BAD BLOGGER

Chris flying high in the Stash 1/9/09

I have been a bad blogger! It seems when the blog takes a break for holiday it goes into a coma. Well its back! And just in time since we will be so busy with fun and exciting snowboarding times to come... oh and did I mention competition!? Lets recap the past few weeks and preview whats coming up.


A teeny tiny slideshow of our day in "The Stash"

December 18th - The team was invited to assist on a special photo shoot that in fact turned into the first riding session in Killington's Stash Park. The team can claim to be the first to ride the park since it was scheduled to officially open the following day. You can find some photos from the session on Killington's website and quite possibly an upcoming East Coast Snowboarding Magazine. The team was stoked to hit a few selected features on and around the sugar shack. As it turns out, Chris and Max found jumping over the Sugar Shack to be the shot of the day. I managed to capture video and photos of the team, but unfortunately the camera has chosen to stay in its own coma. I will however be able to rescue some footage and pictures to add to this blog in the near future.("Side note" - In fact, I was just approved a new camera mid blog!) The Stash proved to be a monster and gobbled up Chris and Max sending them down to first aid. Both were checked out and Chris managed to get a first class ride to the hospital for further evaluations. In the end Chris suffered some bruising and Max broke a rib. Even with the shortened session both agreed it was well worth the opportunity and would do it all over again. Although I'm sure they'd think twice about jumping the shack. Coincidentally, the roof jump has yet to be opened. "Claim to fame" - Chris was the first, and Max the second injured in the all mighty Stash Park. Ed stayed behind and help assist with one the best sports photographer's on the east coast... Justin Cash.

Chris's claim to fame

December 19th thru 28th - Holiday Break

December 29th thru January 3rd - The team prepared for it first upcoming competition at Pico on the 4th. Max, Chris and Ed were all back in action ad switched gears by swapping their freestyle decks to their racing decks. The team stayed out of the parks and focused on speed including several days of training gates. The conditions were firm and even icy in spots which made the training tricky in the tight slalom courses on Highline. But the toughness paid off since everybody podiumed on Sunday.


Max, Ed and one of the Stash's inhabitants

January 4th USASA Slalom & Giant Slalom at Pico - Max absolutely crushed the entire field in both slalom and GS. He won two golds and had the fastest times overall in every event. Chris was close behind and received two Silver's for his efforts, while Ed held his own and was awarded two golds in his respective Jam's(18-22) category.


Chris at the start of the Pico GS

Eddie at the top

Max collects his gold

January 5th thru 9th - The team used this week to prepare for the upcoming boardercross on Saturday and slopestyle on Sunday. We trained speed early in the week and finished with a couple days of freestyle towards the end. Tomorrow's boardercross is part of USASA's Southern Vermont Series which the team is using to not only to prepare for the BX's in the Rev Tour next week, but also to make up for a needed competition requirement that will be missed while on the Rev Tour stops in February. The same can be said for Sunday's slopestyle at Bolton Valley which is part of USASA's Northern Vermont Series.


Max on the sh-ED

Eddie's first go on the timber

Chris riding on the wall

So here we are now in full competition mode. The quest for USASA national qualifying and Revolution Tour are in our sights. After competing this weekend the team fly's out to Colorado on Monday and will be competing in the Revolution Tour's first stop at Copper Mountain.

Keep posted because the blog is alive and well.