Tuesday, December 6, 2011

BACK

I moved back up to Whistler on the 28th of November. I'd have posted earlier but I wanted to to kick this off with some photos. I'm back skiing everyday now so expect material to start flowing again. Today the focus was definitely on skiing the steep and skinny terrain and getting used to a new pair of skis. I found that a lot more is covered in the alpine than I had thought. It hasn't snowed in a while but the stable and crusty snow served as a good training conditions for comps.  My friend Tyler took some photos on his iphone (thank you Tyler).
back in black on Excitation

Elevator. Barely covered.

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Photos - Red Mountain Canadian Open 2010



I came across some photos back from little more than a year ago. Reminiscing like this reminds me of how much I've developed my skiing abilities since then. The learning curve seems to have become exponentially progressive in this last season, I can't wait for the next one. I had my first moment of lust for skiing the other day while walking down a street in Vancouver. It was an epiphany of sorts, I was just suddenly awakened to the idea that "skiing is awesome!". Next year I plan on breaking out of all the conformity that has controlled my freeskiing since I've started watching other people ski. Thinking outside the box isn't that easy. It doesn't happen after one decision, and you suddenly stop skiing like everyone else. Often when people want to "get creative" they model their work after an original artist, despite that this is inherently unoriginal. How does one truly work independently when everything seems to have inspiration? is true originality possible? if not, what are sources of inspiration that can provide unique work in action sports?

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Rolling

I've spent a lot of time recently on rollerblades. Getting groovy, trying to think outside the box, and attempting translate some of that originality in my skiing. I found a rollerblading edit that provides a good show to those who don't know much about freestyle rolling.  Lot's of big jumps and stuff.

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

The Long Way Around

Roughly a year ago when I decided I wanted to commit my life to skiing for at least one season and I had started to tell people about my plans, the typical response was that they thought I would be taking a "year off". In a society that expects all of it's youth to instantly jump into post secondary education after high school, any dreams or aspirations that they might pursue are seen as some type of break from real life. This last year has been more challenging and interesting than any of the other 18 years I've experienced, not to mention I have learned more than I did in any one my 12 years of school. 

The possibilities that lie outside of post secondary education when one is a young adult are endless, however they hold a massive amount of responsibility. It can be very easy to wake up in a room paid for by your parents, and follow instructions and schedules all day. I endured 5 years of high school much like this, and though I accomplished very little regarding grades, all the stresses and challenges that I experienced existed  because I didn't understand myself and how to motivate myself. My self discovery came when I left home, worked my ass off all summer and skied almost every day for six months. It's after this journey that I learned more about myself and how to self motivate. 

This year hasn't been easy. In the last month I've started to question why I'm doing construction labour 10 hours a day and skimping on purchases so that I can save money for next year. I'm wondering why I'm feel anxiety about my health, why I should go to the gym everyday come fall, why I'm paying rent and not just living at home, why I'm constantly buying new skis because the old ones just seem to break. I'm wondering I'm doing this when I could crack open my student savings account, go to University and drink 4 nights a week and still manage to ski once in a while. The reason why is because I'm sticking to my goals. I want to ski all the time, and I want people to witness and enjoy my skiing. Beyond that goal I'm not really sure what I want, maybe I'll stop when I've got some establishment in the ski industry, had some decent film segments, maybe I'll quit once I've been on the national ski cross team and have been in the Olympics. Regardless, I don't plan on ever not skiing and when I do stop it will just mean that I'm not changing the rest of my life to do it so intensely like I am right now.

I feel that I've made a lot of sacrifices this year, and that not having people telling you where to go, and what to do can make life confusing and intimidating. However it's all worth it.

Saturday, April 16, 2011

BCSX Red Mountain Ski Cross

A picture of myself that I very much like showed up on BCSX's facebook page. Finally tucking in something of a more pinner fashion. 

Goals

-ski fast
-build jumps 
-ski steeps
-do urban
-learn tricks 
-straight line often 

Thursday, April 14, 2011

LATELY: Failed Consistency / My Room

Life has been good during the last little while. At the very beginning of April I went to Lake Louse for the Ski Cross Nationals, I had the pleasure of going against some of the best racers in the world. (Chris Del Bosco, Davey Barr, Dave Duncan, and Brian Bennet).The trip also included a satisfying result, 12th place. Lake Louise also hosted some partying during our presence. After Nationals I stayed in Calgary for a night, meeting up with a good friend and exploring the frigid city. After a couple days of work in Vancouver I found myself back at home. 

