WSU Longboarding Continued...

Here is a follow-up on our recent video post with more information and videos about longboarding at WSU:

WSU Longboarding Facebook page...
This group has more than 50 members and is still growing. The page stays current by posting new pictures and videos of students riding on campus.

Gary Saavedra Wakesurf's Panama Canal

National Surfing champ Gary Saavedra stood on his board for more than four hours wakesurfing the entire length of the Panama Canal. In turn, Saavedra set the Guiness World Records for the longest time and distance riding a wave. Here is a video cataloging his amazing feat of talent.

Quadcopters Allow Extreme Sport Footage

Here are a few videos showing some of the epic footage a quadcopter can capture:

Radio-Controlled Helicopters Allow For Footage of Extreme Sports


Recording extreme sports has not always been easy because most occur in locations that are not exactly camera-friendly. Snowboarders and skiers seemed to have found a solution to this problem; this winter it seemed almost all of the boarders were wearing helmet cams. But what about other sports like rock climbing, surfing and even hang gliding?

Radio controlled Helicopters, or quadcopters have become more advanced and easy to use, allowing for more people to use them to record their extreme sport adventures. 

WSU Longboarding Interviews

Here is the latest video production from Wood Surfer; bringing you a small inside look at the longboarding culture at Washington State University.

Tony’s Twitter Treasure Hunt

Tony Hawk in the Easter Spirit

This weekend, Tony Hawk is having his third annual treasure hunt. Hawk’s twitter has more than 200,000 followers and he began tweeting them clues Friday abut where he has hid his boxes of different kinds of goodies. There are 100 boxes filled with prizes from helmets to video games. Boxes are hidden in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, South Africa and across Continental Europe.

The rules are simple; find the location of a box based off of Hawk’s tweets, then tweet him a picture of you with the prize.

If you are not yet a follower of Tony’s Twitter, here it is:

Tony Hawk's Twitter

Good luck treasure hunting.

Sharma Does First Ascent Of First Round First Minute

One of climbing's most respected athletes Chris Sharma has supposedly accomplished his first ascent of his First Round First Minute project in Margalef, Spain according to his girlfriends blog. Being one of the foremost rock climbers in the world this new production will most likely be an amazing feat of his talent and the progression of the sport. Here is a video compilation of material taken from his production called King Lines, which more than showcases Sharma's amazing talent and discusses some of the different aspects of rock climbing.

Major Avalanches Kill Three

Avalanches Kill Three and Leave Others Injured - WA, WY, UT, CO

As winter turns to spring, avalanches have become a major threat. Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and Washington have had some major avalanches through this transition. These incidences have left 3 dead and multiple injured.

Most of the avalanches occurred in out-of-bounds areas.  A lot of groups were prepared by checking daytime highs and purposely creating avalanches before venturing to potentially dangerous areas, but with all of the snow that has fallen late this winter, it is difficult to predict when an avalanche will occur.

ESPN's Coverage

Rope Ducking Illegal in the State of Washington

Rope-Ducking can now Cost up to $1000 in Washington:

Crossing from a ski area to a roped-off or out-of-bounds area will no longer just get your pass pulled in the state of Washington, it can cost you money and gain you a criminal record. Bill 5186 was passed April 6 making rope-ducking a misdemeanor and up to a $1000 penalty.

The vote passed with 43 in favor, 5 opposed and 1 not voting.

John Kircher, president and general manager of Crystal Mountain, and Paul Baugher of the Northwest Avalanche Institute, brought the bill to senate. Kircher and Baugher did so out of safety concerns for skiers and snowboarders.

Currently, legal action on ski hills is limited to civil action, but ski patrol might soon have the ability to hand these tickets out.

Oakley Targets Female Riders In New Campaign

Oakley Encourages Female Skiers and Snowboarders With Progression Sessions:

Over the past five years Oakley has a professional staff take women on two-day terrain park camps as part of a win-win marketing campaign for female riders as well as the company.

Not only do women represent a major opportunity for the ski/snowboarding industry, the lack of female gear and company support may be a reason why women make up a small minority found on the mountain.

