10E2110: Vermont Open (of Snowboarding)

The Vermont Open (VTO) has been created to take the place of the US Open of Snowboarding (having been moved to Vail this year - from its home at Stratton, VT - further reading). It will be a 3 day tribute to the pioneer days & spirit of snowboarding. This is a chance to ride and compete in retro-style venues and events. [mini pipe? ed.] Come for the weekend and ride with Legends, Pros, Amateurs, Washed Up Pros and long lost friends; + music/parties/old school equipment. All held at Stratton, VT.

Event Shedule:
Rail Jam Friday with Finals Friday Night
Half Pipe Saturday
[Washed Up Cup] Banked Slalom Sunday.
Music all weekend.

Registration to Compete:
$135 includes 3 day lift ticket incl. entry to all contests + entry to all official parties (Welcome Party at Grizzly's Friday / BBQ on Grizzly's Deck Saturday / St Paddy's Day Breakfast Buffet Sunday). Register here.

Plus - in deference to USOpen's past, St Paddy's Day will infact coincide with the events... #alcoholicsaroundvermont

us open -powder and rails 2

They could have called this one "An annotated history of VTSP". Chills. Tons of great B&Ws from my old pal Skye Chalmers. Not featured was the one where he snuck out onto the roof of the Bear's Den kitchen to shoot the crowd. That made Snowboarder mag I believe, 1993/94?

washed up cup -recap 2 courtesy of blotto

Image ©DEAN BLOTTO GRAY / US OPEN 2012
Image ©DEAN BLOTTO GRAY / US OPEN 2012

There is something serene about these first two shots. Really stopped the clock here, fantastic. Then the mood turns into a blasted heath, with the cackling crowd. Almost Shakespearian. No, not too much.

Image ©DEAN BLOTTO GRAY / US OPEN 2012

Image ©DEAN BLOTTO GRAY / US OPEN 2012
Image ©DEAN BLOTTO GRAY / US OPEN 2012

Image ©DEAN BLOTTO GRAY / US OPEN 2012

Image ©DEAN BLOTTO GRAY / US OPEN 2012
Image ©DEAN BLOTTO GRAY / US OPEN 2012

Embarrassment of riches is not the new Kanye album... but how I feel when principal photographer for Burton Snowboards, Dean "Blotto" Gray lets you post his pics... huge thx. One shot from every turn pretty much. Brendan Foster about to get swallowed by that gate at the end...

washed up cup 2012 -recap

Image © Ali Kaukas

Not to flog a dead horse but last Friday night this snowboard race went down during the larger US Open Snowboarding Championships; The Washed Up Cup. The course was 4 banks turns, over a roller, 4 more gates then a decent sized jump. Your 2 timed runs were combined, with seconds knocked off if you hit the jump with style. Long/short it was a chance for a lot of these older guys and girls to get fired up and sh*t talk, sneak beers, and break out some vintage gear. Hats off to the race crews who worked through the field of 100 riders in just over 2 hours.

Many thanks to Ali Kaukas, Michael Chantry, Ken Myers and Nate Simpson for sharing their photos.

These guys were "in charge". Good stuff. Image © Michael Chantry

Image © Ali Kaukas

Hobie Chittenden. Image © Ali Kaukas

Burton senior product development specialist, Chris Doyle on edging patrol.
Image © Ali Kaukas

Racing gloves. #want Image © Ali Kaukas

93/94 Image © Ali Kaukas

Test run via TByrnes instagram.



Co-organizer Seth Neary at the kitchen table "gate". Josh Wylie running a mint Burton Cruiser.
Images © Michael Chantry
Tricia Byrnes dropping in. Image © Michael Chantry

Other co-organiser Steve Hayes. Big smiles. Image © Michael Chantry


Curt Gurry, eventual winner. Image © Michael Chantry

Gurry on course. #bashgates Image © Ken Myer

Neary. Early runs were "goggles up" for many as darkness fell.
Image © Ken Myers

Legendary US Open commentator Chris Copley mercilessly razzed the racers.
Image by © Ali Kaukas

Go gO GO! Great shot © Nate Simpson

First banked turns. Started to snow, hard. Image © Nate Simpson

Image © Ken Myers.




