Page 112 October 2007
Year 04 Issue 01
The Lost Art JJ Thomas
Get involved: snowboard-mag.com
Snowboard Magazine Products, Places & Personalities
Written by Stan Evans
Portrait by Stan Evans
Photo Quotes by JJ Thomas
Long before the days of matching plaid outfits, ESPN instant replays and big-money contests, snowboarding was inspirational—a hyper-evolved adaptation of how riders interpret the mountain and express their style through the terrain. Nowadays, with 22-foot pipe dragons, perfectly manicured park jumps and all-inclusive backcountry lodges it seems some riders have lost sight of this ideal. Almost forgotten are the early days of the Standard Films’ TB series. Those riders engraved their presence on snowboarding not by image, but in the way they attacked the whole mountain. The first time I saw Johan Olofsson’s part in TB5 I was blown away. He was charging, laying waste to everything in sight. That’s when it all clicked for me— these were the type of riders truly reinventing our sport and they should be credited for progressing snowboarding to new levels. Whether it was steep chutes, backcountry kickers, halfpipes, jibs or powder turns, they rode it all. People such as Craig Kelly, Terje and Noah Salasnek laid the foundation, and stars of today like JJ Thomas, Bjorn Leines, Travis Rice and Nicolas Müller continue to carry the torch. Being a well-rounded rider is almost a lost art in 2007 but there are a few riders who still know what it’s all about. “The Lost Art” will pay respect to these riders, with the hope that their riding style will guide future generations and prevent the proverbial torch from falling into darkness.
Snowboard Magazine Products, Places & Personalities
Page 113 October Issue