Janina Kuzma Wins the Subaru North American Freeskiing Championships

Janina Kuzma Wins the Subaru North American Freeskiing Championships and is Awarded backcountry.com's SickBird Award

The forbidden Cirque of Kirkwood Mountain Resort comes alive, as the showdown unfolds through finals of the fifth stop of the Subaru Freeskiing World Tour

Kirkwood, California (9March 2010) — Janina Kuzma’s airplane-turn into a tight choke in one of the steepest sections of Kirkwood Mountain Resort’s infamous Cirque called the ''Hidden Chute'' earned her first place at the fifth stop of the Subaru Freeskiing World Tour and she is now ranked fourth overall on the tour.



Janina Kuzma - photo: Julie Weinberger

Weather moved in during the final heats and Kuzma considered altering her game plan.

“I was going to change my line but I stuck with my guns, stayed on my feet and I’m really happy,” said Janina.

Her aggressiveness was further rewarded with the contest’s Backcountry.com Sickbird Award which honours the skier who most represents the sport’s heart and soul while ''going big'’. This is one of the few times a female has won the coveted trophy.


Janina Kuzma one of the only women to ever win The Backcountry.com Sickbird Award – Photo: Ben Meester-MSI

Behind Kuzma, going home with the second place, was Angel Collinson, of Snowbird, Utah, a rookie on the Subaru Freeskiing World Tour and in third place was Crystal-Rose Lee, of Whistler, British Columbia.

As the wind whistled over the razor-sharp rock spires of Kirkwood’s Cirque, skiers readied their gear and nerves for the fifth stop of the Subaru Freeskiing World Tour. This is one of the most-respected steep skiing contests in the world and the venue at Kirkwood Mountain Resort has become notorious due to its steep, technical slopes and because it is permanently closed to the public. This weekend marked the 13th consecutive year of the competition coming to Kirkwood and it was a true spectacle.


Athletes scoping their line Photo: Ben Meester-MSI

The Cirque is a 1,500-vertical-foot wall of rock which resembles some of Alaska’s most aesthetic peaks. It has ski lines that get upwards of 60-degrees in slope angle which means that if you could somehow stand still on it, your extended elbow would touch the mountain.

As the competition got going last Thursday, Kirkwood received two feet of powder. Event organizers saved the most challenging section of the Cirque for Sunday’s final which guaranteed perfect conditions.

Hundreds of spectators gathered at the bottom of the natural amphitheatre which afforded awesome views of the incredible skiing taking place up above. People arrived on skis or by snow cat and there was an air of festival. Until the weather moved in at the end, it was a massive California sun picnic. Between heats, long time tour competitor Ted Davenport thrilled the crowd by ski-parasailing from the peak and sliding to a stop in the finish area.

Thousands tuned in Sunday to watch the final round of The Subaru North American Freeskiing Championships LIVE on www.freeskiingworldtour.com.

For complete results, photos, videos, athlete profiles and more, please visit www.freeskiingworldtour.com.

Article care of New Zealand Snow Sports

Watch The Ride Shakedown Live Stream

The Ride Shakedown is happening this Saturday 10am NZ time live from Summit at Snoqualmie check out the live webcast below

 Ride Shakedown’s concept is a laidback, live-it-up event with minimal restrictions on the riders, assaulting two disciplines: the Big Air and the Rail Jam, featuring a rail with surface textures to be revealed only on the first day of competition. This year, the Shakedown will make its debut in the U.S. and $35,000 will be up for grabs. Watch the madness live... exclusively on FUEL.TV

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A Note from Wanaka Athlete Carl Murphy

Hey,

I am just putting together some thank you cards for everyone that helped out.

Thanks so much for your help and the products were well received by the guests. We used the items from Base as spot prizes for all that attended.

I raised a total of $3500 so am stoked about that. Means I can now eat on my North America trip!

Thanks so much for helping me out. Its great to see some many local businesses getting behind a local athlete. It was a huge success.

I leave for America on Sunday and am away for 5 weeks. I have 2 world cup events along with the Canadian and USA nationals. All going to plan I will have a couple of medals on the trip home.

Thanks again and talk soon.

Carl

Oakley Goggles are In Store!!

