Thankfully, help is at hand on the wonderful internet.  A century ago it might have been the case that people were  too cautious to buy expensive equipment on the net, or didn’t trust the authority of the website on a given sport. However, the net has evolved rapidly and is now without doubt the best place to buy quality equipment and accessories, that are amazingly good value for money.

Not only are there now some very large and well respected websites selling all manner of new equipment, but there are also some very good sites dedicated to selling more niche products, and are considered experts in their fields.  Also, the issue of knowing which equipment is best has largely been solved by the vast amount of user reviews and tests that can be found on the net. Once upon a time you used to have to go to shop and test all the equipment yourself before you even thought about making a choice. But these days, if you wanted to buy a snowboard for example, you could check out some snowboarding forums for advice, read up on snowboarding blogs, watch user testing videos on YouTube or even ask your mates on Twitter what they think.

Buying equipment online really is the future for extreme sports, and all other sports for that matter. And if you can’t find what you’re looking for or it’s too expensive to buy new, then Extreme Sports Trader is here to help with that.

Extreme sports enthusiasts are never happy with doing things the normal way. They are masters of innovation and if something can be done differently, chances are someone will attempt it. In extreme sports terms, snowboarding and surfing are two sports that are very well established, but perhaps a little old hat for some people now. Is it any wonder then that some bright spark decided to see what would happen if they took the fin off their shortboard and tried carving down a snowy mountain on it?

The sport of snow surfing is thought to have first been conceived in New Zealand when a visiting Australian surfer decided to see if he could ride his board on the white stuff.  Since then, crazy folk all over the world have been talking up this new sport. Enthusiasts say that it requires a huge amount of skill and confidence. Unlike snowboards, riders do not have any bindings to attach themselves to the board, but instead rely on aggressive carving and the use of the hands to ensure that the board stays under their feet.  Stopping has also proved something of a challenge due to the lack of sharp ‘edges’ on a surfboard, but most runs incorporate a run-off area where riders can slow down.

As with all emerging extreme sports, sponsors and industry brands have been paying close attention to see if it is worth their while getting involved.  Apparently both Rip Curl and Burton have shown interest in the sport and have been following the most promising individuals. However, as the sport is still so new, it is likely to be a little while before formal events start taking place and stars are given the publicity that some of the more mainstream sport professionals receive. That said, given the early growth of the sport, you might soon be seeing some snow surfers at a resort new you.

A selection of amateur and pro racers lined up last week for the 8th race in the Florida State Championship Series in Tallahassee.  Some of those involved take part just for a bit of fun, for charity or as a team building event, whilst others are seriously competitive and pull out all the stops to win.

As you imagine this makes for quite an entertaining race, and the last battle that took place at Tom Brown Park proved to be exactly this. Most people chose to ride mountain bikes, but there were some on racing bikes and hybrids. The mountain bikes dominated as the course was largely off-road, but the faster racing bikes caught up on the flats. Needless to say there were plenty of crashes and falls, although thankfully no one was hurt.

Ryan Woodhall is leading the serious and hopes to claim back the title after winning the championship in 2007. However, in a major upset he picked up a flat whilst crossing a stream and lost 15 minutes repairing the tire.  Edsall, another favorite, had a small crash which put him out of the running and left the door wide open for Shawn Smith (Gator Cycle/Trek) to claim the victory.

The summer here may be drawing to close, but it seems some are a little keener to hit the slopes than others and have been riding their hearts out at the opening round of the British Artificial Snowboard and Freeski Championships in Kent. The first event took place last weekend and saw some great action and tight races, which is all the more exciting (in a sadistic way) due to the fact falling over on the fake stuff is a lot more painful planting into real snow (as anyone who has experienced both will testify to!)

The weekend included the Snowboard Big Air Event, Freeski Slopestyle and a nail biting Snowboardcross event. This was then followed up on the Sunday with the Skiercross, Snowboard Slopestyle and Freeski Big Air. And if none of these terms means anything to you, basically lots of crazy people went very fast down a fake snow slope and some of them jumped pretty high on occasions.

