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Events News Uncategorized

Afghanistan Snowboarding: First Afghan Snowboard Championships

For the first time, Afghanistan Snowboard Federation (ASF) will host a snowboarding competition at the top of Afghanistan’s mountains. On Feb 27th, 2021, the first Snowboard Championship in Afghan history will take place in Bamyan Province, Afghanistan.

Thirty snowboarders from the provinces of Afghanistan are going to participate. ASF is going to support children, adults, and families from socially disadvantaged backgrounds, to participate in the championship.

 

Schedule:

13.02. – 23.02.21 Open training camp
23.02. – 25.02.21 Pro training
26.02.21 Opening ceremony
27.02.21 Competition day
28.02.21 Award ceremony.

 

ASF is asking the snowboarding community for a small number of donations to motivate and support their young athletes.

This link will take you to the crowdfunding campaign: https://gogetfunding.com/afghanistan-snowboard-federation-giving-hope-to-speechless-men-women/

 

About ASF

With only a handful of athletes, ASF started its work in late 2017. People who suffered from war, as well as people who wanted to bring change to society’s thoughts, were joining ASF. Ultimately to change the world’s perspective towards Afghanistan.

In time ASF has developed a strong influence on sports development in the country. Snowboarding is one of the fastest-growing and most famous sports among Afghans.

In 2020 ASF won their first international medals from Pakistan (1 Silver and 4 Bronze).
ASF is now looking for international achievements in the future.

 

Source: Afghanistan Snowboarding

Categories
News Uncategorized

WSF attends the European Commission’s high-level conference on the recovery of the sport sector after the COVID-19 crisis

High-Level Virtual Conference
THE RECOVERY OF THE SPORT SECTOR AFTER THE COVID-19 CRISIS:
THE WAY AHEAD

The aim of the conference was to bring together the leaders of EU member states and institutions, responsible for sport and heads of European and international sports movement, to discuss the way forward.

Hosted by Mariya Gabriel, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth and with the participation of IOC’s president Thomas Bach and serval high-level experts, the conference agreed that’s Sports & its values such as solidarity are needed more than ever in a post-COVID-19 world!

Video: https://www.beyond-events.eu/index.php?eventid=35&roomid=115

Categories
Events

7th Zillertal VÄLLEY RÄLLEY Tour winners and highlights 2019/20

 

The new Royal Zillertal VÄLLEY RÄLLEY family

 

 

We are looking forward to the Zillertal VÄLLEY RÄLLEY 2020/2021 starting in December 2020 into the new season with the first tour stop at Hochzillertal-Kaltenbach. Don’t forget to save the dates:

  1. Tour stop       19.-20.12.2020 Hochzillertal-Kaltenbach, Erste Ferienregion im Zillertal
  2. Tour stop       16.-17.01.2021 Zillertal Arena
  3. Tour stop       27.-28.02.2021 Penken Park Mayrhofen, Mayrhofen-Hippach im Zillertal
  4. Tour stop      24.-25.04.2021 Hintertuxer Gletscher, Betterpark Hintertux, Tux-Finkenberg

Find out more at www.valleyralley.at and www.zillertal.at/valleyralley

Source: Die ÄSTHETIKER
Photos: Theo Acworth
Video:  Andreas MonEpic Monsberger

 

Categories
World Rookie Tour

2021 World Rookie Snowboard and Freeski Finals

Black Yeti proudly announces dates and locations

Someone said: “Optimism is the best way to see life”, and Black Yeti is highly optimistic! That is why we want to announce dates and locations for the 2021World Rookie Tour Big Finals, well in advance. Kitzsteinhorn Zell am See-Kaprun in Austria, and Seiser Alm in Italy, are already excited to host hundreds of young aspiring professionals, to live the best experience in their early career. Obviously all our scheduled WRT events will follow both the international WHO and the local guidelines for Covid prevention to ensure the highest security standard for all our riders, their coach, and relatives. Furthermore, is confirmed that the 2021 World Rookie Tour Snowboard and Freeski Champions, male and female, will get a spot in the next season FIS World Cup Tour!