It portion of women snowboarding has grown in the last decade, but it has stayed around 24 percent for the last few years, according to Transworld Business. (Business Transworld's Story on Progression Session)

The two-day camps focus on the terrain park and helping already established female shredders take that next step. Some of the pros that make up the staff include, Marie-Frances Roy, Chanelle Sladics and Kristi Leskinen. 

Locations:

1.“Droppin In” at Loon Mountain, NH (March 5th–6th) SOLD OUT

Coaches: Grete Eliassen, Chanelle Sladics & Silvia Mittermuller

2. Canyons, UT (March 12th–13th)

Coaches: Grete Eliassen, Marie-France Roy & Dominique Vallee

3. Winter Park, CO (March 19th–20th)
 Coaches: Chanelle Sladics, Kristi Leskinen & Marie-France Roy


4. Northstar-at-Tahoe, CA (March 26th–27th)
 Coaches: Gretchen Bleiler, Kristi Leskinen, Silvia Mittermuller & Dominique Vallee


Triple Cork 1440 Landed by Freeskier Bobby Brown!!!

Progression cannot be stopped...
During a training session at the private redbull park at Squaw Valley, CA Bobby Brown attempted and landed freeskiing's first triple cork 1440. With Sebastien Toutant landing snowboarding's second triple cork 1440 just a week earlier it is no wonder that a skier would step up and finally crush the spin. Brown was quoted saying that he had not planned on attempting the trick, but just went for it as a spur of the moment decision last saturday. Here is a video which shows Bobby Browns Cork 1440. Enjoy!

Holy Oly Revival at The Summit of Snoqualmie

The Holy Oly Revival in Washington. What a wondrous event....

Check out some of the riders and events on Quiksilver.

Check out the video.

Tom Curren, Bruno Santos, Dean Brady, and others Discover New Kind of Wave

Freshwater Surfing

  

These ‘river waves’ can be found around the world, but the Amazon's Pororoca has become most famous. In 2010, some of the first of these waves were ridden and have become a new destination for surfing revolutionaries.

Last March, Rip Curl sent a crew to get a better feel of the waves from the Pororoca, and managed to capture some epic footage. Expect more footage from this trip to come out later this Spring or early this Summer.  

Don’t believe us? – Check out this video from ESPN: 

TransWorld Announces New Wakeskate Event

TransWorld Wakeboarding has just announced that it will hold its first-ever Devise and Conquer event. Modeled after several other TransWorld events such as TransWorld’s Skate and Create project, this event will pit teams against each other in a battle to produce the best photos and video in a controlled setting. Multiple wakeskate teams will compete in this controlled setting and the winner, chosen by voters, will get the July cover of TransWorld Wakeboarding.which we’ll be giving away leading up to the event.
On May 11, 2001, you can got to http://www.wakeboardingmag.com/ to watch Devise and Conquer videos from each team and vote for your favorite.

If you really enjoy watching wakeskate videos that shred the gnar here is the link to a new movie with Matt Hooker, Nick Taylor, Austin Pastura, Ben Horan, and Andrew Pastura called "More Than Machines". This movie is available online as a digital download for $10 here. This film shows the continued progression that is taking place in the insane world of wakeskating. Below is the trailer to "More Than Machines".

Holy Oly at The Summit of Snoqualmie

The eighth annual Holy Oly Revival was hosted last Saturday at Hyak, the eastern summit of Snoqualmie.

"It started because I didn't think kids knew who paved the way," Krush Kaluza, event manager of the Holy Oly. "We just wanted to create an event that was an ode to the past, while looking to the future, happening now," says Kaluza. "How deep is that?"

The Holy Oly Revival is one of the oldest quarter-pipe competitions in the Northwest. It has become more of a staple to the ski/snowboarding community.

Please check out the photo gallery and the rest of the article on EXPN.

Austrialian Wakeboarder: Harley Clifford

There is a lot of hype that surrounds this young wakeboarding phenom.

Check out his 2011 practice session with Oakley and Liquid Force near his home river by the Gold Coast.



Warrior Dash - Extreme Running

Not Your Typical Extreme Sport - Warrior Dash 

The warrior dash puts an extreme twist on traditional 5k races by adding multiple obstacles, including mud-crawling and fire-leaping. There are 31 locations for the Warrior Dash this year, and will take place in our home state, Washington, July 16 and 17.   During and after each race, participants and spectators celebrate with music and beer. In addition to the intense nature of the race, awards are giving to the best warrior beard and most ridiculous costume, making the Warrior Dash an epic race for runners looking for something a bit more exciting.  

