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Jonas Michilot Photo // Oli Gagnon Spot // Quebec
SHILOH JACKET / BLACK-CHARCOAL SHILOH PANT / KHAKI
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A V A I L A B L E
JP WALKER / STIAN SOLBERG / JOE SEXTON
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content
VOL 3.1
‘09 ‘09 Editor: Pat Burns Photo Director: Oli Gagnon Editorial Director: Etienne Gilbert Advertising sales: Etienne Tremblay Creative Direction: Claudia Renaud, Claudia Simon Contributing Photographers: Brian Hockenstein, Alex Paradis, Ashley Barker Oli Croteau, Mitch Allen, Dom Gauthier, Guillaume Morisset, Phil Tifo, Jeff Pearlman, Crispin Canon, Patricia Preda, Cyril Muller, Colin Adair Contributing Writers: Eric Greene, LNP, DCP, Jason Dubois, Nic Sauvé, Max Baillargeon, Giom Morisset, Louif Paradis, Will Lavigne, FX, Andrew Geeve, Alex Cantin, Jeff Pearlman, Pat Trottier, Esthera Preda, Jan Snarski Le magasine Slash(ISSN 1913-8385) est publié 3 fois par année.La rédaction n’est pas responsable des textes et des photos publiés, qui engagent la seule responsabilité de leurs auteurs. Les constributions sont les bienvenues, toutefois, vous devez fournir une enveloppe pré-affranchie pour le retour. Toute reproduction sans l’accord de l’éditeur est interdite. Slash magazine(ISSN 1913-8385) is published 3 times a year. Opinions expressed in articles are those of the autor. All rights reserved on entirecontent. Slash magazine welcomes edittorial submissions; however, return postage must accompagny all unsolicited manuscripts, art, or photographic materials if they are to be return. Hébergement: Gc media Imprimé au Canada: ISSN 1913-8385 Impression: Litho Chic Slash Magazine 425, Gérard-Moriset, suite 8 Québec, Qc, Canada, G1S 4V5 www.slashmagazine.ca pat@slashmagazine.ca
LNP // Blunt 270 out Photo // Oli Gagnon Spot // SLC
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Intro: Opening day Movie review 2010 Progression Opinion Interview with Alex Cantin
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Company Check out Do’s and don’ts Event Check out Photographer Check out: Jeff Pearlman Music: Barn Burner
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Opening day By Eric Greene
If you’re not using your time productively in school, don’t have a decent job, or are unable to afford a tropical vacation, the damp and dreary fall season in Canada sucks. It can feel like an eternity to sit throu gh the countless days of wet, windy, cold, miserable and dark climate while you wait for the rain to acquire a bit more substance and a whiter tone. When the flakes finally start to fall and the resort websites post their opening dates, it’s on! You can sticker up your board and start breaking in your new boots around the house, because the season is about to officially transfer to winter. Many snowboarders endure those autumn months doing manual labor in the aforementioned weather conditions in order to save up enough cash for a season pass and a winter of fewer work days. For these noble beings, the opening day is hard earned and well deserved. There are others who are wealthy in free time and finance, and able to flee the country to lie on the beach somewhere until receiving the news that it snowed back home. They’re the ones who show up on the eve of opening day, tanned and content about how theycunningly evaded the pre-season. Perhaps they haven’t paid their dues as much as the regular folks, but it’s still commendable that they show up when it counts. Opening day is the one day of the year where snowboarding shows its inner religion. It’s the day that makes it all worthwhile; a group sermon where we recognize and appreciate why we live in the mountains and why everything else in life comes in second place. Here are a few basic guidelines and suggestions for opening day that I’ve picked up from different snowboarders over the years: Don’t Shred New Gear: Snow conditions on opening day are always a gamble. Odds are, the rocks are pretty shallow and the snow doesn’t cover the lower segments of the runs. Ride last year’s setup until you know that the snow base is deep enough to defend your new P-Tex. Diversify Your Crew: Whichever mountain you’re at for opening day, it’s going to be packed with people that are there for the same reasons as you. Take laps with as many people as you can in order to spread the cheer and maximize the radness. Don’t Get Too Excited: Opening day isn’t sex with a supermodel, so try to hang back a little. It’s magical to be snowboarding again after six months off, but remember that there’s a whole season ahead of you. Your legs probably won’t last more than a few runs, so spend that time getting loose and having fun. With marginal conditions, getting hurt will ruin your special day and potentially many that follow. Get U.F.D.: There exists, among many snowboarders, a common ritual of getting your feet above your head at least once during opening day. A mellow backflip off the cat track never hurt anyone and it’s a great tradition to kick off the season. There’s nothing better than taking your boots off in the parking lot at the end of the day and claiming to your friends that you got upside-f@#*ing-down. Have a Beer. You Earned It!: An après session should also be on the to-do list. Whichever resort you happen to log your first day at, it’s no doubt there’s going to be a lot of smiling faces and good vibes on the patios of the slope-side pubs. Kick your feet up and appreciate the return of winter and the company you’re with. But don’t drink and drive. Hang up your tool belt or put your school books on the shelf. Early December (or late November, if you’re lucky), is the time to lace your boots up and hit the hill with your friends. And relax…it’s snowboarding!
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DCP // Slash Photo // Oli Gagnon Spot // Juneau-Alaska
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The finalization of the first issue of Slash for the 2009-2010 season makes me realize that summer is behind us and that the “dead” season, like we call it, is around the corner. Fortunately, this also means that winter is coming and that we’ll be strapping in, on the top of our local mountain ready to slash our way down pretty soon. Until then we need to content our excitement and to find a way to feed our hungry soul. This is partially why all the new snowboard movies comes out at the same time waiting for the next anxious costumer. In order to help you become a little more familiar with a few of the must see videos of the year, we interviewed some of our Canadian riders featured in the best movie productions in the industry.
- Pat Burns
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Ben Bilocq // Nosepress Photo // Oli Gagnon Spot // Toronto
Interview with LNP
Lets talk about the movie… Tell us a little bit about the movie production company and about the crew you worked with last winter? The production company is called Videograss. Mikey LeBlanc, Darrell Mathes, Nima Jalali, and Mike and Lance Hakker are the guys behind the project. The crew was composed of me, Louif Paradis, Ben Bilocq, Alex Cantin, Nick Dirks, Jonas Michilot, Jake Olson Elm, Darrell Mathes, Justin Bennee, Aaron Biittner and Keegan Valaika. Give us your impressions of the movie? What can we expect? Rails, street, backcountry, pipe, park, freeride? You can expect a little bit of everything. Guys like Ben and Alex have well-balanced parts with street and backcountry footy, while others have parts more focused on street stuff. The movie is rad because all the riders have very different styles. All parts are very well edited and represent the rider’s personality, something that seems to be forgotten in snowboard movies these days. The movie is fast and raw, a little bit like the style of Baker 3 and Love Hate. How was the dynamic during last season? Was the crew traveling together at all time? Did you have other crews in different places at the same time doing different things? It was all about traveling with friends, looking for new stuff to ride according to what each person was into riding and which tricks they wanted to do, all in a very relaxed approach. We always traveled together. Some trips and crews focused more on street, some focused more on backcountry but in the end, the movie looks like we were always together. Where in the world was the movie shot? As far as street goes, a lot of shots are from Québec and the US. As far as backcountry goes the shots are from BC, Japan and Salt Lake. Who do you think will have the best part and the best trick? First and last part are the two segments where the tricks are the cleanest and most advanced, with some never seen before stuff. Ben Bilocq’s part is very good, with sick rails and sick backcountry shots. Louif is one of the best snowboarders in my book. It’s easy to notice when you watch his part. He’s got some seriously innovative tricks on never-seen-before setups. Louif has the last part and finishes with a trick that is worth buying a DVD for… Ha!
