Elena

After two successful events in Europe and the US, Nikita is proud to introduce the winning girls, who have now officially joined their team!

Europe: Elena Könz

Elena Könz has been a Nikita Chickita regular for some time now and 2010 was no exception. After bagging a win in the first round of the Swiss Tour in Leysin, she went on to compete in the final at Thyon, where she placed 2^nd.

She then made her way to Serfaus for Nikita Chickita Europe on 10^th April and was crowned champ there. Elli is a super talented and deserving rider, having impressed the judges at NC with a bunch of tricks; frontside 3, backside 5, switch backside 1, frontside 5 and by trying out a backside 7. As part of the win, not only did Elli grab a grand (euros), she also clinched the one-year sponsorship contract with Nikita.

We can now fully confirm Elli as part of the Nikita Team, representing both outerwear and streetwear and are stoked to welcome her on board. And to find out a bit more….

So how does it feel to be part of the Nikita family? I’m looking forward to meeting riders from all over the world. Nikita is the brand I can definitely identify with for both style and quality.

When did you start snowboarding? When I was 12 years old in Scuol, Engadin.

Where are you from and is that where you still live? I’m from Graubünden (Switzerland). Most of my childhood I spent in Vnà, a very small town in the mountains with about 60 habitants. My parents still live there. For my studies at art school I moved to Zurich some years ago.

So where are you riding at the moment? We’re building kickers just where we find some snow and until August, I’ll spend a lot of time in Zermatt Gravity Park.

What’s the news about the new movie you’re working on due out September? Our project is a self-made production of me and my shred buddy Corinne. We are filming snowboarding during the summer, creating a real image of what we do. We search for snow and we build kickers. We show cool snowboarding but also alternatives like jumping bridges, slacklining, skateboarding… And mix it in the movie with animation and some other creative and funny stuff.

Where will you be headed for the next winter season? Again I’ll ride in Scuol, nearby my hometown and all the other resorts in Graubünden.

Any specific plans for what you want to achieve this winter? I’d like to film again, building more pow kickers and do the double backflip.

Favourite people to go riding with? Shred buddy Corinne and other girls and boys who rock, my little brother who is now bigger than me. Thomas Beanies crew.

Where’s your dream destination to go ride? Greenland.

What are your top 3 ‘can’t do without’ travelling things? Book, skateboard, something to draw or write.

What do you love about the Nikita Chickita contests? Meeting other women riding. Riding in new resorts.

Favourite trick to impress the judges? Handstand.

What would be your perfect day? Waking up in a freezer and feeling like an ice cream. Then step outside and walk up to a pow snowfield. Build a very big kicker and shred it until the landing is bombed. Then eat some coconuts and dream about the Caribbean. After that shred in the park and jib some crazy obstacles. Like a world ball or an aquarium with goldfishes in it. Then drink a fresh beer and go back in the freezer to do some slacklining over ice cubes and meet Lars the icebear to go fishing. Then cook the fishes with some spinach from the fridge and eat it with some ginger. After that go to the warm oven and watch a movie in front of the window about big snowflakes meeting cornflakes.

Favourite food to make your mouth water? Stuff cooked by my father.

What’s your signature dish (when / if you cook)? Whatever there is around to cook in one pot on our camping cooker.

Any last thoughts…..? READY TO ROBIN or just do what you want to do and not what people expect you to do.

Jessika

USA: Jessika Jensen

Jess first hit our eyeballs at this year’s Nikita Chickita USA contest in Brighton. After entering the AMs event, she styled it all the way to win and top even the PROs on points. The 17 year old Idaho ripper hucked some clean back 5’s to impress the judges at her first all-girl event and it was obvious she enjoyed the easy going atmosphere.

As part of the prize, Jess won a year’s sponsorship on the Nikita Team – she joins the family and represents Nikita Streetwear alongside her other committed sponsors. Here is her first interview on the team, grilled by USA Team Manager Sebastien Burns:

Where are you from? Rigby, ID

When did you start snowboarding? At age 10

When and how did you first get sponsored? I got my first sponsor, Ride Snowboards, at age 16 by sending in my resume and footy.

