USASA Winter 2015

eMagazine

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USASA Alumni Kelly Clark claimed Gold at the 2014 Sprint U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix Halfpipe snowboarding finals at Copper Mountain, CO.

December Feature: A look into the history and development of the 22-foot Super Pipe

by Bud Keene

WINTER 2015

WWW.USASA.ORG

Photo: Sarah Brunson/U.S. Snowboarding

Photo: Jennifer Langille/USASA

TABLE OF CONTENTS 5

FIve for Five

Fiive of our Regional Series directors shared something we didn’t know!

10 Where’s the wave?

Bud Keene explores the history and development of the Super pipe

22 Five Pillars of Injury Prevention & managment Southewest Series Directors Fred & Kele McDaniel share important information on staying injury free this season

34 It’s all About the Base!

How-to presented by Wend Waxworks

38 USASA Snowboard Coach Profile: KC Gandee 42 USASA Judge Profile: Jonas Brewer 44 USASA Freeski Coach Profile: Noah Labow

TIM HUMPHRE YS Photo by: Tim Humphreys

One line. One clip. Wins $20,000.

Learn more at lineofthewinter.com

FIVE for FIVE! Photography by Jennifer Langille / USASA

NEW HAMPSHIRE SERIES 1. NH Series has had 4 Alumni in The Olympics! - 2 SB , 2 FSChas Guldemond, Scotty Lago, Julia Krass, and Julia Marino.

2. Our Series has spawned more than 20 professional snowboarders and freeskiers.

3. A few local restaurants have jumped on as regional sponsors to make sure we give away gift certificates for free pizza at almost every event!

4. Our youngest athletes pretty much worship our longest continuous member, Kahuna David Paulger!

5. Our Series Directors are having a baby in March!

We asked five of our Regional Series Directors what USASA Members may not know about them!

Here are their responses!

Maine Mountain Series 1. Maine Mountain was once combined with the NH series. In 1997 one of the dads from Maine decided to start his own series, which is still known as the Maine Mountain Series.

2. Maine Mountain was the first and only series to have a whole family podium at Nationals. Sean(dad), Terry (mom), Katie(daughter) and Kevin(son) Keough all medaled in 2012!

3. The first skier to compete in a Maine Mountain Series event was pro skier, Simon Dumont.

4. The longest distance traveled to compete in a Maine Mountain Series Snowboard- Cross event was an athlete from Kazakstan. That would be 5,470 miles away!

5. Two time Olympic gold medalist Seth Wescott started with the Maine Mountain Series.

Raging Buffalo Series 1. Our host mountain opened as the worlds first exclusive snowboard area. We were featured in transworld snowboard magazine confirming this. We now are 100% open to skiers as well 2. Our host resort is going through a $2-3million dollar expansion in the next 3 years which will give us a better boardercross course 3. Our series has been around for about 18 years 4. The name raging buffalo comes from the original ski resort buffalo mountain which was open in 1964 as a ski resort that closed in 1982 and was reopened as raging buffalo in 1992 5. Our mascot is a stuffed buffalo head in our lodge whos name in real life was Otis. He was the head of his herd raised just west of chicago and now his spirit haunts our lodge and there are many stories to support this.

Great Lake Snow Series 1. Michigan is the Birthplace of Snowboarding.

2. Michigan has over 51 Ski areas, second in the nation for most ski resorts. (New York is 1st) Our highest vertical drop is 641 feet.

3. Our state is shaped like a Mitten!

We are AMERICA’S High-Five ! (Wisconsin tried to rally that “THEY” were the “Mitten State” …nice try Wis ~ go eat some Cheese~ 4. Michigan is the only place in the world with a floating post office.

The J.W. Westcott II is the only boat in the world that delivers mail 5. Series Director Greg Flowers was part of the Original “Great Lakes Snowboard Series” back in the early days of USASA as a competitor while Board member John Schaal was the Head Judge.

Northern Vermont Series 1. Bud Keene, Shaun White’s personal coach, started the Northern Vermont Series 15 years ago.

2. NVT was the starting point for the careers of renown photographer Cole Barash, top pro snowboarder Jake Blauvelt, world snowboard judge Connor Manning and 17 yr old Olympian Ty Walker.

3. NVT hosts events at seven different mountain venues and one World Snowboard Day event in the town of Stowe VT. 4. When you attend events at Jay Peak Resort your phone will switch to Canadian service.

5. Zippy Neill and Paul Krahulec made their first trips to Northern Vermont this fall and learned all about VT hospitality, farm to table food and really good beer.

SUPER PIPE [

USASA Alumni Arielle Gold soaring to the podium during the 2014 Sprint U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix Halfpipe snowboarding finals at Copper Mountain, CO. Photo: Sarah Brunson/U.S. Snowboarding

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Photo: Agi Orsi Productions

In the beginning,

WORDS by Bud Keene

Where's The Wave?

Tony Alva captured during a scene of the movie Dogtown and Z-boys.

there was the wave. When the earliest surfers first steered 100+ pound planks of wood into the path of one of these, and then stood up, it was the action-sports equivalent of the ancients waddling ashore from the primordial ooze never to return.