Are there any rookies in the movie? If so who should we be on the lookout for? Ben Bilocq, Alex Cantin, Jake Olson Elm and Louif. Now lets talk about you a little more… What does it mean to you to be a Canadian in one of the biggest snowboard movie productions in the world? It’s a great opportunity. I’m taking it all in, traveling, meeting new riders, making new friends and discovering new spots. Having a part that really represents your style and personality is so awesome. Videograss does just that and that’s a big reason why the movie is so good. Do you have a funny story to tell about your season or something that left a positive impact on you or the crew? There are so many. But during our first trip of the season in Michigan Louif, Nick, Jonas and me where looking for some rails in this little town called Flint. I think it’s like the poorest town in the states or something. We looked all night and never found any so we ended up sliding around in this old plastic kiddie pool. When we finally got out of that town and on to the next one we found a bunch of good spots and just killed it. Which shot of yours is your favorite? Not necessarily your banger but the shot for which you worked the hardest or the one trick that felt the best? I got a switch 50-50 on a very quick triple kink, which took me 5 hours to get. I’m pretty stoked on that one. Also that frontside tail 270 on a flat rail to a bank. The shot comes out looking very cool and it took me about 2 hours to land. It takes a lot of hard work to compile a video part. Does snowboarding for a living change your passion for snowboarding? No! Now it’s just a way of life. It’s actually more fun because I get to ride all the time. Would you like to film with the same crew again next winter? Do you have any plans already made for next winter? For sure! All these guys are my friends. We’ll have to see because Rome wants to make a team video again. If that’s the case, I’ll get to ride more with Will Lavigne, who’s another good friend of mine.
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DCP // Method Photo // Oli Gagnon Spot // Juneau, Alaska 22 // slash snowboardmag
Interview with DCP
Lets talk about the movie… Tell us a little bit about the movie production company and about the crew you worked with last winter? Last year I changed filming crews. I was working with the Absinthe crew and it was a lot of fun. I rode with Romain a lot and a little bit with Gigi. It was good to ride with my friends again. I also rode with Annie Boulanger and Marie-France Roy in BC and with MFM and Wille Yli-Luoma in Alaska. All in all, I had some great trips!
Give us your impressions of the movie? What can we expect? Rails, street, backcountry, pipe, park, freeride? Apparently, Justin, the producer feels like Neverland is one of his best movies ever made. There is a lot of solid bangers with Gigi, JP, Travis and some sick rails too. It’s should be a great mix of freestyle backcountry and street destruction. How was the dynamic during last season? Was the crew traveling together at all time? Did you have other crews in different places at the same time doing different things? Absinthe likes to focus on certain riders at a certain location for long periods of time. For example: Romain and JP spend a lot of time together in Europe. I spent one month in Alaska with Wille and MFM. It’s more fun like this if the conditions are good. If not, we wait for storms to come in instead of chasing them left and right like I use to do. Where in the world was the movie shot? USA, Canada, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, France, Japan. So we really went to some international locations. Did you guys spend a lot of time shooting some street riding? If so did you ended up traveling to some cities around Quebec? Personally, I don’t spend time riding the cities. I’m too busy riding powder. But I know Shane (filmer) spent October, November, December and January filming some street riding in the states. I saw some sick shit from SLC. Who do you think will have the best part and the best trick? I think Gigi should have the best part. JP should have the best trick… Double cork backside 1080… So sick looking… Viva YES Snowboard! Now lets talk about you a little more… What does it mean to you to be a Canadian in one of the biggest snowboard movie productions in the world? I feel really lucky to be where I am in
my career. It allows me to travel the world and to ride some of the best spots with some of the most experienced people. That’s very important, especially in BC and Alaska. Do you have a funny story to tell about your season or something that left a positive impact on you or the crew? To be able to ride Eagle Crest resort every stormy day we had in between shooting days… So cool… It allowed me to balance work and riding for fun. Which shot of yours is your favorite? Not necessarily your banger but the shot for which you worked the hardest or the one trick that felt the best? We filmed off this cornice one day with a cable cam. Justin (filmer) was hanging by the cable. We had to have perfect timing, good light and I really had to land the trick. We had a lot of attempts before I even started jumping. When we finally went for it, I landed… We weren’t sure if the shot was gonna turn out because we’re still shooting in 16 mm. It all worked out in the end, and the shot looks cool. It takes a lot of hard work to compile a video part. Does snowboarding for a living change your passion for snowboarding? No! I just love it all… I like the rush but mostly I just love being in the mountains everyday during the winter months. It takes a lot of energy, it can be frustrating and you get hurt sometimes… But the good times are just too good to focus on the negative… I want to do this for a few more years. Would you like to film with the same crew again next winter? Do you have any plans already made for next winter? I think so! It’s so fun with those guys. YES will be sponsoring the movie again next year. Maybe I’ll do 2-3 weeks on a different project… Not 100% sure yet but we’ll also be doing some podcasts on YES TV on our website, WWW.YESNOWBOARD.COM
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Jason Dubois // 50-50 transfer Photo // Colin Adair Spot // Quebec
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Interview with Jason Dubois Lets talk about the movie… Tell us a little bit about the movie production company and about the crew you worked with last winter? I filmed for Standard Films last season and it was an amazing experience. I rode along side guys like Torstein Horgmo, Seb Toutant, Halldor Helgason, Andrew Geeves, Chas Guldemond, Lonnie Kauk… Give us your impressions on the movie? What can we expect? Rails, street, backcountry, pipe, park, freeride? You can expect everything you want to see, street, lots of backcountry. It’s gonna be a sick freestyle snowboarding movie. Lots of rookies and a few veterans. How was the dynamic during last season? Was the crew traveling together at all times? Did you have other crews in different places at the same time doing different things? We had a few park shoots and a few rail trips, but I can say that pretty much all the riders filmed individually in cities and countries around the world. Where in the world was the movie shot? Everywhere really, Canada, USA, Europe, Iceland…
Did you guys spend a lot of time shooting street riding? If so, did you end up traveling to some cities around Québec? Yeah, it was pretty fun to ride all the Québec spots with guys from around the world. Who do you think will have the best part and the best trick? We’ll have to see! Torstein and Seb do crazy tricks on jumps. Which shot of yours is your favorite? Not necessarily your banger, but the shot for which you worked the hardest or the one trick that felt the best? I think the one “down flat to transfer” on a sharp metal fence with a close-out at the end of it. When I first saw that thing I thought to myself that I needed to do something different than the rest of the guys. It was kind of stupid with high consequences, but I dropped in and nailed it on the first try. I went and got myself a beer at the corner store, sat down and enjoyed it. It takes a lot of hard work to build a video part. Does snowboarding for a living change your passion for snowboarding? Snowboarding is my life, it’s what I like to do the most. I enjoy every moment of my life ‘cause my passion turned into my job. I love what I do. Would you like to film with the same crew again next winter? Do you have any plans already made for next winter? I would love to film with those guys again, it’s great for my career.
