OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE: Shaun White (USA) won his third US Open slopestyle competition and Kjersti Buaas (NOR) took her first US Open title today, Friday, March 21, in the 2008 US Open slopestyle competition under bright bluebird skies at Stratton Mountain Resort, Vermont. Jamie Anderson (USA) and Jenny Jones (GBR) took second and third respectively for the women and Tim Humphreys (USA) and Charles Reid (CAN) earned second and third place on the men’s podium.

“I feel great,” White said . “I wasn’t planning on competing, but I thought I would take a run this morning to see how I felt. I really liked the landings, we lucked out with the weather and I ended up taking it. I’m stoked.”

Kjersti was also pleasantly surprised by her win. “I’m surprised. I was going to pull out of the competition, but ended up going for it. I tried to stay mellow and mixed it up going for big jumps and small jumps. I feel like I hit my head…that’s how confused I am. I never thought I could win…it’s very cool!”

There was a lot at stake in today’s slopestyle competition, including $20,000, 10,000 BGOS points and 1,250 Swatch TTR points for the top male and 1000 points for the top female. The women kicked things off with ice glistening overhead in the trees and a very firm slopestyle course underfoot. With no room for error, most of the girls got off to a cautious start. But not Kjersti Buaas, who won the bronze medal in women’s halfpipe at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino. She went all out on her first run, which secured her a US Open championship title for the first time in her career. Kjersti’s run started out with a 50-50 noseslide on the flat down box to a nosepress on the flat box to a frontside 360 stalefish, frontside air, frontside 720 mute ending with a backside 180 Indy. Last year’s US Open women’s slopestyle champion Jamie Anderson took second with a solid run that included a frontside 540 to a Cab 540 to a floaty backside 180. And Jenny Jones, who was brave enough to ride after a painful injury in semi-finals, took a very respectable third place.

In the men’s competition all eyes were on Shaun White, who had qualified first from the semi-finals. As usual, Shaun did not disappoint. He took first place from his first run, throwing down a frontside 270 boardslide, a nosepress to backside 180 out to a Cab 900, backside 900 mute, switch backside 900 mute ending with a frontside 1080 stalefish on the jumps. Tim Humphreys’ first run was also his best with a backside 720, Cab 540, frontside 720 and backside 720, earning him his first US Open podium spot. Up-and-coming rider Charles Reid, who took third place, was also on the US Open podium for the first time in his snowboarding career.

After today’s competition, both Jenny Jones and Kazuhiro Kokubo continue to lead the Burton Global Open Series, but things could change drastically after tomorrow’s US Open halfpipe competition when this year’s champions will be awarded $100,000 each – currently the largest single payout in snowboarding. Kevin Pearce maintained his grip on the Swatch TTR Tour lead. Jamie Anderson moved up to TTR No. 1 with Jenny Jones right behind her in World No. 2. Peetu Piiroinen (FIN) overtook Risto Mattila (FIN) for World No. 2, which will make for an intense showdown for the Men’s Swatch TTR World Tour Champion, who will be crowned tomorrow after the US Open halfpipe finals.

On the party and band front, Chicago retro-rap duo The Cool Kids will warm up the cold Vermont night with a free show on the concert stage at Stratton’s main base area from 8:00-9:00 p.m.

For more information, visit www.usopensnowboarding.com.

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE: Allyance is proud to announce the addition of Kauai ripper Gavin Gillette. Gavin is currently on the WQS with the intention of qualifying for the WCT. He most recently scored an equal third at the 4* Central Coast Pro in Australia; the first of many podiums to come! A fast and exciting surfer, Gav has also proven himself on the North Shore by making the finals at the 2007 Monster Energy Pro at Pipeline and logging plenty of water time with the boys.

“Gavin is an exceptional surfer and an all around stellar human,”Jason Arnold, Allyance marketing director, said. “We can’t say enough about how excited we are to have him representing Allyance. He plays a pretty mean Guitar Hero, too.”