A new pastime had been born.

A new art form. As some might argue, a new life form. That was the birth of humankind’s love affair with transition.

Then came the skateboarders.

As films like Dogtown document, those California surfers first conceived the skateboard as a

dryland training tool, and they practiced the same movements on flat-ground and slight hills that they were making in the water. But soon, and naturally, they wondered: “Where is the wave?” So they found it. At first in the form of culverts and drainage ditches paved over by engineers, and then in backyard swimming pools drained for the winter or for repairs. Finally, they picked up their tools and made the waves of their dreams, and these ramps and bowls, made of wood, steel, or concrete are now ridden with gusto from coast to coast and around the world.

Creating dry-land waves.

Photo: Vertical Techik LTD

Left: The Father of Freestyle, Terry Kidwell as seen and captured

by Bud Fawcett.

Right: Bud and Lowell Hart walking in Stowe, VT with

Burton Woody Performers, Feb 1984

(Bud Keene Collection)

When snowboarding’s inventors started producing early prototypes they were surfers looking to bring their skills, and their way of looking at the world, to snow-covered mountains. At first they were like the SoCal surfers-turned-skaters, carving and slashing the snow much like it’s liquid cousin. Then some skaters got into it. Skaters, who by this time had been raised on transition. Once again the question was asked: “Where is the wave?”

So now, with their snowboards they again found it. At first in places like Donner Ski Ranch and the Tahoe City golf course, where nature’s transitions were enhanced with shovels and hard work, and today

at winter resorts worldwide, the art of riding transition has been brought full-circle, only now the wave is frozen.

Halfpipes have come a long way since I began riding them.

I remember one of my earliest encounters with transition on a snowboard. As with many of my first experiences on a board, it had nothing to do with a winter resort, as back then we weren’t allowed at most of them.

Around the corner from Donner Ski Ranch near Tahoe there was a big gully that got covered over in snow. Because of the action of the wind a cornice formed about

25 feet above the bottom of it on one side. One day back in ’85 I was lucky enough to be invited along for what would become a legendary freestyle session and a seminal moment for snowboarding.

After enhancing the cornice into a quarterpipe wall, we bombed down the opposite side of the gully and launched ourselves into the air, reentering the quarter and riding away, before unstrapping and hiking back up for another hit. I didn’t shine on that day, but others like Terry Kidwell and Keith Kimmel killed it. The photos and video of Terry in particular, shot by the

earliest chroniclers of our sport Bud Fawcett and Mike Chantry, inspired a generation of freestyle riders. Snowboarding would never be the same.

Fast forward to today.

Halfpipes have now grown to North Shore-sized, perfectly sculpted half-tubes of ice and snow, where riders and skiers alike can hold their speed and launch into the air to neverbefore-dreamed-of heights.

While up there they may perform a most basic, timeless, and stylish maneuver – a slow, arcing straight air with a grab, similar to Kidwell and Kimmel on day one.

Shaun and Bud scoping out the slopestyle course at European X Games in Tignes, France before Shaun’s comeback win.

Photo: Fizza Lorenzo Verdinelli

They may also choose from a vast collection of dizzying spins, flips, and axes of rotation – or invent their own - that appear to defy gravity, before landing softly back down on the perfect walls and gunning it across the flatbottom toward the next hit. It’s a fact that the perfection and consistency of the modern halfpipe shape allows the athletes this freedom to explore the limits of snowboarding and freeskiing acrobatics with a reasonable margin for error. For me it is beautiful to

watch them taking advantage of that freedom.

To some – myself included – a perfectly groomed halfpipe is somewhat akin to riding on a powder day, playing a championship golf course, having a perfect surfbreak all to myself, etc. Though it’s true that the quality of the pipe makes me ride better, it’s not necessarily always about that. Just like the powder day, just like the sick golf course, and just like the perfect wave, even if I am sucking at it I’m still having the time of my life.

I mean it is like a powder day

after all!

Besides snowboard mogul competitions (it used to be an event at the US Open - I know, I competed in it!) the first real reach of snowboarding into becoming a freestyle sport was through the halfpipe. My first halfpipe comp was the “Funky Snowboard Bash” at Tenney Mountain, NH where I got 3rd behind Jeff Brushie in a small pipe with a massive bowl at it’s end. In 1988 I competed in the first US Open halfpipe in a 3-foottall, 150-foot-long hand-dug trench.

Much in the same way as we lobbied winter resorts back in the day to allow snowboarders to purchase lift tickets and ride the slopes, we approached and convinced them to construct halfpipes and jumps, and to install rails for their freestyle customers.

As we all know, many resorts agree and provide terrain for their customers in all three categories (pipe, jumps, rails), and still more provide it in one or two of those. There are a handful of resorts that completely ignore the subject, but they are not worthy of

mention here.

