Method Mag Issue 18.4

R E A L

S N O W B O A R D I N G

18.4

UNION EXPEDITION BINDING COMPANY. UNMISTAKABLY UNION AVAILABLE IN:

ITALY/USA YR.13-DEDICATED

RELEASE DATE: FALL 2017

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The wait is finally over - with 2 years of development, side by side with Bryan Iguchi and Travis Rice - the Union Splitboard Binding System is here at last! Carrying on our “less is more” product mentality, the Expedition System is ready to ride out of the box, cutting out the confusion of getting yourself into the splitboard game.

INSTA:@UNIONBINDINGCO UNIONBINDINGCOMPANY.COM

22.12.2017 02:18

Š2017 Vans, Inc. The Apple logo, iPhone, iPod touch, and iTunes are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

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P H O T O : A A R O N S C H WA R T Z L O C AT I O N : F U R A N O, JA PA N TRICK: CRUISIN’

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PHOTO: E-STON E L O C AT I O N : O G D E N , U TA H TRICK: BS NOSEPRESS

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PHOTO: OLI GAG NON L O C AT I O N : P E M B E R T O N , B C TRICK: SLASH

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Break on out! Jill Perkins (more from her in the issue) knows what’s up.

P H O T O : M A R C O ’M A L L E Y

ABOUT THE COVER Cover photo and words: Jerome Tanon This abandoned chair lift was sitting on top of Kyrgyzstan’s Karakol Ski Resort and provided us with a few cool spots. Toni Kerkela got inspired and ollied through the chair with a tail tap on the bar, lifting it up behind him. That was quite a fun session because every try he almost slammed on a bar; he had to duck so hard that on one occasion he slammed his nose on his knee and almost knocked himself out. The resort was totally empty, leaving us up there shredding until sunset with a magnificent view over the western tip of the Himalayas. We did really feel very, very far from home at this moment.

SHOT ON A PENTAX 6X7 MEDIUM FORMAT CAMERA AND KODAK 400 TRI-X FILM

STAY ALIVE Here we are, the final issue of Volume 18, and I would just like to take a quick second to remark on the cover of 18.2 featuring a bare-chested Sparrow Knox on horseback and the public, and I assume private as well, discussions that followed. We are glad to hear so many strong opinions, on both sides of the aisle! It’s so good to see y’all so vocal! And we’re psyched to hear that so many of you got what we were getting at. We know you’re all out there and we appreciate the support!

But whether you loved the cover or hated it, we hope you’ll take that passion and plunge into the rest of the Volume. We think EDITOR: Mike Goodwin michael@methodmag.com SENIOR EDITOR: Chris McAlpine chriso@methodmag.com ART DIRECTOR: Maciej Przężak PWEE3000.com ASSOCIATE EDITORS “THE WILLS”: Will Radula-Scott will@method.tv William Sleigh william@method.tv CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS: Joel Fraser, Matt Georges, Oli Gagnon, Dean Blotto Gray, Howzee, Danny Kern, Eric Lamothe, Pally Learmond, Sebi Madlener, Marc O’Malley, Cole Martin, Andrew Miller, Perly, Aaron Schwartz, Patrick Steiner, E-Stone, Sean Kerrick Sullivan, Jerome Tanon, Sigurd Vaagland, Marc Weiler, Sam Weston, Chris Witwicki, Mike Yoshida CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Airblaster Team, Theo Acworth, Sebi Madlener, Benny Urban

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you’ll like what you find. We welcome any criticism, and more than anything, encourage you to speak your mind, act on those beliefs and help us continue to keep things exciting. We’ve said it many times before, but it’s the individuality we are afforded that makes snowboarding unique. Be bold. If we’re to follow a formula, some boring decorum, we might as well take up golf. Nothing against golf, it’s pretty chill being out there, I’ll admit.

Until next time, -MG

PUBLISHER: Method Media Ltd CEO: Chris McAlpine CTO: Steve Dowle FINANCE DIRECTOR: Steve Dowle

ADVERTISING: Chris McAlpine chriso@methodmag.com Skype: chrisomcalpine +46 729 338 556 Trevor Gerard trevor@methodmag.com DISTRIBUTION: Steve Dowle steve@methodmag.com PRINTERS: AJSP printing services Vilnius, Lithuania DISTRIBUTION: NS Distribution Gabrovo, 5300 Bulgaria

METHOD MEDIA LTD Method Media Pantiles Chambers 85 High St Royal Tunbridge Wells TN1 1XP England Tel:(+44) (0) 871-218-9978 Copyright 2017 Method Media Ltd. No liability is accepted for the accuracy of the information contained herein, nor are any guarantees given by the magazine. Copyright worldwide of original material is held by Method Media Ltd and permission must be obtained for any use, transmission, storage or reproduction. Opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily shared by the publisher. Method Media Ltd assumes no responsibility for the loss or damage of unsolicited material. Thanks for choosing Method Mag. We sure hope you like it!

22.12.2017 17:11

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22.12.2017 02:41

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BRANDON COCARD

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17 KULT OF POSITIVE FORCE 18 CAPiTASNOWBOARDING.COM

PHOTO: DOminic Zimmerman

Antti Jussila flashes a stiff one between two perfect humps.

50-50 transfer in Siberia.

More from this trip later in the mag in the Amerikanski feature.

PHOTO: MATT GEORGES

Wolle victor

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PHOTO: DOminic Zimmerman

MAX BURI RIDES THE DISTRIC T BINDING S AND THE ULTIMAT

E RIDE

u Nakai ParaDis Josh DirkseN flo corZelius aNNie BoulaNGer takahar Wolle Nyvelt Desiree MelaNcoN BoDe Merrill chris GreNier louif Nils MiNDNich haNs MiNDNich NirvaNa ortaNeZ Buri Max Paul Jesse sMith Will koo teDDy GesMe toMMy victor Daviet harrisoN GorDoN

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5 Icelandic traditions - Eat rotten shark, sheep heads, sour sheep balls and take a shot of Brennivín aka Blackdeath. It’s an Icelandic traditional shot, one of my favorite shots actually - Drink until you are blacked out - We love Icelandic sausages - Our babies always get the father’s name as their last name, so my babies will be called Halldórsson or Halldórsdóttir - Chill in a hotspring and watch the northern lights 5 loosest cities for premiere parties - Prague - Moscow - Saint Petersburg - Warsaw - Budapest 5 homies about to blow up - Fridtjof Sæther Tischendorf aka Fridge - Rene Rinnekangas - Birkir Georgsson - Mike Liddle - Annika Morgan 5 ways to kill time - Social media - Computer games - Watch TV - Sleep - Porn 5 people you’d love to prank call - Ethan Morgan - GG Allin - Donald Trump - Rocco Siffredi - Brad Titty Pitt 5 things you’d tell 18-year-old Halldor - Do the same as I did -X -X -X -X

Dude really knows how to put it out there. Picture perfect method in Les Crozets P H O T O : P E R LY

5 secrets to the art of business - Work with the right people - Have fun and enjoy it - Be 100% committed to your brand.

- Stay updated on all the new things and trends - Make awesome product

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5 strangest foods you’ve eaten - All the Icelandic traditional foods: rotten shark, dried fish, sheep’s head, sour sheep balls - Cow tongue - Sheep hearts - Blood pudding - Some wild meat chili in China – I have no idea what it was 5 great places to get naked - At a party - In nature - While snowboarding - At your home - Any place is a great place to get naked, pretty much.

5 last words - Enjoy - Shoehorn - Send - Puke - Meat

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1718_E

NEW

FE

ATURE

NEW SHA PE!

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Big wave guy going over the water. Backside wallride in Sapporo.

P H O T O : M I K E YO S H I DA

Hot Dawgz & Hand Rails attended?

Hot Dawgz & Hand Rails placed in?

Number of winters at Bear?

Largest bet ever wagered?

Number of books you read in 2017?

Times you’ve shaved your head?

Parties you’ve crashed?

Photos of friends and family in your house?

Days camping this summer?

Most kinks conquered?

Biggest wave surfed?

Gears on your bike?

Bills in your wallet?

Sugars in your coffee?

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1718_E

@morgan_freemanson by cyril müller

bataleon.com/eviltwin

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Photos from 1%er

What drove you to begin publishing your own zines?

