WhiteNoize 2 by harriet bennett

The Noize from the UK snow scene

Girls on Top Snowboard Review

Sterling Socks

Rider: Simon Stephans Photograph: Richard Clark

Contents 03 EDitors letter/contributors 05 News 07 Profile 09 highlights 19 Katie summerhayes - Interview 23 aimee fuller - interview 27 sterling socks - interview 31 off the beaten track - Feature 37 oz - feature 41 fulham to fernie - feature 45 sNOWBOARD REVIEW 49 DIARY 2

Editors Letter After the support and involvement we received after the launch of the first issue we’re back again with the second, the four months since our launch have flown by, quite like our English summer! The British snow scene continues to grow and with the addition of Slopestyle to the 2014 Winter Olympics and a bag of young talent we can be sure that the pace won’t be slowing down any time soon. With each issue we produce we hope to celebrate the individuals who help make the UK scene what it is. From the athletes, riders, organisers, photographers, park shapers brands, sponsors, chalet owners, tour operators.... In this issue we feature two of our best female riders, an exolympian turned sock designer and all round industry/nice guy, an ordinary guy turning his life upside down in search of pow and a whole host of individuals doing what they love. Its now that time of year when winter is nearly within grasp. Shops are stocking up and quickly selling out of new season product, film premiers are coming into town, demo crews are touring the domes, and the shows and festivals are just around the corner. We’ll soon have snow in the northern hills and then on the ground all over the country. Before we know it we’ll all be heading out to the mountains for our winter snow fix, whether it be home or abroad, a week or five months, landing doubles or hitting our first kicker. What ever, where ever and how ever long its for, this is what we love, enjoy it, send it.

Contributors e Front Cover-Richard Clark e e Richard Clark e e Tom Smith e e Ross Welch e e Aivars Zarins e e Neil Macgrain e e DC e e Matt Urwin e

e Katie Summerhayes e e Vanessa Sharples e e Steve McKenna e e Aimee Fuller e e Alex Henderson e e Ben Burnett e e Dan Wakeham e e Sterling Socks e e Ed Tucker e e Laura Seward e e Nick Tuckwood e e The Snowboard Test e

A massive thanks to Richard Clark for contributing so many of his awesome photos to this issue - including the front cover! Harri Bennett - Editor

Contact Send your contributions, photos, comments, queries, praise and abuse to Editor@whitenoizemag.co.uk Follow us on twitter - @WhiteNoize_Mag Find the latest issues www.WhiteNoizemag.co.uk 3

Rider: Tom Smith Photograph: Richard Clark

News e Slopestyle is to be included in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. e Will Smith and Billy Morgan leave Westbeach and Jesse Smith joins the team. e Will Smith joins the Salomon team. e The Big Clean Up was a big success, now in its forth year, Glenshee was introduced into the mountain clean up operation. The Respect the Mountain campaign has been running since 2004. Over 80 litter-picking volunteers showed up at the Scottish resorts of CairnGorm Mountain, Nevis Range and Glenshee. 44 sacks of rubbish were collected across all three resorts. e Danny Kass is mind blown by indoor slopes: "The snow is a lot better than I expected and it's the same park set-up here as most resorts in the US. These are the same features you'd find anywhere... it's actually quite mind blowing." e Weston-Super-Mare has received planning permission for a new indoor slope. e One of the UK’s longest and oldest artificial ski slopes, Pontypool Ski Slope in Wales, has been saved from closure thanks to the local Torfaen Ski Club. e As part of the Ski Club For Great Britain’s ongoing commitment to the mountain environment, a new Respect the Mountain Fund has been launched to help finance research studies or projects that will have a direct and visible impact in mountain environments or snowsports. e Ski Rossendale, one of the UK’s major artificial surface ski centres, hopes to re-open September 2011.

e Snowsport Scotland are pleased to announce that for 2011/12 it will be coordinating support for the British Junior Snowboard Team programme. Working with BSS Head Coach Hamish McKnight, the role involves SSS’s coordination of selection to the Junior Team as well as the launch and facilitation of UK wide training opportunities for junior competitive snowboarders. Hamish McKnight, Head Coach of the GB Snowboard team said: “We are working on the ethos of ‘more athletes training more often to a higher level’ and I am delighted that Snowsport Scotland is able to offer its support in the pursuit of this goal.” e One Snowboarding announce that there will be a new process for selection to the One Snowboarding run GB Junior Team this season. They’re now working closely with Snowsport Scotland who have appointed a new GB Junior Team Coordinator. This new position will be responsible for selection applications and coordinating domestic training opportunities for the team, whilst maintaining a list of athletes eligible to travel to Europe to attend the One Snowboard GB Junior Team Camps. All those interested in selection for the GB Junior Team, whether they’re based in England, Wales, Northern Ireland or Scotland, are to read the selection policy and fill out the application form on the Snowsport Scotland website. e Oakley UK announces the launch of the Jenny Jones Signature Goggle, which will be available on worldwide release throughout the 2011 winter season.

Rider: Lewis Sonvico Photograph: Richard Clark

Rider Profile Mayrhofen, Avoriaz and then Laax, before finishing it off in a hospital bed - nothing too bad i must say, just an over-shot, over-rotated, double front flip. These things happen so i’m looking forward to what next season brings. Plans for next season? Start off back in Hoff (Mayrhofen) for a week or so and then kick back in breckenridge for a few months. All in aim to try some international comps and see how it goes. For me its all about having as much fun as you can! so just going with the flow. What will you be doing over the summer? Get to a few comps, some trampoline work along with a week away summer skiing. Favourite trick? Straight Airs ....haha it has to be a Cork 9. Any new tricks you want? Cork 10 would be nice, maybe even a double. Whos your inspiration? Everyone in the UK scene....Super friendly people that keep you going and trying your best. Name Ross Welch Age 19 Setup Atomic Punx 173, FFG Team edition bindings, Atomic Volt boots. Sponsors? Atomic, The Snow Centre, Sidas UK Local slope The Snow Centre - Hemel Hempstead. Dryslope or Indoor? Indoor, closest thing to the real stuff we can get! plus its just around the corner from me. When and how did you get into skiing? I learnt to ski with family when i was about 13. However it wasn’t until 2 years ago that i found out skiers can use the snow park too! What have you been up to this season? Plenty. Firstly getting as many new tricks as i could. General filming and a few trips to

Most stoked achievement? Double front flip... The ones i landed. What do you love about the UK scene? For a place that doesn’t really have any snow, we still kill it! Get up to anything when your not riding? Trampolining, gymnastics (foam pit), fixing computers at my normal job. Current favorites on your riding playlist? Pretty much any dubstep, hiphop and a few underground bands like Fluid Lines, The Skints etc.

