Shaun White and the 2013 XGames Run

The Flying Tomato gets some boss elevation!

Shaun White is the boss man when you talk Superpipe. 6 Gold Medals at the Xgames prove this. His runs are clinical, super extended and he gets more elevation than a airliner! Take a look at his run to the Gold in this year's Winter XGames...

Winter XGames 2013 Wrap Up!

What an XGames! As I predicted it was the Triple Cork show, with both Ski and Snowboard Slopestyle and Big Air dominated by the big trick. But, there was lots more on offer to, check out some of the highlights from an epic XGames...

After so many epic moments it would be really difficult to choose my Top 3, but I got to say after much debate it had to be these three! Shaun White winning a 6th Superpipe Gold Medal, the insane stomp Triple Cork by Horgmo in the Big Air and Henrik Harlaut going massive in the Ski Big Air. Check em out...

Winter Xgames 2013 - Day 1

Day 1 in Aspen and we have already had some crazy action in both Snowboard Super Pipe and of course the mayhem that is Snowmobile Freestyle. In the first final of 2013, it was Red Bull superstar, Levi LaVallee, who stormed the final to win yet another Gold! Check out his winning run...

The Snowmobile competition was pure carnage behind Levi with some monster crashes. Check out the worst ones...


Also on the menu for Day 1, was Mens Snowboard Super Pipe Elimination and all eyes were on the "Flying Tomato", Shaun White, to see what he was bringing to the party in 2013. He was highest out of the Pipe at 5.8m and scored enough in his first run to get through (Lucky to, as he flunked his second run)...


There was also way more going on as per usual at XGames, so check out the Day 1 Highlights...

The Friday Mix - MOD UK, Alana Blanchard Bikini, Shaun White & Downhill MTB

Alana Blanchard makes surfing gorgeous!

For this week's Friday Mix, we have a real mix of sports. We start with FMX and the Masters of Dirt tour of the UK. This really is the world's best FMX show and makes me sad that the Cape Town show was cancelled. This is followed by the a quick teaser of Alana Blanchard, probably the world's hottest surfer. Then take a ride through the Winter XGames Europe, Superpipe, with Gold Medalist, Shaun White. We finish off with a ride down the recent World Cup Downhill course in Pietermaritburg with Red Bull rider, Gee Atherton. Enjoy and hope you ride this weekend!

 

 

Captain Kai's World on www.2ov.fm - Podcast 28

I have to say, the &Union Beers definitely added to the humor on last night's show. Thanks to big wave charger and very funny guy, Frank Solomon, for bringing a case to the show. Myself and Tyrone Rawlins were getting pretty lubricated and having a great laugh at Frank's stories from California, being Gerard Butler's stunt double and all the antics from the North Shore winter. We also brought you the latest from the European Winter XGames, Downhill Mountain Biking World Cup and all the news from the ASP World Tour.

The Bomb Surf Mag did an interview with me yesterday, check it out here - The Bomb Surf Interview

Download the Podcast for Show 28 - Show 28 Podcast
(Right Click & Save as, if you want to download.)

Check out "Mad" Frank fighting sharks!

The Friday Mix with Captain Kai - Xgames, Dane Reynolds & Ultimate X

Welcome to the Friday Mix for this week and what a mix it is. First up the long awaited GOPro video from Ultimate X - we still waiting for the 3D edit - followed by Dane Reynold's highlights from the Quik Pro at Snapper. He did not make Round 4, but hells he did some amazing surfing before being knocked out. Lastly, the king of Superpipe, Shaun White, takes another XGames Gold in France at the European Winter XGames. Shaun posted an almost perfect 98 on his first run to take the victory!



 

 

The Best of Winter X Games 2012

WOW - that's my first response at this year's Winter X Games. There were so many firsts from Shaun White's perfect 100 score in the Men's Superpipe leading to his 5 Peat, also a first. Then there was the first ever Snowmobile Frontflip for Gold and let's not forget that horrible double backflip attempt that ended in tragedy. Here is the "Best of' video for 2012...



All of these amazing rides, runs and wins were not enough to take my number 1 highlight, which in 2012 went to one man, Mark McMorris. He became the first person to win double Gold at Winter X, by taking out both the Slopestyle and Big Air events. First up was the Big Air where he pulled the first ever Triple Cork in competition...