Allyance has also strengthened the Hawaii team by adding uber groms Elliott Leon and Bear Bailey of Kauai and Austin Vicente of Oahu. They join Albee Layer of Maui, who recently made the final in three divisions at the NSSA Hawaii Regional Championships and Macy Mullen of Oahu, currently living in California and most recently taking 1st place at the Ponto stop of the Koastal Kaos Series.

Allyance is of and for the people. Drop your definitions and stand alone, ROGUE HEROES! We’re taking it to the beaches, streets and mountains; we’re rocking the bars and slinging stars! Allyance is exclusive yet inclusive; jack the mainstream majority, be an upstart inspiration! No Generation.
Check them out at www.theallyance.com.

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE: Vermont’s Killington Resort, the largest ski and snowboard resort in the East, announces 2008-09 season pass prices and $8.4 million in on-mountain improvements to kick off its 50th birthday season.“We are very excited to be announcing this capital improvement plan,” Chris Nyberg, president and general manager of Killington Resort and Pico Mountain, said. “Last summer we invested $3.5 million into improvements immediately after acquiring the resorts. Those improvements coupled with our staff’s ability to deliver a high quality, consistent snow product and an improved overall resort experience has paid dividends. Now we are in position to increase the level of investment to improve the resorts and the guest experience even further. This is a great day for Killington Resort and Pico Mountain.”

Leading the list of improvements is a new high-speed detachable quad to replace the existing fixed-grip Skye Peak Quad operating out of the Bear Mountain base area. The new Skye Peak Express will cut the ride time from 13 minutes to just under 5 minutes. The new lift will improve access to intermediate cruising terrain on Skye Peak, Bear Mountain’s premiere terrain parks and some of the best free skiing/riding trails and glades in the East.

“This new lifngton and Pico Mountain director of mountain operations, said. “We’ll also be making additional on-mountain trail improvements focusing on providing uninterrupted top-to-bottom skiing and riding for our guests, while continuing to invest in snowmaking infrastructure to increase snow production capacity and improve energy efficiency.”

The new Skye Peak Express is the first lift installed at Killington Resort in more than 10 years and brings its total of high speed lifts to nine, nearly twice the number of high speed lifts found at any other resort in the East. In addition to greatly reduced ride time, the new lift will be less susceptible to wind holds and delays in operation due to the slower loading and unloading speed offered by a detachable lift.

For skiers and riders to enjoy the new on-mountain improvements, Killington announces season pass products and prices for the 2008-09 season. The very popular summer payment plan is also back. Simply purchase with a credit card by phone by June 3, pay 50 percent of the total season pass purchase at the time of your order, and the remaining 50 percent will be automatically charged to your credit card on August 26.

“A Killington/Pico or Pico only season pass provides outstanding value for guests who ski or ride here frequently,” said Dave Rathbun, Killington and Pico Mountain director of sales and marketing. “Improvements to the pass program this year include fewer restricted days (three fewer for Blackout Passes, two fewer for Midweek Passes) and now every pass type qualifies for the summer payment plan allowing guests to spread their payments over the summer months.”

For more information about Kilington Resort or to check out season pass details, go to the resort’s official Web site HERE.

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE: On A Mission (OAM), a San Clemente-based surf softgoods and accessories company, recently announced the release of its newest traction pad, inspired by the Hawaiian surfer Volcom band Pepper, according to a press release issued last month by the company.

The “Joint Effort” series is a limited edition of traction designed by artists, musicians and friends, according to OAM.

“I think Pepper is super rad and really good guys,” Dave Boehne, OAM’s marketing manager, said. “all the members of Pepper are avid surfers and have been using OAM products for years. They were the perfect fit for our first collaboration!”

The Pepper Pd features the bands notorious “skullconuts” logo designed by OAM’s good friend, surfer and artist Ben Brough.

“Every kid dreams of having their own signature pad growing up,” Pepper’s Kaleo Wassman said. “We were really excitedwith tehopportunity and think it came out amazing. I can’t wait to get one under my feet!”

The OAM “Joint Effort” Pepper traction pad is available now. For more information visit www.oamsurf.com or www.pepperlive.com.