Rider: Ross Welch Photograph: Aivars Zarins

e Highlights Bearsden’s Go Big Or Go Home! Bearsden welcomed visitors from all over the place turning up to compete in an event set to go big with prizes from Animal, Salomon, Nike 6.0, Bamboo Rider, Freeze Pro Shop, DC, Volcom, Line, Vans, K2, Clan, Boax Headwear, Volkl, Grenade, Propaganda Snowboards, Bawbags and Librance. Marc McClement & Jesse Smith were trying doubles, backs and fronts, both taking slams with Jesse finally landing one! The youngsters were all throwing it down with back 9’s in the trick bag! The skiiers definitely didn’t disappoint with switch back nines, switch rodeo’s and switch just about everything else! Hector Barbour with a smooth switch cork 7 to win the open category! Local girl Cory McVicar took home the girls 1st with the girls throwing out 7’s and switch 5’s. “Special thanks to Rupert of Librance for getting behind the comp from the start and getting the sponsors on board for hopefully a regular summer comp at Bearsden and to Danny, Matt & Gerry McCormick for stepping up and organising the whole comp. Results Skiers: 12 and under 1. Ronan McLaren 2. Sam Gardner 3. Daniel Flannigan 13-16 1. Harris Booth 2. Chris McCormick 3. Cal Sandieson Open 1. Hector Barbour 2. Chris Wadsworth 3. Harris Booth Womens 1. Cory McVicar 2. Rowan Cheshire 3. Anna Vincenti

All photo’s: Neil Macgrain

Boarders: 12 and under 1. Fin Bremner 2. Brandon Bow 13-16 1. Matt McCormick 2. Sam McGrath 3. Joe Gardner Open 1.Matt McCormick 2. Danny McCormick 3. Marc McClement Women 1. Orla Doolin 2. Vaila Chapman

e Highlights

Oakley Grom Games The Oakley Grom Games came back for another round in 2011 with one of the best freestyle set ups seen at Manchester’s Chill Factor.

The girls were out in force with Madi Rowlands taking 1st in the under 12’s and Sissy Herant and Rowan Cheshire 2nd and 3rd overall.

Pat Sharples, the man behind the the Oakley Grom Games, was on the mic calling the tricks while the Red Bull DJs busted out the tunes on the slope from the top of their legendary vehicle / DJ booth.

In the snowboard jam Katie Ormorod took the attention away from the boys styling some front flips on the raised rail. Sean Tumelty took away not just the evening invitational but also won the best unsponsored prize from Salomon Snowboards which included a brand new board and boots.

The usual suspects, Scotland’s Cal Sandieson and Chris McCormick battled it out and ended up taking joint 1st in the kids ski category. Chris Wadsworth took 1st in the 18-24 category and won a place in the invitational event.

The 12 men and 4 women selected to compete had a 45-minute session in which to qualify for the knockout finals. Only 1 rider was allowed on course at a time so that they had the full attention of the judges.

Overall Results Snowboard women 1st - Katie Ormorod 2nd - Sophie Nicholls 3rd - Gemma Marshall

Freeski women 1st - Katie Summerhayes 2nd - Sissy Herant 3rd - Rowan Cheshire

Snowboard men 1st - Andy Nudds 2nd - Ross Needam 3rd - Simon Cudlip

Freeski men 1st – Tyler Harding 2nd – James Machon 3rd – Michael Rowlands

DC Jet Set DC Jet Set went off at Sno!zone Castleford on Friday 24th June. Winners were Katie Omerod for the Girls, Callum Patton for the under 16’s and Gareth Andrews stomped it to take the massive £700 for the guys. “A big shout out goes to Jordy Gee who is currently recovering in hospital after crashing out in the jam session. We hope he has a speedy recovery and our thoughts are with Jordy his and friends and his family at this difficult time. Get well soon bro.”

All photos courtesy of DC

Photo courtesy of DC

e Highlights Southern Freestyle Series

The Southern Freestyle Series was back this year hitting up Swadlincote, Chatham and Bracknell.

Image courtesy of Southen Freestyle

Swadlincote Results Snowboard Female 1st - Becky Menday 2nd - Sam Rogers 3rd - Melissa Brandner Male 1st - Jack Labbett 2nd - Tomski Robinson 3rd - Curti Taylor-Tipton

Chatham Results Ski Snowboard Female Female 1st - Servanne Herant 1st - Sam Rogers 2nd - Zoe Lewis 2nd - Rebecca Richardson 3rd - Madison Rowlands 3rd - Melissa Brandner Male Male 1st - Jack Labbett 1st - Tom Coe 2nd - Cody Hierons 2nd - Kiran Patel 3rd - Tomski Robinson 3rd - Ollie Powell

Bracknell Results Snowboard Female 1st - Rebecca Richardson 2nd - Sam Rogers 3rd - Melissa Brandner Male 1st - Jack Labbett 2nd - Tomski Robinson 3rd - Tristan Brookes

Ski Female 1st - Madison Rowlands 2nd - Lexi Rowlands 3rd - Emily Keen Male 1st - Michael Rowlands 2nd - Tom Saunders 3rd - Kiran Patel

