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Dan Wakeham
Dan has been continuing on the World Cup Half Pipe circuit, riding amongst some of the world’s best who are all vying for that Olympic qualification. After some time in Canada, he’s now back in Europe, currently at the Jib-Vid where he’s hoping his team will score first prize.
Next Up: The Brits

Noddy Gowans
Despite being based in the UK, Nods has been making sure he’s getting his snow quota in. After the session on Brighton Beach whetted his appetite (and also made big news in the UK snow press), he took off to Serre Che where he’s been shooting some backcountry for the mags next year.
Next Up: Fingers crossed for one more trip before the end of season

Murray Buchan
Poor Muz…having been out of action through the UK’s mighty snow dump due to a dislocated arm, he has now had to pull out of the Brits, as well as the Freeski Open. Although this time round it’s due to school commitments (tut tut Muz) rather than injury…ahh to not be 16 again! This also means that he won’t be in Laax to defend his title as British Half Pipe Champion….maybe Mr Graham might be in with a chance this year ;-*

Mark Harris
Having injured himself earlier on this season (you may recall the post about his femur compressing into his hip and requiring an operation which will involve breaking his pelvis), Mark sent us this update;
I just thought I would give you an update on my hip injury. I am back skiing a bit now but I have to take it pretty easy. It’s such a shame cause the snow keeps falling. I am having the big operation at some point in June. They have made my hip stable so I cant really do anymore damage. At least I can ski a bit for the rest of the season. I am going to try and get up soon and do some photos but nothing crazy.
Next Up: A speedy recovery

So next week we’ll be at the Brits…look out for a team update from Laax

Zinnia

Bad news and Good news from Flo:

"I injured my right knee (torn ACL) while filming for the NISSAN OUTDOOR GAMES 2009 in Chamonix. Beside that, it was a very cool and unique competition around one of my favorite spots in the alps – Chamonix. It was fun to have my Nike ACG team mate Rudi Kröll in the Team, he was killing it as well and we had a great time - Yeah Rudl!!!

At the end was a big screening and the jury decided that our TEAM ARGON (Team Austria) won the Chamonix 09 ODG film competion with the movie "THE DEVILS RIDE"   -   Thanks to all my team mates, everyone did a great job. YYEAAAHHHH!!! for further information and the movie check: http://winter.outdoorgames.org

I have got surgery next week in Innsbruck and I'm going for rehab at the ALTIS Sportmedicine Center in Althofen (one of my sponsors) – Thx Dr. Laitaj and my physio Mario Karbon."

We wish him a speedy recovery and can't wait to see him ripping it up again next season!

But don’t expect anything similar to that old video your parents took while you were blowing out the candles on your birthday cake back in the 80s - unless you grew up in Munich with Boris and David Benedek. In fact, we recruited Blank Paper Studios to stand behind the camera and no doubt they will bring in their unique view to the project.

During the first 3 days of our stay in Moab the Benedek Bros, our guides Angela and Jess from Western Spirit and myself went on a mission to check for some possible locations. Don't think that just because it's the US of A you actually are in the land of freedom: this area has more regulations than Switzerland, mostly thanks to big production companies that came here to film with absolutely no concern about the delicate desert’s environment. Not only are some areas off-limits because they’re still undergoing the archeological clearance, but also extra attention is required when hiking as one step off the trail might kill a couple of decades worth of cryptobiotic life, the very thing that’s keeping this ecosystem together. A good intelligence work supported by a bureaucratology degree were enough to allow us to lay down our action plan.

We found the perfect location for Laurent Niol and André Bach to base jump in Tombstone and beside the grim name it's one of the most beautiful places we have ever seen: it’s only 120 mt but André says it’s like base jumping on Mars – with gravity added. The hike up to the top is so photo-friendly that it could send a Japanese tourist into a sight-seeing seizure, offering a variety of landscapes, shapes and colors that sets the mind on a non-stop visual rollercoaster ride.

Boris set his high speed cam at the foot of the cliff, David and his

But we were lucky. The sun was high in the sky and the wind conditions were so good that André and Laurent were able to make  3 perfect jumps, defying Moab’s reputation for ever changing weather. André was also trying to defy the early symptoms of bronchitis with the aid of over-the-counter drugs: they were so strong that they made him feel queasy like he was drunk and just 10 minutes before the first jump of the day! We really don’t know how he managed to dive off a cliff looking so in control but either way he didn’t share with us this information until the day was done.