Though many resorts have a halfpipe of some size, 22foot Superpipes –the current world standard - are built and maintained at a minority of resorts nationwide. It would be great if one was just down the road for all of us, just as it would be great if there was a good surfbreak down the road from my Vermont home in the woods, but it’s just not that way. Still, there are many, many more quality Superpipes in existence in the US than in any other nation or on any other continent. What’s responsible for us having way more of them than anyone else is the hard work and persuasive skills of freestylers who wanted halfpipes and who approached and convinced certain winter resorts of their financial viability.

Of course the fact that Superpipe is an event at the Olympics for snowboarders and skiers helps. There is a path, a pipeline established to get to the world stage, and Superpipe competition is one of those ways. Part of that path and pipeline is the USASA Nationals, where Superpipe is a colorful, spectacular, and hotlycontested event. All US Olympic champions have cut their teeth at the USASA Nationals, and the Superpipe event is one of those stepping stones.

Still, not every kid has a quality Superpipe down the street to practice in, and what can we do about that? The generallylegitimate reasons that resorts cite for not building and maintaining them are several, but typically revolve around the high cost, the lack of enough or of suitable hill space, the draw on the snowmaking resource, or the perceived minority of customers who would utilize it.

There are several paths available to those who don’t have a Superpipe in their backyard.

The easiest is to quit riding the pipe and focus on what you do have at your home mountain and in your area, like hitting rails, jumps, riding the open slope, urban shredding, racing and boardercross, etc. I didn’t go that route, but I get it. As the saying goes, when you’ve got lemons, make lemonade.

But just because you don’t have easy access to a superpipe doesn’t mean you have to give it up. There are other options available to someone who really wants to get good at pipe, and these options are the ones that I have a lot of experience with.

You see, I come from a mountain, and a region, that has a decided lack of halfpipes. As a coach, that was a potential bummer for myself and my athletes, who all

wanted to ride everything, and to be competitive in the halfpipe as well. Rather than take no for an answer, we found a way. Here are some ways: Lobby a nearby resort to build a pipe With good organization and a show of numbers, this tactic can work. After all, it was the one we used back in the day to even get snowboarding allowed at resorts. By approaching it from a financial perspective, and being armed with facts, figures, and projections, you may convince your resort to give it a try. Be sure to build in some proving period for their comfort, and then follow through and show them the return.

Getting a sponsor or sponsors, or a financial benefactor involved could really help here.

Organize a regular road-trip for your athletes to a good pipe Though this is a lot of work for someone, it can work very well if you have someone who is willing to do anything at all to succeed, as I was. From 1997 to 2002 I drove my riders 3 hours one way, 2 to 3 days a week to ride a decent pipe when our local resorts didn’t maintain good halfpipes. By spending most of their time riding natural terrain and developing skills, hitting jumps and rails, and then taking

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those skills to focused sessions in the pipe on these roadtrips, my riders learned to ride the pipe very well. In fact using this approach we were able to win numerous national halfpipe championships, put riders in every Grand Prix final for several years, podium at Olympic halfpipe qualifiers, make the finals at the US Open, and even win invitations to the the X Games halfpipe – all without a halfpipe at our home resort. Had there been a better alternative I would never have chosen to take this approach, but if I wanted to succeed I had no choice. Still, what we were able to accomplish with solid basic skills and a lot of heart was impressive.

OK, here is where the local solutions end. But don’t worry if you can’t convince a resort to build a pipe and you are not within striking distance of one, there is still hope for you. Here are some good long-distance options that have produced many champions: Attend some high-quality snowboard or freeski camps that specialize in this type of training and that have a great reputation, the more of them the better.

You don’t need to ride pipe every day of your career to get good at it. In fact history has shown that the kids who wake up every day

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USASA Alumni Taylor Gold during his qulification run during the 2014 Sprint U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix Halfpipe snowboarding finals at Copper Mountain, CO. Photo: Sarah Brunson/U.S. Snowboarding

looking up at a halfpipe don’t necessarily become champions.

It is more often the kids who develop great basic skills on their equipment, and are a little deprived of the good stuff who blossom into rippers when they finally gain access to the goods.

Desire is a very powerful thing.

Organize long-distance trips to resorts that have pipes. If you fly halfway – or all the way – across the country to get into a pipe, you probably want to stay

for a couple of weeks to make it worth your while. Most athletes know where these pipes are, and when they open each year. Make sure and check that there is not a competition going on while you are there that would cause the pipe to be closed to the general public. Good times to do this are: 1) early season, 2) immediately following competitions when you know the pipes will be in good shape, and 3) during spring, summer and fall. The off-season

opportunities may require a flight to the Pacific Northwest, Europe, or even the southern hemisphere.

Enroll in a winter academy that exists at or near a prime freestyle mountain that has a good pipe, or that maintains a satellite campus there. There are several available. They are not cheap, but most offer scholarships to make it more affordable. Make sure that they offer support and coaching

Bud Keene doing a backside air in a 22-footer at Northstar on his 53rd birthday, 2013!

Photo: Gabe L’Heureux

for the halfpipe along with other types of riding.