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Interview with Nic Sauvé Lets talk about the movie… Tell us a little bit about the movie production company and about the crew you worked with last winter? Last winter I focused all my energy in filming a video part for the new Forum team video called “Forever” All the guys from the team were part of it; Peter Line, Joni Malmi, Eddie Wall, Pat Moore, Jake Blauvelt, Stevie Bell, John Jackson, Jake Welch, Daniel Ek, along with a few rookies; Niko Cioffi and Cameron Pierce. Give us your impressions on the movie? What can we expect? Rails, street, backcountry, pipe, park, freeride? It’s very versatile, backcountry, street and park. A good mix of backcountry; pillows, lines, kickers, rockrides etc. Jake Blauvelt, Pat and John are getting into double corks and it looks freaking sick! All the street fans are gonna be well served, too. How was the dynamic during last season? Was the crew traveling together at all times? Did you have other crews in different places at the same time doing different things? The whole crew was usually divided in three crews with a filmer and
Nic Sauvé // Gab cap 270 Photo // Oli Gagnon Spot // Montreal 26 // slash snowboardmag
a photographer for each crew, shooting in different cities and countries. Some trips were short, one to two weeks while others were longer, up to 2 months in the same area. Where in the world was the movie shot? Mostly in the USA, lots of time was spent in Montana and Michigan. I also spent one month in Norway with a small crew. Did you guys spend a lot of time shooting street riding? If so, did you end up traveling to some cities around Québec? Every year we spend time around Québec. I spent January around Québec and Chicoutimi with Joni, Jake W. and Niko. Who do you think will have the best part and the best trick? A lot of riders have solid part this year but John has the closing part, which I think is a very inspiring part. Are there any rookies in the movie? If so, who should we be on the lookout for? Look out for Niko and Cameron.
Now lets talk about you a little more…What does it mean to you to be a Canadian in one of the biggest snowboard movie production in the world? It’s wonderful to have this opportunity. Riding with some of the best riders out there makes me push my limits and helps me improve many different aspects of my riding. The more I learn, the more I realize there is no limit to what I can learn and discover, because of snowboarding. Do you have a funny story to tell about your season or something that left a positive impact on you or the crew? We were all planning to go shoot some street in New York but by the time we got there all the snow was melted. It was a nice waste of time and money and we were all pretty bummed. But from there we decided to head to Oslo, Norway which ended up being the best trip of the year for me. You never know how one thing leads to another. Always be ready for the unexpected.
It takes a lot of hard work to build a video part. Does snowboarding for a living change your passion for snowboarding? Right now I love snowboarding as much if not more then when I first started. I think riding for a living only makes my passion stronger. Would you like to film with the same crew again next winter? Do you have any plans already made for next winter? I would love to make another team project, but nothing is set in stone for next year at this point. One of my dreams would be to film a movie with all the guys with whom I started snowboarding; Louif Paradis, Greg Desjardin, Will Lavigne, LNP, Max B. Alex Cantin, etc. We learned the tricks of the trade together—how to work toward a video part—and we’ve all made it a long way since then. Things would definitely get hot if one day we could all reunite and be part of the same project.
Which shot of yours is your favorite? Not necessarily your banger, but the shot you worked the hardest for or the one trick that felt the best? The last trick of my part is the one that felt the best for sure. I had the trick in my head, but I thought it would take me some time before getting it perfectly. But it only took me two tries—ha! I was so stoked!
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Interview with Max Baillargeon
Tell us a little bit about the movie production company and about the crew you worked with last winter? Last winter I was working with the guys at “People Creative” for their new movie called “Nice Try”. It’s pretty much the same crew that used to be known as “People”. After MDP pulled the plug on their double decade adventure in the snowboard movie business, these guys on the other hand felt that they were ready to start their own journey. As for the line up, it has changed a little bit… Ricky Tucker, Zac Marben, Seth Huot, Shaun McKay, Wille Yli-Luoma, Bryan Fox, Jon Kooley, Robbie Walker, Will Tuddenham, Josh Mills, Louie Fountain, Curtis Ciszek, Eiki Helgason, Jonas Carlson, Lucas Debari and me.
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Give us your impressions on the movie? What can we expect? Rails, street, backcountry, pipe, park, freeride? It’s a great mix of street and backcountry. Our crew is made of some of the best jibbers and jumpers in the industry, which makes us expect some of the best riding of the year. Personally I like a diverse style of movie … Riding styles and rider’s style… and that’s what this movie is all about. How was the dynamic during last season? Was the crew traveling together at all time? Did you have other crews in different places at the same time doing different things? The crew was different from one trip to the other. When the weather was good in a town we wanted to hit, we would
Who do you think will have the best part and the best trick? That’s a hard one ‘cause I haven’t seen all the footy or the movie yet… I know that Seth and Zac both had a solid season. Zac did a cab 270 on a pretty good kink rail and Eiki has a double backside rodeo in the backcountry. Are there any rookies in the movie? If so, who should we be on the lookout for? The new guys in the crew are Ricky, Will and me. I haven’t seen the footage nor did I ride with them last winter, but they are good riders… Just watch the movie and judge for yourself. Now lets talk about you a little more… What does it mean to you to be a Canadian in one of the biggest snowboard movie production in the world? This is what I’ve always wanted to do since I started snowboarding. So, it’s like a real accomplishment to be able to work with a solid film company like this one. Do you have a funny story to tell about your season or something that left a positive impact on you or the crew? In the early season I was kind of wondering how things were gonna work out with the new crew. When Corey first gave me a call and told me to meet with him in Minneapolis in three days for the first sessions of the season I understood that the last minute call was gonna be part of the regular schedule. It’s only as the season was evolving that I realized that this was one of the thing that I love about shooting a video part… You never really know what is next… Which shot of yours is your favorite? Not necessary your banger but the shot for which you worked the hardest or the one trick that felt the best? One of the tricks that felt the best was the sw boardslide on that steep kink rail in Levis… It’s such a nice feeling to slide sideways on a steep kink and to feel the flat while staying in full control… It’s all or nothing… It takes a lot of hard work to build a video part. Does snowboarding for a living change your passion for snowboarding? To be honest, it’s true that sometimes halfway through the season, I can feel a little exhausted physically but also mentally. That’s when I need to get my mind out of snowboarding a little bit so I can go back to being motivated and inspired. Last winter I bought a pair of skates and a hockey stick. After a day of shooting or during a day off I would go to the outdoor ice rink and get my skate on. It helped me to relax and refreshed my focus.