Overall Results Snowboard Female 1st - Sam Rogers 2nd - Melissa Brandner 3rd - Rebecca Richardson Male 1st - Jack Labbett 2nd - Tomski Robinson 3rd - Curtis Taylor-Tipton

Ski Female 1st - Servanne Herant 2nd - Madison Rowlands 3rd - Emily Keen Male 1st - Tom Coe 2nd - Michael Rowlands 3rd - Josh Herant Ski Female 1st - Madison Rowlands 2nd - Servanne Herant 3rd - Emily Keen Male 1st - Tom Coe 2nd - Michael Rowlands 3rd - Kiran Patel

Gap Nation On Saturday 27th Hemel Snow Centre hosted Gap Nation. The park crew built a huge channel gap for the event. The competition ran for two hours, open to both skiiers and snowboarders. Loads of style was being thrown down by everyone and prizes were given out to those both attempting and landing tricks. Results Over 18′s 1st – Jake Lloyd 2nd – Luke McCarthy 3rd – Simon Stephens

14 yrs – 18 yrs 1st – Liam Beardsmore 2nd – Katie Summerhayes 3rd – Josh Jenkins

Under 14′s 1st – Monty Wright 2nd – Tom Saunders 3rd – Haydyn Fiori

Rider: Ross Welch Photograph: Richard Clark

Rider: Lewis Sonvico Photograph: Richard Clark

Photograph: Vanessa Sharples

Katie Summerhayes Katie Summerhayes is one of the UK’s most naturally talented, prolific and enthusiastic female freestyle skiiers. After an amazing season kicking off at London’s Freeze festival and going on to The European Open, The Brits where she took gold, The World Championships and of course the European X Games we talk to her about life on the road, her success and her future plans.

Tell us how you got into freestyle skiing? I just went up to Sheffield Ski Village which is my local slope and joined the Sheffield Sharks Ski Club. We hit the big air jump as part of the lessons and after I had learnt my first 180, I knew I loved it and wanted to do more! 19

What’s been your biggest achievement so far? Definitely the X Games. Being invited to compete there was a dream come true and something I will never forget! I still can’t believe I got to compete; it had been my dream since I started competing in freestyle when i was 9 years old. What was it like competing at X Games? I still can’t believe that I got to compete and to be there with people that I have looked up to (and still look up to) it was an amazing week, one I will never forget. I was stoked to be there with Pat, Woodsy (who got a bronze medal!!!) and Vanessa (Photographer and Pats wife)

Photograph: Vanessa Sharples

The boys definitely more than outnumber the girls in UK freestyle skiing - what’s that like? I really enjoy skiing with the boys because they push me so much and I really gain a lot out of skiing with them. There are a couple of girls too which when I’m with we have such a good time! More and more girls are also getting involved which is amazing to see! How are you managing skiing and all the traveling as well as your GCSE’s? I focus a lot on my school work when I’m home, so when I’m away I don’t have to worry about anything. It’s hard sometimes, but I try to catch up on everything.

I just want to get out onto the snow as often as possible. What’s it like on the road and being away from home so much? It’s so much fun but at the same time it can be hard. I love meeting new people and seeing different parts of the world but when I get back it is also hard to catch up on my school work and revise for exams. I definitely try and catch up with as much schoolwork as I can when I’m at home. What do you miss most about home when you’re traveling? I miss my family and my friend’s as well. I believe that I have the nicest friends ever and I always have a laugh with them! Being at the X Games and World Champs this year was just like being in a big family! I also miss my own bed and my sister’s cakes and buns! Highlight of the season? Competing in the X Games and World Champs. Also travelling the world with my friends and family and having so much fun! Inspirational riders? I look up to Pat Sharples (my coach) and James ‘Woodsy’ Woods.

Current goal? Just to keep having fun and enjoying what I’m doing! What are your plans for the summer? Me, Tyler Harding and Pat Sharples are attending a fitness/media BOA camp to help us get ready for the Youth Olympics in January, it’s going to be fun and hard work! Also I am out in Saas Fee for a week for some summer snow training then chill out for the rest of the summer and get ready for school again in September! Plans for next season? Hopefully to have the opportunities that I had this year, like competing in the X Games. Me, Tyler and Pat also have the Youth Olympics in January in Austria for the Halfpipe, so that’s going to be fun! Mostly I will see what comps are out there and also see what training I can get. I just want to get out onto the snow as often as possible.

Interview By Harriet Bennett

Aimee Fuller Nineteen year old Aimee Fuller is one of the UK’s biggest names in snowboarding. Her fun and positive attitude makes her a delight to watch as she storms the park and the whole mountain. We catch up with her during a busy summer season of riding, surfing, trampolines and training. Set up? Roxy C2 Banana Traction Eminence with Team Series bindings, Vans Aura boots. Inspirational riders? Cheryl Maas, it’s great to see the progression of girls riding, double’s! so sick. Local slope when your in the UK? I live in Northern Ireland and there is only one dry slope with no rails or jumps so I never go! What do you love about the UK scene? It’s small and a really supportive crew of people. What’s been your proudest achievement? 2nd in the Horsefeathers Pleasure Jam at the start of last season. Top 10 X games in 2010. Do you get the fear before hitting the big kickers? How do you over come that? I just think positive and think of the feeling I get after I’ve landed a trick on a big kicker, and that motivation keeps me amped to keep going and pushing my level to bigger kickers! Whats it like leading your lifestyle - travelling and being away from home so much? I love my lifestyle and I am so thankful for the opportunity snowboarding has given me to travel all over the world, to do what I love the most.

Photograph: Alex Henderson

Favorite mountain to ride? Anywhere that has a good park, a fun vibe and I am with my friends.

Photograph: Ben Burnett

We saw you have a collaboration with Sterling Socks - how did that come about? Dan Wakeham asked me last fall if I wanted a Pro sock, and I tried the socks out, they are rad, really comfy and it’s great as they are supporting the scene and putting money back into snowboarding which I think is a great thing for UK snowboarding. Also it’s a UK brand and it’s made up of a great crew of people. So who wouldn’t want to be apart of something like that!