Here are the results of the first weekend:

Results:

Trespass Snowboardcross Championship Results

Men

1st - Wayne Taylor - Halifax

2nd - Edward Castle-Henry - Hertfordshire

3rd - Jordan Southgate - Norwich

4th - Tom Moriarty - Norfolk

Women

1st - Gemma Marshall - Sheffield

2nd - Vicky Pullin - Gloucestershire

3rd - Alice Blake - Hertfordshire

British Snowboard Big Air Championship Results

Men

1st - Wayne Taylor - Halifax

2nd - Cody Hierons - Chatham

3rd - Ben Knox - London

Women

1st - Liz Osbourn - Cambridge

2nd - Katie Ormerod - Halifax

3rd - Lynsey Ashdown - Manchester

Animal British Slopestyle Championship Results:

Men

1st - Andy Nudds - Halifax

2nd - Cody Hierons - Chatham

3rd - Ben Knox - London

Women

1st - Katie Ormerod - Halifax

2nd - Sophie Nicholls - Halifax

3rd - Lynsey Ashdown - Manchester

It was once the case that the term extreme sports related only to a select few activities. Among those worthy of the accolade included sports such as surfing, snowboarding, skateboarding, motocross, base jumping and a few others. Of course everyone always new that the ‘extreme’ level varied quite radically even within these sports. No one could argue that riding a BMX around a bit was as extreme as throwing yourself off a huge building with only a thin bit of fabric to slow you down before you hit the ground.

Nowadays however the range of sports that fall under the ‘Extreme Sports’ umbrella is quite frankly staggering. There is everything from the visually entertaining parkour to the quite ridiculous ropeboarding. In some cases it is no longer impressive enough to turn up to the beach with your surfboards, you now need to be involved in kitesurfing, land yachting, skim boarding and loads of other sports that people have dreamt up whilst presumably under the influence.

Some people think this is a bad thing and that the term ‘Extreme Sports’ should only be reserved for those sports either around from the beginning or that contain an element of danger so great that only those will a bit of screw loose are willing to give them a go. What they don’t realise however is that extreme sport is not just about the sport, it’s a way of life. It’s about getting out there and trying something new. Maybe falling over a few times and picking up some cuts and bruises, but succeeding the long run. It’s about picking up some second hand kayaks on a whim and taking them out on the river for a quick blast, and feeling alive when you make it to the still-water in once piece. So the term ‘extreme sports’ has boundaries that are meant to be pushed and that change over time, which is not a bad thing, it’s just evolution.

As the name indicates, extreme sports are not for the faint hearted. Indeed, your typical crown green lawn bowler will be unlikely to partake in a little illegal base jumping on his nights off. Nevertheless, extreme sports are not merely for the borderline insane or those who want to show off their injuries on a certain popular music television station. In fact, extreme sports are enjoyed by a wide variety of people from all over the world who have a range of different interests. Furthermore, extreme sports are not always as dangerous as their reputation would suggest - the element of danger exists in all sports but those that are `extreme` are said to be on the very edge of what is mainstream. In other words, to employ a popular sporting phrase (which is also used among fighter pilots, interestingly), extreme sports aim to `push the envelope` to the very limit.

Extreme sports, therefore, take many different forms and guises. Among the most popular are snowboarding, surfing, skiing, skateboarding, canoeing, body boarding, paragliding, rock climbing and wind surfing. However, this list of sports may not appear all that `extreme`. Indeed, many of these are taken up by complete amateurs on a daily basis and injuries can be few and far between. Nevertheless, these sports and other, more extreme sports - such as base jumping and cliff jumping - involve a relatively high risk of injury when compared to more gentle activities. As such, it is essential that the extreme sportsman or woman gears up with the appropriate equipment and accessories. Failing to do this can quite literally cost life or limb.

As a basic rule to buying extreme sports equipment, it is important to gain guidance on the gear required by those who are experienced enough to give advice. Because there are so many different types of extreme sports, it is impossible to give a concise overview of all the necessary equipment for all sports. Accordingly, the first step to buying the right gear is to do the necessary research beforehand.

