentially save your life! Gloves to keep your hands warm and toasty and goggles to protect your eyes from the suns glare and allow you to see where your going. We’ve picked out our favorite goggles, gloves and helmets for the new season. Check out your local store when they receive their new stock.
Dragon APX
The APX starts with its Infinity Lens Technology completely eliminates the frame profile for maximum peripheral vision. Plus they look rad!
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Celtek Gloves
We love these Bitten Mittens by Celtek, who wouldn’t want bunnies and monsters keeping their hands dry and toasty?
Images courtesy of Mint Snowboarding Photographer: Damian McArther 47
Capture Release If you’re a regular reader of WhiteNoize you’ve probably seen Richard Clark’s name scattered across its pages on a regular basis. One of our top photography contributors Richard Clark shoots for FBBB, capturing their events and team trips, he’s also worked with them for the likes of Relentless covering events such as Boardmasters and Freeze Festival. We find out how he’s found breaking into the extreme sport photography business and what tips he can give any other aspiring photographers!
What made you want to get into photography?
I would have to say my Dad, When I was about 11 I went on a family holiday to Germany and he had his Nikon F-401 on him. Me not knowing any idea how to use the camera just walked around all day taking pictures of this lake. When I got home I looked over all the photos and fell straight in love with the whole thing, just the idea of capturing that moment in time, and knowing that I took it made me feel so special. I was really into bmxing at the time so all I took pictures of was my friends at the local skate park, which was where I got my interest in photographing extreme sports.
How have you found it breaking into the industry?
I could never of done if it wasn’t for Mikee Cee & Aly Mac (and the rest of FBBB) They were the ones who took an interest in me when I was just snapping away by myself at The Snow Centre. They gave me the chance & contacts for me to prove my self in the industry. Still to this day Mikee is constantly hooking me up with more clients and people for me to work for, the man never stops giving!
Must have piece of kit for snow sport photography?
Would definitely depend on whether or not you’re shooting indoors or on a mountain. Indoors a MUST for me is flashes, the light in the domes is awful, plus you can get super creative with where you put your flashes and reduce the horrible noise you would get shooting without them. Outdoors I’m in love with my Canon 70-200mm f2.8 best thing I’ve ever bought, such a beautiful lens.
Talk us through your kit:
I mainly shoot with a Canon 7d, 70 - 200mm f2.8, 8mm Samyang Fisheye, 15- 85mm f3.5, 50mm f1.8, 2 Canon 430EX II & Nikon SB-600 with Pocket wizard plus II’s.
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All held in my Tamrac Expedition 6X, The best bag ever, literally dropped all my kit down half a mountain off piste at the Board Test this year and everything was still it prime condition at the bottom. (My heart was not)
What’s been your personal biggest achievement so far?
Getting my Photo used for Nike Chosen was a big achievement for me, Apart from that I would definitely say shooting for Relentless recently has been massive. (Once again thanks to Mikee, I owe that guy my life.)
Next goal?
I would love a front cover, but I’m still a baby in this industry and know it takes a long time, and a lot of hard work before I should even think about getting one. I think front covers should be a prestigious event, and you should earn them. So maybe my next goal is to just keep shooting and knowing my job is something I love doing, and would be a fool to stop anytime soon!
Plans for next season?
Nothing set in stone yet, Might be off to America for a couple of months to review some resorts which would be a laugh. If not plenty of team trips with FBBB, taking some nice pictures and videos for all you guys to see! Also if anyone is thinking about missing the Board test next year… Don’t, It’s going to be off the charts.
Favorite place to shoot
Any Snowboard / Surf shoot at sunset, I’m addicted to the feel of the photos.
Is there much support out there?
Honestly no. I was very fortunate to have parents who gave me support in the beginning and would front me the money for a lens or a flashgun, knowing I’d pay them back in a few months. I know not everyone can be as fortunate to have that, so all you can do is work hard for your equipment, unfortunately its not cheap. So make sure you’re dedicated! Also a lot of people don’t care at all about photographers, they think its okay to steal images and put them where ever they want with out crediting the photographer in anyway.
Any tips for others wanting to get into it?
Make sure you’re passionate about it first, If you really want it, then things will fall into place. Just try and be unique.