What’s your favorite thing about Nikita? It’s an all girl clothing line made for girls who ride as well as there sweet hoodies!

Where do you spend most of your time in the winter? I seem to be on the road traveling a lot but I probably spend most of my winter training at Park City, Utah and riding with my good friends at my local ski resort, Kelly Canyon in Idaho.

Where’s your favorite place to ride? My favorite place to ride in the winter is Keystone, CO and Mt. Hood, OR in the summer.

Something that you can’t live without. I gotta have my laptop

Any pre-contest rituals? I like to visualize the run I’m going to do before I drop in.

What’s your favorite trick? Backside 3 Stalefish

Describe your perfect day. A sunny, mid 30’s, bluebird day riding with my friends!

Goal you want to accomplish this year? One of my goals this year was to stomp my Misty 7.

Your music in your mp3. Metric, Shiny Toy Guns, Ke$ha, Atmosphere, Crystal Castles, Tegan and Sara

What are you up to this summer? I’m going to attend Mt. Hood in July, do some gymnastics training, catch up with my friends, and hopefully find me a job to start paying my expenses.

Flavor. Blue Raspberry

Random Quote. “There are no friends on a powder day.”

What do you love about snowboarding and what do you hate about snowboarding? I love a lot of things about snowboarding but the main reason is the freedom you have to maneuver your snowboard any way you want to. What I don’t like about snowboarding is it’s a seasonal sport… I really hate when the snow melts.

Any last thoughts? I’d like to give a big thanks to my Dad, Mom, Family, Friends, Sponsors, and the support from local businesses.

A big welcome to both girls! We’re looking forward to seeing even more of you in the future…

www.nikitaclothing.com

Finally, the edit of this year’s Nikita Chickta event in Serfaus.

Check out the chicks having fun…

Where: Serfaus, Austria

Elena Könz. Backside 360.

Chilled jam session under bluebird skies wraps up the Euro Nikita Chickita in Serfaus

For the last 4 years, the Nikita Chickita Europe has been drawing rookie girls from across the continent to Serfaus for a relaxed contest that’s all about good vibes and throwing down with friends new and old as the season winds down. And this year was no different. The winners of the NC Scandinavia and NC Swiss Tour were both rewarded with golden tickets to Serfaus, and were joined by a cross-section of other chickitas who were looking forward to the mellow, easy-style vibe of the event. In the words of Nikita’s Geiri, “It is what it is. We put on the event and let it develop on its own, rather than having it super structured. You know that the best nights out are the ones you don’t over plan, and it’s the same with the Nikita Chickita. We shape a nice park and let the girls just ride and have fun.”

The ladies.

Despite a morning that threatened bad weather, the clouds parted, the sun blazed and the 16 girls took to the softening park for a 2-hour jam session. They had to call whether they’d take the kicker or rail lines before the dropped and, other than that, all they had to do was ride and enjoy – no bibs, no mandatory straight airs or over-eager personal trainers fist pumping, this was a ‘contest’ with no hard and fast rules to mess with the part of snowboarding that’s why we all do it – to give yourself a big o’ Cheshire cat grin – and the girls were lapping it up.

Judges Lisa Filzmoser, Vanessa Waldenhofer and Julia Baumgartner.

As soon as the park softened up as the sun started beating down, the kicker line saw some frontside 3s, backside 5s and even backside rodeos being put down while when it came time to get the jib on it was the tyre bonk, pole jam and wallride that was seeing most of the action. Some of the girls pushed themselves a bit too hard and there were some wince-inducing slams, but Nikita had the foresight to have a physio on site to give massages and, like in F1, a quick pit stop and they were back for more. Even though the session was supposed to be 2 hours, the riders were having so much fun that they convinced the judges to extend it to take advantage of the super fun set up.

Katrin.

Head judge Julia Baumgartner was impressed: “I was super stoked about the riding,” she beamed. “The girls did amazing tricks, they hit all the obstacles, they were not afraid to ride the big kickers and the special thing for me was they really pushed themselves in the Jam Session. You really saw that they were having fun and wanted to show the judges something and even after 2 hours they were even asking if they could ride more. And the atmosphere seemed to be really nice too, I am really stoked. For me it was the best jam session ever!”

