Monday, May 14

Snowskates Underground

By EXPN

You'll be seeing a lot more of these in the years to come. The snowskate has advanced from the Pacific Northwest underground to become the new brother-in-law to the skate and snowboard industries. EXPN got Andy Wolf, owner of Premier Snowskates, to talk about where this whole thing is headed.

EXPN: Are snowskate parks going to stick around all winter at resorts or will they be there for specific events only?

ANDY: The first parks to be available all season will be at Mt. Hood Meadows and Timberline, starting this winter. There will be two parks available soon at Windell's and High Cascade Summer Camps. Kids coming to the camps can now snowboard, skateboard, and snowskate. It's a full meal deal. We're also building them at Gap 1-2-3 in Germany and SPC55 in Austria. SPC55 is the biggest camp in Europe so that's a really cool thing. We're working on winter deals with Copper Mountain, Whistler-Blackcomb, and a few others. In a few seasons, they'll be everywhere.

EXPN: Are kids going to need to purchase a lift ticket to ride the snowskate park at these resorts?

ANDY: I don't think so. It will probably operate like some skateparks where you pay for a session; like $5 for two hours. They'll also be able to rent snowskates there. It will all be controlled by the mountain so it's up to them. We just work with the resort to make sure the park is tight and fun. We're finding that resorts are totally into it. They're looking at it like snowboarding 15 years ago; either embrace it or have it run them over. They also want to have a controlled place to do it so the kids won't be destroying their parking lot and handrails.

Ben Connors taking the long way home.

EXPN: Now that snowskates are blowing up in the US, where else in the world are they big?

ANDY: The US is still the biggest, 'cause this is where it started. Second would be Canada and third would be France and Switzerland. The UK is starting to pick it up. I kind of hate to admit it, but snowskates are going mainstream. Not like scooter mainstream, I just mean that it's less underground than it was a year ago. At first, it seemed a little goofy to people, but now that the level of riding is blowing up, we're seeing these guys land more skate-style tricks. Now both skaters and snowboarders are hyped and that helps the image. As long as we keep building parks and giving people places to ride, it will definitely keep growing everywhere. Eventually we'll see tricks that can't be done on a skateboard or snowboard, tricks that are exclusive to snowskates.

EXPN: This is still such a new thing; there must be a lot of technological changes every year to the boards?

ANDY: All that is top secret but I can tell you that there are quite a few changes. No major changes to the overall design and shape but the construction and materials will all be new. We were the first to manufacture snowskates so we've got a jump on everyone else when it comes to technological improvements.

EXPN: Give me the lowdown on your team, including the two kids in the Premier photo gallery, Nicolas and Blaise.

ANDY: Nicolas Droz: Crazy kid from France, mellow now 'cause he has a girlfriend. Sick skater and snowboarder. Rides for Sims, Premier, Arnette, and 32. This winter, he's been filming with Mack Dawg, trying to get a section in their new movie. If he gets the section, he'll get a signature model from Sims. Underground rap star though no one can understand him because he raps in French. He lives in a 6'x 8' apartment at his hometown ski resort in France because rent is crazy expensive over there.

Blaise Rosenthal: Blaise is married and very dedicated to everything he's into. He will not stop doing a trick until he sticks it and masters it. He's been filming for Whitey's new video, hanging out with his wife and spending all his royalty money.

J.P. Walker: J.P. was not at Vegetate in Hood, where these photos were taken, because he didn't need to be. He's a rock star now so he was up in Canada hanging out with his girlfriend. He's been filming all spring for Forum's new video. We're hoping to have some Premier footage in it with J.P. and Nate Bozung. J.P. has also been working on his house in Salt Lake when he's not riding. Basically staying focused and off the injured reserve list.

Nate Bozung: He's a total lush. He was filming in Mammoth and then in Salt Lake so you won't see him in any of these photos. Wherever he's at, he's pulling the ladies. Not even 21 but the kid has game. He's got a harem. Chicks love Nate. When he meets them, he plays all quite and sweet, then he drinks and gets obnoxious. Girls like guys to have both sides so he does well. Really good rider and stoked to be on Forum. We'll all be seeing a lot more of him in the future, one of the real up-and-comers.

Check out the Premier Snowskate park from Vegetate 2001.