I think just ending up at the end of the season with all my favorite photos not running in any magazines. Also having visions of layout ideas that would never go down in a regular snowboard magazine.

You just released your third zine. Have these all been built as part of the 1%er series? Is it an open-ended series or do you have a planned conclusion?

I did a motorcycle zine based around Born Free 8 (a custom motorcycle show) and now two issues of 1%er. I’ve been having lots of fun with 1%er so far; it gives me all the freedom I want in a publication. I have no plans as of now for 1%er other than doing my best to keep it fresh and interesting!

Do you do all the production - photos, layout, printing, etc?

Yes, I do everything myself. And my good friend Pat in Quebec City works at a print shop so I get it printed there.

Is all the photo work for the zines done on film? Quick pros and cons of doing so?

I’d say 80 percent of it is on film. Only the snowboarding is shot with my digital camera. I’d say the pros of shooting film are that it just looks better and my photos look the way I want them to look without having to do some dumb photoshop treatment. I don’t see any cons in shooting film other than it’s a bit expensive!

Camera of choice for shooting street photography?

Leica M6 and Contax T3.

People love to talk about print’s decline, but the jury is still out on that one. How have your releases been received?

I don’t really know, so far it’s been good. I only do small quantities, and sell them for cheap, so they sell out quickly and I don’t have to deal with a big overhead investment to get my project going. To be honest, I don’t think I would be confident to drop in on a big, expensive book project though. It seems like these days the success of whatever you are trying to sell is based on how good you are at social media, and I suck at that...

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How do you go about choosing paper stocks? Is paper thickness something you need to consider when determining page count for a saddle-stitched zine like yours?

Yeah, the first zine I printed I used some fancy paper and it ended up being a little too thick for a folded saddle stitch. For the second one I got the right stuff, not too thick not too flimsy.

I asked my printer and he told me around 32 pages is sort of the sweet spot for a project like that. So I said OK! You’re series of zines, 1%er, focuses on subjects who might be considered “fringe” - snowboarders chasing dreams to the ends of the earth, people dedicating their lives to building classic bikes, punks living and dying for the music they love.

Is there one thing/person you’ve encountered in shooting for these mags that was particularly “out there”?

I feel like I’m just attracted to shooting photos of weirdos. It seems like every subject who has ended up in my zine has a great story to tell, but I can talk about the old Russian man on the cover of my new issue. We were out on a small alley street and lined with huge snowbanks so we built a pretty sweet hip jump and sessioned it all afternoon. Then this guy walked up with his wife, and seemed like he was interested in what we were doing. He watched for a bit, then booked it into his house and came back out with this old photograph. Luckily we had Artem to help us translate his story and the man told us he used to ski on the same hill back when he was younger. We all thought it was pretty sick that he was hitting a jump as well.

Later Artem told us that the tattoos on his fingers meant that he spent some time in jail.

Any sage advice for the aspiring DIY publisher out there? Any hang-ups or snags to avoid?

I think it’s best to never give a fuck about what people might think.

Score a copy of Oli’s new zine at www.oligagnon.bigcartel.com

22.12.2017 03:40

DEEMON ELIAS ELIAS ELHARDT SIGNATURE MODEL

Photo: Carlos Blanchard

W W W. D E E L U X E . C O M

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P H O T O S : S I G U R D VA A G L A N D

A R T: S I G U R D L I N D Q U I S T

J

w/ Andreas Grong Where are you guys from and who’s in the crew?

We are from Trondheim, Norway. Originally it was me (Andreas Grong), Sigurd Lindquist and Kristoffer Lerånd. Stian Karlsen and Sigurd Vaagland are also doing a lot for the crew. We dont see it like, “You’re in or you ain’t” - we’ve got homies all over we consider a part of the gang.

How did you all get together and where did the name come from?

Snowboarding and skateboarding brought us together.

Trondheim doesn’t have a big snowboarding scene, so it was kind of inevitable. The name comes from our lives.

What are you guys scheming on for this year?

We’ve already started filming for the next movie. Pretty stoked on that, since we’ve always been pretty slow in the beginning.

We got a few shots from Lillehammer filming with THC boys (The Hell Cabinet). They usually have a lot of snow and spots, so we´ll try to spend some time over there. Also, Kvitfjellparken is sick. Our main goal is to make a better movie than last year, which is the goal every year... The motivation is strong, but the money and snow conditions are unstable. We’re going to take some trips around Norway, maybe Eastern Europe if a plan comes together. We are checking bank accounts and weather reports frequently. Other than that, riding and filming at Gråkallparken. (The new mekka for snowboarders in Trondheim). Also cooking snus.

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Worst plan ever?

Trying to survive in the Norwegian snowboard industry.

If the crew all had to get a job together for a season to save money to board, what job do you think it would be and why?

We’re already working together with the Bad Plans webshop (store.badplans.net), Jump Club Distribution and making rails.

Although we’re not exactly saving money to board, we’re all working hard with brands that represent the things we love about snowboarding. It makes work seem less like work since we’re genuinely stoked on what we do. Saving up money for the winter has always been the big challenge.

You’re done boarding for the day, and have $25 to spend killing time in a random city. How does the money get spent?

The money would be spent on pizza.

And when buying said pizza, who is most likely to “not have any cash on them”?

Nobody has cash. The pizza would never happen if it wasn’t for Method Mag. Last words?

Support snowboarder-owned companies and local dealers.

Check out www.badplans.net Buy your rails from Bourbon Rails.

Come shred with us at Gråkallparken!

22.12.2017 02:56

PLUMB

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21.12.2017 23:28

Ozzy Henning putting the whole gang on the line with this gap to boardslide off the roof. Rome keeping him in the game.

PHOTO: E-STONE

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@romesnowboards

THE M O U N TA I N DIVISION

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A weapon shaped for natural and man-made lines, the Mountain Division integrates design technology that lets you rail turns and float into deep face shots. From Thomas Delfino’s spined out lines in AK to Bjorn’s in-bounds powder pursuits at home in Utah, the Mountain Division is the versatile freeride choice. Our Free-The-Ride Camber combines three different profiles to blend power under foot with surfability up front. Drop into a line, plane on a canvas of white, and explode a slash with a fully powered tail.

21.12.2017 23:30

av

H

aving been to the Twin Cities for many years with a host of solid individuals, I had yet to roam around the Madison, Wisconsin streets - only a stone’s throw away from the Minneapolis/St. Paul area - in search of spots. When the invitation came my way from the Ethan Deiss and the Videograss crew on a cold February 22, 2011, I immediately said yes and pointed it east to join the squad.

We set up the feature in no time and had enough dudes to pull back the bungee while Ethan tested the run-in speed. After a couple of speed checks and some wall riding advice from Jake Kuzyk, Ethan grabbed the bungee, ripped in, hit the lip and laced up the most perfect of wall rides! His performance went so well I had to ask him, “You sure you haven’t hit wall rides in the streets before, E?” Ethan responded,“That was so fun. Can I hit it again!?”

Our first search was in the downtown area where a number of semi-tall buildings are located and perfectly suited for our wall- So there you have it, Ethan’s first wall ride. riding goals. As we walked around on what felt like a desolate - Blotto winter day, Ethan mentioned he’d never ridden (or filmed) a wall ride so we told him, “Let’s get you up on one, buddy!” After @deanblottogray a successful search we found a drop-down version where he’d be taking off from an open walking area, ride the wall and land in a courtyard-type setting.

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gr

Airblaster Awesome Co.

available at: VIMEO.COM/ONDEMAND/MARCHMOVIE

JESSE grandkoski

TRAVIS parker

MAX tokunaga

TEMPLE cummins

TUCKER andrews

NICK dirks

TAYLOR carlton

KAZU kitayama

TIM eddy

JACKSON fowler

KEIJIRO kasahara

ALEK oestreng

MADISON blackley

JUNKI hayashi

ERIK leon

HANNAH eddy

MAX warbington

YUSAKU horii

BRYDEN bowley

march

a movie about snowboarding filmed entirely in one month

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21.12.2017 23:33

Ayyy, we see you dawg! We’ll just tell the homies you were working on that second angle.

Kix Kamp drains a method in Utah.

PHOTO: E-STON E

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vans_fa

TONGUE LOCK DOWN SYSTEM, REACH AROUND CUFF STRAP AND RESPONSE LINER.

