Author: Warren Currie

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26th Annual Easy Rider Snowboard Cup!

The 26th Annual Easy Rider Snowboard Cup – presented by Burton Snowboards at Panorama Mountain Resort was once again the highlight of The Easy Rider snowboard season.

We had  226  competitors show up to race the  Banked Slalom and take part in the new and super FUN – Handplant Contest.

Saturday morning saw the first run of the Banked Slalom take place – It was a typical Panorama spring Bluebird day.  Competitors took their race run in between FUN runs on the mountain.   At the end of the day we had our 1st ever Handplant Contest.
It was on a Quarter Pipe that Panorama built right down by the village – so we had lots of spectators and competitors.
Young Carter Jarvis schooled everyone on handplants and took not only the Gorm division title – but also the Overall Handplant Win.

Lester Quitzau and Billy Hicks once again played for everyone in the T-Bar Lounge with amazing guitar and drums.
After Lester’s set it was  some good old snowboard contest fun in the T-Bar.

Sunday arose once again blue bird skies and Easter.
The Banked Slalom course was open for everyone to take their second run and was nice and fast.
Lester and Billy again entertained on the Lodge deck in the afternoon and that was followed up with the awards and Draw Prizes.
In addition to the “regular” prizes – Lib Tech made us some amazing custom boards that went to the Winners of the Banked Slalom – Ryan Stimming and Andrew Hicks (who tied to the one hundredth of a second) – and to a luck draw prize winner.

A huge THANK YOU goes out to everyone that made is such a great event.

Burton Snowboards
Lib Tech
Panorama Mountain Village and all their amazing staff!
DC / Vans / Pro Tec / Celtek

Volcom / DaKine / Platinum Video / Ride / 32 / Stepchild

Anon / Analog / Oakley / Sector 9 / Spy / Dragon / Stance / Nixon / Electric / Quiksilver / Switchback / Bataleon / Landyachtz / Snowboard Canada / Slash / GoPro

Aire Hole / One Ball Jay and Creature.

Lester Quitzau and Billy Hicks for their amazing playing.

Most of all to my Family / my Brother / Friends / Staff and Team for their help – the event would not happen with out them!
The Biggest THANK YOU goes to ALL of you who came out and actually went snowboarding!

The full results from the Banked Slalom are available to download in the link below the last photo.

Thank you!
Warren Currie
The Easy Rider

26th Annual Snowboard Cup event shirt.
26th Annual Snowboard Cup event shirt.
Stefan from Vans cooking up Waffles on a stick for everyone on Saturday morning.
Stefan from Vans cooking up Waffles on a stick for everyone on Saturday morning.
Another Bluebird Day at Panorama.
Another Bluebird Day at Panorama.
The course was nice and fast!
The course was nice and fast!
Jeff Prockiw ran the course on Saturday on his snowskate!
Jeff Prockiw ran the course on Saturday on his snowskate!
Handplant contest!
Handplant contest!
Sunday Morning - Happy Easter!
Sunday Morning – Happy Easter!
Andrew and Ryan - the fastest on the Banked Slalom - and their Ultra Cool Lib Tech boards.
Andrew and Ryan – the fastest on the Banked Slalom – and their Ultra Cool Lib Tech boards.
Lester, Billy and guest guitar Scott jammin on Sunday afternoon.
Lester, Billy and guest guitar Scott jammin on Sunday afternoon.

Click on the Link to download the full Results.

26thResultsFinal

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Stand Up Paddleboard Indoor Demo – May 14

The Easy Rider will be hosting another introductory Stand Up Paddleboad Demo on Tuesday, May 14  in the Water Park at West Edmonton Mall.
**NOTE**  This will be our last Indoor Demo until next January.
If you want to come to a “warm water” one – this is it.
The cost is $10. per person and all money is donated to a local charity.
The demo includes boards and paddles and runs from 7:00 PM to 9:30 PM

You MUST contact The Easy Rider and to register in advance. 780-413-4554
There are only 50 spots available – and it will fill up fast!