Your ultimate solution may involve more than one of these options. For instance I drove my riders around to get to pipes and took long-distance trips to pipe-wielding resorts at certain times of the year. Remember: where there is a will, there is a way. Geographical challenges for people that want to do stuff exist in almost any outdoor sport. To be truly competitive in something

where the natural resource isn’t readily available means that you are going to have to go out of your way. But even with a small degree of targeted effort you can get enough pipe time to be able to become reasonably proficient, to learn a few tricks and techniques, and to really start to have fun.

ABOUT BUD KEENE Bud Keene is an Olympic Goldmedal-winning snowboard park and pipe coach who created

BKPRO as an umbrella for all efforts directed toward this progression.

To learn more about BKPRO Progression Camps and Academy please visit: http://www.budkeene.com/

s r a l l i P e v i F e h T

Photo: STOCK

e v e r P y r u j n I f o

t n e m e g a n a m & n o i ent

l e i n a D c M e l e K & Fred

SA /USA le il g r Lan nnife e J y by raph g o t Pho

“Let’s face it, living an active lifestyle comes with the potential for injury. When that active lifestyle includes riding on a board or two more narrow boards down a mountain covered in snow, the potential for injury increases exponentially!

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As everyone starts getting in their first turns of the 2014-15 season it’s important to keep some thoughts on injury prevention and management. By following these

suggestions, it is possible to decrease your chances for injury or minimize the long term implications of a new injury. In this article we’ll talk about the 5 Pillars to Injury Prevention and Management.

There are basically two ways injuries occur.

First is from a trauma of some sort; a crash or fall, etc. An example of trauma would be a fracture, dislocation, sprain or strain. The other kind of injury is from a repetitive stress; A repeated motion that accumulates tension in the tissue until that tissue can no longer withstand the stresses put upon it. Conditions such as tendonitis of the patellar tendon of the knee or plantar fasciitis fall under repetitive stress injuries. Snowsports athletes often deal with both.

bat, the majority of people totally neglect this basic foundation. We live by the analogy “long means strong” . If you would fall while on the mountain, you want to have the flexibility to absorb the fall, not tear something during the fall! ( Keep your eyes peeled for our upcoming “Flexibility for Snowboarders and Skiers Manual” coming in January! ) After flexibility comes stability. Stability is what holds the joints the body together.

Following stability is strength. The average athlete’s training focus is on strength. When people want to improve performance, they often only consider strength and neglect the two preceding building blocks. This can be a critical mistake!

Finally, once strength is achieved power and explosiveness are possible. Want to know what allows USASA alum, Shaun White to fly out of the pipe higher than anyone else? His wax techs and his ability to produce power and explosiveness!

Prevention

Do an internet search for flexibility and stability exercises, you’ll find a plethora of options.

1. Conditioning

2. Stay Hydrated

Being fit decreases ones chances of traumatic and repetitive injuries. If a competitor straps their boots on for the first competition of the season without any pre-season conditioning, they’re asking for trouble. At the Human Performance Center in Santa Fe, NM, we’re guided by the belief system that the following must be in place for the human structure to remain healthy. We call them the “Laws of Long Term Success”: If one neglects this protocol in training, chances of injury go up significantly.

Mountain sports make staying hydrated difficult. At elevations over 6000 ft. The human body loses water through respiration twice as fast than at sea level . It’s not like there is a water fountain at the top of every run! Due to these factors, most riders are chronically dehydrated. Actually, over 80% of Americans are considered chronically dehydrated.

Symptoms of dehydration can mimic signs of altitude sickness: Headache, lethargy, irritability, poor coordination, etc. Thanks to companies who make winter hydration packs

There must be first be flexibility. Right off the

(Camelbak & Osprey Packs,) the “camel on the ski hill” is a thing of the past. As a parent of an athlete, we follow our son around the mountain with a Camelbak, making him drink regularly. If he won’t wear one, we will. As a general rule of thumb for athletes to remain hydrated, we recommend consuming 1/2 of ones body weight in ounces of water per day. If someone weighs 150 lbs they would need 75 ounces of water to be hydrated.

3. Stay Fueled As Series Directors we can’t tell you how many times we’ve seen athletes fall apart from not eating anything on the mountain. Our events often don’t get started until 11am and finish around 2 or 3pm.

Pack some food and snacks in your

hydration pack. Put it in your coat pocket.

Just make sure you take it on the hill! If you’re serious about competing, don’t let a blood sugar crash derail your ability. Use your www.

ProMotive.com discount as a USASA member to purchase snacks from companies like Honey Stinger, Power Bar, Sweetwood Beef Jerky, GU energy gels and other great performance oriented snacks.

