Tag Archives: NeverSummer

Treble Cone Opening Day 2015 |Getting Layered

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.

Icebreaker Ambassadors
Icebreaker Ambassadors Sam Lee & Brit Hawes – and Finn!
Freshies all day Photo: www.360newzealand.com
Freshies all day
Photo: http://www.360newzealand.com

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.

Britt Hawes  Photo: www.360newzealand.com
Britt Hawes
Photo: http://www.360newzealand.com

Great conditions on and off trail and the whole mountain is open!

Stoked on euro carving Photo: www.360newzealand.com
Stoked on euro carving down Main Street
Photo: http://www.360newzealand.com
Sam Lee charging Photo: www.360newzealand.com
Sam Lee charging – such dry snow!
Photo: http://www.360newzealand.com

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 go Layered with Icebreaker
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.

Countdown to Interski, Argentina

To represent SBINZ and travel with such an awesome team gets me stoked. Especially when the next trip will be to Argentina 2015 during September! Earlier in 2014, myself and 5 other fortunate souls were chosen to represent the hard work that the SBINZ team have put in over the years.

Every four years the world of snow-sports instruction sends a team to the Interski conference. Up to 35 nations will showcase their development in skiing, snowboarding and telemark. It is an exciting time for us because we will showcase to the world the teaching theory, riding style and our unique outlook on snowboarding and it’s instruction.

For me, it will be the most unique learning environment I have ever been in. The opportunity to discover new tactics and technical information is literally world-class. With over 10 years in the instruction world I have had the pleasure of meeting many inspiring instructors, athletes and management that have all taught me something unique. In Argentina, we will have the chance to further out skills and bring home to our New Zealand instructors a fresh insight on how we can better the sport.

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Bring part of Interski will also be a massive celebration for snowboarding and the people that make it what it is! The count-down has started and we are stoked to be part of it. Stay tuned on the New Zealand blog over the next year and follow the path we take with NZSIA. If you are intersted in sponsorship opportunities please get in touch with me.

SBINZ Interski team 2015
SBINZ Interski team 2015: Rhys Jones, Sean Thompson, Sam Smith, Dan Burton, Richie Johnston & Keith Stubbs

Treble Cone Export 33 Banked Slalom

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.

Winter Imports New Zealand
Winter Imports New Zealand

Check out the hi-lights by John-Jo at Flashworks Media. Thanks to 360queenstown-wanaka and Thierry Huet Photography for the images.

Treble Cone Export 33 Banked Slalom VIDEO

Winter Imports New Zealand
Winter Imports New Zealand
Richie Johnston - Banked Slalom Treble Cone Thierry Huet Photography
Richie Johnston – Banked Slalom Treble Cone Thierry Huet Photography

Treble Cone Export 33 Banked Slalom VIDEO

Treble Cone DB Export Banked Slalom – 1 week to go!

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:

Powder filled gullies! - 7th August 2014 Image: 360qw
Powder filled gullies! Image: 360qw
DB Export Treble Cone Banked Slalom
DB Export Treble Cone Banked Slalom

Treble Cone Opening day 2014

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…

Photo: Lachlan Humphreys Filmer/Photographer www.cleanlineproductions.com
Photo: Lachlan Humphreys Filmer/Photographer www.cleanlineproductions.com

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.

Richie Johnston Slashing pockets
Slashing pockets: Photo: Lachlan Humphreys Filmer/Photographer www.cleanlineproductions.com

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.

Richie Johnston Photo: Lachlan Humphreys Filmer/Photographer www.cleanlineproductions.com
Photo: Lachlan Humphreys Filmer/Photographer www.cleanlineproductions.com

The weeks ahead will be training the new and return Rookies on Treble Cone. A great season ahead!

Back on board with Neversummer & Candygrind

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.


Really looking forward to the Treble Cone season ahead and riding on Never Summer again! Any questions on the gear, just ask.

Never Summer Candygrind Richie Johnston
New kit for the season including the RipSaw!

 

2013 Winter Season: One to remember!

That feeling you get when the pressure is on… deep in the belly and mind. My deep breathes attempt to calm the roller coaster of nerves. As I visualize the course below, flashes of red and blue flags fade away as the mist rolls in over Treble Cone. The NLP skills were coming in handy in both competition and in instructor training.

Continue reading 2013 Winter Season: One to remember!

Treble Cone Banked Slalom

A celebration of friends, snowboarding and enjoying the mountains… The Treble Cone Banked Slalom was once again a day to look forward to. Athletes from all over the world including Bulgaria, Canada and France competed in the most infamous banked slalom in New Zealand.
Rob Fagan managed fastest male and Carle Brenneman fastest female. My second run put me in second place overall just a second and a half behind the Olympic Athlete Rob Fagan himself. As he came 5th in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics in Boarder Cross, I felt pretty good with my efforts!
A nice early way to celebrate turning 31 which happens to be today!
Thanks to Carl at Neversummer & Candygrind for the continued support to myself and the other team riders. Without his support, events like these would never run. Events like these help remind us how awesome the sport can be, as it is as much a gathering of friends as it is a competition.
Here is a really cool edit made from the day from the guys down at Colab Wanaka.
And to finish the day… An epic wake surfing session with Mark, Colin, Lachlan, Rosie, Sofia and friends!
Official video

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The New Zealand Snowboarder Banked Slalom

The most anticipated competition day of the season had arrived! Over 60 competitors enjoyed a beautiful sunny day at Treble Cone, which was a nice contrast to the gloomy days in previous seasons. As I left my group of Rookies I’d been training during the morning, I headed for Shooter to complete my first run. The top section rode well, however as I approached the 3rd to last gate my board dug itself into a rut and I crashed into the bank. My left shoulder took the impact and ended up tearing a ligament, my AC joint A disappointing first run with the chance of a redemption run not an option. The next few weeks will involve physio, patience, rest and strengthening. Onwards and upwards!

Watch the video below – At 3 minutes 57 seconds, John Jo from Ride Class Productions captured a section of my run.

New Zealand Snowboarder Magazine Banked Slalom from Treble Cone on Vimeo.