Rider: Stine Olsen
Credit: Gustav Ohlsson

World Rookie Snowboard Finals

A history lasting 16 years, a heritage that Black Yeti improves every year. The next World Rookie Snowboard Finals will take place again in Kitzsteinhorn Zell am See-Kaprun, Austria, from the 11th to the 16th April 2021, with Slopestyle and Big Air events. But as always it´s not just about the competition, with workshops and side events, education and a lot of fun is a big part of the World Rookie Finals as well. If you want to see the future of snowboarding, you have to be there.

Watch here the trailer for the 2021 World Rookie Snowboard Finals: vimeo.com/475818755

World Rookie Freeski Finals

A brand-new tour, an incredible opportunity for all the young skiers around the world. World Rookie Freeski Finals will take place again in Seiser Alm, Italy, from the 23rd to the 27th March 2021. Snowpark Seiser Alm is one of the best parks in Europe, hosting location for several international events, including FIS World Cup Slopestyle.  The chance to compete here is a must and the program of the event will include very typical social activities in order to discover the South Tyrol culture and heritage.

 

Breaking news for the last season-qualified riders, for Snow and Freeski Finals 2020

Due to the Coronavirus emergency, World Rookie Tour canceled the last 2020 winter events scheduled in Japan, Italy, and Austria, including the World Rookie Snowboard and Freeski Finals 2020.

For the season 2020/2021 Black Yeti has decided that all the last year qualified rider for the 2020 finals, if they are still in the age, could take part in the World Rookie Finals 2021 scheduled in Austria and Italy. Unfortunately, the World Rookie Tour cannot confirm the economic efforts for the free ticket.

If you are one of the qualified riders from season 2020, please write to registration@worldrookietour.com

 

 

World Rookie Tour Snowboard – Provisional Calendar 2021

World Rookie Fest (SS) – Livigno, ITA 16.-21.01.2021

UK Rookie Fest (Rail + BA) – Glasgow, SCO,22.-24.01.2021

Copper Mountain Rookie Fest (HP) – Copper Mountain, USA, 28.01.2021

Winter Park Grom Fest (SS) – Winter Park, USA, 11.02.2021

Winter Park Rookie Fest (SS) – Winter Park, USA, 12.02.2021

QKLS Rookie Fest (SS) – Ruka, FIN, 11.-14.02.2021

Hungarian Rookie Fest (SS) HUN – Budapest, HUN, 20.-21.02.2021

Indy Park Jam Rookie Fest (SS) – Nekoma, JPN, 26.-27.02.2021

Ursus Rookie Fest (SS) – Madonna di Campiglio, ITA, 28.02.-04.03.2021

World Rookie Finals (SS+HP) –Kitzsteinhorn, Zell am See-Kaprun, AUT,11.-16.04.2021

World Rookie Tour Freeski – Provisional Calendar 2021

Copper Mountain Rookie Fest (HP) – Copper Mountain, USA, 07.01.2021

UK Rookie Fest (Rail + BA) – Glasgow, SCO 22.-24.01.2021

Winter Park Grom Fest (SS) – Winter Park, USA, 11.02.2021

Winter Park Rookie Fest (SS) – Winter Park, USA, 12.02.2021

Innsbruck Rookie Fest (SS) – Innsbruck – Skyline Park, AUT, 19.-21.02.2021

Ursus Rookie Fest (SS) – Madonna di Campiglio, ITA, 28.02.-04.03.2021

Kronplatz Rookie Fest (SS) – Kronplatz, ITA, 12.-14.03.2021

World Rookie Finals (SS) – Seiser Alm, ITA, 23. –27.03.2021

 

Follow the Black Yeti
Web: www.worldrookietour.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/worldrookietour

Instagram: www.instagram.com/worldrookietour @worldrookietour #worldrookietour

Vimeo: www.vimeo.com/channels/worldrookietour

 

ABOUT BLACK YETI ssd
The Black Yeti is an amateur sport club dedicated to the realization of snowboard, freeski and skateboard projects for boys and girls up to 18 years of age, in Italy and abroad. One of the most successful projects is the World Rookie Tour, the biggest and the most famous tour in the action sports world that attracts 2.000 young athletes from 30 nations to the events called “Rookie Fest”, organized all over the world: Italy, Europe, North and South America, Oceania and Asia. The Rookie Fests program includes not only the competition but also many side activities such as avalanche and rescue clinics, workshops, and English talks.