©2017 Vans, Inc.

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E M

18.4

A Session is a great thing. Whether it’s a jam session with your mates, hiking a jump or a bowl sesh in the summer; it’s a meeting of minds, a special assembly, a forum, a symposium of delightful snowboard activity. A session is the epitome of a good time.

Naming a binding after something we all adore is quite the claim. It’s a testament to the youthful exuberance of the brand in question, if you will. Well, that brand is Switchback, and the Session binding is going to get the session going folks.

It features Swithchback’s new AERON base, which is the result of three years of R&D. They created a stronger and lighter base using an industry first construction method; overmolding forged aluminum with the highest grade polyamide Nylon. The size of the new AERON base is adjustable without tools, enabling you to fine-tune the fit to your boot. The forward and rear sections are independent of each other, so whatever size you chose, you will always be centered in your binding.

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One thing that can ruin a session faster than Halldor can chug RV Juice is suffering a fateful heel bruise.

Thankfully, the Session binding comes with a full boot to board EVA footpad. You’ve also got tool-less adjustment throughout the whole binding. Just work the pin system and adjust as you go. No drama, just good times.

The ratchets are on point, too. Utilising a triple-action system to get you moving as fast as possible, they’re made with the highest grade forged aluminum levers and strong spring system to make sure they keep performing season after season. Did we mention that the straps are ergonomically designed to reduce pressure points? Well, they are.

Basically, the Session Binding from Switchback is a balanced binding for powerful riders. They are loaded with the new AERON base and anatomically shaped FL Highbacks for a more natural boot-cupping feel. Finished off with lavish Eames Straps for comfort and control, they’re poised to kick off the session.

21.12.2017 23:42 EIKI_PRO_201

SESSION AL S O

AVAILA BL

EB LACK

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22.12.2017 15:2311:44 18/12/2017

Jill was a sure-fire lock for a Fresh Meat in this volume - she’s got such a smooth, natural style.

Expect big things from this ripper in the coming years. No pressure, Jill!

PHOTOS: MARC O ’M A L L E Y

From where does your blood run?

I’m Jill. I am 23 years old, born and raised in suburban Moorpark, California. I moved to Utah after a year of snowboarding at Mountain High and Bear. Now Brighton Resort has welcomed me to the family with open arms. I started school in California while playing basketball and once I found snowboarding that all quickly changed.

What’s in your blood?

Believe it or not, not enough vitamin D! Things that run thick: family, friends, passionate people, skateboardIng, and I’m starting to get more into art and music thanks to my roommates, Rav and Paul. I’m a sucker for food - girl’s gotta eat.

Who are your blood brothers?

So much love for the crew - Kat Kenz, Amanda Hankison, Mike Rav, Colton Morgan, Christian Bueling, Parker Zoom, Taylor Lundquist, Nirvana Ortanez, Desiree Melancon - geez, so many good people out there! Everyone who loves boarding and shares that passion has a place in my heart. It’s kind of like an unspoken language.

What gets your blood pumping?

Music, smiles, people who are having fun, good friends.

Worst bloodshed?

Nothing too bad yet, but I’ve had a few smaller injuries like a broken ankle two summers ago and at the moment my knee is a bit fucked.

What makes your blood run cold?

Hm, fuck spiders. Not a big fan of scary movies but I’ll act tough. I hate fruit, snakes are a no-go, and car accidents.

Blood on my hands…

I am guilty of the “walk-around donut.” It’s been a while but I went through a phase where I would eat a donut while grocery shopping and then forget about it while paying. I am sorry! I won’t do it again.

Got any bad blood?

Well, Trump is a tool. Technology is cool but the fact that it is eliminating jobs really sucks. I don’t really think I have any personal vendettas. I’m going to beat Katie Kennedy in a race one day - that’s my call out.

Who keeps the blood flowing?

Blood flow is allowed thanks to Ride, Dakine, Electric, Coal, Adidas and Brighton Resort. Thank you Tanner, Colleen, Cody, Wiz, and Jared Winkler! Seriously, couldn’t do it with out you.

If you were bleeding out, what would be your last mission?

Written in blood…

I would like to think that I’d be able to choose to be with my family and just really take that all in. I may regret this later, but Smile more. You never know whose day you may make. my last mission would probably be a shitty family car ride where everyone is yelling at each other. Being away from home makes me miss being fed up with my siblings. Love ‘em.

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22.12.2017 03:41

sessionsmfg.com // @sessionsmfg

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21.12.2017 23:46

Francis made a huge splash this year with his Hot Dawgz & Hand Rails win.

FS 720 tail in Whistler PHOTO: CH RIS WITWICKI

PHOTO: ERIC LAMOTH E

From where does your blood run?

My name is Francis Jobin. I’m 19 years old and I’m from Québec City.

badly injured. Of course, there have been some little things but nothing major.

Who are your blood brothers?

All the good people I’ve met snowboarding and my friends back home.

Got any bad blood?

No, I’m not really bummed on anything.

What makes your blood run cold?

First try on a street spot and guinea pigging a big jump.

What’s in your blood?

Outside of snowboarding, I like being outdoors, camping, skating and traveling around. All about having a good time with my Blood on my hands… homies.

Skipping school because snowboarding is so damn fun.

What gets your blood pumping?

Powder days, filming, riding a good jump and a flowy park get me hyped.

Who keeps the blood flowing?

Thanks to all my sponsors, family and friends who support me. Shout out to O’Neill, Rome SDS, Empire, Vans, Dragon and Canada Snowboard.

If you were bleeding out, what would be your last mission?

Fresh tracks.

Written in blood…

Do what feels right.

Worst bloodshed?

I have been super lucky. Knock on wood but I have never been

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22.12.2017 03:46

WERNI STOCK

ASPECT JACKET & ZONE PANT

@BONFIREOUTERWEAR BONFIREOUTERWEAR.COM

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21.12.2017 23:49

Boardslide gap boardslide, flat to down, from another Bruners standout PHOTOS: ERIC LAMOTH E

From where does your blood run?

I’m Sébastien Picard, or PicPic for all my homies from Québec! I am 23 years old and I’m from Breakeyville, a small town on the south side of Québec City. Blue is my favorite color, I’m single and I like pizza.

What’s in your blood?

First of all, snowboarding is what I love the most. But like we all know, we can’t board in Quebec during the summer, so I also skateboard a lot. When I have some free time from working in a restaurant during the summer I like to play golf, fish, ride my bike and party! Not sure I can called them hobbies but it’s just what’s running through me!

Really hope they will stay in good shape till I die! Oh I forgot, there’s that Tinder date who broke my heart last winter… Kidding!

What makes your blood run cold?

Snakes. Such vicious creatures. I don’t really know why, but I hate blood too. I can’t control it but when I see some, it makes me feel bad.

Blood on my hands…

Guilty of having too much fun.

Got any bad blood?

Scooters in the skate park, my neighbor for being the sketchiest person on earth, and using a winch to get speed. That thing is Who are your blood brothers? always a nightmare, and you always have some problem with The Bruners crew, the boys I was filming with before (the Headstones), my roommate Oli, and all the homies from Quebec it. I’ve just had some bad experiences! (laughs) who I party and spend all my time with. All the brothas from the Who keeps the blood flowing? high school who I still see. Also, all the people from all around Rome Snowboards, Vans, Volcom, Howl, Electric, Five-0 Boardthe world who share the same passion as me. shop, Nuclear Headwear, La Contrebande beer and my family and friends.

What gets your blood pumping?

Coffee and water.

Written in blood…

Thanks to you guys for this interview! Huge thanks to Matt If you were bleeding out, what would be your last mission?

It depends where I am for sure! If I were to wake up one morning Stillman at Rome SDS, Alex Forbes at Vans, P-L Hamel and Seth Huot at Volcom, Chris and Cody at Electric, Darrell at Howl, and it was the last one, I’d call all the people I love and try to Etienne at Five-0 Boardshop, Louif at Nuclear Headwear and make the biggest party of all time! (laughs) Of course I’d spend all the money I have and try to enjoy every second I have left on Anto at La Contrebande beer. Thanks to Mom, Dad and all my family, all my close friends and the people who’ve supported earth with my family and my homies. me since day one. Thanks life in general. Merry Christmas and happy holidays to everyone.

Worst bloodshed?

I broke my collarbone three years ago and damn it was painful!