Warrior Dash Info.

Desert Wake Teams Up With CWB

CWB Wakeboard Co. has announced that it will be partnering with Desert Wake of California. This partnership also comes with the continued development of the first full-size cable park in California, which plans to be stocked with the latest, highly innovative products made by CWB. Six lakes, a driving range, and a skate park, along with concession and retail facilities, will be just a few of many different things that will be available at the park. The 90-acre park is located at the Sunset Ranch in Mecca, California and plans to be opened in spring 2011. 

WSU Wakeboard Team Preview: Wood Surfer's First Soundslides Project

An interview with three current WSU wakeboard team members and photos of them in action...

Legendary Surfer Sion Milosky Will Always Be Remembered

Last wednesday tragedy struck at Maverick's, a famous Nor-Cal surf spot, after the life of Sion Milosky was taken by a large wave. Known for surfing some of the largest breaks in Hawaii Milosky was known as one of the best underground surfers around who lived his life for the waves and the experience he loved. Hailing from Kauai's beaches Milosky was revered as one of the most fearless surfers because of his hard charging style on the breaks.
            

Danny Harf's DEFY - COMING THIS SPRING

Based on the pursuit of something more progressive and more radical than ever before Danny Harf and friends, along with BFY Productions, plan to create a visual sensation in the new movie DEFY. This is just a teaser for the new movie and the life of those who are pushing the boundaries of what is possible when doubling up and hitting that next wake. The movie is planned to hit the shelves in June.

DC MTN. LAB is on the Market?

Ken Block, co-founder of DC Shoes, is finally selling this mansion located outside of Salt Lake City, Utah on a wildlife preserve. The property is listed just shy of $7 million. The selling of this 3,800 square foot house on a 22 acre property (with access to 10 private ski/snowboard runs) could be the first step to something bigger.

"The Mountain Lab was an incredible concept because every kid would love to have his own private snowboard park at the back door of his house and his own skatepark in his back yard. And it gave us great insight about what kids want and dream about," Block said last summer. "It was a successful marketing exercise for many years and a lot of fun. We are always looking for new projects like this that will be impactful down the line."

Wakeboarding on Cranberry Fields

The Red Bull Winch Sessions is a new experiment that involves a winch system attached to a truck.

Snowboarders, wakeboarders, etc., use the winch to ride places that you couldn't imagine riding without a boat or a mountain.

In this episode, Josh Tranby, professional wakeboarder, shows off his skills on a cranberry field in Wisconsin.

Enjoy.

Check out other Winch Session episodes on Red Bull.com

"The Art of FLIGHT" by Brain Farm Productions

This is the most anticipated snowboarding video of the year.

Travis Rice, professional snowboarder, and company took two years to film this video.

Film will be released Fall 2011.

Wood Surfer's First Podcast

Interviews about safety on the mountain:

New Skatepark in Portland, Oregon

Commonwealth Skatepark, the new skatepark outside of Portland, is the first skatepark in the world that uses a non-profit comprehensive civic plan according to the Skaters For Portland Skateparks. Made of completely concrete, it is the first of several indoor skateparks in progress to be made.

The grand opening for the skatepark was on Feburary 26th, 2011.  

Starting prices for a two-hour session is $9.

Check out the rest of the article on ESPN.



WINTER STORM in the PNW - Grab Your Board and Skis!

NOAA

A WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM PST THURSDAY.
* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS: SPOKANE AREA...4 TO 8 INCHES TODAY THROUGH
THURSDAY. WASHINGTON PALOUSE...AN ADDITIONAL 3 TO 5 INCHES OF
SNOW WILL BE POSSIBLE TODAY THROUGH THURSDAY.
* TIMING: SNOW SHOWERS WILL INCREASE THIS AFTERNOON INTO THIS
EVENING. BANDS OF HEAVY SNOW ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP TONIGHT
AND COULD PERSIST INTO THURSDAY MORNING.
SHRED THE GNAR

Previous links to local mountains and NOAA reports are still active on Wood Surfer :)

Epic Snow & Show Next Weekend at Schweitzer:

After getting one of its largest snowfalls last week, Schweitzer Mountain is on a winter storm watch until Thursday night. The seven-day forecast shows cold weather and lots of snow.

