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Skiing News - June 2010
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Monday, 28 June 2010LAKE WANAKA, New Zealand – The 2010 winter season is officially underway in Lake Wanaka with all four fields now open for business and reporting excellent snow conditions. Good snowfalls in May and optimum snow making conditions throughout June have provided the mountains across the region with a good base and quality snow coverage for the start of the season.
Snow Farm was the fi rst field to open at the beginning of June offering first rate conditions on the many kilometres of world class cross country trails. Snow Farm, New Zealand’s only Nordic ski area, has developed a new locals program as well as a weekly biathlon club to continue its development of the sport.
At Treble Cone’s opening last week, skiers and boarders enjoyed outstanding conditions with all lifts operating. Skiers in The Saddle were treated to spectacular powder with fresh tracks well into the morning. The opening day also featured New Zealand’s on-snow launch of The AirBag, a supersized, air-filled stunt cushion that provides a soft landing for aerial skiers and snowboarders.
The ideal weather conditions and excellent snow base produced plenty of smiles at Cardrona Alpine Resort’s opening. A new 40 metre tunnel, providing a unique access route across the ski area proved popular with skiers and boarders. Cardrona now boasts the largest number of chair lifts in the South Island with the installation of the Valley View Quad, opening up even more terrain.
The roll-out of Lake Wanaka’s ski areas continued as the freestyle action got undweray at Snow Park NZ on Saturday. New for the terrain park is a learner tow rope and designated area for beginners as well as a new transport service to take passengers to and from the mountain every day with extra frequency for night riding sessions Tuesday, Friday and Saturday nights. This season Snow Park NZ will launch its 22ft halpipe and quarter pipe as well as many new rails and boxes.
James Helmore, general manager of Lake Wanaka Tourism said it was great to get the snow sports action underway for the season, “We are thrilled to welcome skiers and boarders from around the globe to enjoy the world class facilities and unique alpine town. We are looking forward to another fantastic season,” he said.
Lake Wanaka’s resorts will again take centre stage for many national and international events this winter. The FIS Snowboard and Freestyle Junior World Championships (19-31 August), Burton New Zealand Open (10-14 August) and The World Heli Challenge (30 July-9 August) will attract world class athletes and provide stunning action for spectators.
For further information, visit www.lakewanaka.co.nz
photo courtesy of Treble Cone
Friday, 25 June 2010Elena Könz has been a Nikita Chickita regular for some time now and 2010 was no exception. After bagging a win in the first round of the Swiss Tour in Leysin, she went on to compete in the final at Thyon, where she placed 2nd.
She then made her way to Serfaus for Nikita Chickita Europe on 10th April and was crowned champ there. Elli is a super talented and deserving rider, having impressed the judges at NC with a bunch of tricks; frontside 3, backside 5, switch backside 1, frontside 5 and by trying out a backside 7. As part of the win, not only did Elli grab a grand (euros), she also clinched the one-year sponsorship contract with Nikita.
We can now fully confirm Elli as part of the Nikita Team, representing both outerwear and streetwear and are stoked to welcome her on board. And to find out a bit more….
So how does it feel to be part of the Nikita family? I’m looking forward to meeting riders from all over the world. Nikita is the brand I can definitely identify with for both style and quality.
When did you start snowboarding? When I was 12 years old in Scuol, Engadin.
Where are you from and is that where you still live? I’m from Graubünden (Switzerland). Most of my childhood I spent in Vnà, a very small town in the mountains with about 60 habitants. My parents still live there. For my studies at art school I moved to Zurich some years ago.
So where are you riding at the moment? We’re building kickers just where we find some snow and until August, I’ll spend a lot of time in Zermatt Gravity Park.