After the highs of this win, Mark decided it was not enough and he had to ride one of the biggest and cleanest Slopestyle runs of all time. Check out the incredible scale of the giant rail transfer, followed by huge airs over the kickers. All of this added up to the Gold for Mark...



An amazing event and I cannot wait for the Summer Games of 2012!

Shaun White rides a perfect 100 point ride gets the X Games Five Peats

The flying tomato, Shaun White, proves that he is the best Pipe rider in the world at X Games 2012, with a perfect 100 point ride. This took the gold for Shaun which also meant he took the first ever X Games Winter Five Peats. (Meaning he has won the Superpipe Gold 5 times now.) Those not clued up on Snowboarding may wonder why he got a perfect score for this run. Its simple, huge elevation (Take a look how far out the Pipe he is on his first setup air.), two perfect double corks (Meaning he is rotating off axis) and an absolutely flawless run, with no wobbles or sketches. The man is the king! For more X Games madness check out their YouTube.

Ski Halfpipe makes the Olympics - Snowboard Slopestyle does not!

Wake up IOC!

I think every snowboarder has been quietly waiting for Slopestyle to make the Olympics. Its not that the racing events are boring, its just pretty removed from our everyday lives riding on the mountain. Most of us have a crack at park riding from time to time and that is what Slopestyle is - hence why we want to see the best in the world riding for Olympic glory.

Shaun White wants to represent the US at Slopestyle.

Yesterday the IOC debated which new sports would be at the winter Olympics in Russia, 2014. There was a major push for Slopestyle to be included. Riders such as Shaun White even declared they would only really want to support the games if Slopestyle was one of the events. (See this Article) Unfortunately for us, the decision on Slopestyle has been tabled to later in the year, while crap events like Figure Skating Team event and Luge relay, were included. On the plus side, Ski Halfpipe was also included, which at least extends the participation at the Winter Games for action sports. Sooner or later the IOC is going to have realize that Slopestyle is the real crowd and media pull. Lets hope they do before the end of the year.

I found the following by FUSE marketing very interesting:

IMPLICATIONS OF SNOWBOARD SLOPESTYLE AND FREESKIING AT THE GAMES
So what does the inclusion of snowboard slopestyle and freeskiing mean for brands - Olympic sponsors and others - wanting to target to teens and young adults? In competitive snowboarding, new opportunities exist within a part of the sport that has not been recognized at the Olympic level before. Snowboard slopestyle will attract a new audience of 13 - 25 year-olds along with those already involved in the sport. Snowboard halfpipe and many of the athletes are already stars on the world’s stage. With Olympic recognition and a new roster for the U.S. Snowboard Team and Grand Prix snowboarding events, snowboard slopestyle is next to gain massive exposure.
Freeskiing provides an immense opportunity for brands to enter the sport as a new and upcoming Olympic event, which caters to the 13- to 25-year-old audience as well. Just as snowboarding popularity has increased, with many of the athletes reaching star status after much Olympic recognition, freeskiing athletes are next to gain massive exposure. To be involved with both sports during their initial exposure to the world gives brands an opportunity to show that they are tapped into the next big thing within action sports, snowboarding, freeskiing and youth culture in general.
For more check out FUSE marketing

This is why Slopestyle would be so cool as an Olympic Sport -

Snowboarding gets reinvented - Winter XGames 15

Just when you thought snowboarding had hit a plateau as far as progression goes, along comes Winter XGames 15. The sales line for the Games was, "You haven't seen everything!" How right they were. This year the guys took it to new heights, led up front by the man previously known as the Flying Tomato, he now goes by the moniker - The Dark Knight. Shaun White led the charge taking his four-peat in the Superpipe and blowing minds on route to doing it. He was running a 19ft Straight air out of the pipe straight into a double cork that defied description.Then, just to ensure he was winning, he busts out a double Mactwist -WTF!

Ok, so our minds are blown, lets take a breather and head over to the Big Air event. Nothing to exciting going on - oh shit, is that Torstein Horgmo trying a triple cork? He eats absolute crap, gets up and heads back up for another run, then lands the craziest air ever - I mean ever! The definition of impossible no longer exists.



My hands are shaking right now! What's next?