K2 SKIERS FEATURED IN UPCOMING 2010 -2011 SHRED FLICKS
It’s that time of year again when all skiers start yearning to feel that click of stepping back into their bindings. Whether marking off the days on our calendar until the snow falls or discussing rumors about upcoming winter storm cycles, it seems as though everyone is starting to get that itch for cold weather and deep turns.
Hang tight everyone; there is one good thing about this time of year... ski movie trailers! When you aren’t practicing your snow dance, you can get your saliva glands flowing by checking out the following trailers. Be advised - we recommend having a pair of spare pants within reach before viewing.
1.) Poor Boyz Productions – “Revolver”
Ft. K2 Athletes Pep Fujas & Charley Ager
Synopsis: Revolver, the 2010 film from Poor Boyz Productions, presented by Salomon focuses on the progression and the factors that have coincided with many great advancements of the sport of skiing. (Over the last decade skiing has exploded into what we know it is today. But skiing has had many trying moments long before the end of the 20th century.) This season Poor Boyz Productions plans to showcase today’s raw talents of skiing in a high action, retrospective, yet progressive look at what things are pushing the sport today.
Revolver (Official Trailer) from Poor Boyz Productions on Vimeo.
2.) Teton Gravity Research – “Light the Wick”
Ft. K2 Athlete Seth Morrison
Synopsis: The award winning producers at Teton Gravity Research (TGR) present their newest ski film, Light The Wick. Shot using film, HD and 3D technology, Light The Wick is about sparking the flame and watching the world's best athletes blast off. This year, the TGR crew of athletes and cinematographers were on a mission to capture the most jaw dropping footage to date and give the viewer an experience like no other. This pursuit led the team around the world to uncharted destinations, as well as some of their favorite stomping grounds. Follow the crew as they discover the completely unskiied big mountain mecca of Petersburg, AK, find the best snow Croatia has seen in fifty years, ski deep pillows in Italy, hit full throttle riding in British Columbia, and epic free-riding at Ripley Creek and North Cascades Heli. Don't miss Sammy Carlson and the Stevens Pass 3D experiment, the first ever 3D snow sports segment. The groundbreaking dual RED One slow motion arial shots will make you want to reach out and touch the action. Light The Wick showcases the most talented and well-rounded athletes in the sport together in one must-see film.
Light The Wick - TGR - Teton Gravity Research - OFFICIAL 2010 Ski Teaser from vas entertainment on Vimeo.
3.) Matchstick Productions – “The Way I See It”
Ft. K2 Athletes JT Holmes, Michelle Parker, Sean Pettit
Synopsis: Skiing has arrived. MSP Films takes you inside the action with "THE WAY I SEE IT," featuring several unique perspectives on the progression that took place during the winter of 2010. The winner of Powder Magazine's 2009 "Movie of the Year" brings you the best athletes on the planet sharing their points of view on what it means to be a skier and backing up their positions with hard-charging action. The MSP team traveled the globe in search of what makes this sport so special... the adventure, the passion, the camaraderie, and the fun. "THE WAY I SEE IT" showcases the greatest deep powder, steep lines, and massive park features from British Columbia, Japan, Alaska, Colorado, Switzerland, Idaho, Washington, and many other locations worldwide.
The Way I See It-Matchstick Productions -OFFICIAL 2010 Ski Teaser from vas entertainment on Vimeo.
4.) Field Productions - “Side by Side”
Ft. K2 Athlete PK Hunder
Synopsis: Field Productions is proud to announce their seventh ski movie production, "Side By Side". With the most influencial and diverse line up of athletes and a bag of unique locations they can assure that this one is their best so far. The movie brings a new look on the urban scene, massive tricks in the terrain parks, intense big mountain skiing on the most scenic locations in Norway. deep blower powder in Haines AK and Interior BC. Shot on the RED One and other HD cameras that results in a crisp high quality experience.
As a viewer, you will get behind the movie set during the movie, with a feeling that you are presence on the location where the action goes down. Get closer to the drama, the reality, and the endless joy that skiing gives you.