4. Prepare Mentally This is something that most amateur athletes neglect.

Mental training can

be as valuable as physical. Visualizing your perfect run in your mind has a real carry over to actual performance. Learning to regulate your nerves is priceless. There is a company called Heart Math (www.heartmath.com) They sell an app called Inner Balance. You have to purchase the adapter to use it. It’s a fast track to learning how to get into the “zone”. We’ve all heard of the “zone”, but how many people know how to create it? Use the Inner Balance app and you’ll find out how. Another cool website that is at the cutting edge of the “zone” is www. flowgenomproject.co. If any of you haven’t read the book by Stephen Kotler called “The Rise of Superman” about “Flow and Performance” you should. It chronicles the adventures of Bobby Brown, Travis Rice and Jeremy Jones along with dozens of other extreme athletes.

pads, knee pads, elbow pads, wrist guards, and mouth guards can all provide some protection from impact. Don’t forget to enter your USASA discount code at www.the-house.com! We are personally big fans of the Under Armour mouth guards. For kids with braces: https:// www.underarmour.com/en-us/ua-bracesmouthguard/pid1246645-481. For non braces wearers: https://www.underarmour.com/enus/ua-armourshield-mouthguard/pid1246644001 (These too can be purchased at www. promotive.com at a 50% discount) As therapist we see middle aged athletes who have taken hard hits in their youth suffering from those effect 20 yrs later. Injuries in youth (or any age) are not badges of honor because they will inevitably come back to haunt you!

5. Protect Yourself

1. R.I.C.E.

Our new National Sponsor, www.the-house. com, is a great place to buy body armor. Upper body armor, spine protectors, hip and sacrum

Management Once injury has occurred, it’s critical to manage it from early on. Following the traditional protocol of Rest. Ice. Compression. Elevation.

“Visualizing your perfect run in your mind has a real carry over to actual performance.

�

will help manage the inflammatory process that if left unchecked will cause unnecessary scar tissue development. Many people turn to heat too early in an injury. There must be at least 72 hours before heat is used. Heat increases inflammation and inflammation means pain.

No one likes to be taken out of action. It’s better to deal with the injury sooner than later. Mild injuries left unattended can become serious if continually stressed.

2. Kinesiotape.

KT tape (www.promotive.com 50% off) is our tape of preference. We like the KT Tape Pro in particular. KT Tape is very user friendly and they have great instructional videos on their website. www.kttape.com Kinesiotape is like magic for some chronic, repetitive type injuries.

Knees, shoulders, backs and ankles all respond very well. Kinesio tape works by: Lifting the skin off the underlying tissue to increase circulation and lymph drainage. Two things critical to healing Creating a neurological dialogue between the injury and the brain. When injured, the body/

brain mechanism has a wonderful tool called compensation. When compensation happens, the brain tells the body to forget about the injured tissue and start using the surrounding tissues to complete the job. Compensation is why someone has an injury at 15 yrs old and 20 yrs later they have developed a major problem.

Kinesiotape tells the body that it’s “safe” and does not need to compensate.

3. Rescue Remedy Rescue Remedy is probably going to be a new concept for most of the readers. It’s definitely more of an “alternative” product.

The deal is, it works! In over 20 years of practicing as therapists, we’ve seen it change a variety of different conditions. It primarily works on minimizing trauma i n the system. Trauma is a very fascinating and real phenomenon.

Trauma is defined as: a bodily injury or shock that may have longlasting effects can wreak havoc on the bodies physical, mental and emotional mechanisms for years and years if not a lifetime. Rescue Remedy is

actually pretty amazing what it can do for a kid who has taken a hard fall. It’s part of our personal on mountain first aid kit. We give it to our son any time he crashes. He actually asks for it. When an 11 yr old can feel what it does, you know it’s effective. For more info on Rescue Remedy check out: www.bachflower. com 4. Traumeel Traumeel is a topical, homeopathic ointment that helps decrease inflammation and pain.

It also facilitates the bodies natural healing mechanisms. Like Rescue Remedy, it’s a little “outside the box” thinking in terms of traditional healing. Homeopathy is not a main stream concept, but it’s objective is to provoke the body to heal itself in a faster, more cohesive manner.

The main ingredient in Traumeel is Arnica, something many people have heard of. Apply it topically 3 times per day to the injured area.

5. Know When to Return Injuries have varying times of recovery. Minor muscle injuries can heal within 2-6 weeks if only strained, but not torn. Torn muscles can take 6-12 weeks to heal, but up to 6 months for full recovery. Tendon injuries are similar. Ligament injuries take 12-16 weeks to heal and up to a full year to become what they were before the injury. It is not wise to think you are unique and these rules don’t apply. If you’ve sustained an injury where a physician has suggested a specific time for recovery, don’t try to push it. By trying to rush back to competition or

performance the chance of re-injuring is very high and often the second injury is often much worse than the first. Think Lindsey Vonn last season. She came back too early and as a result wound up back in the operating room and missed the entire season.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS Fred & Kele McDaniel are the Series Directors for the Southwest Freeride Series. In their free time, they are the founders of the Human Performance Center in Santa Fe, NM. They specialize in orthopedic sports injuries, corrective soft tissue manipulation and sports specific training. www.humanperformancecenter. com. They have been featured in articles with Shape magazine, Mens Fitness magazine, Better Homes and Gardens magazine, Self Magazine and Outside magazine. With seven surgeries between them, not only do the treat others injuries, but they have been through it themselves more times than they care to admit. They are also the authors of “Flexibility for Cyclists Manual” www.flexibilityforcyclists. com and will be releasing the “Flexibility for Snowboarders and Skiers Manual” in January 2015.

