george crosland photo blog

Peter throws the horns for you! Peter Line has been throwing horns and hammers for so long it is ridiculous

Peter Line has been throwing down since the early 90’s. Mr. Line has probably done or invented about every jump trick there is out there today…and he did it over ten years ago. Pete went on to start and be part of the Forum super team. Forum is now an affiliate of Burton but they still get advice from Peter. Not a lazy dude, Peter still rides and rips. Let’s see what motivates him

Peter Line on the podium in Mammoth in May 2007 that’s right on the podium of La Papa de Fiesta. Peter is not just getting old and fat; he is throwing down and with the new school kids too

SR: You were killing it today (In the La Pipa Fiesta) what keeps you motivated? You have been on top of the world for ever man?
PL: Contests like this are fun! It is different than the usual halfpipe contest which is the same thing wall after wall. With all the little jibs it gives you the chance to create new shit on that same day. It’s all creative and making stuff up as you go along in contests like this. It’s not like a typical run; like every pipe run the kids have, they just do the same thing over and over again. Here you pick up new things for each different obstacle.

SR: You are one the most creative riders out there, does it all come from your head?
PL: Uh, yea, through the years you take things you learn from the past and apply them to things here, like the box. There are different obstacles too and each one is set up different…more vert, taller, so you just got to play with it you know?

SR: What did you do this year? Give the kids a break down of all your tasks with riding, being a figurehead of Forum and so on?
PL: This year? Kind of riding some powder, did the Holy Oly contest (fun stuff there). The company I don’t really run it so much anymore, I just do some designing here and there. It’s all Burton now…it’s all Forum but owned by Burton. I know longer own it anymore but I still have a piece in it of my own mind. They come to me with questions about what we should do for the future.

SR: Not to mention you’re Peter Line
PL: (laughter) I tell em what’s up, yea

SR: So the Northwest had a banner year did you get out in it at all?
PL: Early season I did for sure. It was really fun with good powder days. Then I kind of sprained my ankle so I was out for two months for some really good powder days. I went to Bald Face and had 5 days of some of the best powder riding I have ever had. That pretty much made the whole year.

SR: How’s it feel getting tied for 3rd today?
PL: Good, it was fun, lots of good riders. So it’s cool, I like contests like this. Between 1st and 3rd is good money but it’s not all that much to get mad about. I voted for Chad, he deserved it, he was killing it.

SR: So what is the first thing you do when you wake up?
PL: Coffee, check the internet, take a shit, go back to the internet, play around depending on the day, go riding if it’s good day up there. Do some creative stuff; I don’t know (laughs)

SR: First trick of the day?
PL: Backside 180 or Method

SR: Last thing of the day?
PL: Kiss the girlfriend good night or more (laughter) depending on what’s going on, bring the dog into bed

He takes off to ride with Pat Bridges and Pat Moore

How about a 540 to front lip on a sketchy box with lots of vert?

Hell yeas, Andrecht!

Peter was the first to get creative off this sketchy jump to roll in – Method. If there is one word to sum up Peter Line, it may be creative

Five Minutes With

We caught up with Gretchen Bleiler in Idaho to see how the Olympics have affected her life. Not only does Ms. Bleiler rip the hell out of a pipe but she is always super nice and quick to smile. She had the looks to get in FHM but having a good personality and being able to snowboard so well make her a ten but relax, she has a boyfriend so forget about it. I wonder if the Aspen loc had to add a trophy room to her house, to house awards like 2006 Olympic Silver, several X Games medals, Triple Crowns, Transworld Rider of the year…and so on.

Height - 5’5”
Born – April 10, 1981
Home – Aspen
Sponsors – K2, Oakley, Aspen/Snowmass, Napster, Giro, 24 Hour Fitness, Grandoe, The Collection, Swix, Polar, Blackberry

SR: What’s the first thing you do in the morning?
GB: I wake up, kind of sit in the bed and look out the window

SR: What is the first trick you do every day?
GB: That’s a good question. This year it’s been different. The first trick I did today was a backside 540.

