Nike ACG Team Blog : News from Nike ACG athletes from across the globe

It’s been a busy past month for Team UK; competitions and podiums, injuries and recoveries…

Zoe Gillings
First up, a massive congrats to Zoe who made the podium in the final World Cup event of the season in Valmalenco.
After the heel injury she sustained at the X Games, Zoe has trained hard to ensure she finished the season in style. And that she did, after finishing 4th at the World Cup in Stoneham and 5th at Sunday River, she returned to Europe for the first time in nearly two months, ranked 6th in the world.  And now, after a challenging competition in Valmalenco, involving a mid air collision with Olivia Nobs of Switzerland, Zoe is now ranked 5th in the world. A fantastic result for this season.
Next Up: The Brits

Paddy Graham
Having knocked himself out during the semis at the FiAT Big Air in Poland, Pads did not let that stop him continue his season line up of events; New Skool Picnic in Austria and then onto Absolute Progression in Flachauwinkl. After missing out on the finals (despite this double 10) he then had to forego the Freeski Open due to a severe case of Man Flu.
Next Up: The Brits & Crans Montana

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!

Hello everyone,

In case you were wondering in which part of the planet we are now, set your Google map on Moab, Utah – this is where we are going to film all our new season of summer Sweetspots. It’s the first time in Sweetspots’ history that one location will host 3 films but the occasion calls for it: it’s Nike ACG ‘s 20th anniversary and Moab, beside being the perfect playground for all the outdoors activities and providing a scenario that is somewhere in between Rio Grande and Planet of the Apes, is the very place where Tinker Hatfield, Monty Mayko and the rest of the boys used to hang out and got the idea and inspiration to create ACG – basically it’s like spending birthday with your loved ones.

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!

Both Zoe and Dan are out in Stoneham, Canada with the rest of the GB Snowboard clan for the LG FIS Snowboard World Cup event. They’ve been out there a week, so having overcome the jetlag and checked out their competition, they’re both amped for the comps.
The Womens Boardercross kicks off on Friday 19th and Men’s Half Pipe is on Saturday 20th February.

Mr Graham is comp-tastic at the moment. First up it was the Crans Montana Champs, where even with 65 riders competing and foul weather conditions, Pads still managed to pick up some prize money. Next up it was the Playstreets in Austria - a competition where the streets of the steep town of Bad Gastein are converted into a slopestyle course. Pads was amongst the 20 top freestyle riders to be invited and the standard was Hiiigh.  Unfortunately it was the local Austrians who were killing it, so he just missed out on the prize winnings. Onwards and upwards…he’s also received an invite to the prestigious Euro Open this year which takes place in his surrogate home resort of Laax.

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

Hi

I was in Laax for january with a plan to work on tricks and get my runs good and solid for this years olympic qualifying season of world cups.

i am now in Canada for the Olympic test event.

The event is going to be hard to get a result, as just about everyone who wants to be in the Olympics is here, including Shaun White.

fingers crossed!

Dan wakeham working on tricks in the laax pipe jan 2009 >>

This week Team ACG UK are taking it was from all sides;
One; The unfavourable crappy Sterling to EVERY Other Currency In A Snowy Country Rate,
And Two; The broken body front.
All part of life as a professional snowsports athlete….

First up is Zoe Gillings
Following some great results this season, Zoe was psyched to compete at the X Games 13. After qualifying in 3rd place, just 1.4 seconds behind Lindsey Jacobellis (World Number 1), Zoe was feeling more confident than ever. However during her second qualifying run, she sustained a compression injury to her right heel. She went on to compete in the finals, but had to withdraw from the competition due to the excruciating pain.

“Yeah I was pretty disappointed obviously but these things happen I guess. I have got a compression to my right heal, basically it means I have bruised it which sounds pretty lame, but you wouldn't believe how much it hurt.”

Zoe is likely to sit out the next competition in San Francisco, before heading back to Europe for the World Cup in Bardonecchia.

Dan Wakeham
He has spent the last month in Laax where he’s been putting together his runs for the next World Cup.  He fell badly on his hip in the pipe whilst training a couple of days ago, but is confident that he’ll recover for his next comp in Bardonnechia, Italy. Before then, he’ll be making a stop off at Ispo in Munich to catch up (and maybe even party) with the rest of the Nike ACG folk.

Murray Buchan
After a stint in the mountains and some cheeky time off school, it is fair to say that Muz is not best pleased to be back in the land of education and learning…
“Yeh I am back home. It sucks. I hate school. I am pretty sure I am going to leave after this year. I am fed up with it….”

And just to top it off, his next message read: “…just to let you know that I have dislocated my arm. I am in a cast for 4 weeks. I should be back for the euro open. It's my right arm that’s *&!$ed [read broken],  so it takes me ages to do everything with my left hand!”

Despite these set backs, Muz can’t wait to get back on snow. Competing on a European level at the comp in Les Contamines at the start of Jan, Muz said: “I really enjoyed it. I felt like I was skiing really well. After everyone's first runs I was 9th. I am really happy with the result. 15th is pretty good. I was only a point and a half away from making finals. A lot of people didn’t like the contest because it's Fis, but I had fun.