Moreover, whilst financial concerns are always relevant, buyers should not compromise on safety in order to save a little cash. Popular big name brands in extreme sports equipment are at the top of their game because, generally speaking, they produce the best equipment available. Always buy the best as this may one day prove the difference between life and death.

For example, surfing equipment must comprise a good quality board such as those produced by Carl Schaper or Jim Banks, in addition to a snug-fitting wetsuit, flippers, watch and knife (in case of entanglement). Likewise, K2 and Burton are respected brand names in snowboarding equipment, whilst skateboarders ought to consider equipment such as the Powell Peralta Tony Hawks skateboard for ultimate performance. Finally, for looking like an extreme sports lover when not riding on the ocean waves or jumping off a cliff or sky-scraper, the quiksilver clothing shop is the perfect destination for everyday attire.

As the name indicates, extreme sports are not for the faint hearted. Indeed, your typical crown green lawn bowler will be unlikely to partake in a little illegal base jumping on his nights off. Nevertheless, extreme sports are not merely for the borderline insane or those who want to show off their injuries on a certain popular music television station. In fact, extreme sports are enjoyed by a wide variety of people from all over the world who have a range of different interests. Furthermore, extreme sports are not always as dangerous as their reputation would suggest - the element of danger exists in all sports but those that are `extreme` are said to be on the very edge of what is mainstream. In other words, to employ a popular sporting phrase (which is also used among fighter pilots, interestingly), extreme sports aim to `push the envelope` to the very limit.

Extreme sports, therefore, take many different forms and guises. Among the most popular are snowboarding, surfing, skiing, skateboarding, canoeing, body boarding, paragliding, rock climbing and wind surfing. However, this list of sports may not appear all that `extreme`. Indeed, many of these are taken up by complete amateurs on a daily basis and injuries can be few and far between. Nevertheless, these sports and other, more extreme sports - such as base jumping and cliff jumping - involve a relatively high risk of injury when compared to more gentle activities. As such, it is essential that the extreme sportsman or woman gears up with the appropriate equipment and accessories. Failing to do this can quite literally cost life or limb.

As a basic rule to buying extreme sports equipment, it is important to gain guidance on the gear required by those who are experienced enough to give advice. Because there are so many different types of extreme sports, it is impossible to give a concise overview of all the necessary equipment for all sports. Accordingly, the first step to buying the right gear is to do the necessary research beforehand.

Moreover, whilst financial concerns are always relevant, buyers should not compromise on safety in order to save a little cash. Popular big name brands in extreme sports equipment are at the top of their game because, generally speaking, they produce the best equipment available. Always buy the best as this may one day prove the difference between life and death.

For example, surfing equipment must comprise a good quality board such as those produced by Carl Schaper or Jim Banks, in addition to a snug-fitting wetsuit, flippers, watch and knife (in case of entanglement). Likewise, K2 and Burton are respected brand names in snowboarding equipment, whilst skateboarders ought to consider equipment such as the Powell Peralta Tony Hawks skateboard for ultimate performance. Finally, for looking like an extreme sports lover when not riding on the ocean waves or jumping off a cliff or sky-scraper, the quiksilver clothing shop is the perfect destination for everyday attire.

For anyone who has been to the White Air Festival back when it took place on the Isle of Wight, you don’t need us to introduce it for you. However even seasoned ‘Whities’ will be amazed at just how much the festival has grown this year and how amazing it promises to be.

To put things into perspective, it was, and still is Europes’ biggest extreme sports and music festival ‘. This means that it is a showcase for some of the top performers in the extreme sports world and some of the craziest new sports as well. Further more you cannot have a festival without music and these guys certainly don’t like to disappoint. They’ve upped the anti this year and scooped The Doves as the headline act!

The move of the festival to the seaside resort of Brighton has meant that is more accessible to lots of people, and also they have been able to embrace a wider selection of sports. You’ll still find the classics like BMX, kitesurfing and mountain boarding, but you’ve also got treats like ropeboarding and Parkour to quench your adrenaline thirsts.