 

Categories
World Snowboarding

WORLD SNOWBOARDING: Submit Your Event Dates!

Dear Event Organizers and NSAs!

WORLD SNOWBOARDING is the sport’s global ranking and calendaring platform regarding all about freestyle snowboarding. Riders, event organizers, National Associations, industry, and media utilize the World Snowboarding Points Lists (WSPLs), the global event schedule, as well as the information services and sports database. Worldsnowboarding.org is the home for all freestyle snowboarding events and athletes.

Due to the challenges the present Covid-19 situation puts on the entire snowboarding community, we want to offer some support. To keep the spirit alive and get the most out of this season as possible, we decided to waive all event fees. 

 

Please confirm your event dates for the global event schedule on worldsnowboarding.org:

  • If your event is already listed, please review if your dates and info are being displayed correctly. For updated information please email us office@worldsnowboarding.org
  • If your event is not listed yet, please submit your event dates to us and we will update the calendar in no time.
  • If your event gets canceled or postponed due to the Covid-19 situation, please email us office@worldsnowboarding.org

 

Single Event Submission – SUBMIT YOUR EVENT ONLINE HERE! 

Multiple Events/Series/Nations (for organizers to register more than 2 events, e.g. Nations that want to submit their national events, an organizer that hosts an event series …): SUBMIT YOUR EVENTS USING THE MULTI EVENT FORM – DOWNLOAD HERE!

 

The World Snowboarding event schedule is open to all events regardless of their affiliation with a national or international governing body! Events can submit their event dates for the seasons: 2020/21 – 2021/22 – 2022/23. Submitting event dates for up to two years in advance will help build a planning schedule.

Competition results from each event on the World Snowboarding event schedule will be included in the World Snowboarding Points Lists (WSPL). The WSPL’s are the World Rankings of freestyle snowboarding and are widely used for seeding, team selections, athlete entry, national quotas, performance tracking, and LTAD programs.

 

The WSPLs
The WSPLs for Slopestyle, Halfpipe, and Big Air are the only worldwide accepted, fair, and transparent universal ranking system for freestyle snowboarding. All Halfpipe, Slopestyle and Big Air event results are included, regardless of the event’s affiliation, the national organization, host, or promoter.

Processing event results for the WSPLs
For the verification and upload of event results, assignment of WSPL points, and the processing of event results for the World Snowboarding Points Lists (WSPLs), please send an email to results@worldsnowboarding.org.

 

Contact
For any questions feel free to contact us at office@worldsnowboarding.org.

 

Best regards & stay safe!

Your World Snowboarding Team

Rider: Dusty Henricksen
Photo: U.S. Ski & Snowboard

 

https://www.worldsnowboardfederation.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/WORLD-SNOWBOARDING-750x248.jpg

 

Categories
Uncategorized World Snowboarding

7th Zillertal VÄLLEY RÄLLEY Review

7th Zillertal VÄLLEY RÄLLEY hosted by Blue Tomato & Ride Snowboards tour finals at Betterpark Hintertux, Hintertux Glacier Tux-Finkenberg, 17th 18th October 2020

Rider: Lukas Behensky

One week ago, on October 17th/18th, Bretterpark Hintertux hosted the tour finals of the 7th Zillertal VÄLLEY RÄLLEY hosted by Blue Tomato and Ride Snowboards 2019/2020. At the 4th and final tour stop of Zillertal’s most popular snowboarding slopestyle contest, there was more to win than medals and day podiums. Finally, the overall tour winners, the new Kings and Queens of the Zillertal VÄLLEY 2019/2020, were crowned. Andreas „Monepic“ Monsberger collected all highlights in this clip:

Wintery conditions followed by spotless bluebird

Saturday´s coaching and training day came along with wintery conditions and fresh powder for everyone. On Sunday morning, the snowpark showed-off with bluebird and sunshine over the large XXL setup, just in time for the snowboard slopestyle contest. Despite the challenging Covid situation, many snowboarders gathered at Hintertux Glacier, going for the last tour points, to grasp the chance of a medal, a spot on the day´s podium, or even the crown and title of overall tour champion. While „keeping distance“ and showing their best manners, the participants presented all they got to impress the judges and competitors.