MaxBaillargeon // BS 180 Tail Bonk Photo // Alex Paradis Spot // Quebec
Would you like to film with the same crew again next winter? Do you have any plans already made for next winter? Yep! I would love it! I want to keep riding street stuff and discover new spots. That’s how I stay inspired. Like every fall I always say that I want to ride more backcountry… I hope to be able to do it more again this season. Backcountry riding is so exciting. I really need to find a way to put the time into it, even if it’s to the detriment of my street-riding schedule.
plan a trip there with whoever was available and interested. Personally, I also spent a lot of time filming with different crews when I wasn’t part of any planned trip. Where in the world was the movie shot? Mostly in the US and in Canada, but some crew also went to Spain and Europe. Did you guys spend a lot of time shooting street riding? If so did you ended up traveling to some city around Québec? I spent most of the year riding street. You will recognize a lot of the Quebec spots for sure, but we also visited T-R, Ottawa, Moncton… there are always new features to find close to home and old ones to reinvent.
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Progression Etienne gilbert What is progression? Progression could be describe as: - A movement forward. - A series with a definite pattern of advance. - The act of moving forward (as toward a goal). - The process of increasing the intensity, duration, frequency, or amount of activity or exercise as the body and the mind adapts to a given activity pattern. - Becoming more advanced, severe, or worse. When trying to define things in words, one of the challenges that we come across is that the only describing tools we have available are the words themselves. The problem with words is that they are loaded with preconceptions and can never fully describe the thing better than the experience itself. Therefore, it’s important to look beyond the words, to blow them up so we can get a general feel for the things we’re trying to express. In our society it seems that “thinking things over” has taken over “ getting a feel for them.” We tend to trust logic over instinct, which is a great proof of the disconnection that we’ve been experiencing now for thousands of years with our true nature. We could all benefit in learning to listen and trust our instinct. After all, instinct is the only thing that can tell us what is right when nothing else can. Progression is actually a pretty simple concept although there is more than one way to approach it. We could look at our progression as a rail rider, a jumper, a freerider or a pipe rider, but in the bigger picture we are interested about our progression as snowboarders. In that sense we could also look at our progression as a snowboarder, as a student, as a writer, etc. but in the even bigger picture, it’s about our progression as a human being or even a race. Everything in our universe is connected. Nothing can escape this reality. That’s why your progression as a snowboarder is closely related to your progression in every other aspect of your life and vise versa. For example, a good day of riding can carry positive energy into relationships outside snowboarding and positive relationships outside snowboarding can carry that positive energy into your snowboarding. In the bigger picture, we are in a relationship with everything around us and most likely the way we handle one relationship reflects on the way we handle the next one.
Etienne Gilbert // Bsrodeo Photo // Oli Gagnon Spot // Whistler
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Another great way to define things is to identify that which they are not! Now! Progression is definitely not a race! Progression in any field is a process.
Process :
- A series of actions or steps taken in order to achieve a particular end. - A natural or involuntary series of change. Any snowboarder’s improvement curve is not always gonna be a straight line going up. Some days it might feel like you are regressing, it might feel like you have been on a plateau for a while, but then one day you can learn a handful of new tricks or feel like everything you are doing feels effortless. That’s the nature of improvement as a process. What’s important is the bigger picture. When you stand back and look at your improvement curve it does not matter how many times the curve goes down or how low it goes as long as the general pattern is going up. In snowboarding, the bottom line is that mileage and time on your snowboard equal improvement and experience. Building muscle memory through practice is one of the key elements of improvement and progression. Improvement and progression are similar in many ways but are also very different. Progression never stops as for improvement will stop. Improvement as a person is relative to everybody’s perception of improvement. Progression as a person is inevitable in one way or the other. Physically, in snowboarding , when time takes its toll on the body, improvement will stop, but progression towards something new naturally happens. Progression goes through cycles but never stops, just like life does. Like I quoted in the intro of the last issue of SLASH, “Nothing is lost, nothing is created, all is transformed.” Everything is in constant progression from one thing to another. So the end of a journey is really the beginning of a new one. Everybody goes through bad and good streaks, feeling down and feeling up. Through time where you’re not performing or riding your best. That’s OK and totally natural. It’s not about staying away from bad streaks, it’s about how fast you get out of them and get back to feeling good and performing your best. Feeling down only gives you an opportunity to get back up. In this world of duality, we must embrace the downs as much as the ups, cause without them, there would be no up. Like in every aspect of life or in any sport, the ultimate goal is to perform to our best, to maximize our potential, our capacities and to create room to enhance them. I’m not talking about improvement as much as I’m talking about displaying your true skills every time you get out there. By doing so, improvement just happens.
Goal :
- The destination of a journey. That’s usually the definition you’ll find for “goal.” But I’ll tell you one thing, the journey is the goal, not the destination. That’s just one of the misconceptions of our linear time culture. The reality is that everything that ever happened, happens and will happen, will always, and only happens in the “now”. It’s the only time and place where true creation ignites.
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How do you get somewhere? By putting one foot forward now! That being said, a “goal” is the direction you give yourself. The outcomes always and in all ways, take care of themselves. If your focus is the destination and you tell yourself “I’ll be happy once I get there,” what is the F*%$#!g point? You are missing the real goal, which is to enjoy and feel good about where you are in the journey itself! Nothing ever guarantees you that you’ll make it to the destination cause shit happens, even to the best of us, so you might as well have fun on the way there. When you are present and committed to the moment and the possible outcomes, it’s like you are already there. Instead of a means to an end, the means “becomes” the end. To get somewhere, try feeling like you are already there. I can guarantee you it will change your chase into an enlightening experience. When shit happens, it happens! You can’t always control the events in your life but you can always react the way you want to them. That’s true freedom right there! Goals are flexible. You can always change your goals. You can always give up your dreams, and I mean in a good way. In progression, dying to things of the past is the first, the last and all the steps in between????. If your instinct tells you to give up a dream of yours, it does not make you a failure, it only makes room for a new dream to come alive. Know that dreams come and go but the dreamer lives on! I’ll tell you one more thing. The ultimate goal is the one you will never achieve! And that’s to be fully absorbed and focus in the here and now, in what you are doing now. Because the here and now is always moving through time and space, therefore you can never say that you finally got to the destination because the destination is always moving. At the very moment you claim to be “here,” you’re not anymore. Now, lets get back to performing to your best. You’ll perform to your best when your mind is quiet, your body is relaxed and your focus is absorbed by what you are doing in the moment. The more you are in that zone the better you will perform, no matter what you are doing. You might progress into being in that zone more often or for longer periods of time, but you don’t progress your way into that zone. It’s either you are in or you are not. Focusing on the negative, on the things you want to avoid, getting tense or having your mind playing tricks on you happens to the best performers in the world, and that’s normal too. But getting stuck in that state of mind is not cool. That’s why bouncing back as quick as you can is the key to progression, improvement, enjoyment and greatness. In the end, progression just happens naturally. Give yourself a direction, a “goal,” and start walking this way, one step at the time. Everything else happens by itself, all you have to do is to react to the events the way you “FEEL” suits “YOU” the best. Get out there and have fun with it!
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Opinion about Olympics games What do you think about the Olympic coming to BC next year and about halfpipe snowboarding being an Olympic discipline? I think it’s cool! It keeps the sport in perspective. This way the world can see how much the sport is evolving every four years. I can’t wait to see Shaun White win with a run that is out of this world. For me, it’s not gonna make a difference where the games are, I’ll be watching from the comfort of my couch.
