Chris Tierney be Rippin'

We had another great training week at Mt Snow. They continue to set up new features at Carinthia, fueling progression and creativity. I have had the pleasure of riding closely with Chris Tierney this week and have been impressed with his level of riding. I challenged four of my best riders to land all four 720s in one run on wednesday and Chris was the only one to pull it off (the others came close). Its one thing to be able to land all four, but in one run? Nice job Chris. He then proceeded to blast the biggest straight air of the day off of the 50ft Dew Tour jump (see photo below).




Kevin Mattice got some extra film/photo time at Carinthia yesterday and he made the most of it. Check his videos on vimeo.com (search Kevin Mattice). He is riding solid too, check his railing stall photo at top.
This weekend is the last usasa events. Buses will leave SMS at 7:30 each day. The end of the year party will be at Snow Barn after Sunday's pipe event. Expect a strong finish out of our crew. Final photo is of Connor Hudson who is making quite a comeback and has been sooo fun to ride with.

Switch Backside

Today we split the crews between Mt Snow and Stratton. I hear Stratton was a blast, but I did the Mt Snow thing and have to comment on what I was blown away by. What was that, you ask? Well it was Shelby Simpson. Anyone who is paying any attention to our team knows that she is on a tear right now. In Boreal she decided to step it up and has been doing so ever since. Case in point, today she was spinning switch backside in pipe and slope. The pipe work is crazy, she drops in to a switch backside three, gets two in a run (with grabs) and then was attempting switch back 5s at the end of the pipe. She only really tried 2 or 3 fives, but if she had two more runs she would have landed one. For those who don't know, switch backside spins are the most unspun tricks in our sport. They are not much harder than the other spins, but people have been slow to master them so they stand out in comps (see Torah Bright and Danny Davis). Well Shelb is getting them down. In slope she is throwing switch back 180s and as you can see in today's photo, she is starting to grab them.
So big ups to Shelby Simpson. First place Open Women's pipe at Okemo this weekend, an invite to last week's World Cup, and riding in finals in the last Rev Tour. Keep it up Shelb, you are setting a great example and getting us all stoked to try new things!
I wanted to pump up Shelb today, but of course we have lots of other ripping going on. More on that later, but check out the Tierney/Wood doubles shot. The old over-under!
Ian

Okemo

Weather was stormy this morning but we made the trip over Terrible Mt to Okemo. Training was crowded and fast paced, lots of park and pipe laps. Dave Redden's back rodeo clinic yesterday was priceless. Cesar, Austin and Mike have joined Eric, Hunter, and Randall in the rodeo club and will be throwing them in this weekend's comp.
I got to spend some time with Phoebe and Makayla and was impressed with thier slope skills. Makayla was trying front 5s, and Phoebe is now grabbing her back 3s. See photo for proof.
Gonna be a good show this weekend. Bus leaves SMS at 7:10 and I hope we have a good turnout of family to cheer us on.
Also, I put up the footage of Eric's front 1080. It should be just to the left of this text.
Ian

Stratton Training, day 2

You know what they say about pictures and words, well today the pictures will do most of the speaking. Basically, Phoebe is out of her tree, even before we get to the hill. Alex Bayer is choosing switch backside spins while others decline that choice. India does not care what it takes to get a trick down. She slammed 3 times before front boarding this down box. This shot was the make.
From what I heard Cesar learned back rodeos with Redden, he will have to tell you bout that. Look out Okemo, here we come.
Ian

Christmas Comes for Eric B

So today was killer, like all days at Mt Snow this season. Tikos and Hunter are landing back 900s in the Dew Tour Park. Abay is out of retirement and shredding slope (check photo in last entry). India (now a Pro/Am, congrats girl) is tough on herself, but on her last run she landed a half-cab, a back 3 and a front 3. She sat down on the last Dew Tour jump and was pissed, but she is shredding and belongs with us Pro/Ams.
Joe Mensch quietly throws down all day long and is looking strong going into the spring with 5s 7s and 9s. Slays-the-Gnar has been tagging along with the Pro/Ams and is impressing the heck out of me. Back 7s and large front 5s.
BUT, the highlight of the day was Eric Beauchemin's frontside 1080 off the largest jump on the hill. He decided today was the day and stomped it in 3 tries. This kid loves riding, and I have never seen him so excited. He had a good audience which added to the stoke. The kid called his dad as soon as he unbuckled. Yeah Eric! I just put the clip up on Youtube, go check it out. Its under "Eric Beauchemin front 1080".
Photos are Slays-the-Gnar crail and Dr Redden Head Style Coach.
Ian

These are today's. Below is from Yesterday.