The best thing about this festival however, and the reason we return year after year is the chilled out atmosphere and the great people. It will fit in with the Brighton lifestyle effortlessly, so make sure you head along in September (18-20th) and be a part of one of the freshest festivals in the world.

www.whiteair.co.uk

Ticket Prices:

Adult £60 + booking fee

Student/Under 16’s £55 + booking fee

The company has been producing some of the world’s best snowboard gear since they were first established in 1977 by Jake Burton Carpenter, who was only 23 at the time. The company has always has a focus on research and development, a passion fuelled by Jake’s desire to constantly stay ahead of the game and produce pioneering board shapes and materials.

Burton however has also led the way in terms of style, a great deal of which has been replicated by other snowboard brands over the years. They bring out a new range of boards with various different graphics each year and they are always popular. However, a recent ‘Playboy’ range of boards was not so well received by the usually liberal state of Vermont, who took offence to the iconic images taken from 1970’s Playboy magazines that are displayed on the top and bottom of the boards.

Burlington in Vermont is where Burton first started and is a skiing and snowboarding Mecca for Americans. It is therefore a bit of a surprise that the locals and officials have taken a stand against the boards designs, and even gone as far as to ban the boards in a number of ski resorts. Stowe and Killington have prohibited their staff from using the boards and a number of other slopes are in the process of banning them all together.

We at Extreme Sports Trader love the liberalism that comes with snowboarding and extreme sports in general, and feel Vermont is being a little bit silly over this level or censorship.

Now in their 5th year, the festival has grown from a local band playing out of the back of a lorry to a 3-stage, 2-day event with national artists, that still maintains the same good vibes and laid back fun that is all important at festivals. This year really does promise to be the best yet, so check out the site and get you and your mates along for a weekend you will never forget, guaranteed! www.brownstock.co.uk

Powerbocking is a sport that has been around for a lot longer than most people realise. The devises needed to perform this sport have been on sale in the UK close to 5 years now, but it is has only really begun to enter the limelight recently and started to get the attention it deserves.

It’s a bit of a crazy sport it must be said, but then haven’t all extreme sports been referred to as crazy at some point? It basically involves strapping two huge spring-loaded stilts to you feet using bindings not to dissimilar to those you might find on snowboards, and then letting yourself loose on all sorts of different terrain. They are mainly used in urban areas where the hard surfaces and varying angles make for the ideal place to pull somersaults and wall-plants, but they have been known to be used in a woodland environment also.

They are named after Alexander Boeck, the person who invented the stilts in Germany, but they have also become known as powerisers or pro-jumps. What ever the name, they are brilliant fun! You can pick a pair up for around £150 but we advise that you invest in some good protective gear as well. These babies can launch you as high as 3ft in the air and don’t promise to land you perfectly when you come back down.

Swansea in Wales will be playing host to one of the biggest kite surfing events in Europe next month, when the British Kite Surfing Association kicks off their championship tour known as Kiteival 09.

The event will be sponsored by Deadman, Buff, King of Watersports and the extreme sports powerhouse, Red Bull. All the sponsors were happy with this year’s location and the event organiser Steve Parrot has also praised the city saying “As soon as we came to Swansea, we knew it would be perfect for Kiteival - it has a great beach and equally good facilities in the city centre…we would love for it to become a regular thing”.

Kitesurfing has been increasing in popularity pretty rapidly over the last few years and is set to reach similar participation figures as surfing and snowboarding before too long. It has also spawned a whole new range of products and brands including Fusion, Airush and Flexifoil, which are all doing very well.

Here is how the event is set to play out:

Thursday-

Press Afternoon 2-5pm

Friday-

Pro Men Ladies Freestyle Kitesurf

Registration 8.30-9am sharp at Marquee

Riders Briefing 9.05 am

First Possible Start 10am

Evening - Red Bull BBQ

Saturday-

Am Men Ladies Seniors and Juniors

Disciplines - 8.30am - 9.30am sharp at Marquee

Riders Briefing 9.40 am

First Possible Start 10.30 am

Evening entertainment - TBC

Sunday

First Possible start TBC on Saturday

Prizgiving TBC (usally between 4 and 6pm)

We can’t wait!