SIDE BY SIDE - FIELD PRODUCTIONS from Field Productions on Vimeo.
5.) 4Bi9 Media– “Gunnie Season”
Ft. K2 athlete Collin Collins
Synopsis: 4BI9 is much more than a film company... It is a movement, a crew, and a group of friends who all share the same passion for skiing. It is our goal to bring you a collection of images that not only give you a perspective of some of the most progressive riding to date, but also remind you just how fun skiing is. Watch as the 4BI9 crew embarks on a new adventure- one of groundbreaking feats, strange people, crazy times and epic proportions. Parks are slayed, handrails shutdown, and backcountry zones shredded until nothing remains.
It is at this time that we proudly present our 4th full-length film, Gunnie Season.
4BI9 Media - Gunnie Season from 4BI9 Media on Vimeo.
6.) Toy Soldier Productions – “Come Find Us”
Ft. K2 Athlete Collin Collins
Synopsis: Toy Soldier Productions will be releasing their first full-length ski & snowboard movie in the Fall of 2010. Check out www.toysoldierproductions.com and www.facebook.com/toysoldierproductions for more information. “Come Find Us” will feature Shay Lee, Brock Paddock, Cody Perin, Collin Collins, Kyle Miller, Luke Tanaka, Todd Kirby, Alex Adams, Carson Wiser, Nate Falconer, Eric Gronneberg, Parker White, T.J. Andrews, Kevin Fischer, Zak Steele, Dan Darling, A.J. Meldahl, David Steele, Danner Pickering, Adrian Pougiales, Shane Stalling and many more.
"Come Find Us" Official Trailer from Toy Soldier Productions on Vimeo.
7.) Stan Evans Photography – “Say My Name”
Ft. K2 athlete Anna Segal
Synopsis: Say My Name follows female professional skier Grete Eliassen as she travels the globe with the goal to inspire and evolve women’s skiing. Stacked with a handful of skiing’s elite female lineup, this high definition film features Lynsey Dyer, Sarah Burke, Keri Herman, Ana Segal, Kaya Turski and Suz Graham. See the world this international ski superstar roams, from a world record hip jump in 2010 to her exploration of the rugged backcountry.
Say My Name Teaser 2010 from Stan Evans Photography on Vimeo.
7.) Meathead Films – “Work It Out”
Ft. K2 Athletes Sean Jordan and Shea Flynn
Synopsis: From record-breaking 5 foot blizzards in Washington DC to 10 inches of rain in New England, Meathead Films spent the winter of 2010 scouring the East Coast on the hunt for epic days. No matter the weather, the crew was forced to roll with the punches and just work it out. Tag along as their relentless search takes them to the craggy White Mountains backcountry, back alleys of Maine, custom park jumps in New Jersey, and even to the “Far East” of Hokkaido, Japan on their first ever overseas voyage. Filmed in High Definition, 16mm and Super 8mm film, Work It Out showcases the spirit, creativity, and unwavering determination it takes to be an Eastern skier.
LINK: http://www.meatheadfilms.com/galleries/video/564869912/
9.) Voleurz – “Look On the Bright Side”
Ft. K2 athlete Matt Margetts
Synopsis: Look on the Bright Side will be available online for free at Voleurz.com in November 2010.
LINK: http://vimeo.com/12097914
10.) Warren Miller ENTERTAINMENT GROUP –“WINTERVENTION”
Ft. Andy Mahre, Reggie/Zach Crist , and Andrew McClean and Kip Garre on their trip to Antarctica. Details at http://www.skinet.com/warrenmiller/articles/warren-miller-s-wintervention
Backside Team shooting Chile
Hey Guys
I´m on the way home to Austria after 2 weeks shooting in Chile;
1st week shooting with the K2 backside team and 2nd week for the Marmot catalogue.