SMS Snowboarding Has Been and Will Be Doing the Following...

• 

We trained tuesday and wednesday at Carinthia Park and the jumps were outstanding, the jibs good, the pipe needed cutting yesterday and today could have used another pass up the riders right wall. The park crew has committed to not rebuild that pipe before 2/28 contest weekend so they don't want to dig too deep in a given night lest it all get too wide...hightlights and photos to follow but first....

• The Dev crew, The Race Crew and Two pro-ams raced Boardercross at Bromley today.
• Shelby, Jin and Indrik are going with Rick to The Stoneham, Canada World Cup Event tomorrow. Congratulations.
• We are planning on going to Okemo tommorrow and friday to train and then compete there saturday the 21st and sunday the 22nd. Contest mornings the vans will depart SMS @7:10. Training day vans will depart SMS @ 8:00. Wax swix CH 7 for the next 4 days please.

But here's the thing: it has started snowing at my house and we are expecting 4-8 inches. If it snows 4 or more we will ride Stratton. Tomorrow only. There you have that. I love weather.

• Next week will be Carinthia heavy and we will be competing there at Mount Snow on saturday the 28th and sunday the 1st (of March!). That weekend is The Series Finals. There is a banquet Party at the Snowbarn that we will all attend Sunday the 1st after the contest. Parents please come on up or down if you can attend. Vans will depart SMS @ 7:30 for mount snow both days. Wax is pending. Bring some extra shoes and sock for sunday.

Hope to see a nice turnout of SMS community and cameraderie, because honestly these kids are riding great. You should see em. I'll tell you about some tricks we've been seeing and show some photos. At one point today I stood on a knuckle and filmed ten people in a row all spin grab and land one after another. Mostly fives. All our kids. I saw Alex Bayer riding slope. Out there and re-engaging his riding on the open jump lines. Chris and Eric ended the day with a back to back nollie front flip train. Chris is landing switch back five all over and front seven looks like a breakfast spin. Eric landed front ten on film. Hunter landed every bs rodeo he tried, stomping 4 out of 5. Hunter landed back 9 on film and has a switch back five that fifty five feet if its an inch. Kevins jibs are off the hook and his back is looking like its feeling better over jumps than yesterday. He is a slayer. India is spinning every other jump in the nitro line. Joe gets more pop per jump than a bullfrog when everybody else has to hop and tuck just to clear. Austin is spinning a grabbing in a cast. Tikos is spinning huge and Randall's shifty is kung foo. It's precisely orchestrated madness out there and Then there is the suprise of the season... Cesar Slays-the-Gnar Reversade all the way from les Alps learning all his fives and some sev's already. These kids are a high flying celebration of life on snow and inspiring every day.

A picture of this week...

Big Training week continues like this. There is a crew of racers racing on Friday and training sl. until then. There is a very similar looking crew doing some BX Training next week and racing BX on weds. An even smaller version of said crew is Racing BX at Ragged mtn this sat. as well as GS on sunday. There is Huge party in the gym Saturday night. Look Sharp. Also a high tech Jib team is heading to Killington VT on sunday for the Dead President's RailJam on Sunday. Everyone else will be visiting home or freeriding/training on their own for Presidents' weekend after two more intense days of progression at Carinthia. The schedule has worked out to allow for this great period of solidification of skills without too many contests. They are getting it done out there and the riding level continues to raise.

just another couple photos from another contest day...

Just another day on another contest weekend...