SR: You get out of bed; go up to the hill…
GB…and do a backside 540 (laughs) well, today it was, that is what I did today

SR: What is your favorite breakfast cereal?
GB: Oat Bran

SR: I hate those questions so I ask at least one (laughter)
GB: Nice hair! (She proceeds to laugh her ass off at my hair)

SR: Did the Olympics change your life at all?
GB: They do and they don’t. They haven’t changed who I am but there was definitely change with the opportunities I have gotten. My mentality in contests this season is really different….it’s been hard to put a run together this year because I have been so focused for so many years working towards that (2006 Olympics) goal. I think after a while you need to not try and win every single contest and have that be ok. That’s been a big thing for me this year actually; being ok with not winning (laughter)…

SR: …Yea…
GB:…and it’s hard, I mean it seems like “poor you” It takes a lot to get to that level to be happy where you are and just keep progressing in your riding

SR: I was kind of wondering about what you said. Many that where in the Olympics, some of them have kind of slacked off this year
GB: Totally

SR: What keeps you so motivated post Olympics?
GB: I’m just a very competitive person and I love to ride the halfpipe. There are still so many tricks I want to do in the pipe. There’s also a ton of things outside of pipe competition to do. I just went and did the Baker Banked slalom this year for the first time which was amazing. I had such a great time.

SR: What place?
GB: I got third!

SR: Nice
GB: Then I went to Whistler and went cat boarding did a little school bus jib and a tree jib, rode some powder and hit some rocks and drops. For me there’s just so much you can do in snowboarding. I feel like I have only touched the tip with pipe riding

SR: With a Silver in the Olympics do you feel like you can branch out?
GB: Yea, no, no definitely! After this I am going to Northern Idaho to go catboarding. If that doesn’t work out I am going to Park City to hit jumps for a solid week. It’s a big focus of mine, to still compete but look at other aspects too.

SR: Become more well rounded?
GB: Yea because it’s so much fun to do the other things; hit jumps and ride powder. When you do everything it just makes you’re over all riding that much better and you have a different perspective on things

SR: Awesome
GB: Yea

SR: Are you going to Vans?
GB: No I’m not

SR: US Open?
GB: I’ll be at the open

SR: What else you got lined up?
GB: Going to the world cup in Lake Placid with the US Snowboard team then to the US Open. From there I think I am going to go ride powder at Baker and shoot some photos. You know, go drop some cliffs into powder. Work on that side.

SR: Any ridiculous sponsorship offers?
GB: Well, I signed with Blackberry

SR: That’s not ridiculous
GB: They only have 6 spokespeople and I was one from a long list. They have an actress, an auction house owner, the guy who started the first electrical race car company, I was in crazy company. I did a Dunkin donuts commercial. Which was playing over and over again. The Blackberry one was pretty huge for me. I was on the Reuters screen in Times Square because of the Blackberry ad.

SR: Everyday? They played it for…
GB…a month, I think it was like minute reel or maybe only 30 seconds

SR: Did you get a photo of it?
GB: Oh…no, I never even thought, too bad

SR: Hey the lifts close soon, thanks!
GB: Oh yea!

Rail skills, jump skills and this qp shit show some obvious skate influenced tranny skills as well

Five minutes with Kyle Loppicolo

Kyle is a badass rider from Wrightwood California. Wrightwood is home to Mountain High and is in the strange zone of So Cal where the desert meets the mountains. The edge of one of the largest cities in the world yet a little isolated. A mix of urban and hesh, moto-x and hip hop. Kyle proved himself to be a top dawg in the local mountains and is now moving on to Mammoth and likely greater things. I first noticed him at Big Bear this past summer. I was only there an hour but thought “that fucker rips, he has got some style too” We caught up with Kyle at the recent Triple competition at Mountain High and cornered him for a few questions