Katrin on the wallride.

With the contest wrapped it was time for some chilling and grilling, and a bit more after-ski, before everyone headed to the Patschi bar for prize giving. No sooner had we managed to clear the last dregs of after-ski casualties from the floor, Nikita’s Pia Kaipainen took the mic and after some ‘drum roll please’ the winners were announced. Elena Könz had ridden hard all day and deservedly took first place, 1000 bucks and a bag full of swag, with another Swiss miss - Isabel Derungs - coming in second and Sweden’s Malin Johansson in third. Isabel also took the Best Trick award for her stomped backside rodeo and local girl Mary Luggen was awarded with the Best Jib Line. And then, in the finest of traditions, party was made.

Getting on the grill 'n' chill tip.

Thanks, Nikita, for a grounded, unpretentious end of season fun fest.

Results:

1 – Elena Könz

2 – Isabel Derungs

3 – Malin Johansson

Best Trick: Isabel Derungs (backside rodeo)

Best jib line: Mary Luggen

Isabel Derungs and Sarah Martinais won the NIKITA CHICKITA SWISS TOUR 09-10!

Thyon’s Central Park was reserved for the girls this weekend. Under bluebird skies the resort of the canton of Valais welcomed the final of the NIKITA CHICKITA SWISS TOUR 09-10, the first Swiss circuit of exclusively femine “freestyle” competitions. 24 girls, coming from the five qualifying rounds, took part in the event and threw down their best tricks.

The girls were honoured this weekend on the Central Park in Thyon (VS) for the final of the first edition of the NIKITA CHICKITA SWISS TOUR. A line of obstacles, including kickers of 12 and 15 m and a series of modules of jib (box down, rail down, tube, up-flat-down box, wave box, flat-down boxe, c-box and tree) were especially prepared by the Central Camps team for the event.

Qualifications in the morning and the final in the afternoon

The competition started in the morning with qualifying. The 24 competitors had 2 runs to convince the judges. The level was particularly high during the qualifications with some big backflips, frontflips, 540° and 360° on the jumps! After two hours of “jam session” 13 girls were chosen to participate in the final in the afternoon.

Isabel Derungs from Zurich was the best in the category snowboard

During the final the judges were impressed by the technique and the style of Isabel Derungs. The snowboarder from Zurich assured all runs of the final either on the jumps or on the modules of jib. She made some big back 540° and switch back 180° on the kickers of 12 and 15 m ! Isabel Derungs got a prize money of CH 2000.- and an invitation to participate in the NIKITA CHICKITA EUROPE in Serfaus in Austria. Second came Elena Könz. The Swiss girl made some big back 360° and 540° on the jumps and made backflip on the boxe down. She received CHF 1500.-. Laura Berry completed the podium. The Englisch rider showed polyvalency during this final with a series of back and front 360° on the kickers, frontboard on the down-boxe, 360° on the flat-boxe, boardslide 270 out on the c-boxe. A run which brought her CHF 500.-.

A big party to end the NCST 09-10

The final of the NCST 09-10 was followed by an enormous party at the disco “Underground” in Les Collons. DJ Madkid, DJ Adri and DJ Kab enflamed the people until 4h30 in the morning.
For the Ladies First Crew Maude Richon.

COMPLETE RESULTS SNOWBOARD

1. Isabel Derungs (CH) : CHF 2000.- 2. Elena Könz (CH) : CHF 1500.- 3. Laura Berry (UK) : CH 500.- 4. Chani Michaux (ARG)

5. Andrea Binkers (CH) 6. Sophie Defayes (CH) 7. Jo Chastney (UK)

Thea Stenshagen gets it on. All photos: Otto Alsaker Prestmo.

Pia Kaipainen has fired in the haps from the recent Scandi stopoff of Nikita’s Chickita contest.

The train ride through the mountains from Oslo to Geilo on Friday already set the mood sky high for the upcoming weekend. Slowly passing views to fjords and mountain ranges were breathtakingly beautiful. Arriving in Geilo even the warm spring sun came out, lighting up the resort and making water drip from the rooftops. Geilo’s multitasking man in everything to do with snowboarding, Rune, picked me up from the train station and off we drove to the traditional Norwegian cabins he had arranged for the whole bunch coming to the Nikita Chickita contest. All girls stayed in groups of about 7 in houses that were directly located next to the mountain.