What’s the news about the new movie you’re working on due out September? Our project is a self-made production of me and my shred buddy Corinne. We are filming snowboarding during the summer, creating a real image of what we do. We search for snow and we build kickers. We show cool snowboarding but also alternatives like jumping bridges, slacklining, skateboarding… And mix it in the movie with animation and some other creative and funny stuff.
v Where will you be headed for the next winter season? Again I’ll ride in Scuol, nearby my hometown and all the other resorts in Graubünden.
Any specific plans for what you want to achieve this winter? I’d like to film again, building more pow kickers and do the double backflip.
Favourite people to go riding with? Shred buddy Corinne and other girls and boys who rock, my little brother who is now bigger than me. Thomas Beanies crew.
Where’s your dream destination to go ride? Greenland.
What are your top 3 ‘can’t do without’ travelling things? Book, skateboard, something to draw or write.
What do you love about the Nikita Chickita contests? Meeting other women riding. Riding in new resorts.
Favourite trick to impress the judges? Handstand.
What would be your perfect day? Waking up in a freezer and feeling like an ice cream. Then step outside and walk up to a pow snowfield. Build a very big kicker and shred it until the landing is bombed. Then eat some coconuts and dream about the Caribbean. After that shred in the park and jib some crazy obstacles. Like a world ball or an aquarium with goldfishes in it. Then drink a fresh beer and go back in the freezer to do some slacklining over ice cubes and meet Lars the icebear to go fishing. Then cook the fishes with some spinach from the fridge and eat it with some ginger. After that go to the warm oven and watch a movie in front of the window about big snowflakes meeting cornflakes.
Favourite food to make your mouth water? Stuff cooked by my father.
What’s your signature dish (when / if you cook)? Whatever there is around to cook in one pot on our camping cooker.
Any last thoughts…..? READY TO ROBIN or just do what you want to do and not what people expect you to do.
Thursday, 24 June 2010Jess first hit our eyeballs at this year’s Nikita Chickita USA contest in Brighton. After entering the AMs event, she styled it all the way to win and top even the PROs on points. The 17 year old Idaho ripper hucked some clean back 5’s to impress the judges at her first all-girl event and it was obvious she enjoyed the easy going atmosphere.
As part of the prize, Jess won a year’s sponsorship on the Nikita Team – she joins the family and represents Nikita Streetwear alongside her other committed sponsors. Here is her first interview on the team, grilled by USA Team Manager Sebastien Burns:
D.O.B. 8/7/1991
Where are you from? Rigby, ID
When did you start snowboarding? At age 10
When and how did you first get sponsored? I got my first sponsor, Ride Snowboards, at age 16 by sending in my resume and footy.
What’s your favorite thing about Nikita? It’s an all girl clothing line made for girls who ride as well as there sweet hoodies!
Where do you spend most of your time in the winter? I seem to be on the road traveling a lot but I probably spend most of my winter training at Park City, Utah and riding with my good friends at my local ski resort, Kelly Canyon in Idaho.
Where's your favorite place to ride? My favorite place to ride in the winter is Keystone, CO and Mt. Hood, OR in the summer.
Something that you can’t live without. I gotta have my laptop
Any pre-contest rituals? I like to visualize the run I’m going to do before I drop in.
What's your favorite trick? Backside 3 Stalefish
Describe your perfect day. A sunny, mid 30’s, bluebird day riding with my friends!
Goal you want to accomplish this year? One of my goals this year was to stomp my Misty 7.
Your music in your mp3. Metric, Shiny Toy Guns, Ke$ha, Atmosphere, Crystal Castles, Tegan and Sara
What are you up to this summer? I’m going to attend Mt. Hood in July, do some gymnastics training, catch up with my friends, and hopefully find me a job to start paying my expenses.
Flavor. Blue Raspberry
Random Quote. “There are no friends on a powder day.”
What do you love about snowboarding and what do you hate about snowboarding? I love a lot of things about snowboarding but the main reason is the freedom you have to maneuver your snowboard any way you want to. What I don’t like about snowboarding is it’s a seasonal sport… I really hate when the snow melts.