What are your plans for next season? Do a few contest’s, shoot a little and aim for a video part. Future aspirations? To improve as much as possible and have fun with it! Any tips? Have fun, send it!

That motivation keeps me amped to keep going Interview By Harriet Bennett

Rider: Tom Smith Photograph: Matt Urwin Location: Snowboard Test

Sterling Socks A man of firsts, Dan Wakeham; the UK’s first Olympic snowboard competitor talks about one of his current ventures - Sterling Socks - the UK’s first snowboard sock brand. How and when was Sterling born? Whilst traveling the world with me (Dan Wakeham) and the GB snowboard team, photographer and distributor Nick Atkins thought up the idea of starting a sock company for himself and the guys on the team. It was talked about for a few years before anything happened. We would sit around with Jamie Nicholls and Ben Kilner, and laugh about the rad designs we could make and how it would be nice to start something for ourselves. So eventually we pulled our fingers out and got things moving and here we are with Jamie Nicholls and Ben Kilner pro socks. We now have an Aimee Fuller Sterling Pro Sock too. To add to the line we have a GB team sock, from which a percentage of each pair sold will be donated to the GB Freestyle Team. We are also a proud sponsor of One Snowboarding. The GB juniors are the future of our sport. So why socks in particular? Nick imported a base layer company from the USA before and they made great socks. They made mistakes with their base layers and they disappeared. We contacted their factory and took off where they left off meaning that we had the use of their technology. Another reason we chose socks was because there is no British snowboard sock company. The shops would have to buy them from the distributors of American companies. By cutting 25

out the Americans we are able to make the socks more affordable. At the end of the day, they are just socks. No one should expect to pay £30 for a pair of socks, no matter what tech they have! What makes Sterling different to other Snowboard socks? Using Acrylyester fiber technology and strategic silhouette construction, Sterling socks regulate your feet’s micro-climate by keeping them warm and dry in the burliest of weather and getting sweat up and away from your skin. Extra padding from the heel through the toebox aid in impact absorption without compromising mobility and circulation in the rest of your foot. Bulky socks in a snug fitting boot is the gateway to numb/cold feet. Proper circulation and mobility are important so we place padding where you need it most, on the bottom of your foot. As you know, heat rises. As you also know, heat trapped in your boot creates a sauna effect, only

there’s no exit and you’re trapped. Even on the coldest days your feet will eventually sweat in this claustrophobic climate. Our sock construction allows heat and moisture to rise and move away from your foot. The result is a foot that is dry and ready for some proper snow surfing action! You donate a percentage of your profits from the GB Team Sock to the GB Freestyle team how important do feel financial support is for our athletes? I have been on the British team for a long time. The team has seen some hard times, especially when Snowsports GB were in charge. They went in to liquidation a few years back and it was the best thing that could have happened to British snowboarding. Now snowboarders run the team and things are on the up. The International Olympic Committee has decided to add Slopestyle as an Olympic discipline, which is also great for the UK. We have Jamie Nicholls and Aimee Fuller who both have medal potential. We also understand that by having good snowboarders and a solid national team that we are supporting the snow sports industry. Where can we buy Sterling Socks? You will be able to find them in shops around the country. A full list of dealers is available on our website: www.sterlingsocks.co.uk Our socks retail at £12 although the Jamie Nicholls and the Aimee Fuller sock retail at £15 as they are thicker. Future aspiration for the brand? For now we plan to make great socks with many bright colorful styles but who knows, in time we could add more products to the line. Next season we will expanding in to Europe and have a distributor for all German speaking countries.

Interview by Harri Bennett Images courtesy of Sterling Socks

Rider: Lanning Canu Photograph: Richard Clark

Off The Beaten Track Right, that’s that done. Adventure created, tweaked, “activated” and finally booked. I just used Wasabi’s adventure app for the first time, I got to build a package for a freeride adventure that I wanted. That was simple enough, quite novel actually, and the itinerary they came back with looked sick. Now all I need to do is sit here and wait for the next 5 months to pass by until we get to head out to experience it. Last season I missed out on the slopes. Wedding plans and the inevitable flu (NOT man-flu but actual flu thanks!) meant it simply wasn’t possible to steal away even for a quick weekend. This season will be different, this season I’m making sure I go extra large! I’ve been heading to the Alps for about 20 odd years now for the usual week or two of powder filled fun. Increasingly in recent seasons (except last of course) I’ve been trekking further afield, looking to explore new parts of the mountain and push myself.

A few season back in a flash of adventurous bravado, I tried out some K2 Pontoons to see how I got on with a day of sidecountry. “They’re far too much ski for you, you’re going to be on your arse all day!” my sister helpfully commented as I stood back at the hotel boot room proudly holding aloft my trophy. “I’m going to make that piste my b*tch!” was my slightly over confident response to that. This, it turned out, was not a prophecy and I was the one who had become the piste’s b*tch quite dramatically. But I didn’t care, I was hooked and since then I’ve been keen to properly head into the backcountry for a trip of nothing but powder runs and fresh lines with a group of mates. This season it’s time to make that happen! Day 1: Skip forward a few months and here we are in Geneva airport arrivals waiting for our bags and gear. Getting the crew together had not been

hard, and aside from last minute panics over delayed transfers to the airport and “missing” passports, all had been plain sailing. Bags duly retrieved, we headed into the slightly pokey arrivals hall in Geneva airport. It’s mid season and the place is mobbed with tour companies, transfer companies, school groups all heading to the slopes – thank god we had a private taxi booked!

resorts.

We passed down a long, narrow valley and through a tunnel that forms part of a local hydro electric system (we’re reliably informed). We stop off at a local mountain hut, tucked out of the way and offering up a sumptuous meal next to a fire.