And of course I’ve rolled my ankle a million times. I hope it will never happen but my worst nightmare is injuring my knees…

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PHOTO: MARC WEI LER

Big ol’ backside 720. First noticed this kid in a rail contest years ago. As you can see, dude’s got the whole package P H O T O : PA L LY L E A R M O N D

From where does your blood run?

My name is Dario Burch, I’m 20 years old and live just outside of Lucerne, Switzerland. I first started snowbording like nine years ago but really started riding seven or eight years ago in Mythenpark.

What’s in your blood?

I spend most of my time snowboarding and skateboarding and I also really enjoy the traveling that comes with snowboarding.

Other than that I like music and reading.

Who are your blood brothers?

Too many people to name but I spend most of my time with the homies from the Swiss snowboard team. Other than that it’s always a good time shredding with the boys from Mindset Productions.

What gets your blood pumping?

Snowboard and skateboard movies, corks and airtime.

If you were bleeding out, what would be your last mission?

Pizza and beer while listening Biggie’s Ready to Die. Then I would try to wingsuit.

Worst bloodshed?

Nothing too bad yet, but I’ve had a few smaller injuries like a

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broken ankle two summers ago and at the moment my knee is a bit fucked.

What makes your blood run cold?

Robots taking over the world. Airbags taking over snowboarding.

Blood on my hands…

Definitely did a few tindys too many back in the day (laughs).

But on a serious note, I’m on my phone too much.

Got any bad blood?

When people stop in-between rails that are relatively close.

Don’t like that shit. But off the hill I’m bummed on unnecessary violence and people with no respect.

Who keeps the blood flowing?

Ride Snowboards, Transform Gloves, Doodah, Dragon and Schweizer Sporthilfe have been supporting me for a few years, big thanks to them. Also, shout-out to my family and friends for having my back!

Written in blood…

Make sure to check out the new Mindset movie, A Love Like Mine is Hard to Find and let’s hope for a lot of snow. Thanks and peace.

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place energy drink logo

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PHOTO: BON EFI RE

Hey Werni, what’s up? How has the start of your season been so far?

I’ve been really good. Chilling back home in Mayrhofen and having the best start to a season ever. I have already had more powder days this season than the whole of last year. I am more than happy to be able to shred so much.

Awesome! We hope it keeps going all winter. You are a local from Mayrhofen, right? Must be a pretty rad place to grow up. What are the positives and negatives of growing up in “the Valley”?

Yep, I’m a local in Mayrhofen where I live but I actually grew up in Hintertux. My family owns a hotel up there. Seriously, I’m in love with my hometown. I respect and love it so much that there is nothing better than coming home. The Zillertal Valley has so much to offer in all seasons that I wish that a year would have a couple more months in it. It’s insane how fast one year just goes by. To me, the valley has more positives than negatives. I always say wherever there is light there will always be a shadow. Every one of us is different so we follow our passion and love.

It’s a bit of a breeding ground of legendary snowboarders, with the likes of Wolle Nyvelt, Steve Gruber and Thomas “Beckna” Eberharter all hailing from The Hof. Is there something in the water? Do you get inspiration from these dudes?

I don’t think it’s the water, but it could be the Zillertal Beer!

These guys are a true inspiration and I still look up to them like I did back in the day. When I shred with Wolle, Beckna, Steve or anyone of the Ästhetikers I feel like a rookie again. It’s such an honor to have all the guys around. The spirit and love they have for shredding is just mind-blowing. The stoke and passion these guys have really rubs off. They just have this pure dedication.

Things seem to be on the up for you these days after a few hard years?

Oh yes, I’m so happy that I finally had a couple years without injuries. I actually don’t want to talk too much about injuries but I feel like I should. Life isn’t always easy or as perfect as it looks. Especially from the social media posts where almost everyone is living the “perfect” life. But I can tell you there are a lot of down days, especially when you’re injured. I had multiple knee surgeries and that combined with complications like bacteria and infections made all that even worse. I’m a really positive person and I always look forward, but without my wife Lisa, friends, family and everybody else who had my back I definitely wouldn’t be where I am today. I remember at around age 22 a doctor told me that I should think about quitting snowboarding. He said it would be better for my health, blah, blah. And I tell you this was the most shocking situation in my life. What the fuck! I settled my mind and my solution was that there is no life without snowboarding. So, my main goal was to work hard, train and rehab as much as I could to be able to do what I love – snowboard. I don’t need to be jumping; just turning and shredding with my buddies makes me happy and I will continue this till I die.

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It seems like you’re getting some rad support from a bunch of new sponsors, like Bonfire, Deeluxe boots and Vimana boards.

I don’t even know how this all happened but I can tell you that I am happier than ever. I am so hyped on all the new sponsors and even more hyped on the people and friends that I work with at these brands. I just turned 30 and to be able to get new sponsors means more than a lot to me. I’m now riding for some smaller brands, but these brands have the same passion as I do and that means more to me than any amount of money. They count on me and I’m important to them and it is more than appreciated.

Last winter you filmed with the Shredbots. How did you get involved with that crew?

I’ve filmed for the last two Shredbots projects. It all started at the Laax Open three or four years ago. I was hanging out with Torstein (Horgmo) and talking about what we were up to after the Open and all the sudden we were shooting for Shredtopia.

We had such a blast and I just ended up filming with them for the whole season two winters ago. I had the best and funniest season ever and the outcome was a sick part in Shredtopia.

It was such an incredible time getting to know so many new people like Andreas Wiig, Tom Hannam (filmer), Craig McMorris, Brage Richenberg, Darcy Sharpe and Anto Chamberland. Such an all-time crew. I am so happy to shred with all the Bots and happy to call these guys friends now.

And you must of been pretty hyped on getting that phone call from Torstein inviting you to Canada and Alaska for a month?

Torstein and I have been talking about Alaska for quite a bit.

He wanted to go and I wanted to go, so we planned a Canada trip and we were going to finish it off with shredding in AK. Canada was all-time! The snow was insane and we had the best time ever. We kept checking the AK forecast and snow didn’t look promising so we decided to stay in Canada with the prime conditions until the end of April. The heli days were just unreal. The best snow, sickest terrain, my buddies and me.

I am never going to forget that trip. Lifetime memories. Seriously, I’m still dreaming about it and I can’t wait to do to more of it. Hopefully I’ll get another chance to fire it up some more and even get to AK. What’s the the plan for this winter?

Same as the last couple seasons - enjoy the season and have a blast shredding with my buddies. I am definitely going to film again and send it. I can’t wait to stack some clips! I have many things in mind that I am excited about. I’ll keep you guys updated!

Last words?

I wish all of you guys a sick season. Enjoy the time shredding with your buddies. Thanks to my wife Lisa, friends, Shredbots, family, sponsors, and to all of you.

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BS 720 in the Arlberg

P H O T O : PAT R I C K S T E I N E R

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What do you look for in a night club? What separates the legendary ones from the lame ones?

A good club always needs a good DJ and a good dance floor to get jiggy. I definitely need Coronas on deck and it’s even better if they’re under $8. Also, the girl-to-guy ratio needs to be good or else no one is going to dance. The lamest clubs are the ones with a dress code because that usually attracts the wrong crowd for me.

Any Montreal club recommendations/tips?

My favorite club is called Apartment200 because my friends and I DJ there and the music is usually on point. Another one that is really fun is Don B Comber. The top floor has a huge sunroof and there is usually a bunch of chicks.

What cities have you been most impressed with, in terms of DJs and club scenes?

I think Montreal and New York are the places where I’ve had the most fun partying. I know that London has always been known for crazy parties and wicked DJs, so I’d like to check that out one day.

When rolling up to a hot nightclub, how many dudes, is too many dudes? Is there an unspoken ratio?

I think that your squad needs one lady per three dudes so that you don’t have a hard time getting in. The key to getting into most clubs is the ladies. My friends and I usually roll man heavy so it’s sometimes a hassle but we figure it out most of the time. (laughs)

Your friends speak of your taste for clubbing but also that you’re often the first to wake up. How do these two worlds work together? (laughs) Yeah, I try to be up early to get as much of a day as possible. I don’t get hungover yet, so I can literally just party every day and still get up feeling good. Kind of a bad thing but I’m still productive so I’ll be all right!

