Category Archives: Snowboarding

Snowboarding: What not to do

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09-02_snowboardingI spend a lot of time at ski resorts and lately, I’ve seen a lot of youtube footage of ski resorts. Therefore, I’ve seen a lot of kooks. Based on this empirical evidence, here are some unscientific, but fundamental, truths that I wish to share  (especially if you’re just learning).

The three biggest mistakes people make in snowboarding are:

1. Stance too narrow: Your stance width is incredibly important. Stance is how your feet and legs are oriented on the board. Your feet should be a decent distance apart. That depends on your height, but shoulder width is way, way too narrow. You will never snowboard well if your stance is too narrow because your balance will be screwed.

2. Messed up stance angles: Don’t let someone set up your board with old-school racing angles where both feet are angled in the same forward direction.  Start out a little bit duck-footed (toes pointed outwards at opposite angles). Not crazy duck, but a little bit. It will give you better balance and make you feel more solid on your board.

3. Bend. Your. Knees. It fixes everything. Seriously.

So there you go: You’re already on your way to not looking like a kook.

Portfolio: Airmiles

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Four pro riders share their wild tales and dicey dispatches from the farthest corners of the world.

Snowboard Canada Women’s Annual 2008

Travelling all over the world is one of pro snowboarding’s best perks. While the rest of us are lucky to squeeze in one trip per season, pro riders spend their winters gallivanting around to all sorts of places. Glamorous as it may seem, this privilege also comes with its share of hazards. Evil airline staff, homicidal hall-mates and death-defying drives are just some of the crazy situations pro riders Marie France Roy, Dominique Vallee, Spencer O’Brien and Sachi Tanaka have found themselves confronting over the course of their travels last season. Throughout the winter, we spoke to each rider about their most unusual destination and what it takes to travel to some of the farthest corners of the world.

Read the whole story here.

The first day of the rest of winter

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I love the snowboarding pre-season.

Some people hate it, waiting painfully for it to snow while your snowboard sits idle in your closet. But I love it. It signals the “second half” of my year, when I travel to the hill every weekend, plan vacations to epic destinations, hang with my winter friends and get a crapload of exercise while managing to have fun at the same time. But the pre-season is special, becuase once the real thing kicks in, the fervor only lasts for so long. Soon, snowboarding on the weekend becomes commonplace and I cease to appreciate it on the level it should be appreciated. (That’s not to say I don’t like it — it just becomes normal.)

This year, I’m especially looking forward to:

  • Cheaper trips: The economy might suck, but I’m hoping to get some good vacation deals this year. With emails coming in to my inbox with subject-line phrases like “Two for One” and “Kids Eat Free”, I think the savvy consumer will be able to get some good travel value this winter for sure.
  • My powder board. Yep, am finally getting one. Ever been on one of these babies? Life changing. Seriously.
  • The weather forecast: While no one’s promising a repeat of last winter, the overall forecast is good, calling for average to above-average precip and colder temperatures.
  • The terrain park: Look out, intermediate-level rails. I might get up the courage to try you this year. Maybe.

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