The skiing in whistler is excellent right now. I've lost a lot of interest in skiing park. Because of the soft, chalky snow that hung around in the alpine last week I  found myself shredding the steeps and bowls. Since then we've had a couple solid dumps of snow and I've simply been having to much fun using natural terrain to go anywhere near the park.


Today I felt inspired to take some photos of my room. I have gained interest in design lately. My room is fairly small and I've been moving stuff and changing it to make it comfortable and interesting.







I've been looking through a book called "Tokyo - A Certain Style" lately. The book focuses on tiny spaces and how Tokyo locals have coped with lots of stuff and little space. I don't have a lot of stuff, however the style of chaotically stacking stuff that dominates Tokyos apartments appeals to me, largely in my closet space. 

On another note, after seeing a brightly colored group of Japanese snowboarders on the hill today, I want to start a snow sartorialist.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Alpine Meadows bail

Haven't had a whole lot to post lately. I've been looking at some old Ski Cross footage from January shot in Colorado and California. I'm surprised at how much my skiing has changed since then. Regardless, I found a good bail and I thought I would throw it up on youtube. 


Headed to Lake Louise tomorrow for Nationals and then back home for warm weather and park skiing!

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Spring

I got back from a long ski trip, spent a couple days in Vancouver, turned 19, came back to Whistler, and suddenly it was springtime. The snow has started melting around the village and there is a certain smell in the air. For the first time in well over a month I have started skiing park once again. I'm not sure what it is that makes it take so long to get used to park. With freeskiing and racing it only takes a run or two for me to adjust. But something about park makes it take days for me to get to where I once was. I look forward to day after day after day of park skiing this spring. I'll get some interesting stuff- photos or hopefully some footage- up in the next week or so.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Big White Ski Cross Edit

Greame Meiklejohn produced an edit of our ski cross race at Big White last weekend. It's nice to see ski cross filmed so well. I look forward to more edits like this in the future. Keep an eye out for the BC team in red outfits. 

Monday, March 7, 2011

Lately: March 1-7

We've just arrived at Red Mountain for yet another NOR-AM Ski-Cross. We just got back from inspecting and sledding on the course after walking up to it. It looks like a lot of fun, but certainly needs some changes from the boarder cross race that Red has just hosted. It might be a couple days  before it's ready so we will hopefully get some freeskiing done at Red. Which is awesome because Red has more fun terrain than any mountain I've ever been to. Here are some photos of us sledding. Sled-O-Cross. 







Sunday, March 6, 2011

Tuning Photos: For Your Pleasure

At Big White at the moment. Stoked on yesterday, as I ended up in 7th place. Good day. Today I slept in, skipped the open, and skied some of Big Whites fun natural terrain. The buried trees on the top of Big White make for interesting obstacles. here are some shots of me tuning last night. I love using floodlights in photography.




 

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Alpine Meadows Ski Cross Photos

Coach Drew Hetherington showed multiple facets of talent in these photos taken of BCSX in Alpine Meadows California. Check it out.  
Yours Truly

Team BC in the start gate

Nick Geddes

Winner both days at Alpine, Rob Lepine

Myself, starting

Sun warrants Shiny gogs for everyone

An Edit.


I'm in Big White right now for a Nor-Am Ski Cross race. My bag got left in Whistler so I had to train in rental boots today, that sucked. Anywho, I got my hands on some footage from this year, random stuff that doesn't constitute a full length edit, regardless, I'm quite happy about it. I've got some super kewl Ski Cross shots from Alpine Meadows, those will be up later tonight. Holla.


Saturday, February 26, 2011

SKIING: best dressed

I thought I would write a little piece on the skiers whose style of dress I appreciate. I think that I will write more about the actual skiing styles that I like later on, but right now I feel like writing about clothing. 

Max Hill


 The king of mixing civilian-wear into skiing, as well as not compromising a true newschool style. Pants sagged, tapered, and hoodies long as hell, accompanied by badass pieces like leather raiders jackets. Holy shit: Max Hill.


