The last episode of the 2012/13 winter is all about the Spring Session and sees a bunch of rad dudes seeing off the season in style. Radboardin’

Thanks to everyone for this awesome days during Pleasure Spring Session.

The Spring Session edit featuring: Alex Tank, Gido Gfoellner, Lucas Baume, Andy Walker, Reto Kestenholz, Gian Simmen, Davo Struber, Lukas Lengle, Jesse Augustinus, Marco Rinke, Max Zebe, Boris Bühler, Jacco Bos, Max Buri, Raffi Kossmann, Jeron Lohner, Julien Emch, Phil de Vries, Blume, Diego Koch, Andreas Arn, Thomas Laich, Rob Imfeld, Philipp Ruggli, Adrian Oesch, Joelle Juchli, James Niederberger

Music: Band of Skulls -Death by Diamonds and Pearls // KROOKED C – BULLETPROOF
Camera by Elmar Bossard, Blume and Jeron Lohner
Edit by Blume

Men’s pipe winner Jan Scherrer. All photos: Danny Burrows.

Today in Davos, snowboarding was witness to a changing of the guard. As Swiss legend Gian Simmen bowed out of competitive snowboarding, two more stepped up to the plate with eyes on carrying his torch into the future. The vibe here was all time. Read what went down…

It was an emotional day here in Davos on the four day of the O’Neill Evolution. As well as being the finals of both the women’s and men’s pipe, it was also the last contest that homeboy and Olympic gold medalist Gian Simmen would compete in: A swan song to a 23-year career in snowboarding, which has seen him win his fair share of medals and praise.

Gian still has the skills. Back 5 to 6th place in his last ever contest.

He described it as being “like the closing of a circle”. It was here that he first strapped in; it was in Davos that he won his two World Championships; and it would be here that backside 5s, front 7s, Cab 7s, a front 900, stalefishes and a massive Backside Air would place him sixth in the pipe finals.

Gian Simmen and Mini Simmen.

The start list for both the girls and boys pipe were not what they might have been, as the über pros were in Canada chasing the Olympic dream. Their loss, as the pipe was on form, there was a little pow on the hill and they had left the field open for the strong local contingent of rippers and smattering of internationals.

Celia Miller.

It would be true to say that the girls competition was far from being the best pipe final ever seen in the history of snowboarding but there were a few highlights, including a handplant by American Celia Miller, which raised a cheer from the gathered media and crowd. For many of the girls competing it was the first pipe contest that they had entered. Local lass Verena Rohrer was pretty stoked and a little surprised by taking the number one spot, which according to the TTR rankings has pushed her up to third place in the Pipe table. She summed it up pretty well: “I’m really blow away with this win. I didn’t really have any expectations when I arrived in Davos, I only wanted to put my run on the ground and let people see what I can do.” She was closely followed onto the podium by Clemence Grimal and 39-year-old Akiko Miwa from Japan.

Yannick Imboden.

The Swiss also topped the table in the men’s contest with Jan Scherrer giving it his all to earn himself the lion’s share of the winnings. He put down two solid runs and a victory lap, that included tricks of the caliber of back 9 mute, Front 10 Tail and Front 9s. “This is the biggest result of my career,” after receiving a chilling Champaign face shot from second place Kyle Mack and Japanese ripper Hiroki Suwas, who came third, “and it’s pretty special to do it at home here in Davos.”

Post-event release for Jan Scherrer and Kyle Mack.

Tomorrow’s offerings include the qualifications for Big Air as well as rounds one and two of the contest real. Stay tuned!

Check out the new Teaser for the upcoming Snowboardvideo “The Book” – La famiglia. The movie will be ready for free in November on your local Computer and several premieres all over Europe.

