Wisdom: “Waterfalls are a pain in the ass!”

Muzzey

By

What other nuggets of truth does Iceland's favorite son, Eiki Helgason, have? Come find out!

After nearly a decade of traveling the world on the hunt for new spots to film, Eiki Helgason spent last season riding at home in Iceland. The island republic is only slightly larger than the state of Maine and yet there was much of the country that Eiki had never seen. Filming for his just-released Island Born gave him the chance to chase waterfalls all across his homeland and produced a seriously standout part. So why not ask him a few questions?

How did you end up filming in Iceland all season?

At first we were going to do another Sexual Snowboarding movie then Halldór got the opportunity to do his project with Sage so he was out. We thought we could still do it without him but then in December, Ethan & Nisse got on the Method Movie, so then it was only me and Felix left so we decided to call it. I was trying to figure out what I should do for the season, I always wanted to see more of Iceland because I have never really been a tourist here. It seemed like perfect timing to do this kinda stuff, so I started contacting a few filmers and Mark Wiitanen was super down to make it happen, but by then it was already middle of March! He flew straight away over here and we basically started cruising around filming every day for a month and a half and some how managed to make this happen in such a short time! Mark is the man!

How is that you have never traveled around your own country before?

I think it’s hard being a tourist in your own country because everything is so close it feels like you can always do it later but you end up never doing it, so I’m definitely glad I did, Iceland is actually amazing!

You just started hitting backcountry zones there, is there more to explore, do you think you could film a whole part out there?

Since we started filming so late in the season we kinda missed the good pow, but we did cruise around on snowmobiles in the mountains around my home town and found a few spots that had pow landings. We saw a lot of potential spots that I am definitely going back to this year once the pow arrives again.

Did you ever end up in the water with all the waterfall shots you went for?

No, but it’s a pain in the ass to film around these things, because of the mist they create and freezing temps, then all the equipment got a layer of ice on it: cameras, lenses, boards, clothes and then the spot it self turned to ice real fast, too.

What are you most stoked on about this part?

The 10 kink for sure! It has taken me so damn long to get, a total of 10 days over a period of 10 years, so it was a huge relief to get it out of my head—it was kind of an obsession in the end. I spent 5 days on it this season and I was getting so over it in the end—it’s for sure the most annoying rail I have ever ridden.

What’s up for this season?

I’m gonna do Insta shows and start releasing them in January, so 1-minute long webisodes for Instagram, I am gonna try to do as many NBD trick as I can and each show will be about 1 trick! So follow me on Instagram @eiki.helgason if you want to see what I come up with.

All NBD’s?

It can be tricks or new spots as well, since finding new tricks nowadays is pretty damn hard —I got a few NBD tricks already, some very random, I will tell you one I’m but gonna keep the others a secret for a bit longer so people won’t steal my ideas before they are out ha ha … I got a “Hardflip Bs Lip Shuvit Out” That one has been sitting in my head for awhile now, super nice to get it out!

Are there any spots left in Akureyri that you guys haven’t hit?

You have to get really creative if you want to find spots here in Akureyri but the town is always getting bigger and bigger, so there are always coming new spots… But it is insane how many spots we have filmed in this little town of ours!

Watch: Eiki Helgason’s Island Born!

Chas Smith

By

It'll make you weep! In public even!

Sooooo I know that it is not cool to get emotional, to cry in public and things of that nature, but TEARS just filled my eyes in PUBLIC because I clicked play on Eiki Helgason’s ísland Born!

First, by way of quick explanation, the Icelandic star has just released an ambitious project in three parts. Zine, Full Part, and Documentary.

The Zine is a collection of stories compiled by different people throughout Eiki’s life and career and is gorgeous (will share tomorrow!)

The Full Part is filmed entirely part in Iceland. Eiki traveled throughout the island, finding spots never been ridden before.

The Documentary features snowboarding journalist and comedian Stan Leveille, as he travels to Iceland to learn how an Island farm boy became a world renowned snowboarder.

Altogether it’ll put tears in your eyes too because Eiki captures something very essential about what we love. This damned obsession, this ill-spent life, and not just in snowboarding either. It is the same weird magnetic grab in surf and skate too. Like, the bit where his dad says, “Whenever Eiki went to the soccer field, all he saw was a snowboard park…” could not be any more perfect.

There’s something slightly busted in all of us, ain’t there though. Something off. Something that sees things that don’t exist in real life.