Day 3: The group is feeling stiff this morning! Apparently yesterday was tougher on the legs than we realized. After a hot breakfast, and no small amount of stretching, we set off in our own minibus. We’re transferred to the foot of a mountain pass bordering Switzerland and Italy, Robert (who is not feeling stiff) pipes up with his first stat of the day. This pass is apparently one of the oldest in the Alps, and was for a long time the only road between northern and southern Alps. We have no way of confirming this of course, but Robert carries an air of knowledge about his person that only many years of guiding groups and tackling the elements can afford someone, and as such we’re don’t doubt it for a second. I’m pretty sure Robert could tell a few good stories if pressed, I make a mental note to check this later over some well earned beers. However, before all that we have a hike in front of us today. 2hrs up hill may sound daunting, but surprisingly we get a good pace going as a group and Robert keep us all entertained with plentiful facts, good view points and the odd stop for a breather. To my relative surprise I really get into the hiking, skinning up with all the gear feels primal and back to the roots of skiing. How our ancestors would have done it, and I can very well see how the sport caught on. It provides an amazing sense of freedom, not constrained by resort boundaries of where the lifts take you. We strike out into the backcountry, the uncontrolled, the unknown and it feels exhilarating!

The afternoon is a fairly gentle descent to the valley floor, giving us a chance to work on our turns and Robert does his best to make sure we’re all happy with the pace. It is, by all accounts, a successful first day without anything too challenging thrown in our direction. A great way to shake off the office legs, and give us a glimpse at mountain life away from the busy

That evening is spent in a Hospice, perched high up in the mountains, away from the crowds and where you can appreciate the true beauty of the natural environment. Tea is served by monks at a local monastery followed by a unique tour of the area. It is at some point this evening that I realize we really getting a different experience, one wasabi had promised, and it is incredible!

We were heading into the Valais region of Switzerland for the start of our adventure, it was only a couple of hours drive past the picturesque Lac Leman and I drifted off to sleep on the journey – it had started! That evening we met up with Danielle a super friendly Aussie lass and Wasabi’s on the ground logistics manager. She brought with her Robert, a tall, wiry framed man with a warm smile and weather beaten skin. This man had the dubious honor of being our guide for the next week. Earlier that day, we had met up with Danielle to get kitted out with the right gear and shown how to use it all in preparation for a quick start the next day. That evening, over a few drinks we studied our planned route wasabi had set up for us, 8 days and 3 countries, with a mixture of touring, sidecountry and some resort based skiing. Something the group all agreed was the perfect mix! Day 2: Standing at 3,000m (or 9’843ft for those that prefer it that way) surrounded by some of the most breathtaking architecture the Alps offers it was immediately clear this was going to be a trip unlike any I’d experienced before. With Robert leading the way, instructing both the group and each of us individually, we soon got into the swing of it.

Days 4 – 7 The days continue in a similar vein of intensive descents some days, hiking on others. As the days go by we cross over 2 borders from Switzerland to Italy, and then into France. We cover a huge variety of terrain and a serious amount of vertical. As we descend down valleys into Italy, we pass through wide open snow covered fields that are completely untracked, pass by beautiful wooden chalets and into small local villages that are quite off the beaten track. We get the feeling this is a side of the mountains that is reserved for the privileged few, it feels a world away from the highly modernized, efficient resorts that make up so much of the Alps today. Day 8 It’s been over a week since we set off on our adventure and we have arrived at the last day. As a group we’re pretty broken, a few bruises picked up along the way and physically shattered. It’s been a phenomenal week, one that will stay with us for a while, but I would be lying if I said I wasn’t looking forward to tucking up in bed knowing that tomorrow I have a sleep in! However, before we get to that we have one more spectacular to enjoy. We take the Point de Helbrunner cable car up

to 10,000ft to the start of a 27km descent down the Vallée Blanc. The day promises to provide stunning views of the local scenery, as well as tumbling ice falls and dizzying crevasses. We were a little nervous that we were biting off more than we could chew, especially with it being the last day and our legs were tired, but far from being the most challenging skiing it actually turned out to be a long, leisurely ride down into Chamonix. There had been a small dump of snow overnight so the mountains were covered in a light scattering of powder, perfect for cutting our final set of fresh lines of the trip! We get down into Chamonix around lunchtime and head into town for a slap up meal, a few beers and to look back on 8 days of fantastic backcountry skiing adventure. Shortly after lunch our private minibus turns up to whisk us back through the Mont Blanc tunnel into Italy. The whole thing has run like clockwork, Robert was an expert guide (and suspiciously full of facts), we’ve been lucky with the snow and we’re all shattered but very happy. The only question in our minds is where will Wasabi take us next year?

Rider: Sarah Fish Photograph: Richard Clark Location: Val dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Isere

We're off to find the powder, the Wonderful Powder of... Oz? Back in good old t’up northern University of York, a group of my buds were chatting about summer plans, the standard holiday spots like France and Italy were mentioned, some whinged about hunting for a job - it is our right as poor, penniless, debt ridden students! I mentioned that I was about to head off for the the holiday of my life! Ski instructing in Australia. Yep, that made people quickly question their geography and ask . . . Australia has snow? Not only does Oz have snow, Oz has many snow bums in search of a fun filled and adventurous season. The likes of Thredbo, Mt Hotham and Falls Creek may sound familiar to some of you seasonaires or holidaymakers. My mountain is Perisher, the biggest in Australia. Perisher gives you one hell of an experience. Everyone working there will have a different experience depending on where they are living, working and riding. Well this is my experience branching from June of 2009 to today, where I am in the middle of my third Aussie season. A bit of background first. I rocked up to Perisher after just one North American (and specifically Californian) season that I loved. Yeah, I know some people don’t know California has snow either. I like to confuse people’s geographical knowledge. I knew I had fallen for the lifestyle and the instructing gig so I wanted to keep it up over the northern hemisphere summer and so I headed to the first job offer I got. That first Aussie season was in my mind the best time I’ve had in my life. Living in the staff lodge, named Willow Lodge on the mountain (I say mountain, I should really say hill) was incredible. Sharing a room with 3 other people in bunks and sharing the lodge with 60 guys and girls whose jobs varied from snow makers, to ski school, to lifties and car park attendants. Equipped with a massive kitchen, a TV that only got 1 channel and an ensuite bathroom in every room, we had to make our own fun and we certainly did that.