Today unfortunately the weather isn’t good and that blue bird sky that we’ve got so used to turned into a flat-light shade of gray, urging the crew to resort to plan B: lifestyle and details shots for Laurent and resting for André.

Keep tuned for more updates,

Rita

Latest news from the Nike ACG Team

With record snowfalls still falling in parts of Europe the filming season is on and freeride comps are enjoying the best conditions for years. There's also TAC going on in Norway right now.

Here's an update from some of the Nike ACG European team...

Eva Walkner

Congratulations to Eva who finished 3^rd in the World Tour in Chamonix last week, she’s stoked and now fired up now for the next competition in Monterosa, Italy.

She says: “I think I had a very fast and fluid run with some nice cliffs. The face was pretty tracked with some moguls so it was not easy to go fast. It was very tricky to go to the first cliff; there was less snow at the take off and many rocks. In the air after the 4 metre cliff my position was too far forward and I did a somersault. I was on my skis immediately and could continue my run to ride a straight line to the next 3 metre cliff. I stomped that and skied a straight line to the finish area. Despite my crash I finished 3rd. I’m a little bit angry because of the stupid crash but I’m really happy about the 3rd place.”

Well done Eva and good luck in Italy.

Sverre Liliequist

After a hectic few days in Munich during ISPO, Sverre was been straight back on it, heading out to Fieberbrunn in Austria for the Freeride World Tour: Quest competition. He is really enjoying competing at the moment and is heading over to Chamonix for the Nissan Outdoor Games next.

At the Outdoor games, Sverre will be taking part in a team with Eric Themel (AUT ) and Jonas Emery (SUI) as well as Nike ACG Base Jumper: Tom Erik Heimen (NOR), Paraglider: Pál Takáts (HUN) and Speed Fly: Ueli Kestenholz (SUI). Along with Director, Jens Riedesser (AUT) and Photographer, Johan Wilkhagen-(NOR). Team Insomnia have been filming for the past 5 days to complete a 5 minute film which is being judged along with the other teams today. You can keep up with all the action here at www.outdoorgames.org

There won’t be any rest for him after this as Sverre will be hopping over The Pond to Squaw Valley for the next Freeride World Tour stop.

Best of luck!

Henning Mathinsen

Henning is currently competing in the Arctic Challenge, Terje’s Haakonsens’ 6star TTR event in Oslo celebrates ten years this year so it should be a good show out there.

Lorraine Huber

Lorri’s been working hard on the Freeride World Tour circuit, competing with fellow Nike ACG rider Sverre Liliequist at the competitions in Feiberbaum where she came in 6^th position, missing out on 4^th place by a mere 0.5 points from a very tough women’s start list. Moving back into France for the next round, despite being ill she was impressed with the competitions in Chamonix. She said, “I skied a fluid line with a nice cliff drop to place 4th at this Freeride World Qualifier”.

She is taking a week out of competitions now to go for a week of heli skiing, (that we’re not in the least bit jealous about!) before heading out to the next round of the Freeride World Tour in Taos.

Flo Kofer

Flo has been out in Chamonix filming for the Nissan Outdoor Games where he was doing really well and getting some great shots. Unfortunately there was just one cliff drop too many for Flo and he’s torn his ACL. He’s understandably upset about being forced out during the best snow season in years while he’s at the top of his game but he will no doubt be back in force at the start of next season. Our thoughts are with him and we wish him a speedy recovery. Get well soon Flo!

Noddy At Brighton Beach...

Having made the long trip to the Uk’s top alpine destination that is Brighton Beach, Nods is now planning some trips further afield. So he’ll be making his attack on Europe’s finest mountains in March….watch out.

Murray is still out of action with a dislocated right arm. And to really rub salt in the wound, it’s half term, it’s dumping in Scotland like never before, and Muz is stuck inside with only daytime television for entertainment. He’ll be hoping to come back strong for the Brits and defend his title of British Ski Half Pipe Champion.

Ally Watson has been doing his bit in both the ski and the media world…the BBC, newspapers, Danish magazines, not to mention stepping in front of the camera for a couple of upcoming film projects (Unity and Withoutalead). At the big mountain comp in Fieberbrunn he put down a solid line but unfortunately his ski popped off further down the fun so he didn’t qualify.

Check back soon for the results from the competitions.

Zinnia