Interview by Harri Bennett
Rider: Simon Stephans Photograph: Richard Clark
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Boardercross Tom Farrow, member of the GB Snowboard Cross team gives us the low down on Boardercross. Sometimes when I’ve chatted to people, even snowboarders, they’re unsure what Boardercross really is and why I like it so much. I want to give a brief outline so you can understand what it really is for yourselves and hopefully give it a go in the future. First of all, snowboard cross is a freestyle race, first past the post wins over purpose-built terrain. That means you go over bumps, jumps, rollers, quarter pipes, hips and everything in between with 4 to 6 people going down the course at the same time. Being able to carve is critical but, at the highest levels, the tracks are more focused on speed and getting air. There was a race this season in Italy that only had 4 corners in the entire 60second course, the rest of the time was made up navigating huge jumps and features. The equipment is pretty similar to the rest of snowboarding. We don’t have race specific boots or special bindings and the boards are only slightly different to ones you’ll see in most shops. They’re a step up from regular all mountain boards so they’re usually stiffer, with a faster base and bigger side cut radius to make them more stable at higher speeds. They’re still freestyle orientated and you can actually do tricks on them if you have the courage. The focus of Boardercross is control: jumps, for example, are designed to be hit at a particular speed so that you land in the right location. As Boardercross is a race, this means that you often hit jumps faster than they’re designed for. The trick is to absorb the jump, lifting your legs up quick enough so that you neutralize how high you go in the air so that you can land safely.
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Sometimes though the opposite happens, you’re travelling too slowly and you have to pop your board on the jump so that you can reach the landing.
Mistakes happen though and it’s not uncommon to for riders to go too far or fall too short in the landing in the heat of a race. It’s fast and, on the bigger courses, the features are massive. The X games racecourse this season had a bigger kicker than the one used for the big air competition at the same event. It’s also a race with other people. Unlike downhill skiing, it’s not just about getting the quickest time and racing the clock. Admittedly you have to go through a qualification process that is timed, but once you qualify the races are then held in knockout heats against other riders. It adds another element to the race, there’s a lot of fun to be had in trying to hunt someone down or trying to defend your position. It’s also really scary when you follow someone off a jump at touching distance and you have to hope that they don’t fall over and wipe you out on the landing. It’s pretty normal for a race to have a crash or two, often the fastest person in qualifying doesn’t win because they were involved in an accident during a race. Put simply, it’s a fun thing to get involved in if you like going fast and you enjoy doing jumps. There’s a lot of adrenaline and you get to mess about with mates as well, it’s not all so serious. For a better idea of what’s involved, have a look at the Team GB snowboard cross training in Lenk.
Words by Tom Farrow Images supplied by Tom Farrow Photographer: Derek Osborne
Rider: Tom Farrow Photograph: Derek Osborne 51
Camps and Courses If this winter you want more than just a snow holiday then why not give yourself a challenge and try an instructor course or freestyle camp? Training to be an instructor could lead you to a whole new lifestyle, spend the seasons chasing winter and spend your summers and winters instructing all over the world.
Mint Snowboarding, the only sole dedicated snowboard school in the Portes du Soleil is back with a fun filled, action packed schedule for the 2012/13 season! From lessons to camps, beginners to experts. Whether it’s your first time on snow or you’re sailing out of the pipe, Mint has something to suit everyone. Read on to see how you can ‘Experience Snowboarding’, shred the park or charge the backcountry with them this upcoming winter… Fresh for 2012/13, new friends, Burton have partnered with Mint for a dream team combo of snowboard action!! If you’re a wide-eyed beginner, Burton’s ‘Experience Snowboarding’ philosophy allows you to start with the best experience possible in terms of education and product.
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Or why not spend a week out at a top resort with like minded people working on your freestyle skills. Take tuition from top coaches and pro’s to really get the best out of your riding! What ever you choose, make this winter a memorable one.
Mint have been running renowned camps since 2007 and this year they’re back better than ever with a revamped format! Structured in a way that offers full days exploring the Portes du Soleil with your coach, these camps are aimed to maximize fun whilst benefiting from top level coaching. To find how 3 feet out of a pipe can be 10 with a bit of coaching, go adventuring in the backcountry, progress your shred or simply ‘Experience Snowboarding’ you can do all this with Mint. Finally, Mint is stoked to collaborate with Peak Leaders to provide the coaching for the first ever Gap course held in Morzine this winter (www.peakleaders.com). These courses allow enthusiastic shredders to obtain an internationally recognized snowboard instructor qualification. Check out www.mintsnowboarding.com for more info.
Sno-Limit offer ski and snowboard courses all across the world, ever wanted to train to become a snowboard instructor, earning a living doing what you love best? Then check out Sno-limit and see what they can offer you. On completion of a course you’ll receive a recognised teaching qualification, depending on what level you do this will allow you to teach all over the world. Currently on offer is a 4 week course in Tignes, a half season and a full season course in NZ. Be sure to check back to the site for up to date news and new course info!
Included in the prices are all flights, transfers, food, tuition and luxury accommodation! Plus sign up now and receive a FREE Westbeach jacket! The 4 week Tignes course will give you a BASI level 1 upon completion and you’ll be staying at the amazing Dragon Lodge! Also on offer this week is a Snowboard/Ski Improver course designed to improve your overall riding and skills. Courses starts 17th Nov 2012 so get in quick before places go. Check out the site www.sno-limit.com for more info.