SUPdemoMay14

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Powell Factory Tour with George & Stacy

During the launch of the Bones Brigade Autobiography film (that we hosted a showing of last fall) – they were offering a tour of the Powell factory.  The tour was to be hosted by George Powell and Stacy Peralta.   I purchased one of the two tours available and in early March I took my family down to Santa Barbara for the Tour.

Having George Powell lead the tour was simply amazing.  Not only did George invent most of the techniques still used today to manufacture skateboards, he also had to invent the machines to do it.
The Tour consisted of Deck manufacture in the morning, a break for lunch and Wheel making in the afternoon.  After wheels we were all allowed to “get hooked up like a team rider” out of the warehouse.
The day was capped off with dinner with George and Stacy.

As you can see – we are all in most of the photos, as after the first 10 minutes of the Tour – Stacy said “give me your camera and I’ll shoot it”.  So almost all photos are by Stacy Peralta.

This tour was for sure a top 5 life experience for me.  I’ll let the photos do the talking.

Left to right - Trey, Stacy, Griffin, Me, Angela and George.
Left to right – Trey, Stacy, Griffin, Me, Angela and George.
Deck ply's being glued and stacked together prior to going into the presses.
Deck ply’s being glued and stacked together prior to going into the presses.
Once out of the press - the decks are stacked and left to cure. Once cured - they are first drilled. Lasers at each end make sure that all holes are perfectly aligned.
Once out of the press – the decks are stacked and left to cure. Once cured – they are first drilled. Lasers at each end make sure that all holes are perfectly aligned.
The blank is then cut to shape. This process takes about 30 seconds per deck.
The blank is then cut to shape. This process takes about 30 seconds per deck.
The decks are then rough sanded (not pictured) and then finish sanded. This is an art form and amazing to watch.
The decks are then rough sanded (not pictured) and then finish sanded. This is an art form and amazing to watch.
Putting the wheel wells into the Old School decks. Both at the same time.
Putting the wheel wells into the Old School decks. Both at the same time.
The Screen room - Powell makes their own heat transfer graphics. These are all Guerrero decks.
The Screen room – Powell makes their own heat transfer graphics. These are all Guerrero decks.
Graphic sheets prior to being put on a deck.
Graphic sheets prior to being put on a deck.
The heat press - putting graphics on decks.
The heat press – putting graphics on decks.
Prior to heat transfers - decks had to be screened. Powell was the first company to be able to screen the entire deck.
Prior to heat transfers – decks had to be screened. Powell was the first company to be able to screen the entire deck.
George showing us something cool - that you can't see! (and lots of decks).
George showing us something cool – that you can’t see! (and lots of decks).
Nice place for lunch!
Nice place for lunch!
The old folding Half Pipe from "back in the day" that used to be taken to demos.
The old folding Half Pipe from “back in the day” that used to be taken to demos.
Wheels being poured. Bones Wheels are the best wheels going - and this is why.
Wheels being poured. Bones Wheels are the best wheels going – and this is why.
After lunch it was off to see wheels being made. When they come out of the oven - the put them on the floor to cool more evenly.
After lunch it was off to see wheels being made. When they come out of the oven – the put them on the floor to cool more evenly.
The wheels are sent to be washed and cleaned (all those bags are wheels).
The wheels are sent to be washed and cleaned (all those bags are wheels).
Wheels being printed.
Wheels being printed.
We stopped by the R&D department to see some of the cool stuff they are dreaming up.
We stopped by the R&D department to see some of the cool stuff they are dreaming up.
They have some pretty cool furniture!
They have some pretty cool furniture!
A VERY small shot of the warehouse we were allowed to pillage.
A VERY small shot of the warehouse we were allowed to pillage.
At dinner I had George and Stacy sign a deck for me.
At dinner I had George and Stacy sign a deck for me.

It was a fantastic day and trip.
I think Stacy put it best when he said “It’s amazing how much it takes to make a simple skateboard”.
Skateboarding owes so much to both of these men.
Thank you to George and Stacy, as well as Michael from Skate One for setting everything up.