Coaching Day
Playground

Zillertal VÄLLEY RÄLLEY 4th tour stop Hintertux Glacier- results:

Horsefeathers Best Trick Award:                        BS 1080 Double Cork by Naj Mekinc (SLO)

Super Groms (under 13 years):
Girls:                                                                                         Boys:
1. Shania Colsters (NED)                                               1. Matyáš Skandera (CZE)
2. Olivie Pouchova (CZE)                                              2. Nilo Lemark (SVN)
3. Lua-Marie Klemm (GER)                                          3. Jonas Kröll (AUT)

Groms (13 – 15 years):
Girls:                                                                                         Boys:
1. Vanessa Volopichova (CZE)                                   1. Paul Frischhut (AUT)
2. Kristina Holzfeind (AUT)                                         2. Lukas Behensky (AUT)
3. Noelle-Christin Jamnig (AUT)                              3. Timon Matěna (CZE)

Rookies (16-18 years):
Girls:                                                                                         Boys:
1. Eva Hanikova (CZE)                                                    1. Jakub Hrones (CZE)
2. Bianca Bierbaum (GER)                                            2. Kai Groeneveld (NED)
3. Ozbe Kuhar (SLO)

Women & Men (18+):
Women:                                                                                 Men:
1. Federica Sola (ITA)                                                      1. Naj Mekinc (SLO)
2. Emma Lantos (AUT)                                                   2. Max Deutinger (AUT)
3. Jose Antonio Aragon Salguero (ESP)

 

Rider: Naj Mekinc

 

Rider: Botond Fricz

 

Kings and Queens of the VÄLLEY

When all was set and done, the new Kings and Queens of the Zillertal VÄLLEY were celebrated with well-deserved trophies, prize money, fame, and honor for the overall tour victory.

Overall Men & Women (18+)     Queen: Vanessa Volopichova (CZE)        King: Jakub Hrones (CZE)
Rookies (16-18)                                  Queen: Hollie Smith (GBR)                           King: Jakub Hrones (CZE)
Groms (13-15)                                     Queen: Vanessa Volopichova (CZE)        King: Lukas Behensky (AUT)
Super Groms (u13)                           Queen: Shania Colsters (NED)                    King: Emil Frey (GER)

 

Overall Tour Winners
Shania Closters, Vanessa Volopichova, Jakub Hrones, Emil Frey

All results and rankings of the final tour stop and overall rankings can be looked up at www.valleyralley.at
Congratulations to all athletes and big thanks to the organizers and all helping hands.

With their participation in the VÄLLEY RÄLLEY slopestyle contest, the competing snowboarders scored valuable points for the international World Snowboard Point List (WSPL) and those under 18 years in the World Rookie Ranking. Betterpark Hintertux at Hintertux Glacier will stay open until mid-December. All information and updates can be found at www.hintertuxergletscher.at

8th Zillertal VÄLLEY RÄLLEY

The 8th Zillertal VÄLLEY RÄLLEY will be starting into the new season in December 2020. The online registration for the first tour stop at Hochzillertal-Kaltenbach will be unlocked from December 1st onwards.

Source: Die ÄSTHETIKER
Photos:
Theo Acworth
Video: Andreas „Monepic“ Monsberger

 

 

 

Categories
World Snowboarding

Zillertal VÄLLEY RÄLLEY hosted by Blue Tomato und Ride Snowboards

Finals Zillertal VÄLLEY RÄLLEY 2019/2020

Credit: Matt McHattie

Due to present circumstances, the great finals of Zillertal VÄLLEY RÄLLEY 2019/2020 hosted by Blue Tomato & Ride Snowboards had to be postponed from April to October 2020.  All the more reason to get excited for this weekend when Zillertal VÄLLEY RÄLLEY finals are going down at Hintertux Glacier on October 17th/18th! It´s understood that the safety precautions and conditions will be communicated and complied with all upcoming events. For safety reasons, there won´t be any late contest registrations on the event site anymore. All info about categories, age groups, and registration can be found at www.valleyralley.at and www.zillertal.at/valleyralley 

 

8th Edition Zillertal VÄLLEY RÄLLEY 2020/2021

Rider: Steve Gruber Credit: Matt McHattie

In December 2020, the Zillertal VÄLLEY RÄLLEY hosted by Blue Tomato and Ride Snowboards will hit the 8th round. The Ästhetiker crew scheduled four tour stops for 2020/2021. The events will go down in four different Zillertal snowparks, always with one day of coaching and training and a slopestyle competition day. This season´s series will be kicking off just before Christmas with the first event on December 19th and 20th at Hochzillertal-Kaltenbach.