Any last thoughts? I’d like to give a big thanks to my Dad, Mom, Family, Friends, Sponsors, and the support from local businesses.
A big welcome from the Nikita Crew!
Wednesday, 23 June 2010CIGNA (NYSE: CI) is again taking a lead role in helping people with disabilities reach their fullest potential. The company is a lead sponsor for the 20th annual “3-on-3 Hoops Classic” basketball tournament to be held June 19 at the Galleria at Pittsburgh Mills in Tarentum, Penn. The tournament is the main fundraiser for HOPE Network, which helps people with disabilities compete in sports and par ticipate in other activities including wheelchair basketball, cycling, fishing, golf, theater arts, quad rugby, self-defense and skiing – both water and snow.
HOPE Network also educates children in local schools about disabilities and about making healthier choices regarding behaviors such as alcohol consumption, drug use, and driving while under the influence. As a sporting event, the Hoops Classic also promotes the use of protective gear while participating in sports/recreation.
“The tournament matches CIGNA's goal to help people improve their health and well-being and we are really honored to be able to play a part in making it happen,” said Beth Chiappetta, vice president of return-to-work program operations at CIGNA and based in Pittsburgh. “Because of this tremendous community event and the education programs brought to local schools, people are having fun exercising and learning about making healthy choices.”
“CIGNA's sponsorship helps us celebrate our twentieth 3-on-3 Hoops Tournament,” said John Sikora, executive director of HOPE Network. “CIGNA's alliance with HOPE Network enables us to raise the money we will need to reach out to more than 2,000 people with disabilities and help them live fuller lives.”
CIGNA is the official sponsor of the on-site medical tent where people will be able to get first aid.
Source: http://www.businesswire.com
Monday, 21 June 2010WSG Media are proud to announce that their latest title, Snow-search Japan, has won the Gold Medal in the best Travel Guidebook category at the 2010 Independent Publisher Book Awards (IPPY’s).
The IPPY awards are the World's largest international and regional book awards competition and this year the 14th annual competition saw 3,890 entries in the 67 main and US regional categories.
Launched in 1996, IPPY’s were designed to further recognition for the deserving, but often unsung, titles published by independent authors and publishers. Established as the first awards program open exclusively to independents, over 2,000 "IPPYs" have been awarded to authors and publishers around the world.
The medals ceremony will be held in New York on May 25th during the same week North America’s largest book convention, the BookExpo is held.
The silver medal in the Travel Guidebook category went to Music + Travel Worldwide: Touring the Globe through Sounds and Scenes, by Museyon Guides, and bronze went to The Beatles’ London: A Guide to 467 Beatles Sites in and around London published by Interlink. Previous travel publishers have included Lonely Planet, Michelin Travel Publications and Getty Publications.
“Proud doesn't even begin to describe my feelings right now. As my first authored book, and the inaugural guide in the Snow-search series, this award was completely unexpected,” said Author Keith Stubbs, when he heard the announcement.
“I feel tremendously honoured and, most of all, I am hugely appreciative towards all our contributors and supporters. This is a book that has involved many different people over the three years it took to put together, so I'd like to say a massive thank you to every single person that has helped us along the way.”
Snow-search Japan is the first book in a new series which explore countries in more depth than ever before. It also heralds a change in direction for WSG Media, from previously covering just snowboarding to including skiing as well.
The book has been designed for travellers who are visiting Japan for snow sports but want to experience many of the cultural delights Japan offers whilst there. It covers the major cities such as Tokyo that you’ll fly into and the ski towns where you’ll be based whilst there. Amongst other topics, travel, food, language, and working in Japan are all covered in detail, plus over 70 resorts have been comprehensively reviewed and broken down into easy-to-read sections and rated according to your style of skiing/riding.
Snow-search Japan is available to buy in many book stores across the UK, USA, Australia and New Zealand, as well as online.
More information is available on our website www.wsg-media.com
Source: http://www.pr.com
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