Days off were and still are obviously dedicated to hitting up the mountain with whoever else is free or back lining at work. The only time the weather was so bad that no lifts were running, the boys built an igloo in the garden that was later tested out at night by my roommate and her boyfriend. The park rats hit up the Leichardt Park and if they are able to grow a pair, the Front Valley Park, where if you stack it, you are on show for the entire 8-seater chairlift to see. Believe it or not, some staff can’t really ski or snowboard so they go out and stick to the greens and blues or try and slide into lessons incognito and try and improve so the hard-core kids don’t mock them. The rest of us just love to cruise around the whole hill, stop off for a drink or 5 and then keep going until the last lift shuts. Nighttime for us was spent at the pub. They still remember my regular glass of goon (cheap box wine) and we have accepted that the staff will never win the pool competition. Wednesday as payday was of course the more popular night out and a bottle of PowerAde is essential the next day for survival. That first year the average age in the lodge was about 23. The next year it was 19. This year it has dropped to 18. And this year I moved out of the wonderful Willow Lodge to the small party town of Jindabyne. Jindy is populated by Thredbo and Perisher staff during the winter and you can certainly tell on payday. Perisher has some odd weather, it must be said. The year before I started, they got pink snow because of a sand storm that came through the resort from Sydney. We had two lightning storms in my first year where two lifties were injured. Last year we got no snow until August, which was the biggest dump of powder in 25 years. This year my boss mentioned that she had worked at Perisher for 20 years and had never seen this much snow this early in the season. You get used to phrases like “wind-hold” and

“lightning hold” or “power cut” and you roll with it. The area called Blue Cow has got some of the best riding, and the worst weather. It is always to first to shut down if the wind kicks up too much. On a sunny day Blue Cow or Mt Perisher are the places to find some hidden stashes of pow. Now the ski school of Perisher is very different to that of North America. You don’t get given a schedule. You sometimes get an idea of what you are assigned to but it’s likely to change. You walk up to 9 o clock line up and it’s about being in the right time and place for the good and the bad lessons. My first season I taught nothing but 3 and 4 year olds. As fun as it was, I went a little bit insane. Last season I didn’t teach one 3 or 4 year old and had an amazing bunch of groups. I had so much energy that I picked up a job washing dishes at night at one of the lodges and receiving a 3 course meal as part of my payment. This season, so far so good, other than a minor shoulder injury from some punter crashing into me. The people you teach will often not have seen snow before so it takes a while for them to pick up the basics. Some classes are amazing and you will not forget them. Some are horrific and you will also never forget them. And of course the dreaded assignment that nobody wants to get given are first

time 5-7 year olds. That tends to be a tough day at the best. Older kids are fine. They can put on their own gloves, don’t really cry and you never have to call the parents because the kid has had a slight toilet accident. Half-day lessons end quicker so if you get stuck with a bad batch, you’re shot of them pretty quick. But those 6 and half hours of little guys, unless you have the patience of a saint, can be tricky. As is the case in most places, there is some tension between lifties and ski school. The lifties are generally boarders and are normally a lot better than the instructors. Instructors are generally considered arrogant and stuck up. We are working on a truce; most of my best friends work the lifts. I suppose the main reason I keep going back is because of the people. I love the Aussies and I managed to pick up some of my best friends over these couple of seasons. There are so many stories from those three seasons and I wish I could fit them all in, but I suggest you get yourself out there and find your own stories and enjoy to madness that is Australia. Moral to all this. Be prepared for a surprise.

Words by Laura Seward

Rider: Ross Welch Photograph: Richard Clark

Fulham to Fernie, Wandsworth to Whistler. I approach the rail. It’s a double-down. I nolly a frontside 50/50 on and just before the kink, pop a backside 270 tapping in to a boardslide at the end of the second down rail. Just as I ride off cleanly, I catch an edge and face plant. Only it’s not an edge. It’s a tourist. And I’ve gone straight in to them. And I’m not in a park. I’m not even on the snow… Hell, I’m not even somewhere snowy! I’m outside St Paul’s Cathedral, London, having just finished my sandwich in the baking hot August sun. (And as you might have guessed by now, if I even attempted that 39

trick, the only outcome would be concussion and most definitely a spell in hospital.) But nonetheless, this is how it’s been for months. Months and months. Anything my eye sees that my brain interprets as jib-worthy automatically puts me in my own Mpora video. I’m strapped in and ripping. Always, always, ripping. It wasn’t always this way. In fact, in the grand scale of time passed since I first stepped on to a board (yes, you read that right, please don’t judge me, it was a hire!) in Stowe, Vermont, in

February 1997, this is but a blip. Only it’s a blip that has rapidly escalated in to a huge, multicoloured zeppelin and it’s following me around like a child running with a balloon. “Why?” you ask, “What’s changed?”, “What sort of crazy jib junkie are you?!”. Well (aside from the heinous amount of time spent watching clips on my iPhone as I go to bed each night; which have nothing to do with it, you understand) I’ve made a decision. Not your standard Sunday night “Indian or Chinese?” decision but potentially a life changing one. At 28 years young, I am taking a career break from the intensity of four and a half years spent in the London advertising industry to finally follow the dream of spending this winter shredding the pow in Fernie, British Columbia. Sweet, dude! Well, yeah, it IS “sweet”. Sort of. Or it will be… but right now it’s grim. Grim, grim, grim. But it’s not really grim, for the reward is so great. It’s sacrifice. Pure, simple sacrifice. Look… “It’s a beautiful evening, shall we go for beers in that pub down by the river?” “No, I’m saving.” “Shall we go to that festival in Hyde Park?” “No, I’m saving.” “Why don’t we get the train up to the Lake District to see your best mate?” “NO, I’M SAVING!” Honestly, I’m starting to piss myself off, let alone my mates! This is of course, entirely my own fault. “Shit didn’t get real” I guess, until the Canadian Embassy emailed me to say that the visa I’d flippantly applied for had been accepted – could I pay them £90 to finalise the process? Not a problem, of course, but this was mid June… I’m off in October; that’s only four pay cheques, so it’s all save, save, SAVE! NOTHING to do with the two boarding trips I made this year – one to Tinges, one to Fernie (which is where the bug bit hardest) – nor is it anything to do with the LibTech I got shipped from the US in May because I couldn’t find it in any end-of-season deals over here. Don’t tut me and shake your head! If you don’t understand my behaviour, may I venture that you are not a true shredhead.

