Say what you want about Shaun White but the man can certainly pull perhaps the best pipe Method in the business. Check this edit going behind the scenes on that Oakley shoot we posted a while back where he pulled off a double alley-oop backside rodeo totally before Elena Hight did. This doesn’t show that, but it does show a few monster Methods and the legend that is Doctor Zapalac at work behind the lens. Sadly no one thought to ask Shaun what the hell he was thinking when he dressed himself the morning of the interview shoot…

This video was originally released in conjunction with a feature on Shaun in the new issue of One Icon, Oakley’s quarterly magazine which is produced for the iPad, (the issue is available for free download on iTunes), which you should snag if that kind of thing floats your boat.

Mario Wanger.

Oakley pros, Public Photo Shooting and lots of goodies are the highlights of the Oakley Talent Days 2013 at the Almdudler Snowpark Sölden. On January 26^th, 2013, and for the first time ever, snowboarders and freeskiers will be on the spot together! So grab yourself one of the highly popular spots in the starting grid.

Once again, the Oakley Talent Days make a stop at the Almdudler Snowpark Sölden. This time, we have 20 spots for all snowboarders and 20 spots for all freeskiers for this awesome event. All participants can look forward to a high-class pro coaching with the Oakley snowboard pros Benny Wetscher and Tom Klocker. Moreover, all riders get a goodie bag sponsored by Moreboards and Oakley.

Christoph Schoepf.

Vote for your Oakley talent

Both coachings will be accompanied by a QParks film and photo crew. The participant’s best shots will then be published on our Facebook Fanpage. If you recognize yourself in one of the pics, tag yourself and you immediately take part in our raffle for one of two stylish Oakley goggles. The snowboard shot that receives the most votes from the community wins.

Signing Session and Prizegiving

To top it all off, there’ll be a signing session at the Moreboards Glanzer store at the end of the day, where you can get an autograph from your snowboard and freeski idols. Additionally, we’ll choose two snowboarders and two freeskiers who have made the most progress on the boxes and kickers during the day. Their efforts will be rewarded with a brand-new Oakley goggle!

Secure your spot

You want one of 40 exclusive spots at the Oakley Talent Days at the Almdudler Snowpark Sölden? Then swing yourself in front of the computer and send us an e-mail including your name, date of birth, your phone number, whether you’re a snowboarder or freeskier, subject “Sölden” and your riding level (advanced/beginner) to oakley.talentdays@qparks.com.

But hurry up, it’s first come, first serve! The Oakley pro coaches are looking forward to a nice shred day with you at the Almdudler Snowpark Sölden!

Oakley and Shaun White present Air & Style Beijing 2012 brings the world´s best snowboarders to the olympic stadium Beijing, the famous Bird’s Nest:

Badertscher, Toutant, Piroiinen² and Smits, are part of the 24 strong riders field to compete on December 8th 2012 with Sun Nan live on stage.

For the 3rd consecutive year the Air & Style takes place in Beijing, China, in the Bird’s Nest Olympic Stadium. The Oakley and Shaun White present Air & Style Beijing is the most important and only 6* event of the World Snowboard Tour (WST) on the Asian continent. It’s the year of the dragon and all 24 riders will need dragonblood pumping through their veins when dropping in from the 50 meter high start gate on top of the monsterous ramp. Dragons are high flying, fearless, risk taking apex predators, who soar to far away lands to seize glory and riches. These characteristcs are also key in sticking a double cork or 1440 enroute to winning the Oakley and Shaun White Air & Style.

Patrick McIlvain, Oakley Vice president Global Sports Marketing: “China is continually showing its strength as a global sports leader and the action sports arena is no exception. Now in its third year, Air & Style Beijing is building momentum behind the sport of snowboarding in one of the most important emerging markets in the world. Oakley is proud to partner with Shaun White in bringing one of the best snowboard events of the year to the Bird’s Nest Olympic Stadium.”

For the first time all 24 riders will start in a head-to-head competion from round 1 on. 12 winners and 4 lucky losers will advance to round 2 and battle their way through to the Super Final of 4 riders. 1,000 World Snowboard Tour points, a dragon’s share of the 75,000 Euro prize purse and the Ring Of Glory are the plunder wating to be captured by the top vanquishing hero. Ulrik Badertscher (NOR), winner of last years Beijing event, will lead big names such as WST champion Peetu Piiroinen (FIN) and WST Big Air champion Seppe Smits, into the stadium. The North American delegation, with Slopestyle world champion Chas Guldemond (USA), Mark McMorris (CAN), Seb Toutant (CAN), Eric Beauchemin(USA), Antoine Truchon (CAN), Sage Kotsenburg (USA) and Maxence Parrot (CAN) poses a formidable challenge to all. A menacing field of norsemen will travel from Scandinavia to the middle kingdom, China. Stale Sandbech (NOR), Petja Piroiinen (FIN), Torgeir Bergrem (NOR), Roope Tonteri (FIN), Emil Ulsletten (NOR), Sven Thorgren (SWE) and Nils Arvidsson (SWE) are coming to strengthen their position as one of snowboards strongest heritages. Never to be underestimated, Werner Stock (AUT), Clemens Schattschneider (AUT), Mathias Weissenbacher (AUT), Pat Brugener (SUI), Marko Grilc (SLO) and Viktor de la Rue (FRA) from the European Alps are a venerated guild. Yuki Kadono (JPN) will have the shortest trip to make, but may have the most to gain from a victory in his home continent.