You’re a coffee man, correct? Got a brand or brewing process you really like and think is superior? We heard you flew to Russia with a personal stash in your bag.

I’m heavily addicted to coffee, because of the act of it. For instance, I like walking around with coffee, meeting people for coffee, driving with it and just like keeping my hand busy.

Kind of like cigarettes. My favorite brand is probably Dispatch Coffee. They got one near my apartment, so I go a lot.

Rumor has it you took the stage in Japan on a Vans trip alongside some local hip hop talent? What’s the story there?

Such a random night. I got a clip that day and it was a Friday in Japan so I was definitely trying to party. Everyone was pretty beat so most of the group stayed in, but Teddy Koo and I were fired up. Even Darrell and Marben tagged along, which is funny because they’re the older guys and should be the ones who are tired (laughs). So I get to the club and there was a rap show but no one was on the stage with the rapper and DJ. In Montreal there is always a crowd around the show or DJ. I asked Teddy if people went up on stage to hype up the show and he said no, but that because I was the only black guy, if I did, people would think I was a celebrity. So I went up and partied with the DJ and rapper and all the girls started freaking and taking photos of me, thinking I was a big shot or something. One girl thought I was Jeremih. (laughs) You ever DJ shows?

I’ve never DJ’d a show before, only after-parties for shows.

When you DJ, what sort of stuff do you like to spin? What will you never spin?

Where I usually play, I’ll select hip hop, house and dancehall. I don’t think I’ll ever play EDM.

The Vans team has got to be one of the most exciting teams in the game at the moment. What’s it like being on the road with that gang? Anyone always playing “dad”?

It is so much fun because all the guys on the team are guys I know and really vibe with. It’s almost like I handpicked the Do you feel like some DJs are crossing a line with the amount team myself! The dad for the rail part of the team is Kuzyk. of programs and “help” they use? Any modern DJs you are He’s always on point and is the guy everyone goes to for super hyped on? advice. Harry is pretty dad-ly, too. He usually takes care of No, not really. I think that all the new gear just opens up everything, which is cool because we’re all lazy when it comes cooler ways to mix music and to integrate new sounds. With to the serious stuff. vinyl, you’re very limited as to what you can do effect and mixing-wise. But with digital, the possibilities are endless.

Got any secrets or teases you can leak us from Landline? We However, because of digital programs, too many people who are dying to see it. have bad music taste are getting into DJing now because of Whole bunch of 16mm film. how easy it is. Currently I’m pretty hyped on Jordan from Majid Jordan, Jetsss, Tona and Brodinski.

Last words, any shout outs?

Shouts out to partying!

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50-50 with a twist in Russia PHOTOS: COLE MARTI N

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* Louif Paradis and Hayden Rensch light the way forward with the movie of the year PHOTOS: OLI GAGNON INTERVIEW: MIKE GOODWIN

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When Louif Paradis and videographer Hayden Rensch set out to begin production on Beacon, the culmination of an extensively-discussed video idea between the two, there were a few guidelines set forth. Foremost among them - no artificial speed meaning the winch, bungee and other tools that open up spots not previously possible while also making snowboarders look a lot more like wake boarders than we’d like to admit were left in the garage. The result is striking. Their new movie commands a cohesiveness and flow that’s hard to find. In addition, you actually get to watch guys ride their boards more than your average “street” movie. And when you have a crew as stylish as the one Louif assembled, it doesn’t go unnoticed.

----Beacon is completed, released and receiving extraordinary reviews. How do you feel?

the Roxy team and we ran into each other in Montreal at the Olympic stadium. We just said hi or whatever and then afterI feel good! I am hardly ever satisfied in life, (laughs) ward, maybe a couple years later, I got to go on a trip with him so I have just been looking ahead at this year a bit. I to Prague with Keegan, Tyler Verigin, Harrison Gordon, Jed am super stoked and really impressed by the positive and Java Fernandez. He was working on In Color at the time. feedback we’ve gotten on Beacon. I didn’t expect that; Then one or two years later, I hit him up to do my Real Snow. people have been saying such good things and saying We did a Real Snow in December by the end of filming he was that it stood out. It touched some people, and I am just my favorite person to work with. So we did four of those sure some others it did not, but I am really glad that it Real Snows and the Deja Vu movies. We are just on the same did for some people. As I was saying, I am already kind wavelength for most of the filming process.

of looking for the next thing. That is kind of how I function. Hayden and I did Beacon and we are already Why “Beacon,” and how did you decide upon the theme and thinking of what is next, ya know? imagery that you pursued throughout the film. Did you guys What was the drive behind spearheading your own signature project this year?

There was just an opportunity to shoot for something new, something that I had in mind and had been keeping inside when I was doing projects with a bunch of other people. I didn’t want to be imposing my ideas on people too much. But last year it was the time to just do a project between Hayden and I where we could be like, “What do you think of this?” and discuss it between the two of us. There was a little bit more freedom and a bit more going to exactly where I would like to go, compared to when you have four, five or six people in the kitchen and you sort of sacrifice a couple of your opinions. I was able to set some, I will call them rules, but they were not really. It was loose, but I was like, “This year I want to make a movie that involves no artificial speed.” So no bungee, no winch, which just kind of changes the locations that you decide to go to. Instead of going to the same places and being bummed because you can’t do this spot or can’t do that spot, we were just going straight to places that have tons of hills where you don’t even look at the spots that don’t have a hill before and after.

collaborate on the creative direction?

We had talked about it for a year or two before this. Even while we were filming for Encore we were talking about how it would be sick to do something a little different than just classic snow porn, to make a movie with a kind of storyline, where there is sort of an order to the scenes. So we had already been talking about it and when we got the chance we went for it. It was all collaborative, but Hayden had the Beacon idea. He sort of had a broad storyline for it and I thought about it some more and came up with additional ideas. We both just threw ideas in and it slowly shaped into what it turned out to be. A lot of the time it would be something where we are talking like, “It’d be cool to do something different for the cover. Let’s do a painting.” And he’d go, “I got the guy for it let me check with him.” And on the Beacon cover art, that was only one try. Hayden’s friend from back home just did that first try. Sometimes when working with the artist you will have to go back and forth a bunch of times to make corrections but this one was just really cool right off the bat.

The all-natural approach to spots led to more riding time, like more video time of people actually riding their boards in the street, and that helped the movie flow along and fit It seems the partnership in creating this with Hayden was together really well. Was there anything else you were set on only natural. I know you’ve worked on a lot together over the doing throughout or hoping to get across with the movie? years but was wondering how you guys met and how that For sure that was one of the main things that was written on connection began? paper. We wanted flow in the movie. We wanted the whole Well, the first time I met him there was actually no connecmovie to go smoothly from one scene to another, to look tion. (laughs) I was filming for These Days with Carlino and like one motion, one trip. I just wanted to keep the viewer he was filming, I think it was one of his first bigger gigs, for entertained. We were both obsessed by flow in the riding, and

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Insane cab 270 front board

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Classy dude with a classy method

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also in the film in general, but the riding part was major. I also wanted lines, and whenever I could find something, like two spots back-to-back in one line, that was ideal. I was really looking for spots that were on a hill. Like the last couple spots in the video, where I am riding dams and stuff, those were the ultimate find because they kind of feel like big mountain riding but also, obviously, it’s street riding.

This approach also feels much more natural from a viewer’s perspective.

Follow cams were definitely a goal, too. Whenever we could do one, we did. They are a lot of work; they are complicated, but when you get them they are so satisfying because both the rider and filmer nailed it.

Was it overwhelming being in control of more than just your segment? Did it effect you at all as you were going through the season? How did you find the overall process?

There were moments that were stressful. For the most part, these trips were planned very last minute. One of the most stressful moments was bringing the guys pretty far out into Russia. There was a language barrier and an organizational barrier with where we would stay, car rentals and all that stuff and it was kind of all on my shoulders for the trip. I had to be worried about getting there and what if there is nothing to do there? I got all these guys into getting visas and these really expensive flights and all that. But it ended up being really good when we got there. We started looking around and it was packed with spots and snow. But for a second I was like, “Fuck... I’ve got these five guys looking at me like... (laughs). I remember being stressed at some points here and there but now that everything is done I only have good memories of it. It was a little bit overwhelming at the end during the editing process when things were not necessarily fully ready and the due dates were approaching. The fact that the focus was all on me made it a little crazy. And I couldn’t disappoint. I would have hated to get hurt and have to take a bunch of time off. In the end everything turned out well.