Hi team
 the new range of Oakley Goggles for 2010 have dropped in store and they are looking super fly. The newest addition to the range the new Oakley Splice is looking super fresh and is based on the Crowbar shape and fit but has a new skeletal support system over the nose bridge area. This is intended to relieve pressure on the nasal passages to make breathing easier and increase airflow thru the goggle. The Splice also has a new semi flush interchangeable lens, this has optimized downward visibility which should be great for dropping those steep lines. This new lens setup has also made changing a lens way faster. Oakley have put some of the best and most out there colours in the Splice, check out the Kaleidoscope Block text with Fire Irididium lens - Bling! 

 The first signature Splice has gone to Simon Dumont who has come up with a very styley red based colourway called the Griffon Red. Check it out. 

On other signature model changes Tanner Hall has updated his Crowbar colourway taking the rasta look a bit further, personally i think it's a better look than his last colourway. 

Seth Morrison also gets an updated Signature Crowbar colourway and although it is an evolution of his last colour, this new colour is sick, I'm picking it to be a top seller. 

Also getting in on the new signature colour action is Gretchen Bleiler who gets 2 new colours one Stockholm and one A Frame. Gretchen's A Frame is a nice matte white frame with a purple print design and a purple strap with gold icons, it has a nice luxury feel to it. The women's specific fit of the Stockholm gets an aqua blue treatment for Gretchen's signature version and has a real fresh look.

Shaun White is also rocking a new colourway for his signature A Frame's called Illusion stripe, looks pretty sweet I reckon.

Snowboard icon Terje has also tweaked his signature Crowbar and keeps the nordic theme from his old colourway but freshen's things up nicely.

 The regular Oakley A Frame gets some nice colours, my pick as top seller is the Industrial Khaki and we've also got quite a few colours with the Fire Iridium lens as standard.

The Stockholm the new colour range is looking great with Lava Scroll and Arcade Plaid White the standout colours.

 The Crowbar has easily been our top seller for quite a few years now and for good reason, it's fits great and looks rad. Plenty of sweet colours for this year too, you would have seen the Canada colour at the Vancouver Winter Olympics for sure.

 A new addition to our range this year is the value priced Oakley Ambush which has a regular cylindrical lens but otherwise all the same goodness as the top end models. To get some pop on the hill you can't go past the Retina Burn colour, so Fresh.

 All in all Oakley have come thru with a really dope range for this year, if you want to stick some on your head this winter check out the whole range here and give us a buzz (0800 BASESHOP) or an email shop@basenz.com

Don't forget we carry a full range of replacement lenses for all the Oakley Goggles we sell including replacement lenses for the new Splice, the Stockholm and the Ambush. we also have plenty of lens options including Fire Iridium, Blue Iridium and H.I. Yellow for most models.

 

Kuzma to Compete at Nissan Tram Face Squaw Valley USA

Third Stage of the Freeride World Tour

Contest Day: 27 February

Squaw Valley, USA – February 23, 2010 – With one podium and one near miss at the first two stops the Freeride World Tour, Janina Kuzma has received an invite to the third stop which is scheduled for Saturday 27 February in Squaw Valley.



Kuzma on Podium at First Stop of Freeride World Tour in Chamonix

The pressure is rising with two out of four competitions already completed of the Freeride World Tour 2010. By the third tour stage, the leading candidates for the Freeride World Champion title will be looking to make a major impression on the infamous Tram Face in Squaw Valley USA, a face that has never officially been ridden before.

Strictly illegal to ski, the Tram Face is being opened specifically for the Freeride World Tour competition. Its steep and seemingly un-skiable pitch, permanent closure, and tantalizing location in perfect view from Squaw Valley’s Village and base area, have made it a coveted descent among the strong local freeride community.

Conditions are great this year with the El Nino weather pattern bringing huge amount of snow to the Californian resort, and history will be made when the world’s best freeriders will get the chance to challenge the steep rock face.

After two completed contests Kuzma is currently fourth in the Freeride World Tour Ranking 2010 For the Overall FWT Ranking Click Here.