The Cove Stiffee is not one of those bikes that attempts to be something its not. The Stiffee is not thoughtful, it is not image conscious and it is certainly not forgiving. It is however dependable, functional and rock hard. It’s like a mate who you would ask to help you cut down the oak tree in your garden but not the kind you would want to go for a drink with afterwards.

The new Stiffee hasn’t changed a bit…and we like that. It’s maintained its root characteristics and yet still evolved with the modern rider. An oversized RAD tubeset from Easton provides the turgid core strength and the more distal components are practically all welded to it, providing a menacingly strong machine that is balanced to perfection. This machine rides on fat 2.3in tires that are very stable and reassuring to ride.

All this muscle and width comes at a cost however, the Stiffee is not fast and not great in the messy stuff. But that doesn’t matter because as we said, it’s not trying to be things. Despite its size the frame only weighs 4.5lb bare and it finds its home on the tough, technical trails where it won’t let you down and when you’ve finished riding the bike with be shaking with adrenaline wanting to go on.

Cove say that its “one of the best aluminium hardtail frames in the world” and we have to say “we agree”.

Diamondback have been around for longer than gravity.  In fact we seem to recall Isaac Newton had one, he used to grind up the steps at Cambridge with it.

After that Diamondback went from strength to strength, linking with top BMX names such as Doug Davis and Harry Leary. Now in 2009 Diamondback are still going strong, being represented by stars like Andrew Carpenter and Darin Read. They’ve also just released their new bikes…and they’re crackers! Their new range is stronger and more robust than ever. They have new cleaner lines and some cool new colours that seem a million miles away from the retro-chrome they sported back in the day.

They have a new bike for almost every discipline, but our favourite is the Accomplice (pictured above). This is Diamondback’s pro-level bmx and for the money, it’s a winner.

Here is the stock spec:

Colour: Gold

Frame: Full chromoly frame, double butted top tube / down tube, removable Oryg tabs, hiddenset head tube, mid BB

Fork: Full Chromoly, CNC 1 1/8″ 1-piece steerer, fluted 1 1/4″ OD legs, 6mm dropouts

Gear Set: DB 4-Banger, 28t CNC”d from 7075 aluminum with 10t cassette

Controls: Full chromoly 2-piece 25.5″ wide x 7.75″ rise

Finishing Set: The Shadow Conspiracy Belter front / Undertone rear 20×2.1 and The Shadow Conspiracy Interlock V2 1/2 link 1/2 x 1/8

Wheel Set:36h Alienation Deviant front / 440 rear with 10mm front 14mm rear axle hubs

Brake Set: Dia-Compe 996 U-brake w/ SST DC Amplifier, soft compound pads

With knock back after knock back, the possibility of Bournemouth’s state of the art man-made reef actually giving us any surf is looking as uncertain as Andrew Lloyd Webber’s sexuality.

The project has seen delays in almost all stages of its construction, from problems with financing to issues over contractors. The resulting loss of faith from local business, surfers, and the community in general has caused speculation over whether the reef with come to completion at all.

Despite further delays leading up to Christmas, when bad weather and poor light led to the New Zealand-based contractors packing their bags and heading home, organisers in Bournemouth remain positive. One spokesperson stated “In many ways, it’s been a very successful year with great progress having been made on the surf reef project.”

It is true that the base layer is now complete. However, we will have to wait until spring before Dr Kerry Black (designer of the Boscombe surf reef) returns to oversee the remaining work, including the deployment of a hectares worth of geotextile bags that will make up the wave-boosting top layer. Dr Black is also the Director of an Australian research institute and a top research scientist with the esteemed National Institute of Water and Atmosphere in New Zealand…which makes us think he really should have known what our winter working conditions would be like.

We have been promised by Black and his team that the new reef will produce grade 5 waves on a good day. This should attract many more visitors to the local area and is predicted to be a great boost for tourism and local businesses. For the time being however, everyone waits with bated breath for that first glorious swell on the horizon to come

Those of you who kayak or canoe regularly will be well aware of the difficulties of transporting your boat around if you don’t have a van, trailer or proper fixtures for attaching it to your car. The smaller boats are not so much of a problem, but when it comes to the bigger boys, you’re better off paddling to your desired location rather that trying to attach the damn thing to your vehicle.