One more point on the flow of the movie - undeniably, the music played a huge role in that quality. Who was in charge of audio selection?

We kind of both worked on that, adding and selecting songs from a shared list. The first song was one I picked; I threw it out there and he liked it. The second song was his pick, and he had picked the techno song too, which I thought was a great find. He had that Beethoven song on the list and I found it on there and was like, “What about this one?!” I had thrown the second Quebec part song on the list and he thought it would work well. The ender song was one of his and I was really pushing for it to be used. The whole music selection process was very collaborative. It was important that we were both down for songs, Hayden especially, because if he’s not feeling it it’s almost impossible for him to edit something good to it.

I loved the classical piano part. It added some drama and a dynamic that was perfect for that part in the movie. And then right as I was thinking, “Oh, is this whole soundtrack going to be instrumental?” in comes the Sebadoh track with vocals. For me, the music is such a spectacular aspect of the movie.

I hope some people are super down for that and can discover some music that they didn’t know. That’s also something I

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am stoked to find out, if people are able to find something new they like. I remember being younger - I still do this - but especially back when I was younger, I would find new bands and music in snowboard and skate films and open up my musical horizons.

Hayden did a great job building around the theme, and incorporating the water and wave clips. How about that shot of you in the river? How did that go down? Was it as cold as it looked? For a minute I was like damn, maybe he brought a wetsuit. (laughs) Yeah, it was really cold! That was on our last day filming up in British Columbia. We were almost ready to leave and Hayden wanted that shot. He had the idea of the shot to go from one place to another. I did it once, hit a rock and made a weird move so I actually ran back up and did it again. I was freezing and shaking and it was really hard to breathe slowly and not move, but I tried controlling it the best I could. I just started spinning one way and couldn’t stop.

I get out of the water and Hayden is just like, “Cool. Thanks man! That spin was perfect.” As soon as I disappear I actually run out of the water and I was really breathing hard and stuff. (laughs)

One of the other shots I wanted to ask about was the ender shot. It is done so casually but when you are watching it looks gnarly with the drop to your side. How was riding up to that tunnel spot?

Well, I started with the backside 360 to 50-50 line. I will call it a 50-50. I did maybe four tries of that because it was tough to get the correct speed in-between. One time I flew over it and went straight to flat. I thought it was soft snow on the other side but it was actually really hard. After a couple tries I got the 50-50 and at first I thought I was done and that was it, but then I was like, “Oh let me try a boardslide.” I am so glad I went back up. I honestly was almost done and for some reason I was just attracted to go back up. It’s kind of a powerslide anyway but it was tough because after trying the back three to 50-50, the in-between part was all bumpy because it was powder and was at the bottom of the landing where a lot of snow would collect. You can kind of see when I do the indy that I land and it is really bumpy and I barely hold it together. I think there would have been like maybe two more tries before the spot was done. The harder part was the part where you lose me in-between the two features. But that is something that I really, really like now, those street-inspired spots where I have a limited amount of tries. It ups the challenge a bit and it’s just so much more satisfying because you have to go right into it. You have to just do it. That tunnel spot was like the last, Hail Mary for this movie. It was the kind of top-of-the-line type of feature that I was looking for for the movie so that is why it ended up at the end.

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Ahhh, Japan...

Hokkaido, where dreams are made

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And then the 20 minutes of extended credits that follow!

That really helps the viewer get a feel for some of those spots.

I have always been a big fan of bonuses as a kid, just seeing behind the scenes and that stuff. It gives you a chance to notice some details you maybe didn’t see in the film.

With everything changing so quickly content-wise in snowboarding, it’s obviously not as straightforward as it used to be with full videos year after year. Where do you see full videos and their role in say, three years. What’s your take on the way we are creating content in general?

I am not sure. I am a bit lost in all the new stuff, like with Instagram. I feel it even in myself, that my attention level is a lot shorter. But also, snowboard videos have been so repetitive. Maybe that is also why I am less and less interested in some of the full-length ones, because I feel like I have seen that a ton already. I hope that they continue to have a big role because you can put so much into them and work on different details that you cannot in a one-minute Instagram video or a web series that you need to put out as soon as possible.

I was just rewatching some of Travis Rice’s movie, and what he can collect over the course of a few years is just insane so I don’t know. It’s a good question.

I guess that is while it is still being discussed. I think you are right that to a certain degree there were too many videos

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and they were getting a little bit repetitive and formulaic.

Maybe the pendulum needs to swing back the other way to reset everything. Perhaps now the full videos that stick around and stand out will be the ones that are exceptional, that have a unique and original concept, and maybe it’s all part of the process. We are seeing that happen in other areas of media.

Yeah, I’m interested in both long and short term projects. This year I’ll probably be doing more short “instant ones”. But in the near future, I’d really like to do a longer term project again because I enjoy how many layers you can put into it. I actually felt kind of time crunched for Beacon and I would really like to do a video where we have even a bit more time.

Can you hint a bit more at exactly what you’ll be working on this year?

Tommy Gesme is doing something with Colton Feldman with Adidas and I’d like to do at least one trip with them. Then Derrek Lever is doing something different with Jake Durham and they’re gonna be releasing edits throughout the season.

I’d like to participate in that one also. I’d like to go on a trip with Brown Cinema, too. Everything is still up in the air. I have been talking to Dakine and Salomon about possibly making one-trip edits with some fellow team riders for each company. We’ll see! Maybe too many ideas for how much time we have in the winter.

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Getting vertical for a filthy backlip

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Sergej Zuk, FS 360 tail over the local homie

Words: Benny Urban Photos: Matt Georges

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While scoping for spots around a new zone in Novosibirsk, Russia’s third most populated city, located to the northeast of Kazakhstan, we somehow ended up in a gated community. The spots were really sick, so Will Smith, Kevin Trammer and I spent some time staring at a staircase near this building that looked like it could have been the headquarters of the KGB. That should have been deterrant enough...

* Benny

When we finally did realize that the place might be a little too sketchy to ride at, we decided to leave. Just seconds after that decision was made, a few massive Russian security guards with fur hats walked toward us and started yelling in Russian. The bigger problem – our guides, the only ones who were able to speak Russian - were too far away for us to tell them to come over and help us with the situation.

Right away one of the guys puts Will in an armlock to make sure we won’t run away. They were so pissed, and kept mentioning “amerikanski” and “spy” or something crazy like that. After a half hour-long conversation of literally understanding nothing, including the wild hand language, we somehow managed to walk over to our Russian guides, Nikita and Konsti. Luckily, Konsti is from Novosibirsk and spoke a dialect from that area so he seemed legit to them. He explained the whole situation, but they weren’t buying it for at least another hour. It wasn’t until Konsti showed them some videos and photos of us snowboarding on the Internet that we were able to successfully explain our purpose for being there!

Nikita *

Kevin *

It was definitely a pretty scary experience that none of us would like to go through again. Learned a lesson there for sure! Thanks to Konsti and Nikita for saving our naive asses!

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Nikita Sekh stretches out a pole jam one-footer

Antti Jussila, lounge lizard

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Will Smith putting the mind to paper BS 180 to monster switch nose press revert from Kevin Trammer. Love this dude!

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FS boardslide pole jam from the British Fresh Prince

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Let it hang player! Antti kicking one out

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The dude with the name built for boarding. Benny Urban, front board pop-over

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Montana has big, beautiful mountains. Some would say epic. Peaks, steeps, trees and everything in between. World class boardin’! We made a two-day trek up to this promised land with all sorts of ideas of how we were gonna slash and bash the radical terrain. To my surprise, the most memorable snowboarding was a two-minute walk from our front door. It was a lovely walk along the river path to a hand-built rhythm section that you could see from our kitchen window. We spent the entire day shovelin’, flippin’, spinnin’, tweakin’, slammin’, and basically riding our snowboards in the most simple way. Grab snowboard, find snow, stand on snowboard, and enjoy!.