Race order at the top. Image © Nate Simpson
View from the bottom. Image © Ken Myers

that washed up look

Tomorrow night at Stratton Mnt, VT as part of the 30th Annual US Open of Snowboarding will be a good-old timed race. For good-old boys and girls... #point_it

I'm not a total philistine about technical products (stone to keep edges sharp is key) but this is my rig for warm weather riding; denim and Johnson WM. Plus goes from the "board" to the beer garden... Won't be posting here for next few days but to the linked tumblr.

second annual us open bash -in forty eight hours

This is where you meet to handicap the US Open riders... i.e. by buying them drinks. In all seriousness, organizer Andrew Maneness (full disclosure, 10e acquaintance) has again organized this fundraiser/get together for those already in town and those that rarely leave;

Gold Town will be kicking out the bluegrass jams. $8 suggested donation at the door gets you a raffle ticket and additional tickets will be on sale throughout the night for $5. All the proceeds go to the Jeff Charbonneau Memorial Fund. Raffle prizes from local businesses and restaurants in addition to those from industry sponsors, Burton, Frends and Vew-Do. Hope to see you out there, gonna be a night to remember...or try very hard to.

Artwork by Christine Mitchell.

washed up cup 2012 -graphic released

The surprising part is some of the sponsors are not faked... remember, #10%tothebar
What is the Washed Up Cup? Further reading on 10e. Official info at OpenSnowboarding.

washed up cup 2012 -preview w/ seth neary

I have mentioned the Washed Up Cup a few times on 10engines before [a GS race for former and non-pro snowboarders, held during the US Open Snowbard Champs' at Stratton, VT -ed.] but just grabbed co-founder Seth Neary for a quick interview and wanted to hear the thinking behind it, in his words.

Seth: Basically, the Washed Up Cup is a reunion of past competitors of the US Open. We're all Washed Up and we know it. We love it. This will be the 4th annual.

[In 2 weeks the view from here will be racing gates all the way down... -ed.]
10engines: Respect that this is a timed event and revel in the retro-ness of it, but beyond that also seems like a chance to celebrate some of the "personalities" from USOpen's past?

Seth:Yeah, it's really an excuse to get together to celebrate and relive old glory days. The GS was the easiest thing to organize - A lot the competitors are actually half-pipe riders from the 90's. We're hoping a lot of old pros show up. We'd love to resurrect the original pipe in the original spot and have Lyle cut it with the backhoe. We can only dream.

[Trevor Graves photo of Lyle Blazedale in action, circa 93/94.
This was a poster for the 25th USOpen -ed.]
10engines: You are the Friday night show now? How did this get added to the Open schedule?

Seth: Burton contacted me and Steve Hayes and proposed the idea of including the WUC in the 30th annual US Open. We thought it was a great idea - We all miss competing at the Open and started this little reunion event during the Open so we could some how feel a part of it again. We have our event on Suntanner on Friday - that way we could go over to Sun Bowl on Saturday and watch the main event. The last 3 years have been really fun and a great time for people to catch up and race.

10engines: There is kind of a twist this year, a jump on the course... As soon as I heard "jumps included" all I could think of was this shot below of Jeff Brushie breaking out in the middle of a run (1992).

Seth: A lot of the competitors were half-pipe riders back in the day; Jason Evans, Seth Miller, Eric Rehbein, Jason Goldsmith, Jay Rehbein, Lukas Huffman, Jesse Huffman, myself... We were talking about changing it up a little bit this time and not be so structured. Basically we want to throw Methods for the crowd (if we still can). The jump will be after the timed finish line and is optional. That part will be judged and time will be deducted from your overall time based on how rad you get.

10engines: Over the past few years some guys on older equipment did quite well I believe... what is your take on that? They just know how to ride or "short boards suck, long boards truck" as Coughlin would say? Haha.

Seth: In the past 3 years some older boards have been dusted off and waxed up. Kevin McMan road an original Burton Cruiser and did really well. I think he got 3rd.

Basically, If you competed in the Open before 2006 and consider yourself retired or Washed UP you're welcome to compete. If you're Ross Powers and just won a Method contest at the Xgames last year or you're Terje and competed in the 1992 US Open but just won the 2012 Baker Bank Slalom... you can forerun, lol.

The 4th Washed Up Cup will be on Friday, March 9th, 6-9pm at Straton Mountain, VT. More official info via OpenSnowboarding.

us open presents the 2012 washed up cup

The Burton US Open Snowboarding Championships are a respected contest yes, but are often unabashadly about good times, Vermont pride and connecting with friends. I know I'll see people here then not again till next March, whether that is in the registration office, on the side of the halfpipe or in the beer garden.

For the last 3 years a sanctioned (but let's face it slightly cheeky rogue event, wrote about it here) has been happening on the Friday before the halfpipe finals; The Washed Up Cup. Some of the older men and women (by which I mean over 21) take to a gated course and race the clock. Timed events have been absent from The Open since the last boardercross race occurred in 2001, and it is has been great to see organizers Seth Neary and Steve Hayes bring one back.