At mid-season we have seen more than most years in terms of illnesses, injuries and high caliber performances. last saturday was a perfect example. It was one day after the snowstorm in Cali had left Hunter qualified in third for Rev Tour Slope finals but then the final cancelled.It was two days after James, Shelby and Joe made pipe finals at the same event. James took third surrounded by US Rookie Team members. This was three days after Jacqueline had taken second at the BX out there (securing a JR Worlds spot!). It was one day after Mallon and I took the Dev crew and some Pro-Ams who were injured or thought to be not quite ready for the Rev over to Okemo to feel out the Pipe Shape and test the jumps for Slope. It was a short morning training sesh squeezed in between the forty plus minute rides over and back. The pipe was narrow and the firm jumps were big and poppy. We would have our hands full on Saturday a.m.'s slope course...Or so I thought. The Dev riders and Injured or less experienced pro-ams filled the podiums for SMS like the whole crew of 28 freestylers was there. Highlights from the contest have to go Mike Perle and Cesar for being fresh off of I.R.. Cesar was cleared to ride by a Doctor on weds. Mike had been riding for one week but still in a wrist cast. Mike was front boarding the high bar and did tail grab back Seven to Front five all day and yes for the win. Cesar did back three nose to front five with a poke to walk right past the usual suspects for the final podium spot. We do everything we can to create sound fundamentals yet the final and only common ingredient of every pro shred is the ability to keep one's head together in competitive and dangerous conditions. These guys showed some of that spice. That brings me to Emily Evanko who took a hard blow to the shoulder in round one but insisted she take her second. She was cleared by patrol, Stood one up and went with her father for an exray. She was okay. Josh Cohen aired the Big side and spun the second medium side both runs beating two thirds of his age group. Phoebe Novello continued her string of gold medal performances with a let-it-all-hang-out Method Grab on the Big jump after her Real boardslide on the flat down and before her board bending nose grab finish. India pushed the Progression for her group hitting big and spinning medium. The three just wouldn't set down and she ends in second. Lena overcame some practice nerves and stood up a two jib, two grab line. Finally for the day Erik Bentley Roomet served up the biggest smile I have caught him at since september. Big Back three and back five grabbed like they were old schooler straight airs and of course following his always tech rails- high bar sw.fitty ,180 out and maybe back lip on the down...And all this while the bulk of our staff and Team are getting on and off airplanes heading home from the Sierra's. It will be one of my favorite days of the year at the end. I continue to be impressed by the character as well as the riding of this years SMS group. Of course the big team reunion was great the next day. Perle won again, Emily E rode solid for second, carrying that sore shoulder. Novello first again... results are posted on USASA SoVT page. Sunday was all about being back together and it feels good. Most of the team was tired but entertained the masses with the jump next to the pipe all day.

Cash and Podiums

Just a quick post from the Reno airport. Truly one of the worst cities in the world. Unhealthy, sketchy looking people gambling at all hours and smoking just as often. Makes us appreciate VT and our outdoor lifestyles.
The crew continues to travel and ride like young pros. Boreal was lacking on snow, but had a fun park/pipe/bx set up. A short lift ride and short trail made for tons of park laps. By the time you wiped the smile off your face from the run you were back up top strapped.
BX was on Wednesday. Justin concussed himself right out of the event the day before, charging practice. He was bummed and I was too. Z just missed the time trial cut (33 and they took 32). That left Jackie to get the podium for SMS and she did so. It was a blast watching her ride. Second place rewarded with cash and product.
Day two was pipe and the weather changed from 50 plus degrees and sunny to 30s with snow wind and chills. Did not stop the kids from ripping. As you may have heard, James and Shelb made finals. Shelby's new run is so sick. Five to five, air to fakie, switch back 3. Yup, Shelb got tons of love that day and ended up 6th. James came up big against the US rookie team. Monster frontside air, 7 to 7 and front 9 got him our second podium, third place. So rad James and Shelb. Hunty threw a nice front nine in his run but sketched the next wall.
Day three, slope, and I was ready for another podium. Sadly the weather was not cooperating and the event was called at 2oclock after many had taken runs. Super frustrating, especially since Hunty was in third when they called it. They decided to give the money and product away in a rail jam. Instead of complaining, the crew went and got that cash. They handed out cash for tricks and in 5 minutes Eric B had 90 dollars and a big smile. Randall and James also got paid.
In a rush, loading the plane, but must mention Emily and Jenn had great slope runs. Stomped with some switch spins.
Gotta go! Get me out of Reno!
Photos are Jackie and Eric B.