- TIM EDDY

PHOTOS: KAZU KITAYAMA, AKA ZIZO

K

eeping with their celebrated tradition of movies filmed over the course of a month – think classics like December, April and August - the Airblaster team assembled in Whitefish, Montana last spring to get the camera rolling on their latest masterpiece, March. With a house rented to serve as a homebase, team riders came and went, bunking up for as long as their schedules would allow. Centered on a goodtimes-all-the-time approach, the happy-golucky gang took to everything they could find - tunnel walls (and ceiling!), docks, barriers, downed trees, live trees, fences, parks, pow - you get the idea. And of course, no Airblaster session would be complete without the involvement of a rhythm section. Following is a collection of memories recalled from some of snowboarding’s most open minds.

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Master tweaker Mr. Tim Eddy lightin’ up the gang

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Dude, transportation-wise, Whitefish was fully accessible without a car. I took the train from Portland right into the city center and walked the luggage to the Airbnb. Then we were left with our feet.

We only used a car four days out of the entire month. One day for Blanchard Lake, two Kalispell trips, and once more for Glacier National Park. We’d walk to spots in town, walk to the S.N.O.W. bus (which took us to the resort), walk to food, walk to the market, and that’s all we needed! It was awesome not worrying about gas, who was going to drive, all that shit. Get on the bus, go snowboard. That was our program.

- MAX TOKUNAGA

Max Tokes all about them trees

Tucker Andrews, turnin’ and burnin’

We were supposed to go on a splitboarding hut trip for a few days when we got to Whitefish but the temperature warmed and the weather took a U-turn from powder to rain, which canceled the hut trip. Jesse (Grandkoski) made the call due to high avy danger. Oh well man, we drove up anyway and boarded in the rain for the first few days. Day 1 for the Tahoe crew who had just arrived consisted of 30 m.p.h. sustained winds, a rain/snow mixture, a complimentary blue poncho from the lodge and a handful of sloppy laps on the backside with my favorite people. That’s Airblaster, though. Next-to-awful weather and a bunch of smiley boarders. That day will last in my mind forever.

- TUCKER ANDREWS

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Arbor... Tree ride... Clever guy, that Erik Leon

Airblaster is awesome. Whitefish is awesome. March is awesome. The whole experience was unforgettable. Everyone involved with Airblaster has the same underlying mindset of just having fun and not caring what other people think. Just go out and have fun with your friends.

I don’t think I ever stopped laughing the entire time I was in Whitefish. By the time I was driving home my ribs actually hurt from laughing, not riding.

And I’ll never forget the day we watched Travis Parker do his footplant on the wooden post!

March is a movie that you watch before and after you go snowboarding with your friends. If you haven’t watched it, then you might need to go to the doctor..

- BRYDEN BOWLEY

Mute scraper on down the runway from Bryden Bowley

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Jesse Grandkoski lettin’ em know how it’s done!

Alek Oestreng flips out

I showed up to Whitefish on the 27th of March, straight from Europe. I was super jet-lagged and very last-minute but there was no way I was gonna miss a trip with the entire Airblaster crew. It was raining, the squad was firing, and Whitefish was dope!.

The S.N.O.W. bus was like nothing else; it’s like a free party taxi filled with all the right kinds of people and it takes you to all the right places. It rained everyday I was there except for March 31. I couldn’t have asked for a better ending and we celebrated with drinks in “Porchugal.” Drinking literally gallons of beer at night, slop boarding during the day. The Glacier National Park field trip with the boys was the best. Never have I ever hit a rail into a pond skim in a lake before, and I might never get to experience that again. Even though I showed up for full-on spring and missed the Montana winter, it wasn’t any less of a good time.

Thank you Tokes and Seamus and Jack for staying sane while spending all 31 days together. Moments to remember - glad I could be a part of them.

- MADISON BLACKLEY

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Travis Parker recreating history!!!

Max Warbington and a proper nose presser

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Party guy Yusaku Horii cuttin’ up the dance floor

My March was pure stoke no age limit. - YUSAKU HORII

Hannah Eddy arches a method over Seamus Foster

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Doggy and the Airblaster toboggan

I grew up watching December by Jake Price. I worshipped that movie and liked it for completely different reasons than any other snowboard video at the time. It was all the hi-jinx, jokes, relatable, but amazing, snowboarding that made me enjoy it so much. Such a good vibe to that video! I was also watching Robot Food’s Afterbang a lot when I was younger. I think that was my first video actually. Anyway, those two videos led me to worship Travis Parker’s snowboarding. Fast forward ten-ish years and there I am, waking up on a couch in a house in Whitefish, Montana with Travis Parker zonked out on an air mattress right next to me. Unreal, man. I was tripping on it so hard, and still am. Travis is the best.

One thing I thought was really cool about March that I sort of regret not showing more in the video is the fact that we didn’t use a car the whole month. We would wake up, boot up, grab the boards and the camera and just walk out the front door, either to catch the bus to the mountain or to go shred a local spot. We would walk miles all around Whitefish exploring all these different little zones to board at. It was a really cool way to explore the town and meet locals. On Travis’ last day in Whitefish, Max Tokes, Bryden Bowley and I went walking around near the lake scoping for spots and we found this perfect wooden pole for footplants. And since Travis pioneered one-footed snowboarding, we had to run back to the house and ask him if he was down to film one last thing before he left. Luckily he was really hyped on it. We cruised back to the spot, built a little lip and he got it second try! Your average boarder who doesn’t know their snowboard history probably wouldn’t understand how special that clip is, but it was truly a surreal moment for all of us there to witness it, including a Whitefish local named Peter, who snapped an insane photo of Travis doing the footplant. Peter then invited us into his home for beer and snacks after the session was over. Shout-out to Peter and Cheri Aronsson! You can see a little video about that in the bonus features of the DVD. - SEAMUS FOSTER

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This moment, to us, screams Airblaster Nick Dirks lurkin’ in a tunnel

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Jackson Fowler finishing out a 50-50 across both sections of the fence Taylor Carlton, misty 50-50

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WORDS: SEBI MADLENER AND THEO ACWORTH PHOTOS: SEBI MADLENER

Innsbruck holds a unique and legendary place in European snowboard history. With their latest film, Odyssey, IBK’s latest ambassadors, a crew known worldwide as Different Direction, keep the flame burning bright.

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Joris Doorn leading the DD charge

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Possibly the loosest unit in the region, Ethan Morgan breaking off a FS 540 underflip Japan to super flat landing

An odyssey is any long, complicated journey, often a quest for a goal, and may be a spiritual or psychedelic trip as well as an actual voyage.

Plans can always change. Especially during the winter. Fortunately, this is in fact a good thing. It doesn´t really matter where you are or where you go; as long as you can find a little bit of snow with your friends, you´ll have fun. Put simply, Odyssey is about going places, riding our snowboards and the wild and fun moments that come naturally with what we do.

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Joris Doorn sends a FS 360

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Different Direction in Andorra

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Mario Kaeppeli in the good stuff

The standard idea of the perfect snowboard shot might be a rider traveling through an empty blue sky over untracked powder hills and no shred-buddy around crashing the picture. At least that´s what we were told.

But, maybe the opposite is more fun. It’s what we like anyway. The more tracks in a landing, the better a session has been. The more yells you hear while chasing down a pow line, tree run, street line or whatever, the more hyped you get. The more people opening a fresh can of beer, the louder the sound of freedom will be. The more friends who watch you land a trick after bailing it plenty of times, the more celebrated the trick will be! Nothing is better than sharing that one thing we love doing the most with our friends. You can´t talk about the stoke, you have to be about it!

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Pig roast, a staple P H O T O : M I K E G O O DW I N

WORDS: MIKE GOODWIN

“Cooking has always been a part of what we do,” says Johan Malkowski, U.S. sales manager for CAPiTA, Coal and Union, as we sit on the long coolers underneath a pair of pop-up tents, apparently noticing how awestruck I am by the amount of food being prepared. I don’t doubt that I was staring – they were unwrapping a staggering amount of scallops for any seafood paella, let alone one prepped in a service-less patch of the Mount Hood National Forest.

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He must work out!! Mike Rav heating us up with a mighty fine plant in the HCSC pipe P H O T O : DA N N Y K E R N

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P H O T O : DA N N Y K E R N

I am a fortunate guest for the last two days and nights of the seventh Campita, an annual, Capita family meet up that has become a fixture of the summer schedule up at Mount Hood, where team riders, brand employees and beloved friends convene for a semi off-the-grid party. Though we are in the woods, we’re certainly not foraging, and though we are technically camping, only a few are truly rouging it; most attendees are veterans of the outdoors, with camping setups pretty dialed at this point in their careers, to say nothing of those who’ve brought their campers or truck-turned-sleepers along.