Long/short, this year The US Open have partnered with The Washed Up Cup and will present it under the loights on Friday noight. Get your clear lenses ready... As usual prize money equal for men and women. Full details below via opensnowboarding.

All US Open Legends are invited to come to Stratton, March 9-11. There will be parties, special events, guest appearances and the opportunity to connect with old friends. The US Open is legendary for good times and great competition and the 30th Anniversary will be our best year yet so we want you to come help us celebrate. Whether you want to compete or just hang out, we want to know if you are coming. Email us at USOlegends@burton.com.
For lodging information, please call 1.800.STRATTON (787.2886)

On Friday night, March 9, under the lights the US Open presents the 2012 Washed Up Cup.
A Slingshot event: A gated and timed event that ties in freestyle elements with a gated GS style course.

• 45-60 second race course
• No hard boots allowed/No alpine race equipment [woolen pants optional -ed.]
• 2 runs combined. Fastest combined runs wins
• You must have competed in the US Open or previous Washed Up Cup
• Can't have competed in a pro event in last 6 years
• Riders will be given a time deduction based on the execution score on the freestyle elements.
• Freestyle elements are optional

Location:
Suntanner (just off the main base area)

Date:
Friday, March 9th

Time:
6-8pm (under the lights)

Prize Money: (men and women)
1st place $750
2nd place $500
3rd place $250

tricia byrnes -2

Guest post from Ms. Tricia Byrnes; follows from part 1.

In my first incarnation as a USOpen super fan I’ll be rocking something along these lines;
-My classic USOpen red pants for being seen while poaching the contest pipe or incase there’s a chance of fog or a wintery mix.
-Those fancy pants will be paired with a super stealth hooded jacket complete with a zillion pockets for all my electronic gadgets, namely my Canon G-10 for blogworthy photos of 2010 USOpen soon-to-be historic moments, a blackberry curve for my blow by blow twitter coverage of all the happenings and a flip cam to completely incriminate and document the antics of yet another Open.
-All will be possible thanks to the fingerless gloves, a few hand warmers and a peppermint tea to fight off the Vermonty frost.
-Since the Open is always around good ol’ St. Paddy’s day and snowboarders love their flair, I’ll be donning some sort of Irish pin begging for a kiss or staking my claim to some sort of Leprechaun luck along with my standard issue unicorn goggle pin.
-Eugene my enchanted unicorn friend will be joining us on the sidelines ensuring the magic of the Open says true and authentic to it’s core and if not, I’ll wave my giant foam finger in your face... if only I really had one.

* * * * * * *
What are you up to work wise?? Commentating?
Work wise, I have just started a webcasting production company [We Media Project] so we can help tell the stories of our sports to people who care and engage with the community. There is something so amazing about broadcasting events live to an audience that really cares, plus since it is the web their aren’t really any rules and people are more themselves so it’s a beautiful thing to be able to be a part of the story telling of events and the people who make them happen. I am always looking into doing more tv, web [blog; FeelTheByrnes], radio stuff and being a storyteller in some way shape or form.

I also manage Kelly Clark and do some website and social media management for Gretchen Bleiler. It’s pretty amazing that I get to work with my best friends.

I did a class in LA for retired pro athletes to learn how to become sports analysts; me and like 8NFL players, an NBA player, and some track and field stars. Pretty funny, now it’s a going to be a reality show on Fox Sports Net' in June. I am mortified that I am one of those reality tv idiots but whatever, it was amazing. The people were great and I learned a ton, so it’s all good, right? Don’t judge me to harshly if you happen to see it...

Sideprojects?
I feel like everything I do is a side project and I am open to new ones so keep me posted. My latest ambition, other than building our webcasting empire, is to travel to Africa and do some volunteer work and take improv classes in LA for a month or two. As far as friends' projects; Radish Designs is back up and running and one of my dearest friends has just started up a great little company called Jar of Wonder and they make felt food toys for kids so that plastic toys will be a thing of the past and our kids can use their imaginations more than the tv remotes or something inspiring like that!

What were the Burton madras/lumberjackets like at the Olympics? Liked them have to say, though the ripped jeans -no.
These outfits definitely grew on me and more than anything else they put snowboarding front and center in the “look up and take notice category”. People the whole world over asked the same questions….. “are they wearing jeans?” I guess that in itself is pretty cool.

How was it to have Sundance and the Snowboarding World Cup both at Park City simulateously... nutty I bet.
It’s kind of awesome to have Sundance and the last Olympic qualifier at the same time and in the same town, it is another reminder that just because your head is buried in something so deep doesn’t mean anyone else in the world notices. Both these events are really big deals in their separate worlds but when they come together in the same town, they are both so focused on their own journey they hardly notice the other is there... I however wasn’t focused too hard on either so totally enjoyed the madness of Sundance and the intense suspense of real-life Olympic team-making drama.