What do you think about the Olympics in general? It’s a big televised sport event. Personally, I like practicing a lot of different sports but watching other sports than the freestyle sports does not really interest me. I prefer events like the X Games or Dew Tour, which focus on what I like watching.
Some snowboarders may not know that Terje Haakonsen, the highest profile halfpipe rider at the time, and a few more riders boycotted the Olympics the first year snowboarding became an Olympic sport. The reason was that the IOC (International Olympic Committee) picked the International Ski Federation to run the Olympics and pre-Olympic events instead of the International Snowboard Federation. How in the hell does a f*$%#!g ski federation end up with the right to run the one thing that we were proud to run under our own terms? What do you think about that? Ooooohhhh! I don’t really like politics. It creates useless problems too often in my opinion. Snowboarding remains a simple sport where the goal is to have fun. If some snowboarders want to approach it in an athletic manner, then good for them. I see the FIS (Ski Federation) contests where athletism is the goal; Spin-to-win attitude. It’s not what I’m looking for or like to watch but that’s just my personal opinion. Personally, I like the artistic side of snowboarding. Doing stylish and original tricks and making them look personal. When the runs becomes back-toback ballerina style 1080’s, it makes me sleepy.
Presently, skateboarding is dealing with the same problem… Tony Hawk once said, “The Olympics need skateboarding more than skateboarding needs the Olympics.” Why do you think snowboarding made it to the Olympic before skateboarding? Does snowboarding needs the Olympics more then the Olympics need snowboarding? Snowboarding evolves in many directions. Athletic snowboarding needs the Olympics to have national support and the athletes need the Olympics to have worldwide mainstream recognition. On the other hand, the Olympics need snowboarding to increase their popularity in the homes of people like me, who would not really watch the Olympics if it wasn’t for snowboarding. Giom Morisset // Alley-oop ninja Photographe // Oli Croteau Photoshop // Giom Morisset
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Paradis
Opinion about Olympics games
What do you think about the Olympics in general? I think it’s a great tradition where humans exceed themselves over and over again, year after year. It’s interesting to see the evolution of humans working to be faster, stronger, more agile species.
Some snowboarders may not know that Terje Haakonsen the highest profile half-pipe rider at the time and a few more riders, boycotted the Olympics in their first year in Japan, 1998. The reason was that the IOC (International
I have a lot of respect for what they did. That was a harsh decision to make and I’m sure not all of the rider’s sponsors were really stoked on that. It proves that they cared more about snowboarding than about the dollar bills.
Presently skateboarding is dealing with the same kind of problem. Tony Hawk once said: The Olympic needs skateboarding more then skateboarding needs the Olympics. Why do you think snowboarding made it to the Olympic before skating? Does snowboarding need the Olympics more then the Olympics needs snowboarding? As far as I’m concern, the olympics needs snowboarding more than we need them. I think snowboarding is the most watched event in the winter olympics. On our side I don’t see a big change. Maybe I’m wrong but I don’t see it helping us to get better snowparks, more support, and things like that. Just more rules and more people who have nothing to do with snowboarding involved in it.
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I think it’s pretty cool that we have the Games here, in the most beautiful place in Canada. Although I don’t really like it around here when it’s too busy… Plus there is construction everywhere at the same time… Halfpipe riding as an Olympic sport… I don’t really know what to think! I find it surprising that skateboarding is not an Olympic sport yet. I respect the athletes! I think it’s crazy to see how consistent these guys are… But personally, I know that snowboarding is so much more then winning medals. For me there is no champion! Everybody should do whatever they want in their own way and try to improve, do new tricks and be creative. I would rather see a bunch of guys jamming… with best tricks, best run, biggest air… than seeing three judged runs.
Olympic Committee) picked the International Ski Federation to run and take care of the Olympic and pre-Olympic events. How in hell does a f*$%#!g ski racing federation end up with the right to run the one thing we were proud (and able) to manage on our own terms? What do you think about that?
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What do you think about the Olympics coming to B.C. next year and about half pipe snowboarding being an Olympic discipline?
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Photo // Ashley Barker
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Intro by Will Lavigne From his first fs board on a handrail to the sw bs 7s in the backcountry, Alex Cantin never stopped improving on his board. You rarely get to see someone who rides rails as well as backcountry. He has an excellent part in the new Videograss movie. Carter knows how to land big tricks and how to do them with style. He is one of the most elegant riders. What he does always seems effortless. Other than snowboarding, he rides his skateboard, plays golf, tennis and hockey. Alex is active. He is also the « BBQ guy » ! He’s the one flipping burgers and cooking steaks in the BBQ parties. He is still young and has many years ahead of him, Alex :
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I have watched Mikey in videos since the day I started snowboarding so it is an honor for me to be part of his project.
Your name Is Alex Cantin and your french Canadian... why the hell do people call you “Carter”? Hahaha! It’s crazy how often I get asked about that but I don’t mind telling it once again. It’s a funny story. It was five years ago, during my second summer in Whistler. I was with my buddies hanging out in the infamous village when we met a homeless native completely drunk. Five minutes later we were all best friends and he even sang us songs. At that time we never got out of the house without the video camera so we ended up asking him to say the names of all the riders that were going to be in our video. When we told him my name so he would repeat for the camera he said : “Oh yeah! I know you Carter !” like if I was the big basketball star. Everybody was laughing their ass off. Since that time my friends call me Carter! So you have been coming out to Whistler for a while now filming with sugar shack, for kids that want to climb the ranks of the snowboards scene in Canada do you think moving to Whistler is the best option or should they stay at home and dominate thier local scene first... then move.. it seems like there is a lot of kids in Whistler right now trying to get a break. I Think they should dominate the local scene and then start thinking about moving out west. Of course, with the new law that forbids the resorts to build big airs and kickers it makes it very hard for kids to learn jumping. I will never understand that concept. It is a very good thing to go and ride the big mountains like the ones in Whistler. There is noting to compare with the small hills of Quebec and I presume it is the same everywhere else in Canada. There is nothing better than spending a full winter riding powder, trees, cliffs, parks, etc. This is the way to become solid on a snowboard. I remember my first winter in Whistler with the Quebec guys. It was probably my best one. “Ya want some powder snow? Here’s some powder snow!” You have been riding for Ride for a while now... how is it now filming for the same project as Mikey and Darrell...Ha man! In last December, I did not yet have any project to film for and the season 09 was about to start so it was quite stressful. The project I was the most interested with was Videograss; Mikey and Darrell’ s project. Louif, Laurent and Ben were already part of the crew and they invited me to come and film some tricks on an urban setup. I ended up talking with Justin Meyer who was the head filmer to see if he was interested in having me join the crew. Mikey and Darrell quickly accepted without even meeting with me. I have watched Mikey in videos since the day I started snowboarding so it is an honor for me to be part of his project. I spent a good part of the season filming in the backcountry with Darrell. I really like riding with that guy. He is a brilliant rider who works hard, is creative and has a very nice style. I have a lot of respect for those two dudes. It feels like at the moment the new kids blowing up right now are all coming from Quebec... What is it out there that is making this happen.. is it the Ozone? Hahaha no, I don’t think the Ozone has anything to do with that. The only thing you get from that place is a headache the next day. But yes, there is a good vibe in Quebec these days. Louif, Laurent, Ben, Will, Greg and Max are on fire and they are all parts of different projects. We are all very good friends. We all met on the slopes when we were kids because we shared the same passion. We got motivated all together. We started from the beginning and made some small local videos. We have had a lot of fun doing that. Four years ago we directed the video Bandwagon which is a very good one, according to me of course. I am pretty sure it was one of the best winters for the most of us. Since that time, we all took different directions and today we see more and more Quebecers on the cover of the best videos and their part are not bad at all. Do you feel americans get way too much coverage for what they acheive and canadians get swept under the table? Obviously it is much easier for the Americans to get some exposure because this is where the big money and the industry are. For us Canadians, it is a harder because we must make it happen at two levels. We all start by getting recognized in Canada and then when the brands feel that we are ready to enter the game with the big players we go to the US. In the end, it is for sure that a lot of good Canadian riders are swept under the table. We must work twice as hard. As my mother says: “You get nothing for free”.