Yes, we tilt at windmills and Eiki Helgason captures the quixotic better than I have ever seen it captured before.

ÍSLAND BORN // FULL PART from ZOO on Vimeo.

ÍSLAND BORN from ZOO on Vimeo.

Just in: How McMorris learned to soar!

Chas Smith

By

Have you ever wondered what the Canadian's secret is? Come discover!

Mark McMorris is very good at getting big air. The Canadian superstar seems very natural whilst flying. Does anyone do it better? I think not and he will certainly be the Olympic favorite for Korea in two years. Maybe his only competition will be other Canadians.

Oh it’s a Great White North renaissance!

But have you ever wondered how Mark McMorris and the other Canadians learned their skillz?

From Ray. Friggin’ Ray.

Watch and learn!

O Canada! Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all thy sons command.
With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The True North strong and free!
From far and wide, O Canada,
We stand on guard for thee.
God keep our land, glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee;
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

O Canada! Where pines and maples grow,
Great prairies spread and Lordly rivers flow!
How dear to us thy broad domain,
From East to Western sea!
The land of hope for all who toil,
The true North strong and free!
God keep our land, glorious and free.
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee!

O Canada! Beneath thy shining skies,
May Stalwart sons, and gentle maidens rise.
To keep thee steadfast thro’ the years,
From East to Western sea.
Our own beloved native land,
Our true North strong and free!
God keep our land, glorious and free.
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee!

Ruler supreme, who hearest humble prayer,
Hold our Dominion, in thy loving care.
Help us to find, O God, in thee,
A lasting rich reward.
As waiting for the better day,
We ever stand on guard.
God keep our land, glorious and free.
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee!

Revealed: Snow better than Kardashian!

Muzzey

By

If you combine the top ten riders and add 200 million!

popularity contest…

Instagram’s most followed. The top 10.

10) Torah Bright: 195K followers @torahbright Aussie legend.

9) Ståle Sandbech: 196K followers @stalesandbech Silver Medal. RK1.

8) Torstein Horgmo: 257K followers @torsteinhorgmo Triple pioneer.

7) Hannah Teter: 269K followers @hannahteter Medals. Buttshots.

6) Silje Norendal: 278K followers @siljenorendal X-Games glamour.

5) Sage Kotsenburg: 333K followers @sagekotsenburg Golden style.

4) Travis Rice: 382K followers @travisrice That movie.

3) Jamie Anderson: 410K followers @jamieanderson Namasté contest.

2) Shaun White: 442K followers @shaunwhite Macy’s.

1) Mark McMorris: 524K followers @markmcmorris Oh, Canada.

 

For contrast:

Reality sex-tape deformed fake ass chick 88.8 million followers @kimkardashian

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Namaste for making us so popular.

Power: Shaun White to pick Olympians!

Chas Smith

By

He's got the whole world in his hands!

Is Shaun White your favorite Olympian of all time? Did you love the Flying Tomato years? Did you thrill at each cork, each gold, each jaunty rock n roll bottom of the pipe celebration?

Is your heart sad now that he is aged? Not as spry? Slightly crusty? Hope of more cork, more gold, more jaunty rock n roll bottom of the pipe celebration fading with each and every day?

Well cheer up! Your favorite Olympian of all time is maybe going to have a hand picking future Olympic stars! Let’s read about it on the CBC!

Though Shaun White will never compete in snowboarding’s newest Olympic event, he could have a hand in deciding who does.

The two-time Olympic gold medallist is interested in turning his Air & Style series into an Olympic qualifier for the Big Air competition, which makes its Olympic debut in 2018 in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

White’s tour, which returns to Los Angeles on Feb. 18-19, will mix snowboarders soaring 16 stories high off the big-air ramp with the music from about 20 bands, including Major Lazer and Flume. Other stops in the series are in Beijing and Innsbruck, Austria.

White says he has had preliminary talks with Olympic organizers about turning the tour into a qualifier for the 2022 Olympics in Beijing, and he hasn’t ruled anything out for 2018.

“There are discussions about trying to do something in the future, hopefully in the near future,” White said.

Is your heart soaring again? Oh it should be! And do you think, since he will be picking the Big Air Olympians don’t you think Shaun should be able to dress them too? Maybe something subtle but fabulous from his WHT SPACE line? Maybe in something throwback classic?

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