The Ästhetiker are delighted to announce the new event schedule for 2020/2021:

1.Tourstopp  19.-20.12.2020  Hochzillertal-Kaltenbach, Erste Ferienregion im Zillertal
2.Tourstopp  16.-17.01.2021  Zillertal Arena
3.Tourstopp  27.-28.02.2021  Penken Park Mayrhofen, Mayrhofen-Hippach im Zillertal
4.Tourstopp  24.-25.04.2021  Hintertuxer Gletscher, Betterpark Hintertux, Tux-Finkenberg

 

Rider: Jakub Hrones Credit: Dan Mullins

In the past seven years, Zillertal´s snowboard tour has evolved into one of Europe´s top events for up-and-coming talents. „With the Zillertal VÄLLEY RÄLLEY we are offering young talents the chance to get into professional snowboarding and breathe their first competition air,“ Ästhetiker president and snowboarding legend Steve Gruber explains. „The unique combination of coaching and contest has proven its success over the past years. Many young athletes use the event series to benchmark themselves against international competitors and push their own levels to higher progression.“

 

Rider: Rune De Baets Credit: Gustav Hersmann

Boardsports fans can look forward to four action-packed weekends in the Zillertal. The latest snowboards and bindings can be tested for free at the Ride Snowboards demo booth at every tour stop. And while the coaching day stands for freebie freestyle training sessions in small groups and together with snowboard pros, Europe´s rising stars will throw down their best tricks on the competition day.

Source: Die ÄSTHETIKER

Categories
World Snowboarding

LAAX OPEN 2021: 19-23 January 2021

FIS Snowboard World Cup in Slopestyle and Halfpipe confirmed

 
The LAAX OPEN, Europe’s most significant snowboarding event, is scheduled for 19-23 January 2021. This was confirmed this week during the digital FIS conference. Thanks to a compact concept and close cooperation with the local organizers the 2020/2021 tour is able to go ahead. The FIS Snowboard World Cup in LAAX takes place as part of the European package at the beginning of the new year.
Credit: Laemmerhirt
 
LAAX has been leading the way in freestyle for over three decades. It has been voted the ‘World’s Best Freestyle Resort’ four years in a row. As a freestyle trailblazer even in extraordinary times, the resort is taking every step necessary to ensure a safe winter season and World Cup. LAAX won’t make any compromises when it comes to sport. Thus the resort continues to organize the competitions for women and men in both Slopestyle and Halfpipe. There is a huge undertaking involved in getting everything set up perfectly, but this decision is a commitment for the riders and their sport.
Credit: Ruggli
 
The OPEN winners in LAAX include Olympic champions Iouri Podladtchikov, Shaun White, Sebastien Toutant, Chloe Kim, Kelly Clark, and Jamie Anderson, as well as snowboarding legends Stale Sandbech, Mark McMorris, Danny Davis, Ayumu Hirano, Peetu Piiroinen, Max Parrot and Silje Norendahl. In the previous LAAX Open in January 2020, X Games winners Julia Marino, Queralt Castellet, Seb Toutant and Scotty James were at the top of the podium.
Credit: Stadler
 
The LAAX OPEN team is happy that it can now push ahead with the preparations for the LAAX OPEN 2021. Special measures for protection against COVID-19 are our number one priority. This includes developing safety concepts with Swiss-Ski, the Inside LAAX app, and also visible items such as LAAX neck warmers with integrated certified masks. 
Source: LAAX
Credit featured image:
Ruggli
Categories
News Reports

AFGHANISTAN: Summer Training Session

On October 2nd 10 young riders from Afghanistan went for a summer training session to Reg Rawan valley in Kapisa. Lacking snow, the team made the most out of what they were given. They took some laps in the sand to get ready for the winter games. The youngsters enjoyed being back on board after a year without training.

While sandboarding is a new chance to prepare for the winter season in Afghanistan, the sport is very popular in the USA, Canada, and especially some Arab countries already.