The real killer, however, is not being able to get to Hemel on a Friday night. I haven’t been since SCUK Spring Bash and suddenly summer is nearly over! I’m up there next week and can’t wait to unleash the new board on the nursery slope, practicing my methods and my backside 1s. Yeah, that’s how huge I go… 1S! When you live and work in London, and have to travel on a Friday rush hour tube to get to Euston, to get the “peak time” train (thanks for that Mr. Ticket Man), then a taxi both ways at the other end, not only are you hated by every commuter you’ve encountered, you’re also about £70 worse off, and that’s IF you make the last train back. The weirdest things about that last paragraph is, I’ll miss it! When something becomes such a big part of your life, it’s hard not to. There is a dramatic contrast betwixt fighting for your spot on the platform of Clapham Common, fumbling with your Oyster card on a muggy summer’s morning and standing at the bottom of a lift on a queueless week day with my Id-card-esque season pass as the flakes fall silently around me. Yes, I’ll miss it a lot, but I’m sure I’ll soon get used to the alternative So there we go, that’s how it’s started… who knows how it’s going to continue?! Maybe I’ll work for the hill, maybe I won’t. Maybe I’ll get injured, maybe I won’t. Maybe I’ll find myself wondering what the hell happened to my life while lounging in the hot tub on some idle Sunday. But that’s enough from me (and Baz Luhrmann) for now. I’ll let you know how it’s going in the next issue. I need to go and watch the Art of Flight trailer for the 1,764 time. Believe.

Words by Nick Tuckwood

Rider: Lewis Sonvico Photograph: Richard Clark

Rider: Joe Grace Photograph: Richard Clark

Snowboard Review Back in May we had the pleasure of attending the Snowboard Test. A week based in a picturesque village at the foot of Kaunertal where we spend our evenings with an elegant dinner, good company and an early retirement to our rooms... Well the picturesque village and good company is true. The rest... Well... We won’t wont get into the rest! Here’s some truth - The days start with a 20 minute, usually hung over, windy drive up to the Glacier where a small village of tents with racks upon racks of snowboards await ready for testing. The rest of the day is spent doing just that. And from this awesome week we can now present the best reviewed snowboard hardware tested by those that know.

Bataleon - Evil Twin

The Evil Twin is Bataleon’s flagship board. Although this board was designed for riding park the new and enhanced TBT tip and tail can handle everything; slush, crud and powder. “There is no need to worry about catchng you edge as it’s just not possible. There is a new shape to the Evil Twin this year which makes it even easier and better to ride. The Evil Twin is one of the best freestyle boards out there. Riding the rest of the mountain is still so much fun. It’s stiff enough for everything and anything and floats on powder too” - Juro TSA

Vans - Wiig

Basically Andreas Wiig wears them... Thats all you really need to know right? “No heel lift what so ever. Warm comfortable and dry and i love the colour. Sick!” - Lucas Brammal

Vans - Kira

Designed for female riders Kira’s give quick relief and versatility. “Instantly comfortable, especially for extra wide feet. Loved the power strap and the boa system - quick no fuss and secure. Very comfortable whilst riding and excellent support. Also, they look rad.” Polly Girlylegs

Bataleon - Feel Better

Why feel good when you can feel better? This girls board is all about having fun, forgetting all your worries and just going for it whether its park or cruising. This years model is a collab with Les Ettes. “A GREAT NEW ADDITION TO THE BATALEON WOMEN’S RANGE. The softest model in the line and a twin flex making it an ideal freestyle board. The soft flex makes it really easy to butter on the flat and the Triple BAse Tech helps to prevent any unwanted edge catches. A great soft jib or entry-level board that any lady would love to ride” - Anna Bartlett

CAPiTA - Indoor Survival

The go-to board for the majority of the CAPiTA team, it will survice whatever you throw at it, in or out of the park. “Nice ride! Smooth, stable and good with speed, great pop and very stable on landings, responsive and so easy to turn! Loved it!” - Harri Bennett

CAPiTA - Stairmaster

This board is bomb proof and rips like no other for the price. Traditional cambered board designed for maneuverability around the park. “It felt right from the moment i strapped in. Regular camber and a nice soft flex makes buttering and jibbing a breeze. Super stable at speed, carves really well and has plenty of pop.” - Lee Radford

This is my CAPiTA. There are many like it but this one is mine. My CAPiTA is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as i must master my life. Without me, my CAPiTA is useless. Without my CAPiTA I am useless. I must shred my Capita true. I must ride faster and jump higher than my enemy, who is trying to surpass me. I must be awesome. I will be awesome. Before God i swear this creed: my CAPiTA and myself are defenders of awesome, we will survice all that the mountain throws at us, we are the saviors of my life. So be it, until there is no enemy, only awesomeness. Amen.

