Hello shredders!
Below is a short clip I put together summing up what I do and why I do it. If you have any questions about training with me at Rookie Academy, get in touch. Cheers!
Tag Archives: Richie Johnston
Winter buzz | The annual TC slog.
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.
7:30:
With a very short warm-up, we ride from the TC arch and start shedding layers…
Sting Ray is delicious… | Biking Queen Charlotte Sounds
After spending much of my Summer guiding multi day cycle trips down the West Coast of the South Island, it was time to hit the trails – at my own pace! Tommy Parker, Keith Stubbs and I packed up my truck with the necessities, including a decent rain jacket, snacks & headed toward the Alps. From Wanaka, it was going to take 3.5 hours to get to Frans Josef where there is a 4km loop track, just north of the township. After hearing of the recent deluge there, we were happy to know the track was intact, due to a passionate few local shredders.
Continue reading Sting Ray is delicious… | Biking Queen Charlotte Sounds
Say Yes to Adventure | The magazine
Say Yes to Adventure – the magazine has come to life. Hollie Woodhouse has been dreaming of producing a magazine for over 10 years and last week her dream came true. I can happily say that I have have a part to play with some photography and my very own 4 page story being published! Hollie needed a snowboarding story, so I shared my Japanese adventure which happened a year ago.
Demos | SBINZ demonstrations
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.
Great work by http://www.360newzealand.com and the SBINZ Trainer crew. Cheers boys!
Please excuse the out-takes at the end… they insisted on including them!
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.
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.
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…
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.
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.
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.
Arigato Japan
A rainy day in Wanaka is perfect for wading through hundreds of video files searching for the moments worth remembering! Here is a short video of the hi lights stitched together with some Oriental beats to go with it.
Treble Cone Opening Day
We were fortunate to enjoy some of the best opening conditions in ten years. Treble Cone put on a great day with lines stretching as far as the Motatapu Shutes. Enjoy the video below made by Jase at Basket Productions.
Richie Johnston 