The first 7days we were up in El Colorado, which is pretty close to Santiago.
check out some pics from up there
view from the K2 lodge
Reggie checks out the view down to Santiago
one of the really amazing sunsets
our ride when we did the road lap
Backside of El Colorado
so much good food
On the 2nd week I went to Chillan with a photogrpaher
finally some pow in Chillan
pics by Michael Neumann
Videoupdates by Guggi
after many injuries he is back:
seasonedit 09/10:
summerskiing at Tropcamp by Guggi:
K2 Goes “Over the Edge” for Special Olympics
Hattrup (left) and Gutt (right) going over the edge
On August 13 and 14, a number of daring participants were permitted to rappel from the rooftop of Seattle’s 514 foot tall Rainier Tower in an effort to raise money for Special Olympics, Washington.
Alex O'Brien's Close Call
"In years of shooting skiing, that's the first time I've been hit. I can't believe I moved as fast as i did." K2 Team Photographer Alex O'Brien
Last week K2 athletes Reggie and Zach Crist, were shooting carving action with K2 Team Photographer Alex O'Brien in El Colorado, Chile when this close call went down. When shooting on corduroy, the one thing you need more than anything is speed. Zach lines up a turn with Al; where to initiate, where to apex the turn, and tucks the rest. At the point Zach dipped off the corduroy into some variable ice debris, I'd guess he was moving 35-40 mph. I thought someone was going to get wrecked in the fall. Zach disappeared into a cloud like a cartoon with only hands and feet partially visible, cartwheeling straight for Al. Through the viewfinder, Al sees the impact coming right for him, and jumps to his feet to miss most of the impact, but still gets taken by Zach, clipping his boots.
Chilean photographer Claudio Vicuna shot the secondary angle to capture the carnage. Only Zach came away with a swollen elbow from impacting Al's binding, and plenty of whiplash.
JT Holmes Talks Chile
What a lucky monkey I am to get to go to Chile to ski and shoot for K2's catalog. For a week, we stayed in this old building/ house/ former restaurant that was built in 1951. It is the oldest building in Farellones, which is the center village amidst the 3 ski resorts near Santiago. It is the building behind me in the portrait taken from the T-Bar lift. The building is a bit run down, but it is the coolest, coziest pad in the area. It is called Tupungato. The house has lots of history and really cool old school ski posters and stuff on the walls. We played backgammon for money every night and enjoy the smog sets from the window and our deck. In the mornings, we rise, ski from the house take some photographs, hike, wait around for something or ski some more and then ski on back to the house. It was great to live the simple life for a while, and get in the winter groove, even if just for a week.
As for the skiing, the region is a bit low on snow this year, but we consistently found good snow on the Santa Teresita road lap. This is a real gem. In between Valle Nevado and El Colorado is a lift accessed ridge that is "closed". If you ignore the signs and drop in you can ski about 1900 vertical feet down to the road. From there, you hitchhike or have a ride pick you up and take you back to either ski resort. Santa Teresita had consistent offerings. When it snowed 2cm at the house, it would blow in to magic carpet status over there. Things were really bony for taking any airs, but you could at least ski fast at the top, and find a fun straight-line out the bottom to get the heart pumping a bit. At the bottom, I ran into these Brazilians that were experiencing their first ever encounter with snow. They were fascinated by my gear. I let them try on my goggles, and try sliding around with the skis and poles. They could not believe all the stuff and were very reluctant to stop playing with it once my ride arrived. They were adults, but were fascinated like little kids.
Here are some photos I snapped during the week.
Reality check saved by Mr. FedEx
I am almost 9 months pregnant (35 weeks for you week-counters) with my first baby and spending the day nesting: laundry, organizing, more laundry. While it's an exciting time for me and the hubby, I can't help but think how our lives are going to change. I can imagine my winter months ahead, as powder days with friends take a back seat to diaper duty and bouncy chairs. Sleepless nights due to a restless infant, rather than in anticipation of a big storm cycle. It's hard enough to remember all of my gear, never mind a miniature pair of mittens and marshmallow-like snowsuit for a little person. Anyhow, my day was kindly interrupted by the FedEx man, delivering my new GotBacks...bless him. Looking forward to our little dude's arrival next month, and of course, to a big Tahoe winter with deep powder on the days when I can find a babysitter!