How was that Washed Up Cup last year... do it again?
So fun, such an amazing idea and great to bring a lot of the forerunners in our sport together to reminisce and look back at a sport we really contributed to. So rad and am looking forward to it this year!!! Glad that people are taking the time to celebrate amazing times and all that cheesy stuff.

Photos Skye Chalmers / SteezinTV.

* * * * * * *
Huge props to TB for taking the time to get all the looks and answers together. If you want to read more about what the grande dame of east coast snowboading is up to, she spoke to RideVermont a few weeks back; great interview.

tricia byrnes -1

Quick backstory; first met Tricia Byrnes a decade ago when I interviewed her for a project on the Open. Almost all our interviewees for Open Season had a Vermont connection, that was sort of the point... Anyhow, she was a pro-snowboarder then and has now moved into media; more on that later. I recently contacted Trish to pull together a look for the Open -from a ladies perspective, and to get an update on her career. She responded in typical verbose and emotive style... think I'll have to break this into 2 parts haha. Cheers TB.

* * * * * * *
"Even a simple suggestion like tell us what people are wearing seems to flood my mind with a million memories of outfits and people and times gone by, not to sound all old and stuff but in a sport that thrives on progression and tears through trends at lightening speeds, my 20 year stint as a competitor is like a million little lifetimes. Sseeing as how this is my first year as a full on spectator and part time poacher [nice! -ed.] I thought I’d let everyone in on what I’m packing for an Open’s worth of fun in the new media age."

"As for the other two slides, I just wanted to give Vermont the credit it’s due for it’s 2010 Olympic Team fashion statement and alert all the hipsters who like to dress up for costume parties as to this years Open theme. There are so many more things to capture, like the shirtless poachers, kids covered in autographs and shiteating grins wearing their junior jam bibs for a week solid, greased up mechanics and maintenance boys alongside Connecticut families all coming to ooh and ahh and take stock in another year and another Open. I can’t wait..."

"Which came first the chicken or the egg. Those super snazzy US Olympic snowboard team get ups that the world was talking about have long been the go-to look for generations of Vermonters and of course the Kurt Cobains of the universe. And like all things shred, people shun it at first then wait in line to buy it. Glad Vermont could once again shape the face of this sport."

"Not only is the US Open know for legendary riding, progression, parties, crowds and all that but the fine folks at Burton have continued the tradition of a themed event. Over the years, we’ve arrived on site to see the mountain decorated like a kids birthday party from spooky -to stone age -to medieval times. This year they’ve apparently been inspired by an old Gator skate graphic or jailbird on acid and gone with a black and white vortex type thing. Not sure it is a theme so much as a color way but hey..." [i'm liking this op-art theme. -ed.]


"Incase you’re feel inspired here’s a way to look sharp and in-the-know. Striped hoodie, scarf and gloves to match with sunglasses and a slouchy hat. No coat because hipsters never get cold but a garbage bag in case it happens to mist. Personally I’d go with the Zebra costume myself, but then again I do love me a good mascot."

Cont'd in Part 2...

libble d

Raschid Joyce -via Bromley.

Curt Gurry -courtesy of Skye Chalmers.
The toques made under the handle Libble D are a wardrobe staple in our stomping ground of southern Vermont. The hats are hand-made by Cynthia Booth in seasonal bursts, made with recycled felted wool and polartech fleece. This is an example of a true cottage industry; no website, not sold online, hard to find contact details and only sold in a 2 stores that I know of (Podium and Syd&Dusty's). $35 if you can find them. I managed to track her down last week and get the scoop.

Long/short; the name Libble D came from Cynthia's partner John Gage's time as a snowboard coach... anyone remember the old Libble-Dee move?? The fleece hats were going to be called Libs (rather than lids) but Libble D stuck. Gage is the loaded-for-bear hype man for the local brand and Cynthia is the wizard behind the curtain... great teamwork.


There were four LibbleD models originally; the rooster, the shark, the king, and the homie. This was circa 1992 when jester hats were big, so admittedly the years have not been kind on those. The standard beanie shape is now settled on though and has been for years; with color clash fleece or special event embroidering being the new M.O.

Usually the USOpen coincides with St. Patricks day, and a full moon... and a subsequent tear in the universe. Not quite a full moon next week but you CAN always count on there being a critical mass of LibbleD wearers; as below.





Willie's let's start insulating look.


Enquiries or orders can go on a postcard to;
Cynthia @ Libble D
PO Box 518
Bondville, VT 05340

Tell them 10e sent you...

[update: from the vault of Craig Johnson, below]