When we’d settled down, everyone gathered for some dinner at the local pizzeria where the registration was also held. After getting goodie bags packed with everything from Nikita beanies to beauty products, the girls (and some boys too) hungrily finished off plate after plate of delicious pan pizza. Yummy! By 9pm everyone had a full belly and a tired but happy smile on their face – it was time to hit the hay and sleep. Saturday was gonna be a full on, action packed day for everyone! It was snowing heavily when we headed back to the cabins and everyone was sleeping with their fingers crossed to have some sun the next day…

The day of the Nikita Chickita Scandinavia 2010 opened up in stunning sunshine so it was worth it to spend the night sleeping all tangled up! Breakfast was served at 08.30 at the mountain hut next to the lifts and then it was time to head to the park for a warm up. The snow was good and the park was in superb shape. The course included a flat down box, a banana box and a flat rail plus three jumps and a jib at the end. While the Nikita crew set up some banners, tents and sun umbrellas on the bottom of the course, the girls rode and got to know the course. The sun was shining, music was banging and excitement was in the air! After some warming up, it was time to kick start the contest.

There were 40 girls altogether at the starter gate, ready to push the best out of themselves and support their fellow sisters in achieving the same. Nikita riders Cecilia Larsen and Thea Stenshagen were all set to score the girls and see who would be continuing into the finals from the qualification runs. We had juniors ripping and having fun alongside a bit more experienced and older gals – all having a great time together. 15 girls made it to the final which was due after a quick lunch on the mountain. We witnessed a BS 3, FS 5 and a switch BS 1 from Dina Treland, BS 3, an indy grab and a BS 540 from Anette Bandidos Andersen followed by a switch BS 180, FS 360 and BS 360 from Malin Johansson. It was Dina who bagged the winning jackpot with her great variation of tricks and smooth style.

Malin frontflipping.

Deciding the TOP3 was more than a struggle as all of them had some outstanding runs and showed real talent. But the decision had to be done and this is the final result: 1. Dina Treland 2. Anette Bandidos Andersen 3. Malin Johansson. The rest of the girls placing from 4th -10th were: 4. Hanne Kauko 5. Silje Johnsen 6. Martina Nicile Naess 7. Erika Kolbert 8. Alexandra Unger 9. Christina Kolbu 10. Emilie Wilberg. Best Junior prize went to Emilie Wilberg and Best Trick was nominated to Anette Bandidos Andersen. The busy girls that they are, both 1st and 2nd placed winners already had other commitments for the weekend of the Nikita Chickita Europe so it was Malin Johansson from Sweden who got the golden ticket to go to Serfaus, Austria. And she definitely deserved her ticket; the difference in points for the top 3 girls was extremely tight. So, grattis Malin!!

The day ended at Rune’s new boardshop in Geilo where there was a rail jam in the front yard of the shop and inside a mini ramp for the gals to skate on. What an awesome setup! And after a packed day full of physical action the brain hard-drives were activated too with a little quiz. The teams were divided between the houses the girls stayed at and the winning team took home a big bag full of sweets and snacks. Here are the results of the rail jam: 1. Dina Treland 2. Louise Blanc 3. Hanne Kauko 4. Thea Stenshagen 5. Gro Engebakken.

After the prize giving ceremonies, photoshoot sessions and using a good dose of energy throughout the day, everyone was pretty exhausted and the bus ride to the cabins were full of giggles and red cheeks. As Ice Cube says: it was a good day! The weekend of fun was finished off with a mellow photoshoot session on Sunday, along with a BBQ on-hill and a fierce snowball fight. When it was time to go home, the girls were stoked after an amazing weekend at Geilo. Everyone went home with new friends, new experiences and much laughter!