Source: Afghanistan Snowboarding Federation

Categories
News

Interview: With Tassilo Hager about CURATOR – cult of snowboarding books

We believe that for most of you snowboarding is an integral part of your life. If we’re right you love snowboarding’s unique culture. So does Tassilo Hager who is behind the CURATOR – cult of snowboarding books. It hasn’t been long since the second edition was published and we thought it would be cool to have a chat with Taz himself.

This is also a perfect time to read books and refresh your library as we’re in our homes and the boredom might start to creep in. If you feel like it’s your case exactly, you can use the promo code at the end of the article and get 25% off your order!

Hi Taz! Where & how are you handling the current situation?

I am currently home in Munich, Germany, working from my apartment and using the newly gained extra time to be with my wife and 9 month old son. When I look out of my window I can see the mountains and a skatepark right below my house. You can imagine how frustrating it is to have both right in front of your nose and still not be able to do anything with it.

In the first book you wrote that you felt the need of “curation” of the crazy amount of snowboarding content all around us. How did you come up with the idea for a curation through a book?

I started snowboarding in the mid-nineties and everything I know about snowboarding and the people behind it I learned from magazines and videos. These two media have always belonged together for me. If I thought a rider was the coolest because of his video part, I also wanted to know what was going on in his head. The guys who turned out to be not only stylish snowboarders but also extraordinary personalities became my idols. I think snowboarding is even more fun when you start to get to know the people and the incredible creativity behind it. In this sense, Curator is perhaps even something like a teaching book. 

The way we consume snowboarding today does not offer much space to present characters. You always get small, light snacks mainly in the form of Instagram clips. We are presented with crazy tricks and lines, but the personalities behind them are becoming less and less important. 

So,what I mean by “curating” is to filter out those characters who have more to offer than just their snowboarding. If you can remember a certain trick a rider did just as well as a certain sentence he said, then my goal is achieved. 

How do you feel about the snowboarding’s print media disappearing from the world? Do you think there is space for a resurrection at some point?

I had the opportunity to work as a freelance editor for Pleasure Snowboard Magazine for 12 years. The guys at Pleasure have always understood that the aesthetic component of a magazine is at least as important as the content. There are not many magazines that have been produced for so many years at such a high quality level. During my time at Pleasure I studied linguistics and publishing and also worked in a bookstore. So I have always had a very deep relationship with print. Compared to a magazine, every Curator book also contains a large amount of manual work.The binding of the thread, the gluing of the endpapers with the book spine or the mixing of the colours for the iris print. I am there myself and it is an incredible feeling of satisfaction to hold a finished book in my hands after all the different steps. 

I find the variety of today’s media exciting and useful. Online magazines, podcasts and social media all have their place and purpose. I don’t think that print magazines will come back in a big way, but that has nothing to do with the printed medium itself, but with the way to get hold of an actual copy. We have all become insanely lazy and we are used to everything being for free somehow. When we are at the train station or an airport, we don’t go to the kiosk anymore but rather stare at our phone. Print is becoming more and more a medium that you need to enjoy in peace and quiet at home. Like a bottle of wine. The quality should be accordingly. Nevertheless, even as a high quality book, you always compete with the internet and its global connectivity. I knew that a project like Curator would only work if it was available worldwide. Curator is available in shops in Japan, Sweden, Holland, France or Australia to name just a few examples and if you order your book online you get free shipping worldwide. This way Curator is already read in more than 50 countries.

How do you choose the stories or characters you publish? Is the process based on your personal views or do you get inspiration elsewhere too?

I actually draw inspiration from everywhere. Probably the biggest difference between Curator and other snowboard media is that it’s not all about the current generation of snowboard pros. It’s not even just about pros, let alone only about snowboarding topics. In my eyes the snowboard culture is a hodgepodge of different characters and influences. Fashion, music, art, nature and urbanity all these things shape the way snowboarding presents itself.

What was the general feedback on the first book? Did you use any of it for the second edition? What have you done differently in the second book?