You wouldn’t put bald tires on a Ferrari!

Just like performance tires help a race car run its best, a good wax job and well-cared for base is essential for letting your board or skis perform the waythey were designed.

IT’S ALL ABOUT THAT BASE! Photography by Brandon Huttenlocher

Nothing will ruin a day on the slopes faster than a slow base. Wax is a lubricant that reduces friction between the base and the snow. Properly waxing your board enables you to use gravity and lack of friction to its fullest. Waxing your board gives you more control, makes the base glide better so tuning is easier, and it prolongs the life of your skis or snowboard.

What is Meadowfoam?

WEND Meadowfoam (MF) Snow Wax is derived from the seeds of the Meadowfoam flower grown in the Pacific Northwest (pictured right.)

It replaces the fluoro traditionally used in race waxes and is all-natural, biodegradable, nontoxic and non GMO. WEND has exclusivity of Meadowfoam—it meets the industry standard & company standard for durability, speed and repellency in quality snow wax.

What do I need to wax my base?

For best results, you’ll want to have the following: • Shop towel, rag or paper towels • Scotch Brite sponge or nylon wax brush • Base cleaner • Wax

Photo: W.D. and Dolphia

• Scraper • Iron (optional)* What are the steps?

Waxing with WEND is easy as 1-2-3! Follow this routine to get the most out of your base.

These three products work best together, but if you’re short on time or can’t travel with your whole kit, any of these can be used on their own and still help you achieve a dramatic increase in performance.

Step 1:

MF Natural Cleaner/Conditioner

This product cleans the base of any contaminants and also contains a conditioning agent to help prepare base for waxing. WEND’s exclusive Meadowfoam oil makes a dramatic impact on adhesion of wax applied after use as well as penetration of wax into the base. Unlike other cleaners, this one won’t dry out your base.

Shake bottle of cleaner and spray generously on the base. Rub in with a shop towel or paper towel.

Let sit for 10-20 minutes.

Once the base has hazed and/or dried completely, thoroughly brush the base to a shine.

Step 2: NF Performance Hot Melt

This product contains a percentage of Meadowfoam for increased durability, resistance to dirt and better glide.

Heat your iron to around 250⁰F. Hold the bar of wax against the hot iron and let the melted wax drizzle along the base. Then iron the melted wax evenly into the base. Be sure that the wax isn’t heating to the point where it’s smoking, and always work in a well‐ventilated room.

Let the wax cool back to room temperature.

Then use a plexi glass scraper to remove the excess wax.

facing up.

*Don’t have an iron handy? All WEND wax bars can be rubbed on the base as well!

After Waxing: MFHF Overlay Cube (For the Racer)

Step 3: Liquid Juice or Liquid Juice

Towelettes

This product is a cleaner, conditioner and wax all in one! It’s ideal for an on-hill refresh, a quick wax when traveling without an iron, or waxes in between tune-ups.*No iron needed!* Shake bottle of Liquid Juice and apply to base with a towel.

• Allow 10-20 minutes for wax to dry.

• Once dry, brush off the hazed layer.

• Buff or polish with a clean towel or rag.

Optional Steps • Apply – Dry – Buff – Go

Looking for even more oomph?

These products will help you take it to the next level.

Before Waxing/Preseason: Liquid Hot Box This product is designed to achieve maximum penetration of wax in the base. Best used on new bases or bases that are dry and need to be revived. When wax is applied over this product, the molten wax heats the oil and lubricates the wax. This process enables the wax to get deep into the pores as the oil rises to the surface. This provides deeper penetration as well as more wax absorbing into the base.

Distribute Liquid Hot Box evenly with a shop towel or Scotch Brite.

Let sit for a minimum of 3 hours with base

Wipe off excess product with a paper towel prior to waxing.

This is a high-fluoro overlay designed to provide optimal acceleration out of the start.

Save this one for race day!

Rub MFHF bar directly on the base to form a thin layer.

Using a cork, aggressively buff the thin layer into the base.

Brush with stiff nylon and then polish with a soft nylon.

Special offer for USASA Members: Shop www.wendwaxworks.com and enter code “USASA25” at checkout to receive 25% off any WEND Waxworks products!

Z O E

K A L A P O S

2014 USASA Nationals HalfPipe Champion “ZOE’S FAVORITES”

WEND’S MEADOWFOAM NATURAL LINE

Photo: Duke Yarde

#WaxedBYWEND

Ten Questions for...

KC Gandee | USASA Coach

1. At what age did you first become interested in being a coach?

I started as an instructor in college to earn a season pass at the local hill. It was so much fun, and I learned so much that I kept it as a real job. Truth is, I hadn’t considered coaching competitive athletes until a friend recommended a job opening to me. I owe that guy a beer!

2. What was your first experience of coaching and how did it go?

The first competition I ever coached at was a USASA Southern Vermont Series GS/SL. I had done a lot of prep work, including calling the series director to ask him how the day would run, what he expected of coaches and athletes at the event, and if he had any advice for me. It went great! I owe that guy a beer too!