Well this may well be about to change with the introduction of some ‘proper’ inflatable canoes and kayaks to the market. We say ‘proper’ as previous attempts at inflatable boats conjures up images of bailing out water from something that seems to be made of balloon material, patched up by puncture repair kit patches. Not these new dogs however, these have been functionally designed with reinforced panels and with actual usability in mind. We got the chance to take a Sea Eagle 330 out on the water and I have to say it was great fun. The moveable seats allow you to paddle solo or with a companion and the quality was a vast improvement to its inflatable predecessors. The material is strong (”tough enough to withstand dog paws” they claim) and bonded together using high frequency welds to form one solid structure.

The boats also seem to have other important additions such as skegs, inflatable spray skirts and self-bailing drain valves. All of which are needed if your going to be adventuring any further than your local pond. The best bit though is that they rarely way much more than 30lbs and can be taken almost anywhere.

Our verdict is that they are a very versatile addition and great for getting into the sport, but sadly have no change of competing with the solid hull boats which will out-perform again and again. We doubt inflatables will ever be a serious option for competition sports but we’ve been surprised before so we never say never.

Look out for second hand inflatable kayaks on our listings section

Research undertaken last year by sports science graduates, based at the St Lukes Campus of the University of Exeter, found that rather than being big risk-takers, most top performers in extreme sports are risk-averse.

The stereotypical representation of many extreme sports athletes is one of long hair, liberal views and daring personalities, take Shaun White for example. Many outside the industry believe that only those who are willing to push themselves that bit further or attempt new, more daring stunts can be at the forefront of their sports and win the respect of their fans and piers. This new research however, suggests that the best athletes do not consider themselves risk-takes, but instead calculate the risks involved very carefully and take action to reduce them as best they can.

Among those interviewed where a number of Downhill Mountain Bike riders who regularly face dangerous situations as they hurtle over treacherous terrain in pursuit of the fastest time. One rider remarked, “Sure this sport can be more dangerous than other sports but we never take unnecessary risk. We will look at all the options before doing something new and if it’s not worth it, then we won’t do it. There is no sense in risking injury for us as then we wouldn’t be able to ride”

The main conclusion drawn from the research is that although most extreme sports enthusiasts have lower fear levels than your average person and require more courageous feats to get their adrenaline kick, they also spend more time preparing for their actions and planning what to do if something goes wrong. It is not fearlessness that allows them to perform incredible feats but instead immense skill and tireless preperation and practice.

James Gallop who headed up the research stated that evidence of the cautiousness of extreme sports athletes has always been there (protective gear, tireless checking of equipment and environment, first-aid crews at events etc), only no one really asked the athletes and assumed they did these crazy new tricks because they weren’t quite sane.

As extreme sports continue to move further into the public domain, it is likely that safety-consciousness will increase and more regulations brought in to protect athletes and amateurs alike. Will this destroy the freedom that made extreme sports what they are, or improve their profile and promote greater participation? We hope the latter.

Sebastien Cattelan of France broke the kitesurfing world speed record, and the magic 50kts barrier, by achieving a velocity of 50.26 knots (93kph) at the Lüderitz Speed Challenge in Namibia last month.

Cattelan was well placed to break the previous record of 49.84 kts, set by Robert Douglas of the USA, as he was one of the founders of speed kitesurfing and actually helped establish the speed strip at Lüderitz. Such speeds can be achieved at this unique location due to strong area winds being funnelled and accelerated down a shallow valley onto the lagoon’s smooth stretch of water.

Cattlean’s celebrations where however somewhat short-lived as his record was beaten a day later by fellow countryman Alexandre Caizergues, who reached a top speed of 50.57 knots (93.65kph).

The WSSRC is yet to ratify these new records as official sailing records due the fact there is some contention over the total speed of the kite and kitesurfer over the 500m distance. It is possible for the kitesurfer to pick up speed as he or she tracks the board away from the kite and so the kitesurfer can temporarily reach speeds higher than that of the kite. It is an issue that has caused problems previously but we will wait to hear the outcome from the WSSRC.