Nikita would like to send BIG thanks especially to the Response Crew (Pål Wahl, Ailin Hårklau, Hege Ringard, Kent Willy Nilsen) & the photographers Remy Eik from Playboard Norway mag and Otto Alsaker Prestmo as well as Rune from Snowboardtrener.no. Also, tusen takk goes to Electric and Aeriel Seven for prizes, Playboard as media partner, Coca Cola for drinks and Geilolia for a fantastic park. And not to forget all the wonderful girls who took part in the event – many thanks for being there! At the event site we had a whopping crew of 69 people taking part to make this event happen and as fun as it was – that’s deserves big applause! Same time next year!

You can check out more about Nikita Chickita online at www.nikitaclothing.com

Where: Brighton, Utah, USA

In the true tradition of the Nikita Chickita, that is combing girls, shredding and fun in the best possible way, the US leg of the event went down in Brighton, Utah last weekend.

Slightly different from the European events, this one held two contests divided into the categories Amateurs and Pros, to give all Chickitas a chance to show what they got and compete against equals. In the end it turned out a bit different than expected with one girl winning both categories – being an amateur! Make sure you stay on the watch for Miss Jessica Jensen and her super clean back 5s. With only 17 years at the moment she is very sure to impress us even further in the future…

Other riders making an impression were Nikita Team rider and NC USA regular Colleen Quigley, who took 3^rd again in the PROs category, and Paige Rainear getting tech on the rails with front board back one’s and gnarly nollie back tails.

Results

Winner AMs:

1^st Place – Jessica Jensen, Idaho

2^nd Place – Midori Oatari, Japan

3^rd Place – Ranae Palma, Massachusetts

Winner Pros:

1^st Place – Jessica Jensen, Idaho

2^nd Place – Lynn Neill, Utah

3^rd Place – Colleen Quigley, Massachusetts

nikitaclothing.com

Last Year's Nikita Chickita winner, Cecilia Larsen.

With just over a month to go, we’re already looking forward to Nikita Chickita Europe 2010.

The date was set a while back now and lest you forget, make sure the 10th April 2010 is fully penned in your diaries! Last year’s event was rocking thanks to an assortment of characters and nationalities who made the trip to compete, judge, ride and made it what it was.

Anja Stefan.

Nikita Chickita is a chilled out and friendly all-girls slopestyle snowboard contest. An open invitation allowing both unknown and established riders of all ages to bust out their moves on the mountain during the day and party like there’s no tomorrow at night!

Anais Cettou.

The contest is split into womens and juniors who compete in qualifying rounds before the best are chosen to battle it out in the finals. Juniors placing 1st, 2nd and 3rd will be awarded with a full to the brim goodie bag, whilst in the womens contest, the winner rides away with a one-year Nikita sponsorship. Stuffed goodie bags along with €1000 for 1st, €500 for 2nd and €250 for 3rd also await the top three women.

Girls girls girls. And random beardie.

Last year Sweden’s Cecilia Larsen had a triumphant win at the first Nikita Chickita Norway event, which meant as part of her prize she got to compete at Nikita Chickita Europe – she succeeded there too and victory was hers along with a one-year sponsorship with Nikita.

Cilka Sadar, Cecilia Larsen and Anais Cettou.

Pre-registration for Nikita Chickita Europe 2010 can be made by e-mailing michelle@nikitaclothing.com – please supply your full name, age and date of birth, contact telephone number, address and e-mail. Any riders with sponsors please state who they are. You will also need to confirm your registration on-site at the Serfaus ticket office with the Nikita ladies either Friday 9th from 15:00 – 17:00pm or on Saturday 10th April from 08:00 – 09:00am where you will collect your lift pass and participant goodie bag.

Girls Gone Wild!

Event schedule

08:00 – 09:00 – Registration at Serfaus Ticket Office

09:00 – 10:30 – Open practice on the slopestyle course

10:30 – Riders meeting on the mountain at the Chill Out area next to the course

11:00 – Qualifying Heats (Womens and Juniors)

12:30 – 13:00 – Lunch break and course re-shape

13:00 – 13:50 – Juniors Finals

13:50 – 14:00 – Course re-shape

14:00 – 15:30 – Womens Final

21:00 – Prize Giving and party begins!! The Patschi Bar

You can check out more about Nikita Chickita online at www.nikitaclothing.com