Noddy Gowans
Nods had a weekend in Serre Che, taking advantage of yet another snow dump, whilst trying to make his little English pounds go as far as he could.

“They’ve got loads of snow out there and a heap of my cheeky lines were still knee deep fresh untouched runs.
Ah the Joy of secret lines.”

He’s heading out again this weekend to shoot some ‘How-To’ features for Fall-Line Skiing Mag…Coming Soon to a store near you.

Paddy Graham
Pads took time out of competing at the Austrian Freeski Open, as well as his birthday celebrations to shoot a ‘How-To’ for Fall-Line. We’ve had a sneek preview at some of the shots and they look sweet.
He’s now back in his season home, Laax doing some filming.  Here’s hoping he doesn’t join the rest of the team in injured-ville…

Mark Harris

Sadly Mark has also injured himself this season

"I have had some bad news. I have injured my hip pretty bad. I had been waiting to see a doctor and had a small operation done. I have crushed the head of my femur into the hip joint so when I tried to move it, it was just bone on bone. They have done a small op to make space in the joint so it is ok for now. I have got to have a pretty big op where they are going to break my pelvis and re build the head of the joint. I am just waiting for a date when they can do this, they say I will be out of action for 6 months but they think it should be pretty good after the op."

Fingers crossed for a speedy recovery to both the Team and the Pound

Zinnia

Gary has been travelling with the French team to the World Cup halfpipe events but has had a difficult start to the season as in both the Dew Tour and the Japan world cup he broke both his snowboards in the final. However in Korea he qualified 1st for the final but only managed to finish in 11th place, but at least he made the finish line this time. When back in France he managed to hook up with photographer Vanessa Andrieux for a pipe shoot in Avoriaz and got some great images which should be in mags soon.

Sverre has had a great season so far topped off by winning the first stop of the Freeride world tour in Sochi at the weekend - a great achievement and one of the biggest of his illustrious career. The next stop of the tour is in Squaw Valley next month. You can keep track of the results on http://www.freerideworldtour.com/en/

His season started with 4 weeks in Switzerland for Christmas and new year, the perfect warm up for winter. With a good deal with Ski Lodge Engelberg he stayed for free and was guiding a little group the last week which included some heli and couloirs in Andermatt. Oskar Enander (www.oskarenender.com) was with him, and he got some pretty nice pics to.

For those of you who want to chat to Sverre you will find him at ISPO either on the Nike ACG stand (hall B5 stand 311A) or on the Kask stand (B5 324A) - Sverre's own company.

Andreas and Mirjam have been over in Aspen competing in X-Games 13 and are returned to defend medals from last year. Unfortunately for both of them this is their first contest on return from knee injuries. This year the X-Games was bigger than ever with with spectacular pipe contests with Xavier Bertoni winning the mens ski pipe and taking the crown from defending champion Tanner Hall. In the womens Mirjam did not have luck on her side and did not podium this year however every start in this contest adds to a riders experience and I am sure she will be back stronger than ever next year.

The X-Games slopestyle course was a gnarly one this year with a massive transfer gap as the second to last jump, which took a bit of getting used to. Andreas qualified for the final and was sitting in third place with a good score of 89 points and only one rider left to go. Unfortunately Sammy Carlsson just beat his score meaning Andreas did not make the podium but proved that he is still up there with the best even though he was only just back on his skis. Some American judging helped swing things for Sammy as well according to those who were there.

For the second year running, Andreas and Jon Hatveit have been nominated for a powder award, this time for their spectacular filming methods during the Nike Sweetspot 25 shoot in Myrkdalen, Norway. Check out the incredible sweetspot on the ACG website http://www.nike.com/nikeacg/#sweetspot25along with the new AK films which have just gone live.

Rudi Kroell has been on the TTR circuit building up his results. It started in the O'Neill Evolution where he just missed out on the slopestyle final by 1 place, where he would have joined Henning and Ulrik. Ulrik progressed through the next knockout stage to make the last 16 but lost out to a relatively unknown Canadian rider who went all the way to the final.

Henning tweaked his ankle again on the slopestyle so did not compete in the Davos quarterpipe contest however this weekend he is making his way to Innsbruck weekend for the Air and Style QP contest

December 08 was Flo Kofer's super pow month and he spent the time back home riding and a little bit of filming and shooting stills.

Last weekend Flo visited "Flo Örley's Line Camp" in Fieberbrunn, which was a fun training session focused on reading & riding lines which was useful for comps and filming.

His next stop is Romania, where he heads with sled buddy and snowboard pro Eric Themel for a 1 week trip to the Red Bull 1000 Trails. (a Big Mountain snowmobile competition)

Stay tuned for more news as and when it comes through

Graham

I’m proud to announce that I am now a team rider for the popular Swiss resort of Laax.

Joining my Nike ACG teammate, Paddy Graham, I will be training in Laax’s renowned super pipe, using this time to fine tune my competition runs and work on new tricks.

The Olympic qualification has now opened, so I need to be on top form this season to meet the quota. It is great to have the opportunity to train in such a good pipe.

The pipe here at Laax is by far the best pipe in Europe and the only one that compares to those in America.