Eric Pollard 

  
The Beauty in Pollards style of dress is its simplicity. Slightly baggy, usually a nuetral color mixed with something poppy. Pollards Green Jacket and White pant combo from last year was one my favorite outfits. Pollards style was always surprising because he was on Helly Hansen, from whom I've never seen anything nice in stores. Obviously they worked for Pollard. I'm interested to see how Pollards style works with Causwell, whose previous lines have been much more complex than Helly Hansens, Mixing in graphics and patterns frequently whereas Helly Hansen has not. 



 Pollards style must be contagious, as the nimbus crew has a very consistent look.


Anthony Boronowski



Anthony has stayed original by not having an incredibly identifiable style. The fitted but not hesher-style suits have worked incredibly well for him and last year he wore a one color suit, which is rare these days. Though on under armour now, he wore both Armada and Oakley outerwear very well. Again, his red suit, shown in last years Every Day is Saturday, is awesome.



Jon Olsson 


The Euro superstar. Jon Olsson is extremely successful and dresses so. He has created his own goggle company and is a huge face for Cross, the clothing company he represents. Jon has the confidence to rock white suits, 300 euro goggles, along with his pro-status redbull helmet. He brings both class and athleticism into skiing .


Friday, February 18, 2011

LATELY: Back Skiing. Best day ever.


Back Skiing and it's DUMPING here. So much snow. Hucking lots of cliffs, lifes good. I got back skiing way sooner than I thought and the timing couldn't be better. It's been puking for six days and I've been skiing non-stop. Today was the best. I got up late because i thought it wouldn't snow, and sure enough it had dumped 25 cm's and the skies were clear. I rushed to peak chair and started hucking right off the bat. First taking bomb tram a solid 35 feet, then some big 180's lower on peak. Third run of the day my friend Jon told me Air Jordan was good to go, and after he inspired some confidence in me, I took it. Following  a  super-g turn in the middle and a launch off the nose, I had stomped it. The adrenaline didn't leave me until  well after lunch time. The rest of the day was composed of getting rad in the sun, and a nice Khybers lap. Got home and made a nice meal and enjoyed the view. What an awesome day. 


Also, we got a few great clips today so those should be up in a matter of days.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

LATELY: I got hurt

In the midst of a race in Alpine Meadows  a couple days ago I dislocated my shoulder. I'm out for a couple weeks. I'm in Vancouver right now, because being in Whistler with nothing to do other than ski, when you can't ski, sucks. Physio starts soon. Hopefully I'll be back on snow in little more than a week or two.

Lake Tahoe, California

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Photos from Rossland News


Rossland News took some great photos at the 2011 Canadian Freeskiing Open.
  
 

Credit goes to Robin Fletcher

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

LATELY: I am in Colorado

I just got in to Colorado last night. We're here for the Hole-Shot Skier-X and Boarder-X tour. The BCSX team has already gone to Mt. Hood Meadows for a race, one that I missed out on because I was at Red. It's nice to be on the road with a ski team again, shockingly similar to times in K1 and K2. The course here is nothing short of gnar. Quick jumps and transitions, and some noticeable airs. My GoPro SD card was full this morning, however I managed to get some shots with my SLR. quick stuff from the road. 


Colorado from the Air
Cat Blair in a truck


A gas station through the frozen truck window

Monday, January 24, 2011

Photos of Canadian Open By Vinzenz Keller

The most fun part of a competition is getting a bunch of like minded skiers together and shredding. We got some cool photos after the competition ended on Saturday afternoon.

Hand Drag
Half-Cab into an open mine
Three Backflips- Dylan Siggers, Jon Grierson, and myself


Sunday, January 23, 2011

LATELY: At Red Mt.



Right now is a very busy time for me. I just got back from The Canadian Open Freeskiing Championships at Red Mountain. It only got better at Red once we arrived. It snowed enough to keep the course soft, I skied a conservative but solid run for qualifiers and placed 3rd, and my good friend Jon Grierson made it into finals as well. For finals ended up 7th. I lost a lot of points on my final run, and to be frank, I don't really know what happened, but I felt I had a really good run and that's what counts. I've taken some gopro screenshots that come a bit short of showing our experience at red, but will have to suffice. We ran out of battery for the last day so expect a little video once we've got some more footage.   



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