Home: Born and raised in Wrightwood (Mountain High)
Lives in: Recently Migrated to Mammoth
Age: 19
Stance: Regular, 22.5, 17 front, -15 in the back
Sponsors: Von Zipper, Vestal, Stepchild, Powder and Sun (shop)
Contest Results:
Active Sponsor Me Rail Jam, Mountain High – 1st
Hot Dawgz and Hand, Bear Mountain – 2nd
Hot Dawgz and Hand Rails, Bear Mountain, Best Trick – 1st

In front of the marketing building at Mountain High

SR: Are you pro yet?
KL: No, just trying to make a way

SR: How’s that going?
KL: A little rough right now, to be honest

SR: Is it hard working up the ladder, so to speak?
KL: Yea, because I’ve actually taken some back stabs. I felt I was farther along when I was a little younger, lost track of what’s important. Started partying and stuff and not taking snowboard as serious I should have been. I am trying to make up for the back pedals I took.

SR: Yea but you are only nineteen you can get back on track, you’re ripping.
KL: Yea

SR: Shaun White is a party maniac
KL: Yea sure but he has trained for so long. I used to compete against that kid when he was seven years old at Snow Summit

SR: “Day Job” to pay the bills?
KL: Yea, well night job, I run food at Whiskey Creek and snowboard in the day. Plus travel as much as possible when I get the time and money

SR: Do your sponsors cover travel at all?
KL: Some do, some don’t. I need to send in some receipts but after that yea

SR: Where do you go?
KL: Pretty much just stay in Mammoth; try to get to Sonora when it’s proper, anywhere that has snow I guess

SR: So far this year?
KL: Just Mammoth and here

SR: You ride everything?
KL: Yea, I am not a real pipe hound but I am trying to get used to it

SR: What’s in store?
KL: Hopefully big stuff, get some money and start traveling, try to film a little part, get in the backcountry and get some stuff rolling. Filming with a couple of buddies…Feel Good Inc, actually. So Cal filmers, they do a lot of stuff, I film with them a lot

SR: What else do you do for fun?
KL: Skate, that’s about it?

SR: In the bowl?
KL: I skate up at Mammoth; my buddy’s got a mini ramp up there so I spend most of my time on that thing

SR: Most metal thing?
KL: Eero Ettela’s double backside rodeo 1080

SR: Who inspires your riding?
KL: John Jackson, Matt Hammer, Jamie Lynn and Terje

Big Air at Mountain High while his brother announces that he quit snowboarding for Moto-X

Kyle won best trick at the 2006 Hot Dawgz and hand rails contest up at Bear Mt. and beat some heavies in the process. He also got 2nd overall – sick

Spin with style!

Louie grew up in Ohio and recently finished school at the Stratton Mountain Academy in Vermont. Lately, Louie Vito is on a tear, with a few podiums under his belt in the pipe contests it is rad to see him entering the rail jam too. A well rounded rider he now rides for Omatic. Judging by his pipe skill set he could be a contender for the 2010 Olympics. I said Mason Aguirre would be in the Olympics way back in 2002 so I know of which I speak. Let us see what he is into lately, as of December 9, 2006

Age: 18
Home: Sandy, UTSponsors: Omatic, Volcom, Redbull, spy, vestal, kicker, grenade, Technine, Skullcandy, Utility boardshop, Windells, Neff

23ish inch, 15, -12

Snow Rev: I am going to Breck next weekend for the Grand Prix

Vito: I’ll be there; I was just there it’s good

Snow Rev: when do you leave?

Vito: Tomorrow or Monday morning. I almost was not going to come here, its super good there

Snow Rev: What have you been up to so far this winter?

Vito: I have just been hanging out in Salt Lake City cause I just bought a house there. I went on the Red Bull drive by which was a road trip through Eastern Europe. Then I went to Colorado for a few days and now we are at the block hanging out. Then back to Colorado for the Grand Prix.

Snow Rev: You going to run all the Grand Prix’s this year?

