A huge thanks to all the competitors, supporters and organisers who helped make the Banked Slalom a great day. Almost 100 shredders turned up for the annual event which was held in the famous Gun Barrel on Treble Cone.
I cannot think of a better way to celebrate snowboarding and the fun people an event like this brings together. Originating from the CORE of snowboarding, this type of gathering stays true to it’s roots and always delivers a great atmosphere. A tight and technical course made it challenging, even for the seasoned riders and the light made for some interesting line choices.
Banked slaloms in NZ so far…
Treble Cone
Cardrona Alpine Resort
Coronet Peak……
Check out the event video produced by myself and the talented team at 360newzealand.
There I go sliding into 2nd place Open Mens & 3rd overall… Not sure if I was smiling or crying … Wanaka Beerworks Treble Cone Banked Slalom
There is a constant layer of frost in my backyard that continues to remind me winter is here to stay. The mountains start opening this weekend and there are plenty of excited people in town anticipating a great season ahead!
7am:
Tom & I hit the road bound for Treble Cone’s access road. Maybe we should’ve ridden from town but our coffees would spill.
Ready to roll
7:30:
With a very short warm-up, we ride from the TC arch and start shedding layers…
The 2015 DB Banked Slalom starring a mix of local and pro riders including Terje Haakonsen, Danny Davis, Mikkel Bang, Scotty Lago, Ben Ferguson and Amber Schuecker was battled out on one of Treble Cone’s natural halfpipes. My result was not quite as good as last year because of a wee crash, however I managed 10th. Thanks to Thierry Huet Professional Photographer & Sponsors DB Export and Never Summer NZ.
Bringing it back to how the sport started… Bring on a New Zealand/Southern Lakes Series I say!
For months the anticipation has been growing. Only recently I have been enjoying more Summer in my life so the thought of snowboarding again, especially at Treble Cone got me stoked. Icebreaker ran a Get Layered gig giving away socks keeping people’s toes warm.
We pulled into the carpark at TC and there was hardly anyone there! I guess turning up over an hour before the lifts open that was bound to happen. The froth was thick.
Huge thanks to Keith from 360nz who snapped some great shots, Treble Cone & Icebreaker for creating a great day on the hill.
Treble Cone Lift station got Layered with Icebreaker
Last week: A few days at Coronet Peak, Queenstown was a great place to get the legs back. SBINZ Trainers Training lasted 3 days and it was great to shred with the crew again. We practiced our Interski presentation and made time to shred freshies. It is super important that our whole team connect pre-season and re-calibrated our training eye. It feels good knowing that good things are in place for an awesome season ahead.
A clear visual picture will always help a learning process. It definitely helps when the delivery is clean, simple and gives the student a solid understanding of the task. It was a privilege to not only present these tasks, but to do them on a world-class mountain like Treble Cone. The following video was a project the SBINZ team and I worked on during a couple of days during the NZ season of 2014.
The Treble Cone Export 33 Banked Slalom was another successful event. The event pulled in 60+ riders in open and maters categories. Local and international riders enjoy attending each year shredding for a prize pool of $2000 plus spot prizes thanks to Never Summer & Candy Grind.
It was local talent that stood on the podium this year and I was honored to stand next to some good friends – a great way to celebrate my Birthday! If there was an official world circuit in this event I would sign up in a flash. Until then, I will continue training in boarder cross, coach Paralympian Carl Murphy part time and work with Rookie Academy.
The quad lift reaches tower 6 and the SW wind really starts to kick in… Like a sand-blaster, snow is picked up and shot into me, particularly my glove-less hand which is hoping to get a photo of how epic Treble Cone’s pipes are looking.
This last week on Treble Cone has treated many skiers and riders to some cold winter conditions. The gullies are loaded with some high quality snow which has been getting sprayed all over the place by stoked locals and visitors.
The great news is that conditions are looking mighty fine for the Banked Slalom which is being held in 6 days time. An international flavor to the start list is usually expected next weekend including Olympians, World Cup racers and die-hard locals. All of which have an equal chance of winning a cash prize pool of over $2000 and assorted prizes.
35 years young? No problem, there is a Masters category just for you. Thanks to the generous and very supportive sponsor Never Summer Snowboards and Candy Grind, Treble Cone will host one of the worlds most famous snowboard gatherings. Get your kit tuned by the pros at The Wax Room be sure to enter and I look forward to seeing you there!
Check out the hi-lights from the 2013 DB Export Banked Slalom:
An anxious wait for snow is never easy… When and how much white stuff will we have the pleasure of shredding? That day finally came on Friday when Treble Cone opened her gates and the crowd went wild!
Smiles for miles as we lapped up line after line of fresh pockets both in the Home and Saddle basin. Chris Rogers and Janina Kuzma scored first chair, probably because their kit was freshly tuned by The Wax Room. As it should be…
The coverage in the saddle was much more than expected, with only a few patches of tussock to keep challenged as you reached the quad lift. Avalanche debris looked soft from afar, but far from soft… It claimed a few unsuspecting shredders including myself. An involuntary front-flip/rag doll will always provide some entertainment for the onlookers. Wind picked up in the afternoon, however it was ideal because the tracks were filed in for the next day skiers and riders to enjoy. See www.360queenstown-wanaka.com for daily information on where to ride.
Even though it was a delayed opening, there was still plenty of terrain and snow to get the legs burning again. Time to get make stretching routine a habit again and dust off the foam roller!
Big thanks to Lachlan at Clean Line Producitons for the shots from Saturday. Lachlan’s film is showing at the out the Mountain Film Festival tonight. It follows a story of Colin Boyd on his path to compete in the World Freeride Tour.
Carl at Winter Imports works hard to ensure that Instructors and leaders in the industry are looked after. He provides the support necessary and helps out the best he can, especially to qualified instructors.
Winter Imports New Zealand
Winter Imports New Zealand
Really looking forward to the Treble Cone season ahead and riding on Never Summer again! Any questions on the gear, just ask.
New kit for the season including the RipSaw!
This will be a great story to follow as a great shred buddy of mine Colin Boyd prepares for the World Freeride Tour. Check out his summary of the NZ season while he trains at Treble Cone & Cardrona during the 2013 season here in NZ. Documented in style by Lachlan Humphreys, they paint a unique picture their journey together.
Richie Johnston 