About the Freeride World Tour:
The Freeride World Tour was launched in 2008 and after just two full seasons is already recognized by riders, the ski industry and the media as the pinnacle of the sport. In 2010, the best freeriders: men, women, skiers and snowboarders alike, will visit some of the world’s most renowned ski resorts in pursuit of the world title. The four-stop Freeride World Tour is supported by 18 Freeride World Qualifier events around the world where the same criteria for event organization, choice of locations, security, contest format, and judging is applied. The Volkl New Zealand Freeski Open held in August is an official qualifying event.

www.freerideworldtour.com

Article care of New Zealand Snow Sports 

RECOMMENDATION FOR WANAKA SPORTS FACILITY

The Queenstown Lakes District Council will be asked next week to make a milestone decision for the Upper Clutha Community. The recommendation is to confirm the preferred location for a future indoor recreation and aquatic facilities as the Wanaka Recreation Reserve (showgrounds site), QLDC Mayor Clive Geddes said.

“What this means is that this exciting and desperately needed project for the Upper Clutha can start to become a reality. The decision next week is only about the site and now we look forward to being able to progress the building design,” Mr Geddes said.

The process had already spanned more than two years with the Wanaka Sports and Aquatic Centre Working Parties formed in 2008.

“Discussion documents have been released, drop in sessions held. We consulted on this issue as a key project in the 10-Year-plan round last year, it’s time to move this project forward,” Mr Geddes said.

On behalf of the council and the Wanaka Community Board, Mr Geddes wanted to publicly thank the working parties and all those members of the community who had made submissions.

The recommendation included the development of a concept plan addressing the location of not only the indoor stadium but also a future aquatic centre the A and P Show and building, the camp facilities, the rugby club and others.

“Both council and the community board are really looking forward to working with the A and P Show, the Rugby Club and others to make sure that the development can meet the needs of all users,” Mr Geddes said.

An indoor events centre had the potential to service all needs, such as an indoor display area for the show and facilities for the camping grounds.

“The ambition here is to provide a structure that provides value for the whole community, it is a real shot in the arm for the Upper Clutha,’ Mr Geddes said.

The recommendation also stated that an option should be prepared that included the retention of a limited camping facility at the reserve and that the improvements to the existing pool be implemented.

The 10-Year-Plan had $10.6 million allocated to building the sports facility with a further $350,000 to upgrade the pool.

“If the recommendation is successful next week, we will look at doing the pool work from April this year and all going well start construction of the sports facility in 2013,” he said.

The decision about the site would initiate a new series of work streams with the community. The project required concept plans, facility-needs consultation, operational cost assessments, notification, designation and design.

“There is still a lengthy public process to be undertaken but the sooner we take the decision, the sooner we can get on with delivering a first class facility for the Upper Clutha communities,” Mr Geddes said.

ENDS

For further information please contact Mayor Clive Geddes 03 441 0499.

2010 Burton Snowboards range Now Available

Hi Crew,

 we have the new 2010 Burton Snowboards range now up to view online. We will be taking delivery of the stock in store just before Easter but we are taking pre orders on all products as we did sell out pretty early on quite a few things last year, like Ion boots, Chopper kids boards and Feather Snowboard packages for the girls. We will have some year ahead 2011 model snowboards coming in april/may also and we will put these up online as soon Burton release the specs to us. The graphics for the 2011 boards will be hidden until the 1st of August as we're not allowed to show them until then upon pain of death. Google them if you're curious, they not too hard to find.
 Some of the 2010 range is available right now on order from Burton so let us know what you're interested in and we'll see if we can get it, they have quite a bit of stock so most of it we can get right now especially boots and bindings.
 My picks from the range are the Joystick snowboard, i rode one of these last season and it was super fun, it has V rocker and was really easy to play around on and throw spins and butters, more solid then the Hero or the Custom even, but still a great ride over the whole mountain.
 And the CO2 EST bindings, these things are so tech and light, like a top spec S class benz, everything new and tech all in one sick looking package. And if you're wondering about the new EST/Channel system, get on it, you won't regret it.
 We have also added the Burton Clash and Bullet packages for the guys to go along with the Feather packages for the girls. These are hard to beat for value.
 If there's anything we don't have (very unlikely ;-)) let us know and we'll try and get it for you.

Peace and good beats
Matt

 

http://www.basenz.com/shop/B39_Burton_Snowboards.html