Vito: I am going to run at least two of them. I am going to the Nippon Open then decide if I will go to the third one.

Snow Rev: How about the Tahoe Cup?

Vito: I believe I am going to the Tahoe Cup.

Snow Rev: What are your other plans for the winter?

Vito: Ride in some contests, film for the Technine movie and for Kyle Clancy’s movie

Snow Rev: What are you going to work on, trick wise?

Vito: In pipe just perfect what I have and go a bit bigger. In jumping I need to work on my 10’s, I got 2, I need 2 more. Keep riding and having fun

Snow Rev: What motivates you?

Vito: You know, I don’t have to get motivated to snowboard, I just wake up and I am stoked to get out and ride, ride with my friends, that’s all that matters to me.

Snow Rev: Advice for kids on the come up?

Vito: Go out everyday, have fun, push yourself, don’t be afraid, but mostly you gotta have fun and not worry about what tricks your doing, do your best, keep progressing and do what you wanna do.

Snow Rev: Do it everyday?

Vito: Yep!

Snow Rev: Even when it’s crappy like in California now?

Vito: Even if it’s crappy you gotta get out there, ride and make the best of it

Snow Rev: You think growing up on the east coast (Ohio and Stratton) makes you more motivated?

Vito: It makes me appreciate the west coast and the good snow out here; if you can do it on the east coast; you can do it anywhere, that’s what I think. The east coast is definitely a good proving ground.

Snow Rev: Thanks man

Vito: Sure

Here’s Louie in March of 2006 at the Vans Tahoe cup where he finished 2^nd. Only Antti Autti bested him and that is not too shabby

Wall jam at Marc Frank’s Block at Tahoe rail jam

Rail skills too

Hey

Jed has been on the scene for a long time so it is not surprising that he rocked second place at the Block at Tahoe rail jam. I think the first time I saw him was at the 2002 Vans Triple Crown at Snow Summit. He was only 10 or 11 years old. Considering he competed against Terje and Shaun White in pipe back then (Shaun White did not make the 2002 Olympics although he should have, the Triple Crown was at the same time) would make Jed a seasoned Vet by the time he was 12. Well, almost 5 years later Jed is filling into has man body which will give him the power to back up the skills he has been developing for years. In 2005 Jed got 3rd at US Open rail jam, so sick. Let’s see what the Calgary Canada native has to say after getting 2^nd place in Marc Frank’s Block at Tahoe rail jam. The field was not full of slackers either; try Jimi

Tomer, Travis Kennedy, Mike Casanova, Chad Otterstrom, Chris Bradshaw, Mike Burton and more.

Snow Rev: What put you in second place today?

Jed: I think just originality, having fun; I just tried to not do anything too crazy, but yea..

Snow Rev:…Consistency?

Jed: Yea, trying to be a little consistent, land everything, variation of the course, trying to hit everything.

Snow Rev: What have you been up to so far this winter?

Jed: I went to Mammoth with a snowboard club my parents own called Riders On Board. That’s about it, taking it mellow so far.

Snow Rev: Speaking of parents, do you folks support you?

Jed: Oh yea, my parents and my whole family; brother, grandparents, they are all super supportive

Snow Rev: Is growing up in Calgary good for snowboarding?

Jed: It’s good because we live close to the mountains and yea I really love it. Got a lot of good friends there and it’s pretty laid back

Snow Rev: Where do you spend all your time?

Jed: Calgary still, Golden in BC…

Snow Rev:…Whatever contest comes along

Jed: Wherever I can go.

Snow Rev: Do you have to back to school on Monday

Jed: I do it on the internet so school is laid back but I still have to work pretty hard, since I am in high school now, grade 10

Snow Rev: Congrats on the 2^nd place

Jed: Thank you

Although Jed was entering pro pipe contests at a very early age, he obviously can get his slide on

Mugging it up

A sick maneuver on the biggest obstacle of the rail jam; the swing set