3. What are the biggest challenges you face when coaching an athlete?

I’m outgoing, loud and learn best when I get to try it out. I don’t like talking and I crave praise. I’m awesome at working with athletes that are like me, so my biggest coaching challenge is delivering information in ways that work for athletes that aren’t like me. I do this on a daily basis, but it’s not easy.

4. As a coach, scouting potential athletes, what are you looking for in the “ultimate athlete”?

The ultimate athlete would find me; they’re motivated to succeed and take control of their own destiny.

When I’m scouting though, I look for either raw talent, or a strong work ethic. Both are ideal. For my current role at Gould Academy, near Sunday River, ME I’m looking for riders that also strive to be excellent academically and refuse to settle either on snow or in the classroom.

5. From a coaching perspective, what are the biggest issues challenging the sports of freestyle.

Snowboarding is already an expensive sport. In order to be competitive now for freestyle events and to keep athletes safe, special facilities are almost mandatory. That means olympic flybed trampolines, foam pits, airbags, and other training tools that make the sport cost even more. For those that don’t have access to these tools, it’s got to be difficult to keep an athlete making safe decisions.

Photo Submitted by KC Gandee

6. What is your best memory of coaching, either as Head Coach or as part of a team of

coaches, from your years coaching at a USASA National Championship events?

At the 2014 National Championships for boarder/skiercross, all of our season’s training came together. From looking at courses in different regions and at USSA and FIS events, I had a hunch we’d see steep drops and big wu-tang style features in the start section. Earlier in the season, I had asked some of our coaches to work towards success on these features by dropping in to and decking out of mini-pipes with our skiers and riders. When we arrived at Nationals, a couple of our riders told their coaches that they finally understood why we had practiced those skills. We had amazing success- 4 podiums and another 3 top-ten finishes.

Watching the riders have that “ah-ha”moment with their coaches and then performing so well was a career highlight.

7. If you had to assemble the “dream team” of coaches with whom you would like to work,

who would be on your team?

There are way too many to list! Besides the awesome coaches on staff at Gould (Breton, Dustin, Whitney, Leanne and Chris) Mike Mallon does an amazing job of making riders feel comfortable. Joe Franklin builds incredible camaraderie with his riders. Nichole Mason has an awesome eye for movement analysis and is one of the funnest people ever. Matt Gustafson does an amazing job communicating movements in simple ways as well...too many to list!

8. What are your goals for coaching athletes moving forward?

Number one goal is to make smart decisions to keep riders safe. Number two is to have more fun than anyone else. Beyond that, i want to help them achieve their goals through progressive skill building- working on pieces of a more dynamic skill set all over the mountain, then putting it together in their chosen venue.

9. What is the best advice you can pass along to athletes looking for a coach?

Be active and demanding in finding the right program for you; try not to settle for one that’s close by just because it’s convenient. That means finding a coach who fits your style and can deliver information in a way that’s easy for you to understand as well as a training schedule and curriculum that works for you. This might mean having access to trampolines, foam pits and airbags or a physical conditioning program that includes yoga. Write down all of the things you want, and go find it; it’s out there waiting!

10. What’s more important: talent or work ethic?

The edge here goes to work ethic. Talent can get a rider very far, but without willing to put in the hours doing the stuff that might not be as fun, a career will dead end and goals will go unrealized. Hard work, whether it’s in the gym, in the classroom, on the hill, reviewing video of a training session, is critical to being awesome.

“Huge thanks to my mentors: Mallon, Casson, Davies, Powers, Palmer, Redden, Hindman and many, many more.” ~ KC Gandee

PH: JEFF NASS

JACOB ‘CUB’ CAREY PH: RYAN BREGANTE

Ten Questions for...

JONAS BREWER | USASA Judge 1. At what age did you first become inter-

2. What was your first experience judging

ested in being a judge?

and event and how did it go?

I started judging snowboard contests when I was 24.

It was a USASA Copper Series halfpipe contest.

Probably a 16 foot pipe dragon pipe. Back when the park used to be off of the Eagle Lift 2001. We were judging on the criteria based system. I had a fun day but also realized that judging was not as easy as I thought!

3. What are the biggest challenges you face

when judging an event?

One thing that comes to mind is dealing with sight issues on slope style courses. Having to split up the judge panel and use two judge towers is not ideal for the judging process.

4. As a clinician, teaching other judges, what

are you looking for in the “ultimate judge�?

Accurate trick recognition, accountability, passion for riding, knowledge of snowboard history, someFrom a judging perspective, what are the big- one who fits in well with the other judges on the gest issues challenging the sports of freestyle panel.

5.

snowboarding and free skiing moving forward?

Man, from my perspective its just that we need to get away from cookie cutter slope and pipe venues. Keep the progression of course design moving forward. More events like ultra natural, peace pipe, holy bowly, throwback pipes, and banked slaloms. Events like that are keeping snowboarding interesting.

6. What is your best memory of judging, either as Head Judge or as part of a judging panel,

from your years judging at USASA National Championship events?