For the latest information visit www.sailspeedrecords.com

Organisers of the The Big Freeze kindly sent EST some tickets to attend the industry day and take a look behind the scenes of what was to be an epic event for UK snowboarding. We got to see some of the world’s best riders in their heats and practice rounds before they took to the snow on the competition days in front of huge crowds at Battersea Power Station

The event itself was a welcoming one. Full of entertainment, Nintendo wii’s and simulated snowboarding machines to name but a couple. Bringing together perfectly real and virtual snowboarding in the rustic surroundings on the banks of the River Thames.

The set up was simply breathtaking. A 100m long, 30m high launch pad was the main attraction, featuring real snow and real pedigree with some spectacular jumps and some equally spectacular wipe outs! The competition was undoubtedly taken seriously as some of the jumps attempted were of the highest difficulty! Highlights for the festival were, Danny Kass, Scotty Lago and Lucas Magoon plus skiing stars Tanner Hall, Jon Olsson and Jacob Wester, testing themselves against the new jump which slotted into London’s scenery effortlessly. 

When interviewed about the event, Mark Simmers, CEO of SnowsportGB stated “To stage a Snowboard World Cup in the UK for the first time, is a massive boost for the sport, and will bring a huge amount of profile to our British Snowboard athletes when they compete at home against the world’s best. I must thank the International Ski Federation (FIS) for helping SnowsportGB to bring about the inaugural staging of the LG London Big Air.”

Further to the snowsports, the event also housed a 7,000 plus music auditorium featuring live bands. Headline acts from The Holloways, The Enemy, Cyprus Hill and DJ Annie Mac on the final day added energy and atmosphere in equal measure and were perfect conclusions to each of the four days of the festival!

All in all a great experience 10/10!

Orange Bikes have announced that for their 2009 range they have said goodbye to the great Patriot and are launching a bike that promises to be something special, the Orange Alpine 160.

Orange have slackened the angles slightly with the new bike, introducing a twin strut swingarm and dropping the top tube slightly to tune the geometry and offer an even sweeter ride

As with the Patriot there will be a coil build with Fox 36 Vans and a coil shock, or a lighter build with a Fox DHX air shock and air-sprung 36’s up front.

Here is what the standard build should look like -

Frame: Monocoque/6061-T6 Reynolds Custom Butted Aluminium Tube withFox DHX 3.0 Coil, 160mm travel Shock

Fork: Fox 36 Van R 160mm

Gears: 18 Speed. Shimano SLX Double [F]. Shimano Saint [R].

Shifters: Shimano Saint R Fire +

Wheels: Mavic EN321 Rims. Hope Pro 2 [F]. Hope Pro 2 [R]. DT Swiss Competition S/S Black Spokes.

Brakes: Hayes Stroker Trail V8 [F]. Hayes Stroker Trail V7 [R].

Drivetrain: Race Face DH Evolve Double X Type chainset, Shimano HG50 cassette

Extra Features: Truvativ XR Seatpost. Maxxis Hi Roller 2.35 Tyres.

For more information visit http://www.orangebikes.co.uk

Australian Adrian Buchan has one his first ASP World Tour event, the Quicksilver Pro France, which took place on the 24th Sep in Hossegor, France. He beat eight-time ASP World Champion Kelly Slater to get to the top spot but the battle was tight (Buchan beat Slater 15.73 to 15.16). Buchan performance was a big step-up, his previous surfing not good enough to make it passed the quarterfinal rounds.

Slater was aiming for a sixth event win this season which would have seen him take a massive ninth ASP World Title. All he needed was a score of 7.51 to push him to victory but couldn’t find the wave to capitalise on, scoring only a 2.23, and had watch on as Buchan licked the waves clean.

“I tried not to think about it paddling out for the final,” Buchan noted. “I had visions of him winning the title but I just tried to focus on myself and what I had to do out there – get two really good waves. Luckily Kelly did not get that one at the end.”

Kelly was gracious in defeat saying “It’s cool that it came down to a wave in the end, at least it made it interesting…truth is though, Ace was more in sync with it. He got those open face ones and did the turns. I had one wave I surfed pretty good on that I knew was going to get me back in it. Then I just needed a chance in the end but there wasn’t quite enough time – I should have pushed for a 40-minute final.”