SoVT Series Weekend at Okemo

A small group will ride in the Van or Truck tomorrow from school. We will leave the school @ 7:10 saturday and sunday am. Last weekend the slope event/awards went past 5:00. Sunday (pipe) should be considerably shorter.
If driving your children please allow enough time for registering and getting ready to go out and catch the beginning of the practice. 8:30 chair. The course has large options and getting enough time to test them and a minimum of two runs with tricks can be tough.
We checked out the venue today and both the park and pipe are in great shape. We will be on lower nor'easter, two trails over from the halfpipe and a short walk up (to the bottom of the course.). See you There. If you are traveling from California tomorrow- godspeed yo.

Who Is the Man!

I just really like this shot and Haffy-Man has simply worked the hardest for the longest. Naturally as a sunrise he is riding like this everyday.

Patience, Skills, Priveledge and Guts

It's been a weekend long highlight film running live. And still there has been breaking news coming through along the way. The news coming through from California: The SMS Alumni/SVSS veterans, our current Elite Crew and the school's team members on the US Squad crowded the finals of the US Snowboard Grand Prix at Boreal. Podiums and the bulk of the final competitors. Too many to mention. Sure every crew has its day. That crew is having ANOTHER great season. Lizzy, Ellery, Duckie, Danny, Louie, Chris Waker the girlfriend taker! Goldie, Jen Cohen, Shelby Simpson, Joe Mensch: You can be proud. You represent yourselves and where you come from as strong. I know that's not ya'lls style but its a priveledge to be on the same planet.
Back home the tradition continues. The kids want to be in California already. They want that EVERYTHING you've got. They are taking the steps in patience, showing the deepest skills of their generation at the "grass-roots" level. Yesterdays combinations of tech jibs and double-banger jump lines were pro style yet still family funded. Today's pipe runs were as aggressive as they were relaxed. Seeing that is seeing people love snowboarding. The coming together of skills and will that the pro-am and dev crew showed off over this weekend was just so deep and styled that waiting for judges scores at any time was superfluous. They put on bibs to show people what they do all week long. They put em on to show that they too deserve to go to California for some fifty degree shred. Too many good things to list off gold, silver, bronze, so fourth. Big pictures standing out in the highlight reel: the Guts to ride two days in a wrist-cast...that was M Perle running a legit pipe line today with 5 spins- one of those being alley oop rodeo. Hunter Wood crawls out of sick bay at Kate Mitchell's protestations to shiver out a switch back lip, five , five and two jibs I couldn't see in slope. Next day in Pipe a big meth, seven, seven, air, five, five followed by another B.M. to front nine, air, air bs five, fs five run. "Sick as a dog" as they say. How about SINGLEMINDED like a buddha. How about a man with a mission. Did you see Chris Tierney own that park all week? No? Well that's cool because he smoothed it out just the same in a bib saturday. Cab five and back five like people stay up at night and dream of. Randall's clean back flips are the only of their kind and Im only a little bummed not to be able to see his down bar HOT Garbage because Yes He Did It all Week Long, past ninety like he's sliding across the kitchen in socks and pj's relaxed. Tikos was feeling a little restless so he called up MSA's Will Rivera to give him a lil' scrap. He was just looking for a little contact. TTK wiped the blood from his nose and dropped in with focus and stomp-style for his second run on the nitro course. Fitty fitty, bs one off, cab to back fives. Pretty. James-as-always-Haffner rode so sick in the open class that he left Eric Beauchemin no choice but to go all jib crazy as he always does into a quick half cab-nollie heel edged back rodeo off the roller between the next jump and that first rail. Go ahead and reread that. Yup. AS COOL AS ANYTHING I'VE EVER SEEN ON SNOW(Im really old and have snowboarded for more than twenty years)... India spun on and off the down box, blew off the grab and spun the second jump twice...Too many positive things to list medals. You guys are riding like we always hope you will. The coaches on the hill have been stoked as riders, proud as coaches and lucky - just like you to get to roll with this group of snowboarders in our time. Lets all try to keep up the good times. Take care of yourselves in California. Those of you staying home, enjoy the opportunity to get ready for those trips, we have it made here to get where we want to go.