Union - Atlas

Forum - Destroyer

“Comfortable and responsive, didn’t even feel like i was strapped in. Tried to blag a free pair, was unsuccessful - will purchase a pair asap.” - Rhys Crilley

Back for another year of slaying! The Destroyer is a park board made for high-speed, high-consequence abuse. “Boom!! The Destroyer has landed! a well named board as it destroys everything it comes into contact with. Feels like you’ve ridden it your whole life! super poppy, solid under foot, great edge control but not too stiff to chuck it about. this is the board that does it all.” - Rob Brett

Union - Contact

“SICK!!!” - Rowan Coultas “Super nice fit, very comfortable. New open toe strap fits super smooth, buckles and flexes well with rocker boards. best bindings on the market.” Dudley Snow&Rock

Endeavour - Boyfriend

A true twin - simular in feel to the Colour but designed for girls. whether its hitting the park or jibbing around the mountain this will beat your boyfriend every time. “What a joy to ride! Although a freestyle board it holds really well on carving, super stable yet awesome to pop and play around with. A confidence builder!” - Helen Sansom

Smokin Snowboards - Team

Each Smokin team member got to put their own design onto a board making this team series truely unique “The smokin team board is a fun jib board with the balls to hit the bigger features in the park. Although its a little heavy the ridiculous amount of pop the board can generate at slow speed more than makes up for it. A good board for those jibbers looking to start hitting bigger jumps.” Tom Ewbank

Endeavour Colour

The graphics on this board are all about vices, check the smoking Elephant, poker playing Dog and a drunken Polar Bear. You will enjoy this board, you won’t be able to quit it! “This board is proper fun, at the test this week i’ve seen many happy faces when returning it after a test. I can vouch for that, it butters great and eats up bumpy terrain like suspension. Floats through powder too, the reverse camber adds an edge to the Colour which makes it an awesome choice.” - Mike Austin

Never Summer - Evo

Designed for optimum freestyle control, the new true twin blunt shape reduces material for a lower, more balanced swing weight while extending effective edge for more stability on takeoff and landings. “Really fun! Playful with awesome pop, but not too soft. Suddenly found myself with the ability to do triple corks and pull supermodels.” Rhys Crilley

Rome - Artifact Rocker

LNP, Eiki and Lazz all mount up the true-twin Artifact Rocker when they ride handrails, ledges and boxes. “Very easy playful board feels compact, great job board, butters very well, nice ollies, medium pop.” Pierre Jouvet

Burton - Nug

Built small for nimble handling, its optimized design packs uncompromised speed and stability in a board that lets you downsize 8-10cm from normal. Easy to throw around, light under foot, and surprisingly poppy, “Massive smile factor on this board, so easy to throw about and unbelievably stable for its size. Not one for a hard charge but a super fun addition to anyones quiver, ideal for indoor park riding”. - Rob Brett LCB

Burton - Mr Nice Guy Mr. Nice Guy could be anywhere. Lurking in local parks, back alleys, high in the mountains – wherever snowboarding is going down. “Loved this board, great edge control, very poppy in the tail and fast. A GOOD choice for somebody who wants camber.” Darren Ford

Burton - Cartel EST Great all round binding comfortable, no pressure points, best cap strap ever ridden and it worked well with different boots.

Ride - OMG!

Ride OMG women’s snowboard is a Hybrid Twin snowboard that offers the max in versatility and stability. Built to go big without the fear of rocker washout, the Ride OMG is ideal for skilled freestyle snowboarders that require a playful feel and true landing control.

Ride - DH2

Ride’s new Hybrid Twin shape for a hook-free ride designed to slay features and stomp big landings. “The board is really sick, turns well and is super stable. I hit rails and it felt really responsive. On the jumps I got rad - indy grab - stoked!” - Jamie Lawson

“Very fast, loved the cruising, adrenaline fuelled and got some stamina. Stable on pop, jumps, landings. Sweet.” - Kaz Wilmer

Diary

09-11/09/11 - Tamworth Snowdome - SCUK Summer Bash - SCUK are back at Tamworth for their ninth summer bash. The weekend offers camping, drinking, DJâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, tubing, more drinking and obviously snowboarding!

10/09/11 - Halifax Ski & Board Centre - Westbeach Snowflex - The Halifax leg of the Westbeach Snowflex Freestyle Series.

16-18/09/11 - Norfolk Ski Club - Farmers Jam - The Farmers Jam is back, 3 day Ski and Snowboard festival. 17/09/11 - Aberdeen Snowsports Centre - Skid Marks - Organised by kids for kids (although any age can enter) 24/09/11 - SNO!zone Castleford - British Snow Tour Indoor Championships - The Rebellion, a new era of indoor championships. 24/09/11 - Tamworth Snowdome - Burton Hi5 Tour - The first stop of six in this years Hi-5 tour 47

01/10/11 - SNO!zone Scotland - Burton Hi5 Tour - The Hi5 tour hits Scotland 08/10/11 - Aberdeen Snowsports Centre - Westbeach Snowflex 19-23/10/11 - Earls Court - London Ski & Snowboard Show - The annual show moves to Earls Court and promises to be bigger and better than ever before. 21/10/11 - Earls Court - British Snow Tour Invitational - The invitational will take place inside the Ski & Snowboard show 28-29/10/11 - Battersea Power Station - Freeze Festival - The infamous festival is back for another year with The Streets headlining 29/10/11 - Tamworth Snowdome - Santa Cruz Rookie Rider Clash - Tamworth welcomes back the Rookie Rider Clash for another year 04/11/10 - SNO!zone Castleford - Burton Hi5 Tour - The Hi5 tour finds its way to Castleford 48

Diary

Big Bang Snowboard Show - Big Bang is back bringing demos, coaching, special guests and deals. Dates are: 24/09/11 - Tamworth, 01/10/11 - Braehead, 08/10/11 - Milton Keynes, 15/10/11 - Castleford. 05/11/11 - Bearsden Ski & Board - Westbeach Snowflex 11/11/11 - SNO!zone Milton Keynes - Burton Hi5 Tour 11-12/11/11 - The Snow Centre Hemel - Morrow Jam - The histroric Morrow Jam is back for another year! 18/11/11 - Chill Factor - Burton Hi5 Tour 25/11/11 - The Snow Centre Hemel - Burton Hi5 Tour

Rider: Lewis Sonvico Photograph: Richard Clark

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