Posted by NorCal Alliance Team Member, Julie Matises
Anna Segal's Final Tales From Mt. Hood
This Summer I was lucky enough to spend three weeks at the K2 house in Government Camp, located just at the bottom of Mt. Hood, Oregon. Todd Bracher, the “K2 executive director of corporate product management compliance systems” mans the property. Apart from his bad taste in coffee, he was an excellent host. Andy Mahre and his dog Chaz were regulars at the house, but there were also a mix of different people, from ski testers to professional snowboarders, photographers and filmers, passing through all Summer. BBQs, beers and entertaining conversation were never in short supply.
This was my second time visiting Mt. Hood. Last year I coached at Windells for half the Summer. It was a great experience, but I decided to mix it up this year and give up my coaching duties. Instead I skied the Windells’ lane each day, enjoying life without responsibility.
After skiing, the long Summer days left me with a bunch of time on my hands to do whatever seemed fun. Bracher and Andy took me mountain biking for the first time. It was an adrenaline rush, that’s for sure! By the end of the ride my hands were cramped and knuckles white from gripping the breaks so tightly. I also made a few trips to the Oregon coast to get my surf on. The water is damn cold out there, but my beaten-up body would always feel better after getting a good icing.
One the highlights of skiing at Windells was the Sammy Carlson Invitational. Sammy built a monstrous jump and invited all his friends to Mt. Hood to session it. Usually this would be a No-Girls-Allowed event, but Sammy is the MAN and kindly invited Keri Herman, Dania Assaly, Ash Battersby and myself to join in. At 110 ft, it was by far the biggest kicker I had ever hit. Every time I approached the lip I felt like I was about to ski into a 5 story wall of snow. But the feeling of four seconds of weightlessness after I popped off the lip, made it all worthwhile.
Spending the 4th of July in the US was another experience I’ll never forget. The K2 house was filled with patriotic Americans. I didn’t want to offend anyone, so I got into the full swing of celebrations by doing everything I could to fit in. I baked peanut butter cookies, drank PBR, played horse-shoes and Buck-hunter, swung a golf club, made smores and ate a greasy burger. Playing the yank was more fun than I expected.
During my last week at Hood I was lucky enough to be involved with some of the K2 ski testing. A whole variety of skiers; young, old, male, female, backcountry and race skiers stayed at the K2 house for 3 days, to test the 2011/2012 ski construction. I joined some of the K2 Alliance girls (Michelle, Janice and Heather) to test out the new and improved women’s ski range. Waking up at 6am every morning in order to beat the slushy conditions was taxing. But the sunny weather and good company made up for it.
Trying to sum up 3 unforgettable weeks of Summer with the K2 crew at Mt. Hood is almost impossible. But for anyone who has the chance to make it out there next year, I’d say drop all other priorities and go for it. Thanks to K2 for letting me crash and to Bracher, Andy and everyone else in the house for great company 
-Anna
K2 WEEK AT WOODWARD AT COPPER GOES OFF!
With various K2 athletes in attendance for the “K2 Week” at Woodward at Copper, campers had a blast and won some free gear while they were at it. Between July 18-24, the likes of Andy Mahre, Seth Morrison, JT Holmes, Gretchen Bleiler, and Celia Miller were all at camp, giving lessons, advice, and even free gear away.
Seth Morrison flips out at Woodward!
Andy gets off the couch during the summer
Seth and campers shredding in Tshirts in July
Andy enjoying his 2010/11 Kung Fujas skis
One happy camper
Campers getting stoked
K2 and Woodward know how to make a kid happy
Congrats to camper Christian Bufo for his positive attitude and amazing progression throughout the week. For his efforts, he won a brand new pair of 2010 / 2011 skis of his choice! Gretchen also gave a new K2 snowboard to camper Nestorio Cooper who killed it all week as well. Check out all the photos from the week, as well as this video interview with Andy Mahre on his joy of skiing and the art of having FUN!
Q&A Wednesday with Andy Mahre from Freeskier Magazine on Vimeo.
For more information on Woodward at Copper, check out their website at
www.WoodwardatCopper.com
