www.snowboard-women.com

This is kinda old news by now, but in case you hadn’t heard, Gretchen Bleiler won the gold again in this year’s X-Games Women’s Superpipe snowboarding competition. I just wanted to mention that I was very impressed not only by her riding - did you catch the amazing 900 in her final run?!?!? WOW! - but she seems like a really cool person as well!

I caught her interview on the X-Center recap from Friday night, and she was really funny, down-to-earth, and sweet - she even flirted with the obviously-smitten host. Gretchen was gracious in her comments about her fellow riders, too. And, what style in her super-cute, fur-trimmed banana-yellow jacket and pants from her forthcoming GB line from Oakley!

Overall, it was a fantastic week for Gretchen, what with her ESPN Magazine cover and her triumphant return to her home mountain and the gold at the X-Games.

And at 26, Gretchen still has quite a few years of great riding ahead of her - I look forward to keeping an eye on her next move - not to mention her clothing line

Interesting EXPN.com article brought to my attention by Adam over at HighlyObsessed.com. It highlights the changes coming to next week’s X-Games for the Women’s Superpipe competition - dropping the finalists’ field from 10 down to 6 and raising the question of whether this further marginalizes women in the sport?

Producers at the X-Games argued that the newly-limited field simply would push the women to be better riders to get into one of the 6 available finals spots, and that the skills by women in past years in the 5th place and below “totally sucked ass.” Um, excuse me… but I totally respect ANYONE who gets in a 20 foot pipe and flies through the air doing any number of crazy stunts! (I’m personally a cruisy/carving rider, for the record… )

In sports, it’s just a fact, women are not the same as men for any number of reasons, but actions like this by the X-Games send the wrong message. But I have a feeling it ain’t ever going to change, in snowboarding or any sport. Hey, at least give a wider field a chance for a little exposure though?!?

For many snowboarders, a competition or snowboarding event is a chance to push their skills to the next level. Now that the sport has become so popular, there are many events exclusive to women snowboarders. These snowboarding events can range from half-pipe and trick competitions, to pure teaching and riding improvement clinics.

Mark your calendars for these upcoming snowboarding events for women. Better yet, get registered and show off your riding skills for cash or prizes, or just sign up for a class to improve your snowboarding!

• Roxy Snow Classic, Bear Mountain, CA - Jan, 20, 2008. All-girls slopestyle contest - everyone who participates gets a goodie bag. Winner is automatically entered into Chicken Jam (below).
• Betties Get On Board, Windham Mountain, NY - Jan, 26, 2008. Kicks off Women’s Week at Windham Mt and is sponsored by ShreddingBetty.com. Special discounted lift tix, gear demos, and swag available to female snowboarders.
• Queen’s Cup Open, Park City, UT - Feb. 22-24, 2008. In a unique format, both skiers and snowboarders, professional and amateur, have been invited to this event featuring a charity Rail Jam to benefit the Women’s Sports Foundation.
• Women’s Park & Pipe Camp, Breckenridge, CO - Feb. 9-10, 2008. Open to ages 13 and up, a camp for intermediate to advanced riders. Gnu pro riders will be there too.
  
• Nikita Chickita USA - Mammoth Mountain, CA - Feb. 9, 2008. A chance for amateur women snowboarders to compete for cash or a one-year Nikita Clothing sponsorship!
• Roxy Chicken Jam, Mammoth Mountain, CA - March 28-30, 2008. Part of the TTR World Tour, featuring champion and pro female riders from around the world in slopestyle and superpipe competitions for a total $150,000 purse. Weekend-long event also features a free concert by the Silversun Pickups on March 29.
• Burton Women’s Learn to Ride Camps - various locations in 2008. Women-only snowboard weekends where females can learn to ride or just improve their skills in a program featuring smaller classes, personal attention and knowledgeable instructors that cater to female learning.

These are some of the bigger or more notable events out there.  Many other women-only snowboarding events and snowboard clinics can be found at the What’sOnSnow web site.  Now go ride!

Well, it’s that time of year again… the Ski Dazzle show is rolling into town. It came up on me pretty fast this season, because I’ve just “lost” two weeks being on vacation in Australia. (Yeah, yeah, cry me a river…)

The Ski Dazzle events are a pretty good value if you’re shopping for new snowboarding gear or clothes. In fact, I’d say that most of my snowboarding clothes & equipment is from these shows, either in San Diego or LA. On the one hand, admission to the show is $17, plus you have to pay for parking (it’s in downtown LA.) But, you get a free Bear Mountain or Snow Summit lift ticket with your paid admission (read the fine print on those though, because yeah, it’s a free lift ticket, but only valid thru Dec. 14; or, you can use it for a discount on a season pass.) And there is tons and tons of snowboarding equipment, from boots, bindings, and snowboards themselves, to all manner of snowboarding jackets, pants, and accessories.

Many people also like that you can talk to representatives from the ski resorts on-site and some even offer special ski season travel package deals just at the show.

I find that the selection of clothing is quite large, but you should get there early in the day, and on one of the first days of the event (this year it appears to be 4 days long!) Otherwise you’ll get a bunch of picked-over stuff in super tiny or huge sizes. Be prepared to walk/stand a lot (wear comfy shoes) and wear an outfit that is easy to get in and out of if you plan on trying on any clothes. Oh, and if you’re shy, you won’t like their communal dressing rooms. haha! Regardless of that issue, you will find great deals on clothes and snowboard jackets, pants, fleece, etc.

Aside from the fantastic shopping to be had, you can also view demonstrations, check out the Fireside Chat seminar series (talks on ski and snowboard technology, ski vacation tips, winter photography, etc.) - there’s even a vert ramp if you’re into watching BMX riders. And through all of this I seem to remember that they’re always doing little giveaways over the course of the day, so you might find some new free swag to take home.

All in all, Ski Dazzle - thumbs up - I’m definitely going… Even if I’m not in the market for any new gear!