SMS Riders: A Band on the Run

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Peter D

I'm sitting in Woodward. I've been watching Xander and JP try to kill each other with a game of Jib on the tramp boards then over to the bowl where Rakai Tait is repping VT Skates and SMS in the bowl Jam with 5 foot airs. Rick Shimpeno is howling into the mic about how tonight there's gonna be a jailbreak and I just giggle myself off the couch watching our elite crew transformed into elven Rocky Balboa's back east on the stratton rail garden. Just trying to catch everyone up here from Woodward. I have been missing a few days and have limited eye candy for you because my memory cards are constantly in the hands of the riders to download.

Jack G.

We took saturday off and then rode pipe at copper sunday. Great pipe and I can't believe how quickly these guys adapted to the full 22 foot size of that beast. Many pipes claim "super". Few are every inch of it like copper's... I started my day with a hug from Jaqueline Hernandez and one from Joe Mensch at breakfast. A hug and a High five from Jenn Cohen up at the pipe and two warm hugs from Louie Vito. Danny Davis showed after lunch and rounded out the SMS alumni blast of the day. Spencer and Serena Shaw were training with US Snowboarding for the impending Grand Prix as well. Finally Dave Edry did a back-pack run, with Carson at the end of the day. Of course the best part of the day were the blasted airs from Josh, Peter D, Jp McA, Xander and Jack and Mason- O.B., Chewey, Rakai, Julia Marino, Kiersten Edwards, Mike Boylan and Benjo.

JP slob...

...to nose poke

The next two days were cold in the low single digits. Hard snow and stinging faces kept the crowds thin and our east coast riding bunch took to it appropriately. It felt like February and they rode like it. I'm impressed with the way these guys have tuned into the park lines and steadily moved through the spins. As many cab and switch back 5's as front and back. These after poked and shifty threes and the daily jump line trains that make any fan of the classic method proud. After one flat back seven that left him in the back seat JP decided to cork it and landed the next three. They look good out here. Despite hard thin snow here and no snow at home we are super grateful for the training we are getting. One other rider not afraid of the cold weather each day is India Stephenson. She is sending front one mute, back three (indie) to front three all day. She is riding great and of course showing the current kids yet another strong rider to follow.
This morning  Scott and the dev crew will ride Copper again. there are two small parks, more freeriding opp's and some nasty Grand Prix pipe training to watch. The Am's and I are checking out Keystone. Josh and Jay are also riding here at copper, getting ready for Josh's two days of racing in Steamboat Springs. Good luck, have fun and train hard.