Buchan’s win moves him up the world rankings to No. 9. Ironically, if Kelly finishes 9th or better in Mundaka he will win the world title…for the 9th time!

Horgmo’s  achieved the top spot with a gifted winning run, featuring a fakie backside tail 270 on the downrail, into a switch 50/50 Cab 180 on the battleship, followed by a backside 720 melon, into a frontside 900 indy, finishing with a huge big switch backside 1260 melon. Horgmo picked up $7,500 AUD for his efforts

Anderson earned her $7,500 AUD with a winning run that was made up of a tailpress on the downrail, followed by a noseslide-to-fakie on the battleship, sticking a switch backside 360 stalefish on the first kicker, into a Cab 540 mute on the second, finishing with an frontside 540 melon.

Current standings are as follows:

MENS STANDINGS -

Mitrani, Luke USA: 25209

Guldemond, Chas USA: 25167

Maurer, Stephan SUI: 24297

Korpi, Janne FIN:  23174

Reid, Charles CAN: 18972

WOMENS STANDINGS -

Anderson, Jamie USA: 31200

Staveley, Lauren AUS: 16625

Rennie, Kara CAN: 16496

Davis-meehan, Michaela AUS: 15202

Teter, Hannah USA: 14944

Planned for 2011, the complex will work by diverting water from the Thames and passing it though a large filter to create an area of safe and controllable surf, capable of producing consistent waves that roll for around 100m and have the potential to be 8ft in height.

With the British Surfing Association estimating there to be around 500,000 surfers in the UK, project directors of the new London surf park are hoping to convince a proportion to grab their surfboards and try out Venture Xtreme’s congestion-free alternative to the beaches of the West Country, where overcrowding and territorial surfing are becoming more commonplace.

Add to this the fact that decent surf is at least a 3 hour drive from the capital city, and more often than not it’s dead on arrival, there is certainly a strong argument for surfers to enjoy a little more reliability and convenience. You can expect to pay around £30 a time and early estimates state that you’ll get around 10 waves per session. Those in charge are quick to point out that this enterprise is not aimed at replacing the real thing but instead intended to supplement surfer’s time in the salt water and allow anyone to sharpen their skills whatever the weather, something we at Extreme Sports Trader agree with and can’t wait to try out ourselves.

At a time when all forms of extreme sports are in vogue, and where the outdoors is the object of their passion, The Nissan Outdoor Games has been able to create an innovative and original style. As a multi-sports event, it places first-rate athletes in the spotlight to share their passion through the medium of an outdoor film festival of various activities and demonstrations, all taking place over one week-end.

Without doubt the biggest gathering of its kind, the Nissan Outdoor Games projects outdoor sports onto the big screen. Due to the extraordinary backdrop provided by the region at the foot of the Eiger, the Mönsch and the Jungfrau, this innovative international film festival has found its natural home in the Bernese resort of Interlaken, which has hosted the event for the last four years.

5 teams have 5 days to conceive, shoot and edit a film which is judged on sporting performance, photography, originality of screenplay, sound and editing, to try and take the prize (2008 boasted a prize purse of $50,000).

The stars of kayaking, mountain biking, climbing, paragliding and BASE-jumping all put themselves in extreme situations. Under the gaze of the locals, the horde of young athlete take over the rivers, forests, mountains, glaciers and even the air space all for the purposes of their films. These modern games combine sport with aesthetics and creativity.

For all five teams, the competition started this year on June 30^th. The goal: to produce a short film of no more than 5 minutes, showcasing themselves performing their chosen sport. Each team chose their own photographer, cameraman, editor and producer in order to ensure the best production quality. A Nissan X-Trail was also made available to each team to help them get to the most spectacular “spots”.

The event made public participation a priority. For this year’s edition, the organisation centralised all the activities in the middle of town. On the program, there were demonstrations and try-outs all day long on Friday and Saturday, giving the public the opportunity to actively participate late into the evening.

If you missed it this year then make sure you check out the action in 2009!

http://www.outdoorgames.org