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Who is the next Devun Walsh? Devun Walsh is a rider that I appreciate a lot. Correct me if I’m wrong but he invented the word “SMOOTH”! He is a snowboard legend and I don’t think there could be a second Devun. Yes, there are good canadians riding backcountry but Devun has his own style. He always looks like he is taking a bath in the air. So you do well in contests, but also know how to stack footy. You could make a lot of money just traveling and doing contests.... where do you want your snowboarding to go right now? Honestly, I only entered one contest this year and it’s the Shakedown. I did well but I usually don’t really like contests. The only one I like to enter is Shakedown because it’s in Quebec and I get to spend the weekend with all my friends. Every year we ride together without any pressure on a good set-up. I really don’t like the contest side of snowboarding. It’s more of a gathering. I think I just found the right word hahaha! I focus much more on filming
Fsboard bs 270 out Photo // Oli Gagnon Spot // Quebec
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and shooting photos. I enjoy spending the season filming for a project. We are much more free doing that then entering contests all year round. Filming for a new video part every year is very cool. I just can’t wait for next season to star. I have plenty of ideas in my head. I want to ride backcountry more. It’s been three years that I ride backcountry and I feel much more confident than when I started. I want to keep improving that way. I would like to explore new places. I only filmed backcountry in Whistler up to now but places like Rivelstoke,Teracce in BC or even Montana, Tahoe in the US would be interesting.
Gap to cab 270 frontboard Photo // Oli Gagnon Spot // Toronto
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There is a legend saying that at the time when the King’s Daughters started arriving on the continent by boat, it was the people in Quebec city who had the first choice because it was the first stop. Obviously they would choose the better looking ones. So since that time, Quebec is full of beauties.
So we filmed all year and you nailed it.. Where is your head at the start of the season in regards to building a part.. do you know what you want to get, is it stuff you may not have got last year, or do you just go for it and see what you have at the end... Of course I want my part to be different every year by bringing new stuff year after year. People are always interested in seeing what I do on my board. It’s important for me to have diversity in my part by having tricks in both backcountry and urban spots. Usually, I focus on the street stuff for the first part of the season. When I am satisfied with what I have, I complete the season in the powder. Obviously, we never know what is Mother Nature’s plan in advance but oh well. I prefer to focus on one thing and then go to the next thing after instead of mixing both. When I was a kid I use to eat all the meat in my plate first and then the potatoes and I would finish with the rest of the vegetables hahaha. When i was in Quebec we spent quite some time at the Ozone.. now personaly i have never seen so many hot girls in one room... you dominate down there i could tell... why is that place so amazing and why are there so many hot girls in Quebec. Hahaha! You are not the first to say that. Anybody who comes filming in Quebec city eventually end up at the Ozone Ste-Foy. Honestly, every time I go on a trip I hope to find a place like the Ozone but it did not happen yet. It can be dangerous though. It can be hard to get the motivation to go play outside when you’re at the hotel and you got Internet, restaurant and a bar with a very high level of hot girls. Quite perfect isn’t it ? Quebec is known for it’s nice ladies and I totally see why as time goes by. I thought it was normal. Go spend a week in Mammoth, California or Whistler or Calgary or anywhere else and you will see that we are very lucky. There is a legend saying that at the time when the King’s Daughters started arriving on the continent by boat, it was the people in Quebec city who had the first choice because it was the first stop. Obviously they would choose the better looking ones. So since that time, Quebec is full of beauties. Believe it or not that town is very well equipped in ladies.
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Bs 50-50 Photo // Oli Gagnon Spot // Toronto
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It’s great to have good friends in such a major project. I couldn’t have asked for anything better. We did numerous trips all together last season and we got along very well. I think it is important to get on well with the crew when you are filming. We’ve ridden together for a long time, we agree on most things and the results are good.
You grew up with a lot of the guys in Videograss (Ben Bilocq, Louif Paradis, LNP), how is it now all together working on a major project? It’s great to have good friends in such a major project. I couldn’t have asked for anything better. We did numerous trips all together last season and we got along very well. I think it is important to get on well with the crew when you are filming. It’s been many years that we ride together, we agree on most things and the results are good. I look forward to see the finished product and I think it will be quite decent. So apparently we are in a recession right now, from your position in snowboarding do you feel an effect of the tough economic times? What do you think of the state of the industry right now? The recession did not really affect me. When the time comes to negotiate contracts we hear the word “recession” quite often but my sponsors are good to me and they trust me just as much as I trust them. However, it can be scary when you hear of all the riders who suddenly get cut even if they do what they are supposed to. We are going through rough times but I think most companies are simply afraid. They are afraid of the recession and they don’t want to risk too much so they cut a bit everywhere. My opinion is that everything will come back to normal and this is just a bad period. I heard you gonna coach this summer at coc? Yes I will be coaching this summer. It will be my second summer as a coach. I’m looking forward to it because it’s very fun to ride during summer in the good weather. In the last years the park has always been really cool. The ambiance is cool. All my friends are there and we take the opportunity to ride all together. It’s very gratifying to help the kids improve their skills. When they learn a new trick they are has happy as if they had won a contest hahaha. It is probably the best job I have ever had. Can you complain when your job is your passion? What do you have planned for the off season, will you be going to the Ozone? After the season I will spend some time at home in Quebec. I will take some time to see the friends I get to see less during winter. I like to keep moving so I’ll ride my skateboard, play golf, play tennis and ride my bike. I might as well party a bit, we’ll see. Hahaha! Also, I like to travel and see new places so I plan to take a trip to Asia in order to get disoriented a bit. I filmed for Videograss so I will go to the premiere in San Diego next September. After that I’ll start training for the upcoming season.
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It is easy to see if a rider does it for the money or because it is his passion.