Riders:
Gian Simmen
Matthias Vogt
Fabian Fassnacht
Max Horn
Stefano Munari
Otto Veijola
David Djité
Maxi Meisberger
Friedl May
Aron Holterman
Jeppe Rontti
& friends

For their second We Travel episode Smith Optics sent their team far out into the backcountry. To shoot this episode their team riders went from Hasliberg, Suisse to Kaunertal and Arlberg in Austria all the way to the USA. The riders in order of appearance are Gian Simmen, Stefano Munari, Fabian Fassnacht, David Bertschinger Karg, Phips Gruber, Aaron Holtermann, Matthias Vogt and Mario Käppeli.

Riders: Fabian Fassnacht, Otto Veijola, Stefano Munari, Matthias Vogt, Friedl May, Aron Holterman, Gian Simmen, Alessandro Boyens, Max Horn, Jeppe Rontti, Alex Bergmann, Maximilian Meisberger, Lisa Filzmoser.

Supported by: Smith Optics, O´Neill, Arbor, Chanex, Nitro, Flux, ElCity, Playboard

smithoptics.com

Although the weather was clearly not on their side, the Smith team still managed to have a great week in Val Senales this May. As you couldn’t see your own nose in the fog all week long, they simply decided to switch to darkness when you can’t see anything anyway and had some great night sessions.

Featuring: Simon Gruber, Fabian Fasnacht, Clemens Jezler, Andre Kuhlmann, Gian Simmen, Aron Holtermann, Janne Korpi, and Tini Gruber

smithoptics.com

Rookie owning the Gentlemens Park at the Rookie Camp. Photo: Eleanora Raggi.

Italy’s on the cards for this latest Summer Shred Guide, as take a look at what the legendary Val Senales will be offering up. Like Les Deux Alpes, it’s one of the few glaciers that still maintains a solid series of camps through the summer months, with each week attracting different crews and pro teams for you to hang out and shralp with. Here’s the skinny…

Val Senales

More Snowboarding Videos >>

Val Senales opens up its summer freestyle program for six weeks in June and July where you’ll find the Gentlemen Riders crew taking care of the Nitro Snowpark. These dudes know sure know what’s up and have created an huge playground on their 120,000 m2 bit of glacier, with Easy, Medium and Pro lines meaning there’s something for everyone. Also sick is that it takes less than an hour from your bed to the park. There’s heaps of team and camp weeks to choose from, with all-inclusive options, and if you’re under 18 you can get on the 2010 Rookie Camp from 3 to 10 July. There’s a good skatepark, all those summer aftershred activities and, come sundown, the Italians sure know how to make party.

Park Breakdown

Easy Line

1. table: straight box
2. table: kinked box
3. table: up tube
4. table: kicker 1.5m
5. table: kicker 2m

Easy Line will be continued with:
- kids’ up-down box
- jib barrel
- kids straight box
- ripped tube
- kids kinkes box
- up tube
- easy up box
- straight box 3m
- whoops line
- mailbox 4m

Medium Line

1. table: straight box 7m, kicker 5m, kicker 9m
2. table: F-tech jib bowl, kicker 5m, kicker 9m
3. table: downbox 7m, kicker 5m, kicker 9m
4. table: rainbow box, tubestop, funbox 4m with tube, funbox 6m, corner hip
5. table: picnic table, kink gap box, funbox 5m with tree bonk
6. table: funbox 6m with corner

Proline

1. table: step down kicker 7m; kicker 12m; treestop, kicker 15m
2. table: step down/transfer kicker 7m; kicker 18m + kicker 24m
3. table: corner + surprise obstacle for the F-tech shooting

Pro Rail line

1. table: downrail 12m
2. table: double kinked 15m
3. table: canon box 6m + up canon rail 7m

Roope at last year's Rookie Camp.

Links:

Val Senales Park

www.schnalstal.com

Jenny Jones gives the Superpark booter a good seeing to. Click in below for bigger bangers. Photo: Espen Lystad.

Sweeter than bunny shaped chocolate.

Ok, so it is that rabbit-worshiping holiday time and you know you should really be up on the hill getting some spring slashin’. But if events have conspired against you and you’ve been forced to internerd then take five minutes to enjoy our seniors’ bangers on this Good Friday. Then sack off work and get on that hill. It’s what Jesus would do. Happy Easter from Onboard.