You’ve probably noticed Maverix Snow Camps teaching rail and kicker skills at some of the UK domes, but did you know they also offer week long winter camps? Want to train to become an instructor but cant quite afford the cost of an instructor course abroad? Get in touch with Definition Camps, they run BASI level 1 courses right here in the UK. For freestyle camps Definition are offering three dates this winter: 19th-26th Jan 2013 2nd-9th Feb 2013 23rd-30th Mar 2013 This year Definition head to Mayrhofen Austria for freestyle and performance camps, package includes 6 days of coaching, flights, transfers, 7 nights fully catered chalet. For more info check out www.definitioncamps.com
Located out in the Zillertal valley, James Streeter, current National Royal Air Force Freestyle coach, and his team will transform your riding and help you reach your own personal goals. Groups are kept to a minimum of 7 riders allowing for a higher level of personal attention and faster learning. This winter there are three separate camps: 5th-12th Jan 2013 12th-19th Jan 2013 23rd - 30th Mar 2013 Packages cost £699 and include B&B accommodation, lift pass, 5 full days riding, video analysis, team activities and much more. For full course info check out www.maverix.org
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Diary 07-09 Sept - Farmers Jam - Norfolk Ski Club
Back for another year the legendary Farmers Jam hits the Norfolk slopes once again! Check out www.norfolksnowsports.com for more info and event schedule
22 Sept - British Indoor Championships - SNO!zone Castleford
This year brings a completely new format to the event, check out www.facebook.com/snowtour for all the latest updates.
22 Sept - Perma Snow Series - Plymouth Ski & Snowboard Centre
The open day will feature skiing demos, racing comp, freestyle comp, sno-tubing, taster lessons.www.jnll.co.uk for more info
29 Sept - The Big Bang Snowboard Show - Tamworth Snowdome Stop 1: The Snowboard Asylum brings you another Big Bang, offering Demos, seminars and free coaching www.bigbang-show.com
06 Oct - Perma Snow Series - Swadlingcote Ski Centre 54
06 Oct - The Big Bang Snowboard Show - Braehead Snow Factor Stop 2: www.bigbang-show.com
13 Oct - The Big Bang Snowboard Show - SNO!zone Castleford Stop 3: www.bigbang-show.com
13 Oct - Westbeach In & Out Big Air - Bearsden Ski & Board Centre Westbeach bring the big air section of their two part comp to
Bearsden! With a massive bag of swag or big money prize at the end of the series! http://westbeachuk.wix.com/westbeachinnout
20 Oct - Perma Snow Series - Chatham 20 Oct - The Big Bang Snowboard Show - SNO!zone Milton Keynes Stop 4: www.bigbang-show.com
20 Oct - Happy Slamming Tour - Chill Factor
Maverix and SCUK have joined forces to create a progressive park for all levels of riders with heaps of prizes to give out. 55
Diary 26-27 Oct - Relentless Freeze Festival - Battersea Power Station
The UK’s ultimate ski, snowboard and music festival is back! Music acts include Public Enemy and Grandmaster Flash. Go to www.relentlessfreeze.com for more info and tickets.
31 Oct - 4 Nov - Ski & Snowboard Show - Earls Court
The shows back! This years attractions include an ice rink, curling, Warren Smith Academy sessions as well as all the usual shops, brands, resorts and holidays companies all under one roof! www.skiandsnowboard.co.uk
2 Nov - Happy Slamming Tour - Hemel Snow Centre
Maverix and SCUK have joined forces to create a progressive park for all levels of riders with heaps of prizes to give out.
03 Nov - Perma Snow Series - Llandudno Ski Centre 07 Nov - Snow Camp Rally - Hemel Snow Centre
Snow Camp Rally is back, race and ride your way through 5 of the UK indoor slopes in one epic day and prepare to party at the end of it, all in the name of charity 56
www.snow-camp.org.uk/events/snowcamprally-2012
09 Nov - Morrow Jam - Hemel Snow Centre
Britain’s oldest snowboard jam returns for its nineteenth year! Expect live music, prizes, fun and mischief! www.facebook.com/events/412143422166679/
09 Nov - Westbeach In & Out - Hemel Snow Centre
Stop 2: Jibbery Pokery. Expect more of a jib set up for the last event, heaps more prizes and the overall cash prize to give out! Get registered now! http://westbeachuk.wix.com/westbeachinnout
17 Nov - Perma Snow Series - Bracknell Ski Centre 08 Dec - Own It - Aberdeen Snowsports Centre
Aberdeen Snowsports Club bring you a freestyle Jam featuring rails, kickers and a 1/4 Pipe! www.aberdeensnowsportsclub.org/events
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WhiteNoize For advertising contact: Editor@WhiteNoizemag.co.uk
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