Copper mountain // summit county // colorado, USA is my home mountain. I have been very lucky to have been a part of all of the USASA National Championships at Copper going back to my first one in 2005. The thing I will always remember is watching so many of the kids that I know and have worked with for so long, go on to see such historical success in competitive snowboarding.

7. If you had to assemble the “dream team� of judges with whom you would like to work,

who would be on your team?

Wow good question! Since I have been responsible for scheduling the Rocky Mountain Series and Rev Tour judges for many years, I am somewhat accustomed to building dream teams. Here are a few names that come to mind Greg Johnson, Mike Chantry, Tom Zikas, Shawn Carney, Phoebe Mills, Chris Carson, Giom Morriset, Ryan Cruze, and Connor Manning.

8. What are your goals for judging events moving forward?

Just to always try to get the rank right!

9. What is the best advice you can pass along to athletes regarding judges?

Is this the same advice you would provide to parents and if not, how would it differ? Coaches?

Judges are up there doing the best they can. Sometimes in very challenging conditions. We have been trained, and take pride in getting it right. Often times it can be easy for someone to disagree with the judges outcome. Best advice is to ask for some creative feedback from the head judge. He will then concur with the other judges to find answers to any questions that need to be addressed.

10. FREESTYLE QUESTION! Ask your own question and answer it!

Photos: Pete Davis/USASA

More methods! Less double corks!

Ten Questions for...

Noah Labow | USASA Coach

1. At what age did you first become interested in being a coach?

I had great coaches when I was growing up. I was on the Shawnee mountain race team in Pennsylvania, and I thought my coaches Bill Schmidt and Ray Caswell were the best skiers on the planet. Ray ripped a carving snowboard and had style in the air on his 210 volkls like no other. I always knew I wanted to be a skier, but i think it wan’t until 2006 when I started at CVA that I realized I wanted to be a ski coach as my profession.

2. What was your first experience of coaching and how did it go?

My first experience coaching was actually in soccer during college, but ski coaching would be in 2003 for the Smugglers’ Notch Ski and Snowboard Club. I was a weekend coach at Smuggs for a few seasons.

3. What are the biggest challenges you face when coaching an athlete?

I would say that the biggest challenge in coaching an athlete is to treat each athlete as an individual and finding each athlete’s strengths, weaknesses, and his/her goals to understand how I may be able to help.

4. As a coach, scouting potential athletes, what are you looking for in the “ultimate athlete”?

The ultimate athlete for me is one that “buys in” whole heartedly to the training. Everybody loves to ski, but a good athlete listens to their body and is deliberate about preparation and execution of their sport. In general if you have a good attitude and are interested in improving or learning then I want to work with you!

5. From a coaching perspective, what are the biggest issues challenging the sports of freestyle.

Every industry/sport has challenges. Freestyle sports are greatly challenged by the environment and by $$.

It takes big bucks to build, run, and maintain a terrain park, pipe, or cross or moguls course. There are lots of other challenges like politics, safety, and egos in freestyle that are part of what makes these sports fun,

but also challenge its success. I believe that we must stay true to ourselves and just keep ripping in our own way, whatever that means to you... For me I’m going to ski as I can and help as many people as I can to improve their skills.

6. What is your best memory of coaching, either as Head Coach or as part of a team of

coaches, from your years coaching at a USASA National Championship events?

My best coaching memory from USASA Nationals was watching our first national championship for UVM under my tenure. It was in rail jam and I take no credit for his skills, but the evening Sam Putnam put on an open class rail skiing clinic was magic. He mirrored controlled spins and pretzels both ways with grace and an air of confidence that I was really proud to witness and feel part of. Special skiing = special moment!

7. If you had to assemble the “dream team” of coaches with whom you would like to work,

who would be on your team?

Wow, so many great coaches in the community and we all share info and help to keep the athletes safe and progressing. But if I had to pick a dream team I would pick Nate Mckenzie, Head Coach at CVA, who taught me so much about athlete management and how to do this job, and the other would be Dan Shuffelton, head coach at WVBBTS/WVA, who it the best trampoline and air coach in the business. I have learned so much form these guys and would bring them onboard if I were assembling my dream team!

8. What are your goals for coaching athletes moving forward?

Photos Submitted by Noah Labow

My current goals are to further the UVM Freeskiing team and continue to develop young athletes locally at Green Mountain Freestyle Center, here in VT. UVM will be returning to USASA and USCSA National Championships as well as having athletes compete at the highest levels on the Dew Tour and Freeride world tour.

I want to facilitate an environment where students can gain a University education and continue to pursue and nurture their skiing.

9. What is the best advice you can pass along to athletes looking for a coach?

Be honest with coaches about your ability and what your goals are. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Be willing to start small with hope that in time you will be going big!

10. My question...? When is usasa going to add old guy divisions for freeski like they do for

snowboard????

I know a bunch of us coaches want to come out of retirement for fun and try to win our age groups :) Maybe someday!

Save The Date MARCH 28-APRIL 7, 2015 COPPER MOUNTAIN, COLORADO

#usasanationals #werusasa The Largest Snowboarding Organization in the World www.usasa.org