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P H O T O : M I K E G O O DW I N

The ol’ back tail roast beef reach-around from Benny Milam

Heading west down the dusty county road that led me into the forest, a succession of Subarus and pickups lining a few hundred yards of the road announce my final destination. (My apologies to those who followed me in – I had a rental, did not purchase the insurance and the sun-in-my-eyes/crater-sized pothole combo had my broke ass creeping.)

Walking down off the road through a small clearing in the trees, I pass under a Campita entrance sign strung between two trees, fashioned of broken branches and moss by Sami Luhtanen during some downtime upon his arrival at the beginning of the week, and descend into camp. Just past the

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Johnny O’Connor toss backflip tuck-knee to ing a fakie PHOTO: JOEL FR ASER

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Wainhouse enjoying the spoils of MVP

P H O T O S : M I K E G O O DW I N

Emmett, Riley and Erik prepping one of the evening meals, an incredible seafood paella

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Grom hatchet throw session

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Dangler surely reaching the peak of his falsetto solo while Cocard lays down the rhythm.

Scott Stevens captures the moment PHOTO: M I KE G O O DW I N

entrance stand the two pop-up tents, providing cover for the many provisions brought in for the event – a train of coolers, boxes of groceries, a well-stocked bar, inviting chip selection, full pig, and all the tools and accoutrements U.S. midwest rep Emmett Klocker and friend, chef Erik Anderson, need to prepare the week’s meals. Erik first came out to Campita a couple years back to help cook and returned again this year, volunteering to help feed a mob in the woods. He is the executive chef at Coi in San Francisco, which was recently awarded its third Michelin star! As Johan expressed to me earlier, they aren’t scrounging around in the food department at Campita.

Just to the left of the “kitchen” is the stake where the pig will be cooked on the final night. A bit further sits a smaller, secondary fire pit backed by one of many tent communes assembled between the path down from the road and the lake below. To the right along the wide, worn path that leads

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to the water is the main campfire area, encircled by a couple dozen collapsable chairs and a small army of groms either using hatchets to chop fallen timber into smaller pieces for burning or launching them into nearby trees. The trail continues beyond this main encampment, growing gradually narrower, steeper and a touch more treacherous for a hundred yards or so, past a few more small camps until it meets the lakeside, where I have strung up my hammock. Side note: leaning over and peeing out of the hammock without getting up isn’t nearly as tricky as I imagined, a huge check mark in the pros column for the hammock in my camping “book.”

We all know the lengths we go to delay breaking that warm cocoon for a piss in the brisk morning air.

There is a rhythm to the days of Campita 7, one that’s been shaped both by the previous Campitas and decades of general recreation on the glacier. Ride all day, catch a beer at Charlie’s,

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FSI from Aaron Santos PHOTO: SAM WESTON

a late afternoon skate, go for a swim/bath, eat, jam by the fire, find out who’s got the whiskey. Though I am generally easy to sleep, because I am spending the nights in a hammock I pay extra mind to the last task on the docket, just to make sure.

On hill everyone breaks into smaller crews, sessioning whichever part of the glacier fits the hour, reconvening now and again for a full lap to the bottom (still possible this year), a run through the public park, or, much to my delight, a day-closing pipe session. Halfpipes have been smeared a bit over the last decade as solely a venue for jocks and death-defying spins, yet the summer pipe sessions on Mt. Hood have remained a constant example of how much more can be done in the halfpipe and how epic pipe sessions can be. This time was no exception.

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As good as these ones might have been, killer sessions on the glacier are not reserved to the Capita team. The truly remarkable aspects of their gathering come into sharper focus during the post-ride parking lot hangs on through the rest of the night. This is where you see the bonding and camaraderie most obviously among the team and brand family. You see it between riders during impromptu group jams or lake swims, in the strong, shared sense of pride in being part of this particular gang. You notice newcomers forging relationships with longtime attendees over a unique opportunity. You see it in the young guns, the next generation, taking on their idols in a game of skate or teaming up to whip a log into burning shape. In these interactions, the soul and purpose of what we are all after is laid bare. The freedom that stands at the core of snowboarding is starkly apparent. Wandering out in

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The ever-stylish Kevin Backstrom scraping tail ASER PHOTO: JOEL FR

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the woods for a week with some of your closest friends seems a good way to reconnect with that feeling, especially for those who’ve been around a while and can be prone to the burden of industry cynicism.

By the time I return from a day on hill, and an extended beer and parking lot skate session, the roasting of the pig is well underway and the acoustic guitars have found their way into familiar hands. “Cocard is a human jukebox,” remarks rider/artist/Capita mainstay Corey Smith, as Brandon Cocard rolls into Weezer’s “The Sweater Song.” Hours later, quite literally, the man is still going, now joined by a chorus of revelers, belting out the lyrics to a Cocard original, “The Shitter Song.”

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I wrote this here song on the shitter I wrote this here song just for me The only place I can go When I need to be alone Is the place where I wrote this here song During a break in the music CAPiTA’s Marketing Manager Mark Dangler gathers our attention to say a few words in acknowledgement of the event, the group at large, and designate a few awards accompanied by beautiful wooden plaques that Jess Kimura carved.

(Jess’s carving of the plaques and Sami’s entrance sign are excellent examples of Campita’s familial vibe.)

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Campita 7 Rookie of the Year Sami Luhtanen blasting off P H O T O : DA N N Y K E R N

Sami got to take a piece home to Finland with him, landing Rookie of the Year honors. Riley Goodwin, Union’s Marketing and Communications guru, who, from what I gathered, played an enormous role in prep and planning, snagged himself runner-up MVP and a suitcase of LaCroix. He may or may not have bought said package on his credit card, which solicited plenty of laughs, though we were reassured he’d in fact be reimbursed.

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It was rider Matt Wainhouse who took home the week’s MVP award, the first time the accolade was officially given out, for a slew of accomplishments including but certainly not limited to a massive swim across the lake and back, netting himself a handle of Fireball in the process. Upon conclusion of the ceremony, Matt offers up the handle to the group as a thank you to all involved, a move very much in the spirit of the get-together. “If you don’t have herpes, you will after tonight!” proclaims a shout from the dark. “We can all be survivors together.”

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Milo Malkoski parking lot ollie PHOTO: SAM WESTON

Truth Smith pokes out a FS air PHOTO: SAM WESTON

PHOTO: JOEL FRASER

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Photo: Perly Rider: Pierre Scafidi Location: Semnoz, France Trick: Shifty

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Photos: Andrew Miller Rider: Bryan Fox Location: Galena, BC

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Rider: Bryan Fox Location: Galena, BC Trick: Pow submarine

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Photo: Howzee Rider: Kevin Backstrom Location: Otaru, Japan Trick: Tailbone

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Photo: Howzee Rider: Tor Lundstrom, Halldor Helgason, Kevin Backstrom Location: Saas-Fee, Switzerland Trick: Good times, all the time

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Photo: Cole Martin Rider: Justin Fronius Location: Spokane, Washington Trick: FS 50-50

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Photo: Cole Martin Rider: Sam Taxwood Location: Liberec, Czech Republic Trick: Front board

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Photos: Andrew Miller Rider: Nick Russell Location: Tahoe Trick: Pitted

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Rider: Nick Russell Location: Tahoe Trick: Slash

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Watch now on

METHODMAG.COM and REDBULL.TV

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Catch ya next swell!

- Sean Kerrick Sullivan 18.4

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22.12.2017 24/11/2017 14:27 02:24 09/11/17 12:14

R E A L

S N O W B O A R D I N G

18.4

UNION EXPEDITION BINDING COMPANY. UNMISTAKABLY UNION AVAILABLE IN:

ITALY/USA YR.13-DEDICATED

RELEASE DATE: FALL 2017

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The wait is finally over - with 2 years of development, side by side with Bryan Iguchi and Travis Rice - the Union Splitboard Binding System is here at last! Carrying on our “less is more” product mentality, the Expedition System is ready to ride out of the box, cutting out the confusion of getting yourself into the splitboard game.

INSTA:@UNIONBINDINGCO UNIONBINDINGCOMPANY.COM

22.12.2017 02:18