50-50 bs 180 out to wallride Photo // Oli Gagnon Spot // Quebec
I sledded with you a lot this year.... I was wondering and I am sure a few others are such as Crispin, why the hell did you get a 1000! It seemed like that thing worked better as a submarine. Hahaha. It’s not that bad. Actually, I bought it last summer from Etienne Tremblay who was moving to Montreal. He wanted to get rid of it and gave me a really good deal that I could not refuse. That time we got stuck in the woods during four hours was not my fault. It is not my fault if you had decided to go on a mission with Crispin on the deepest day of the year. I just went to see if you were alright but with a broken ski in between the trees it was not so good. It works very well unless there is huge quantity of snow. It may be heavier than other machines but it’s more powerful. You can’t have it all.
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Thanks: First I would like to thank my parents who always supported me since the very beginning. I will never thank them enough. My friends who help me enjoy life. Pat Bernier who gave me my first board. Carl Rousseau who gave me my first jacket and who showed me how to wax my board hahaha. Oli Gagnon who took my first picture printed in a mag. Etienne Tremblay who showed me how to start the engine of my ski-doo and who gave me the opportunity to film for his projects. Everybody involved in VIDEOGRASS. My sponsors: Ride, Billabong, Sith, Celsius, Ifound and Dlx. Without them I could not do what I like to do the most. Pat Burns for this interview. I am probably forgetting a lot of people but thanks!!!
50-50 to 50-50 on ledge Photo // Oli Gagnon Spot // SLC
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Benji Ritchie // Bs 180 Photo // Dom Gauthier Spot // Whistler
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Andrew Burns // Fs 540 Photo // Brian Hockenstein Spot // Whistler
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Chris Coulter // Ollie Photo // Oli Gagnon Spot // Haines, Alaska
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Rusty Ockenden // Fs 900 Photo // Ashley Barker Spot // Whistler
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Gigi Ruf // FS 360 Photo // Oli Gagnon Spot // Haines, Alaska
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Gaetan Chanut // BS 540 Photo // Phil Tifo Spot // Whistler
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Will Lavigne // Gap to blunt Photo // Ashley Barker Spot // Jamestown
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Advita Wear
Interview with FX by Pat Burns Advita was created in 2004 in Geneva, Switzerland. The Frenchman crew was involved in amateur video at first and then progressed towards textile. They kept developing both product alongside and this is how we now know Advita wear and Snowworld video Production. Veteran Nicolas Droz is very involved in the new movie coming out this fall Opus de Homies. Advita is based out of Switzerland in the Diablerets, a resort situated right in the heart of the French Alps where we can ride from September until May and chill by Lake Leman the rest of the year. After 5 years of operation, Advita is proudly distributed from Czechoslovakia to Quebec. What got you guys inspired to launch Advita in the first place even with a market so saturated? Our mission from the start is to support a crew of riders in a distinct ambiance with the goal to grow together. The product is the reflection of this distinction. The brand and the crew as grown from a local to and international organization so we can say that everything is working out just like planned so far. The market is saturated it’s a fact, but we want to innovate with some quality product where attention to details is present in every pieces. Even the T-shirt has a special touch that makes it feel like nothing you’ve ever worn before. Our special textile mixture
BASSE RESOLUTION makes it a perfect accessory for snowboarding in the winter and skateboarding in the summer. Once you put one of our AA* T’s on, you can’t go back to anything else!
have guys like Justin Bennee, Louie Vito, Stevie Bell, Yan Dofin and the Hieroglyphics who are part of our VIP/ Homies wearing the gear just to support us unofficially. Thanks to everybody
Who is part of the team and where can we see them in action? In the official crew there is Charles Gagnon, Silvain Monney, Pierre Rué, Paul Lambersen, Arthur Girault et Kuba Ditkowsky. You can see them in action in the Homies 2.0 project: Locked Outside which will be available as a free download on the web in December or inside Snowsurf in October. The word is getting out from ear to mouth and we
Send us a video of you shredding at max@advitawear.com and you could be the lucky new member of the Canada Advita team. All you have to do is to kill it on the shred stick… Make it fast, the winners will be reveiled on November 15th on the Advita site www.advitawear.com
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Charles Gagnon // Method Photo // Cyrill Muller Spot // Les 2 Alpes
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Photo // Patricia Preda
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o’s and don’ts
After you win a contest:
- Stand on the podium and yell «Pete de noune» into the mic. - Don’t get too drunk and pass out before the party starts.
After you lose a contest: - Make sure you find a way to blame it on the judges. - Don’t stop talking about how you should have won.
It’s your birthday, you are already too drunk and your best friend buys you a shot: - Take the shot and spit it back in your chaser. - Don’t let your friend see you spitting it back.
You just hurt yourself and looks like you’ll be on the sideline for at least a couple of weeks: - Fill your empty days by spending all your money on gummies, sharpie pens and fake tattoos. - Don’t be caught on the dance floor with crutches.
On the first day of the season: - Leave your cousin behind and take speed runs with your friends. - Don’t get drunk on the sun deck and not snowboard. Nosepress // Estera Preda Photo // Mitch Allen Spot // Whistler
In the off season: - Get in touch with nature or travel. - Don’t spend the whole summer in Whistler.
It’s your last run and you try to impress the new friends you just made but it ends up being an awkward bail: - Be really pissed and start punching the snow and throw and/or break your snowboard. Actually don’t do that. - Don’t care and laugh about it.
You are about to hit the biggest jump of your life: - Tell your friends you love them. - Don’t forget to go to the bathroom.
You just landed a crazy trick on a triple kink down S box in the park: - Afterbang and then throw both of your fists in the air and ask everyone if they saw you. - Don’t forget to claim that you knew you would have got it that time.
You just realized the new snowboard trends are tall tees and tight pants: - Go to the big and tall store get a moo moo. - Don’t let your little sister notice that you stole her Parasuco pants.
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Photo // Colin Adair
o’s and don’ts After you win a contest:
- I don’t win contests, but make sure you buy your buds some drinks later on.
It’s your birthday, you are already too drunk and your best friend buys you a shot: - Do it. - Don’t pussy out.
You just hurt yourself and looks like you’ll be on the sideline for at least a couple of weeks: - Do smoke weed. - Don’t stress.
On the first day of the season: - Do fun stuff you won’t get greased out on. - Don’t hurt yourself first day.
On the last run of the day: - Do… Hitrun on Whistler. - Don’t... take the gondola down like a gaylord.
In the off season: - Do skateboard and party. - Don’t not enjoy your summer.
You are about to hit the biggest jump of your life: - Do just drop in and jump it. - Don’t second guess.
You have been shooting for 5 day in a row and the weather looks like shit for the next week: - Do try and do whatever is most productive. - Don’t…just peace out without thinking of every option.