I got an incredible amount of feedback, but interestingly enough, hardly any suggestions what the second book should be about. Much more in the sense that people liked the somewhat untypical combination of content and therefore expected to be surprised with the second volume as well. I have tried to live up to that claim. Regardless of the content, it is fascinating what possibilities book printing and binding offers. My idea was to keep the format but to experiment with printing techniques and materials for each new book. Curator is the alternative to the omnipresent single-use-products. The books are meant to be picked up again and again to flip through. In a few years, when you take one of the Curator books off the shelf, it will inevitably cause you to feel transported back to a certain time. Hopefully a time when snowboarding meant a lot to you and made you happy.

Is CURATOR a solo project or are there others close to it who deserve to be mentioned working on it too?

I have people who support me in my work. My buddy Stefan is generally an important help and of course it wouldn’t be possible without graphic designers like Alex Pfeffer or Mac Krebernik. Matt Barr – the mastermind behind the Looking Sideways podcast – has written some excellent articles as the editor of Volume II and has given the whole book the necessary polish. I try to work with a fixed theme in many of my projects. This makes it easier to sort the different ideas in my head and speed up processes. The theme for Curator Volume II was alchemy and I tried to imagine the snowboard culture as a kind of secret society. After I had studied alchemy more intensively, I found it relatively easy to commit to a certain color and graphic concept. Usually I then start to build storyboards, hoping to find a graphic designer or artist who understands the idea and gives it its own interpretation. 

Who is behind the whole artwork of both of the books? The new (second) one is full black and the artwork is amazing. Do you come up with the ideas for it yourself?

With P.J. de Villiers and R.P. Roberts I have fortunately found two outstanding artists who understood what I was trying to achieve with my theme and storyboards. They are responsible for the final design of the book. I am also grateful to Mark Kowalchuk who created lots of artwork for Volume I and II although he is always booked up. For me, art is an integral part of the snowboard culture and I am really happy to offer a platform for it in Curator.

As a lot of projects within snowboarding sometimes struggle financially, we would like to know how’s CURATOR dealing with this side of things? Is there an investor  / publisher behind it? How are the snowboard companies involved?

You’re right, it probably wouldn’t have been possible to find someone to pre-finance or relocate a project like Curator. It is simply not a profitable business case. I also had a pretty clear idea of what standards the books should meet, both in terms of content and production. Curator is printed entirely on FSC-certified paper by a local printing company that can print CO2-neutral thanks to its own solar system. The sale of the books also supports a reforestation project in Africa. These are all additional costs that a classical investor would probably have questioned. For this reason – and because I might have lost my mind for a moment – I decided to put in my own money for pre-financing. There are brands and people within the snowboard industry who were pretty enthusiastic about the idea behind Curator and therefore offered their support in the form of production cost subsidies. I’m very thankful for that. It wouldn’t be possible without them. 

I don’t want to make compromises or be told what content to include in Curator. I present my idea and either it is supported or not. My goal is to offer photographers, authors, illustrators and graphic designers from the snowboard community a reasonable salary and I’m satisfied if I don’t end up in debt.

Many of the stories, interviews and so on are about great personalities in the world of snowboarding, but they’re written by other authors or other people interview them. How do you choose the people who do the writing / make the interviews?

Fortunately I have a great network of friends in the snowboard scene who share the same passion and have the ability to tell stories. I can’t really describe how it all fits together, but in the end we all work on one book. It is magical. 

Is there going to be a CURATOR each season?

I would love to do a new volume every year, yes!

What do you do besides working on the CURATOR books?

I am a freelance author and my daily business is writing texts and translations. I work for insurance companies, but also for fashion and lifestyle magazines. This is what pays my bills. 

Foto: Stefan Goetschl

Where can we run into you on the mountain?

My local mountain is the Zugspitz region, Germany. As often as possible I try to shred in the morning and be back in the office by noon. Otherwise Laax is one of my favorite places in the world. Better not check your credit card bill when you come home from there. 

Foto: Michi Lehmann

Thanks a lot for the interview & we truly hope we can do our part to spread the word about your work as we really appreciate it! Take care!

Thank you for the opportunity!

If you’re as stoked on the books as we are we have an exclusive discount of 25% for you. The discount code is “WORLD25” and you can use it on your whole order on Curatorpublishing.com. You can also use this direct link to apply the discount code even before you start shopping.

If you have any feedback regarding CURATOR the book you can contact Taz via e-mail.
If you have any feedback regarding the interview and the WSF communication you can contact us via e-mail as well.