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Who? James Donald Wade Beach, 25, from Grand Prairy / Alberta / Canada. Current residence, Calgary.

Sponsors: Grenade, Lifetime, Technine, Dragon, Frontside Boardshop.

What? Word on the streets is most pro snowboarders are big headed jerks. I hung out with James at Whistler skatepark to find out whats up.




Q: How long have you been snowboarding?
A: Since I was 11. So that`ll be…..13 years now.

Q: Where do you ride?
A: Mostly Calgary. But I also ride at COP, Golden.

Q: Which other resorts have u been to?
A: Mommoth, Breckenridge, Denver, Vail, Sierra Tahoe, Quebec, Whistler, Livigno in Italy, Vermont, Revelstoke… I like seing new places around the world. And I really want to ride in Norway, Barcelona and Japan.

Q: Whats your favourite resort?
A: Chatter Creek, BC.

Q: Which competitions have you done best in so far?
A: I won rail in The Session in Vail, 2003. Won slopestyle in Campus Classic 2004 in Kimberly, Alberta. Came third in US Open 2002 in quarterpipe. Tenth doin halfpipe in The World Championships in Vail 2001. Haven`t been competing much the last year as I have spent a lot of time filming for Grenade and Skids.

Q: Do you have any particular goals for your riding?
A: To keep progressing. Approaching everything correctly. Learning all the hardest tricks.


Q: Whats your plans for the upcoming season?
A: I don`t like to say what i`m going to do in case it doesn`t work! But iI`ll try to qualify for The Boost Mobile Pro quarterpipe and big air competition this year. And I wanna do the Triple Crown in Breckonridge. Other than that I want to spend a lot of time riding my snowmobile. Have fun. And there`s a few rails in Calgary i wanna get done. And I wanna make the scene work in Calgary. I want to make a video with all the new, young kids on the scene. I think we can make it happen. That`s something I want to do to get respect for our area and the ”new” riders.

Q: Which new riders are you thinking about?
A: well, they`re not exactly NEW. Most of them have been riding for years. I.e Ryan Hall, Scott Shaw, Dwayne Weibe, T:J Schneider….

Q: What`s been the highlights of your career so far?
A: Other than those competitions….The last 2 years I`ve broken down mental barriers and found out that I can do whatever I want. I`ve been getting things straighten out in my head, and it`s been really good for me. And i was riding for a week stright, doing difficult stuff with out falling once. And I`ve gotten less scared of cliffs and big mountains. It`s still a little scary, but I just love it now.

Q: Had any seriouse accidents from riding?
A: I hurt my knee in 2002 during a photoshoot for Burton doing a frontside 5. That’s embarassing…I was injured for 8 months. Then i was fired from Burton. Not only because of the injury but because they wanted me to be more gangsta, like a bad boy. I wasn`t down with that.


Photo: Rhianon Bader


Q: How often and for how long do u shred?
A: For the last 5 years it`s been 4-5 days a week for about 7 hours a day. We just ride till we get totally exhausted. This year it will only be during the weekends and some night because I have to work. Unless my sponsors give me more money…

Q: Any advice for others wanting to get pro?
A: Be American! Ha ha ha! NO, don`t write that!! I`m just kidding! Focus on the fun stuff, but keep challenging yourself. Ride for yourself, and then someone will notice you.

Q: Who do you consider being the best snowboarder right now?
A: Me! No, no, no! I`m pretty picky. I would say….hmm….Heiki Sorsa, Romain DeMarchi and Travis Parker.

Q: Rank in order what you like the more; powder, pipe, cliffs, kickers, rails.
A: quarter pipes, powder kickers, powder, pipe/rails. But I love it all really.

Q: What is the up`s and down`s on this scene?
A: I`m not sure..…Sometimes people fickle a lot. That’s a down. And sometimes you expect too much from yourself. But there`s a lot of up`s. As when your on top and everybody loves you. But that’s not real.

Q: Do you see a lot of haters?
A: No. Well, some, but they`re easy to ignore. There`s a lot of love in the industry.

Q: What kind of music do you like listening to when you shred?
A: The Pixies, Hayden, Modest House, The Buzzing Bees, 3 Inches Of Blood – they are SO good!

Q: What`s on your mind when you shred?
A: On a good day it`s music, nature and the riding. On a bad day it`s just the riding.

Q: Any shoutouts or words of wisdom?
A: Grenade crew, all the family in Whistler, 138 forever. Watch the Grenade video – Night Of The Living Shred is the best. Words of wisdom? Check yorself before you wreck yourself.

So, whats up? James is definetely one of the coolest people I`ve ever met. He`s got a lot going for him, and I am pretty sure we will both see and hear a lot more about this guy in the future.