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Andrew Geeves // Frontboard Photo // Brian Hockenstein Spot // Prince George
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Jess Kimura Photo // Polar Media
SNOW MISSION “The first time I considered going to the contest I was like ‘Do I really want to drive 8 hours for a contest? But since then it’s not even a question anymore. I just don’t want to miss it. Not only cause the cash prize is big, and that you get paid all the way to 5th place and all that… All the best riders are there and because everybody lives too far away to go back the night of the after party it’s a guaranteed success. The set up is always sick and original. A real street setup the way we do it in the cities. None of that rainbow, flat box bullshit! It’s also a great way to celebrate the end of the season with all the reps and enjoy the last days of spring riding.” - Anto Chamberland, 2009 winner
Interview with Patrick Trottier by Pat Burns For those who never heard about The Alternative Snowmission can you tell us a little bit about the mission and how it all started? The event goes back to the 90’s but over the last five years we’ve really stepped up our game and we’ve been dedicated to the making of a real quality event that makes everybody wants to get out of their way just to come, compete, and party. The goal is simple, gather the best riders in the region and outside the region in a fun ambience on a perfect set up. What are your future plans? We want the event to become self-sufficient and to see more and more riders from all over the place come take part in it. We want to keep the purse above $11,000 and have either a MacBook or a snowmobile to give away on top of that.
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Charles Reid
Jess Kimura
P-O Houde Photo // Polar Media
There are a lot of contests in the Québec region these days. It’s like events are competing against themselves in a way. Over the last few years a lot of the best riders in the Québec region gather to compete in The Snowmission. Can you tell us what makes your contest different and why people seem to come back every year? The vibe is very good around here at Mont-Comi. It’s a great opportunity for all the local riders to get a taste of the snowboard scene in their own backyard. Not only does the contest attract people but a lot of the companies and reps are also here to finish their demo season in style. So it works out great. It’s easy to just stick a rail in the snow and to call your contest “Rail Jam” or “Jibfest” but we really wanted to do more. Over the years, the word goes out and that’s why we see more and more quality riders coming to our event. Last winter we had riders from Michigan, Salt Lake, Vermont, BC and obviously Québec. Guys like LNP, Sylvain Beauchesne, Charles Reid, Seb Toutant, Yale Cousino, Jason Dubois only to name a few, showed up. It makes us feel like we are doing something right. From what I heard, the contest is so popular that it seems to be a little hard to find a place to stay during the event. Do you have any local advice to give to a spectator who wants to come check it out? It’s true, for those who want to stay right on site. We have the riders covered but as for spectators the key is to book your accommodation early. The resort direction is now a little uncertain about opening those beds in the principal Chalet basement because of the party scene after the contest. Let’s say that things got a little out of control last year. We’ll have to work extra hard to make it happen again this year. What about the artistic part of the Snowmission? Can you tell us more about that too? Over the last 5 years, we’ve been working with Patrick Beaulieu and Mat Laroche from Avive and IFound. For the 2009 edition we had a multitude of characters all over our course. These guys are very involved in the snowboard community and help us in making our venue look on point. We’ll be working with them again this season for our official 5th anniversary and we sure can expect a few artistic surprises. The 5th edition is scheduled for March 13th, 2010. Any inside scoop? We have special plans, but all top secret until the day of the event. One thing is for sure though: My girlfriend is not gonna give birth on the day after the event so I will be more present and definitely a little bit more relaxed.
“I think the involvement of the organizers makes the Snowmission a very special event. They make sure that everybody is having a good time. During the day you ride the qualifier, the mountain or the mini-shred section, which is open to everybody. At night it’s the finals followed by some wicked party action. Once the whole adventure is over the next morning, everybody goes to the resto ‘Chez Oeufs’ in Rimouski for a champion breakfast. The line up might get big sometimes, but trust me it’s worth the wait.” - Estera slash snowboardmag // 65
PHOTOGRAPHER CHECK OUT I take photos and write about snowboarding and I’m addicted to it the same way a junkie is addicted to drugs. Summer is amazing; sunshine, patios, and short skirts, but there is something missing. To be fair, I don’t get all shaky, or steal from my friends and family to support the habit, but if you ask the people closest to me, they will all attest to the fact that I’m not quite myself until I’m once again shooting snowboarding in the coldest months of the year. I moved to Montreal last November to spend a season out east and shoot the urban side of snowboarding—and it ended up being my best season to date. I spent most of the winter taking photos of the best urban slayers on the planet like, Frank April, Greg Desjardins, Max Legendre, Anto Chamberland of Brothers Factory fame and Max Baillargeon, Jesse Delgrosse and mighty Max Honegger, to name a few. I traveled to new places like Riviere Du Loup and New Brunswick and got to see some things never done on a snowboard before (ahem Frank and Greg) and met some amazing people on the way. Thank you to Slash Magazine and all the shreds who perform amazing acts of snowboarding in front of my lens, you guys are the coolest people I know. Let’s do it all again next year. One Love. Jeff Pearlman
66 // slash snowboardmag
Eiki Elgason // Method Photo // Jeff Pearlman Spot // Whistler
Max Baillargeon // Nosepress bs 180 out Photo // Jeff Pearlman Spot // Ontario
slash snowboardmag // 67
INTERVIEW WITH BARN BURNER By Oli Gagnon
You guys are from Montreal, how is the metal scene over there? The metal scene here is pretty divided. There seems to be a thriving death metal and tech metal scene, a decent hardcore scene and then the smaller tribe of wasteoid rippers like us and our bro’s bands. It seems like the kind of metal we play isn’t extreme enough for the majority of the scene so we pick up all the transient fans who are more concerned about which venue has the better drink specials.
Do you guys like Schwartz smoked meat? You know what? I’ve never had it. I’ve been a vegetarian for over a decade, Rick’s a vegan and the rest of the dudes can’t afford such delicacies. All of my meat eating buddies swear by it though.
68 // slash snowboardmag
I saw you guys in Whistler, I think you just finished a big tour, right? How was that? Yeah, we toured for about 5 weeks to promote our latest album. It was quite possibly one of the best tours any of us have ever been on. The pool party with Bison in Whistler was particularly ruling. Cannon Ballllllllllls!!!!!
Tell us 3 rules about going on tour… 1.Never, ever bring your girlfriend on tour. It will literally break up your fucking band. Don’t do it. 2.There are a number of rules about beer on the road. We believe in an organization called the BCU (Beer Crimes Unit) and they establish the various rules regarding drinking beers. For example, never leave any beer unfinished, etc. If these rules are transgressed severe punishments are unleashed. 3.Melt faces and bang heads.
Photo // Oli Gagnon
Do you have any side projects that you would like to talk about? Well, all the members except for me play together in an emo band called PALS. I’m not sure if they are trying to tell me something or what but I certainly don’t condone their “Get Up Kids” cover songs. I, on the other hand, have a brutally heavy one-man grind core band called Mcgyver. I make grind out of anything.
I think you guys just released a new record. You wanna tell us what it’s all about?
What’s in the near future for Barnburner? We will be mainly focusing on writing the remainder of our next album tentatively entitled “Bangers 2: Scum of the Earth”. Other than that, we have some east coast tour plans this fall and hopefully an absolute onslaught of touring after the new year.
Anything you wanna tell the snowboarding public? Yeah I do! If I build a fuckin’ booter at the bottom of a crucial drop, don’t fuck with it! Alright, bro?
It’s called “Bangers” and it is available on CD and vinyl through New Romance for Kids records. A pretty hefty amount of blood, sweat and beers went into it and we are all pretty pleased with how it turned out. It pretty much represents the almighty battle towards being able to sustain oneself on the heavy metal lifestyle, the hopes and dreams of the common banger.
slash snowboardmag // 69