Snow Report 

On top of an almost guaranteed powder weekend, Yoke’s Outrageous Air Show aerial ski-jumping exhibition is coming to the mountain Friday and Saturday night. Some of the athletes that will perform include: Olympic freestyle gold medalist Jean Marc Rozon, four-time world champion Steve Omischl, and Olympian Brad Suey.

The event will have music and fireworks and is free. It will begin at 6:30 pm both nights.

For those 21 and older:

After the show Friday there will be a ‘Fiesta Party’ sponsored by Corona and Crown Royal. 

Saturday night after the show, Taps (the resort’s bar) will host a Molson-Captain Morgan Pirate Costume Party. 

Local Mountain Resort and Weather Links

Schweitzer Mountain

Click Here for NOAA weather





Silver Mountain 

Click Here for NOAA weather






Mt. Spokane

Click Here for NOAA weather



49 Degrees North

    Click Here for NOAA weather 




Lookout Pass

Click Here for NOAA weather

Winter Dew Tour Wraps-Up

This years Winter Dew Tour was one for the books as many participants threw down harder than ever before setting the stage for future generations by making double corks and other progressive tricks the new standard for competitive events.

Janna Meyen-Weatherby and Eric Willett took first in the snowboarding slopestyle finals, while Jamie Anderson and Torstein Horgmo claimed their 2011 Dew Cup titles at Snowbasin Resort, Utah on Sunday evening. 

                              

                                                            Mens Slopestyle Finals                     

                                              

                                                              1st - Eric Willett

                                                              2nd - Mark McMorris

                                                              3rd - Torstein Horgmo

                                       

                             Torstein claiming a trick during the Slopestyle Finals

 "Tell your photographer I'm gonna back nose on the weird dick thing."
-Torstein Horgmo 

Extreme Sports: Doing Good

Leaders in extreme sports are using their influence to make a difference.

The Outdoor Industry Association is setting the standard with their  Eco Index Pilot Program. 

The program aims to help industry leaders be socially responsible by providing the technology to benchmark and measure their impact on the environment.

Surfer, Dean Randazzo’s fourth annual “Freeze for a Cause” event raised about $5,000 to go towards Dean Randazzo Cancer Foundation which funds research and psychological support for cancer patients and their families.

The event has a men’s and women’s open and a long board division at the Pier in Seaside Heights, NJ. 

Canadian McMorris wins Billabong Air & Style in Innsbruck

Coming off his second place finish in Winter X Games, Mark McMorris, a 17-year-old Canadian snowboarder, took first in the Ticket To Ride (TTR) Billabong Air & Style World Tour in Innsbruck, Austria.

Since 1994, the Air & Style Tour is one of the longest-running, most-respected Big Air contests in the sport of snowboarding.

McMorris threw a Double Cork 1260 Nose Grab and he absolutely stomped the landing for the win.

Check out the footage.

X Games 15: Real Snow

This year was the first year that the Winter X Games hosted a new event called Real Snow.

Eight Snowboarder were in the final and as they shredded rails during the event, they were doing their working on their video parts for a next snowboarding movie.

Nic Sauve took first place in the event. Check out his video part.

Winter X Games 15 Wrap-Up

Winter X Games 15 is unfortunately over...

Here are some of the most memorable moments of this year's Winter X Games...

1. Shaun White's 3-peat in Men's Snowboard SuperPipe

Watch Video Here.

2. Torstein Horgmo's Triple Cork in Men's Snowboard Big Air

Watch Video Here.

3. Colten and Caleb Moore doing a Tandem Backflip in Snowmobile Best Trick

Watch Video Here.

Shaun White on CONAN

Winter X Games 15 is this Thursday, January 27th, 2011. 

One of the biggest athletes to look forward to watching in 19-time X Game medalist, Shaun White.

Here The Flying Tomato has an interview with Conan O'Brien.

Mike Wilson is too insane!

Local adrenaline junkee, Mike Wilson, goes HUGE on the Truckee River in California.

Check it out!



Wood Surfer welcomes you!

This is why we love extreme sports. It's because these people in this video make it happen for all us to enjoy.

Check it out!