And in old Air & Style tradition Sun Nan and Band will perform live on stage to entertain the Chinese crowd alongside breathtaking world elite snowboarding.

Program (Press conference for accredited journalists only):

Friday                          07.12.2011            2.00 pm   Riders Draw / Press Conference

Saturday                      08.12.2011            3.00 pm   Doors open
4.30 pm   Contest starts round 1 & round 2
6.30 pm   Sun Nan & live band                               

7.30 pm   Contest round 3 & superfinal
9.15 pm   Winners Press Conference

Starting field (Top 24)

Last Saturday, the Snowpark Kitzsteinhorn welcomed a bunch of snowboarders at bright sunshine for the Oakley Talent Days. 20 highly motivated riders got up on the mountain to improve their skills at the pro coaching with the Oakley team riders Tom Klocker and Max Buri.  It was all about having fun as you can see from the nice photos and the video edit. Now it’s all about the online Talent Voting – let the battle for a brand-new Oakley Airbrake goggle begin!

On Saturday, April 21^st, 2012, the Oakley Talent Days in the Snowpark Kitzsteinhorn passed off successfully. At bright sunshine, the riders were really excited to improve their park skills. Both Oakley pro coaches Tom Klocker and Max Buri were there with help and advice for the highly motivated snowboarders. The day began with a short riders meeting in the Easy Park. After dividing the group into beginners and advanced riders, the freshly shaped Boxes and Kickers of the Snowpark Kitzsteinhorn were examined. The advanced group rocked the Downrail together with pro coach Tom Klocker while the beginner group tried some new tricks on the Flat-Down Box under the guidance of Oakley team rider Max Buri. The two pro coaches were obviously stoked about the motivation of their group members, Tom Klocker: “At the Downrail, all riders showed their best tricks and all of them took the big kickers as well”. Max Buri was also excited about the commitment of his group: “It was really great fun because all riders were very motivated and all of them thanked us for the cool day. I am super stoked!”

After the pro coaching, which was over way too soon for some participants, the day came to an end at the signing session with Tom Klocker and Max Buri in the Subway Shop Intersport Bründl in Kaprun. Alongside some chilled drinks for all participants, the best two riders from each group who made the most progress were rewarded with Oakley goggles and Oakley T-shirts. Matthias Nagel, travelled a long way to get here, was one of the outstanding riders at the beginners group: “As I live quite far away from the mountains, I can’t go snowboarding that often. Therefore, it was very good to get some useful explanations for the tricks. I really learned a bunch of new tricks from the coaches.”

Facebook Talent Voting – It’s all about style!

Starting this Wednesday, April 25^th 2012, the pictures from the Oakley Talent Day will be online on the Snowpark Kitzsteinhorn Facebook Fanpage, where we will tell when the voting is ready! Every rider automatically takes part in the voting in the Facebook App! The snowboarder with the most likes in the end can rejoice over a brand-new Oakley Airbrake goggles!

If you want to improve your skills as well, come to the Snowpark Kitzsteinhorn! The season is still on and you can shred in one of Europe’s best parks! NOW you can also get all current information and news about the setup, the Central and the Easy Park even on your Android and iPhone smartphone.

Last night, Eero Ettala posted a clip of his recent trip to Mammoth Mountain for an Oakley snowboard shoot featuring Mark McMorris and Stale Sandbech – apart from himself, of course.

And since this clip is on the rather short side of things, we throw in this rather random Mammoth clip by Aaron Cardwell.

Straight from Eero Ettala’s website here’s fellow Oakley snowboarder and one of our readers’ favourites, Mark McMorris, doing a top to bottom run at Mammoth Lakes, California.

Jake Blauvelt is a dude. Super mellow, super friendly, scarily talented. So when he knocked on our office window in the middle of a Munich summer downpour we had no hesitation to inviting him in, getting some good Bavarian beer in his gut and sticking a camera in his face to get the lowdown on his Naturally series, the imminent release of his full online part, his particular brand of natural terrain freestyle, and more. And if that’s not enough then make sure you pick up Onboard issue 123 where we have another interview with JB, delving even deeper into what makes him tick.

We also inadvertently sat him down in the hottest part of our sauna-like office, hence the forehead sheen. Sorry ’bout that Jake.

Check it out and make sure to come back on Wednesday, September 7 when Jake’s full online part will drop exclusive to Onboard in Europe.