If I want to ride as well as the Americans then I have to train in pipes that meet their standard.

I will keeping Laax as my season base, staying for all of January then I will be competing on the world cup tour in Europe and Canada. I’ll later return to Laax for the British Championships and the Pleasure Jam.

Cheers, Dan Wakeham

After scoring 1^st and then 2^nd place in her heats, Zoe qualified for the Finals in Bad Gastein where she was up against World Number 1 Lindsey Jacobellis, Canada’s Dominique Maltais and Alexandra Jekova from Bulgaria.

After close contact with Jacobellis coming into the first corner, Zoe dropped into 4^th place. But in true Gillings style, she focused on closing in on her competitors. Her training and determination paid off, with her over taking Alexandra Jekova which saw her finish in 3^rd place.   

We’re super stoked with Zoe’s performance and now looking towards the next World Cup in Korea on 18 January.

Good Luck! 

After a good Christmas stuffing and some New Year partying, the riders are now back shredding the hills of Europe.

 Zoe Gillings: on the road to Munich [and path to Olympic medaldom]

“I just won the German champs! I won qualifying, all my heats and the final. It was sick” Earlier this week, Zoe took Gold, riding 3.5 seconds faster than her competitors.

And before that…

‘In December I got 6th in the last world cup in Arosa. I beat everyone ranked above me in the world which I was stoked with. The whole race was shown live on British Eurosport so loads of people at home already knew where I placed before I even got chance to tell them!”

Not to mention…

“I was also awarded the British Olympic Association Snowsport Olympic athlete of the year for 2008. I won it last year as well so I am going to try and set a record for the most years in a row someone has won it!”

Next Up: World Cup in Bad Gastein and the X Games

Dan Wakeham: living it up in Laax

After Christmas on UK soil, New Year in Morzine, he is now residing in Laax for the month with other UK riders. The Burton European Open kicks off this weekend, so Dan will be there to compete in the half pipe. The snow’s been good and he’s riding well, putting down some solid runs in the pipe.

Next up: Burton European Open.

Paddy Graham: On home ground in Laax

Back from Yanksville, Pads is now in the safe haven of the familiar mountain turf that we call Laax. The last we heard, he was searching for pow. Apparently since the Nike backcountry trip last season, he’s gone from park rat to powder junkie (at least for the odd day anyway).

Next Up: Freeski Open, Austria

Noddy Gowans: Back in Brighton

“We had the most amazing time in New Zealand. The weather was great and the family were all on top form. But up here in the North, now trying to get used to time and Snow! But I’m back, recharged and ready to rip the back out of ’09.
 
The DofE presentation went down a treat - the Duke and I got on like a house on fire. We shot the $h!t for ages about the evolution and influence of twin tips on the skiing scene and their progression in BC free-ride. Big respect to the man who was able to bro down with the best of them. Hopefully get him out for a few turns this season… think he was just humouring me to be honest, although I bet he’s got a mean switch rodeo.”

Murray Buchan: MIA [in Avoriaz]

Muz has been spotted out in Avoriaz, making the most of his time on snow. He’s training for the World Cup event in Les Contamines taking place this weekend. A good excuse to be skipping school. We’ll keep you posted with how he went.

Next Up: Freestyle World Cup, Les Contamines

Ally Watson from Mayrhofen

“ Over Christmas I jumped in the car with Roman and we jumped across to Karltensee in south of Austria where we stayed with Flo Koefer. They have a huge base of about 3m or just over, a record for about 50 years apparently for this early on. We went out on a ski-doo the first day we were there because the resort was shut which was amazing. We skied a few lines off the skidoo.

The next day the 3 of us went to a resort a short ride away and had a really good day in the trees. We were getting the training in and filmed a couple of runs. It looked more like Mt Baker than Austria. On the 3rd day on our way home Roman and I stopped off at St Jacob, Ost Tirol where we met Rudi and some other boarders. The terrain here was a lot steaper and was so much fun, it made our trip complete. Peace”

Zinnia

A great start for the new year...Nike ACG riders have got the covers of Fall Line and Document magazines... Nice work guys

FALL LINE MAGAZINE, Issue 79

Noddy Gowans attacking the backcountry of Pontresina, Switzerland

DOCUMENT MAGAZINE, Issue 54

John Ludvigson pulling a super smooth backside 180 in Avoriaz

The powder has arrived and reports are coming in from all over the world of good lines, jumps and great expectations of what is to come this winter.

The Nike ACG sweetspot campaign is rolling on with sweetspot 28 going live last week, you can check it out at http://www.nike.com/nikeacg/#sweetspot29 . this sweetspot features Eva Walkner from Austria on a trip out to Iran last season. They met some tough conditions out there but it was a great experience none the less with an encounter with an entirely different culture and an ongoing search for snow.

Currently Eva is in La Grave and Sestriere doing some shooting with Colin Samuels and enjoying the early season powder. With the temperature low the powder is even reaching as low as the tree line giving some great early season riding. Her next plan is to head back to Austria via Davos to get some riding in but there is still a focus on a trip out to Bulgaria at some point which will be with an Austrian crew later in the season.