Hi everyone

 

Hope that wherever you are things are going great and all that happy spring stuff.  I am on extended vacation after finishing up the SBX season at Cypress last weekend and getting back into the wine world at the Playhouse wine fest in Van.  I am now spending some time in Whistler, chillin with a great guy drinking wine and thinking about doing some snowboarding.  I don't know when exactly I'm heading home, but soonish.  Maybe Monday.  It's pretty tempting to stay for ski and snowboard festival, but that would put me at a total stay here in Whistler of over 3 weeks and I certainly don't want to outstay my welcome :)

 

So, for those in the Rockies, I guess we'll see you soon and for those of you around the west coast, let me know if you wanna shred or have a cocktail or something.

 

Lots of love SAM

Hi again!

Well, we came through Nationals OK- maybe not the results (I fell in the one quali run) for some, but of course great job for lots of my friends!!!!  And no major injuries, provided no one hurt themselves leaving the HooDoo on Friday...

 

Watch for pictures as i post them through the week.  And also for Derek and Matt if you see this- I'll send you a message anyway, send a regular email adress so I can send you all the awesome pictures I have of you racing.

 

See the SBX crew in a few days and I'm off to the Lake for some pow!

 

Love SAM 

HELLO EVERYONE especially all you SBX kids

 

Our course for Nationals is under construction at Sunshine right now and from what I've seen so far today, it looks AMAZING!!!!  We are going to have such a fun time!!

 

Please be reminded and invited to all for a couple of key early evening social events:

 

Tuesday: Appy night Chez Sam featuring the talents of Chef Alfie.  The more the merrier,

              casual low key evening as we gear up for the week with some superb food

 

Wednesday: post training Ukrainian/Polish Potluck!! Sure to be a hightlight of the week.

             Anna's Polish mom and my Ukrainian mom are providing a good portion of the

             food and Nickie's bringin a ton of cabbagar rolls.  PJ is brining some outstanding

             game sausages from his fall's adventures too!  If anyone else wants to

             contribute to the potluck please bring us some veggies or salad or something

             to help with perogy digestion.  Starts at 6pm cuz we will all be very hungry and

             exhausted.  Maybe even earlier.  Come by whenever!

 

 

OK everyone

 

With the help of other people's good ideas and a little local knowledge, here's a rough draft of some fun stuff we can do for dinners while in Banff.  Any input is welcome and all are welcome!! 

 

Monday:  tenative "special" night at Japanese Restaurant Miki

           all you can eat sushi, tempura and other stuff for $25

 

Tuesday: Cockail party style appy night chez SAM featuring Chef Alfie

           Please RSVP so we can tell Alfie how many people want to enjoy his great food!

 

Wednesday: training day- evening- UKRAINIAN/POLISH POTLUCK at Sam's

            we will have lots of perogies, cabbage rolls, sausages and other delicacies

            Bring along your contribution or just show up and feast!!!

 

Thursday: Sam and or Chef Alfie will be preparing a less heavy more 'pre-race' style

            dinner- please feel invited and just let me know if you want to come over!

 

Friday: the fun party as put together by our friends at the CSF.  It will be awesome, and

          they are going to provide transportation for everyone after to a downtown club

          where we will have VIP access to Banff's best club

 

Because we had so much fun bowling in Boise we might have to throw together some 5-pin action as well.  Any Banff related questions please fire away or give me a call!

 

 

Feeling a little under the weather yesterday and today but determined to feel great again in time for the snow that snow-forecast is promising for Sunday and beyond.

 

Plans are coming together for some fun and festivities during the week of nationals.  One of the marquis events will be the Ukrainian/Polish potluck chez moi after training on Wednesday.  Please drop me line here if you want to come and bring some perogies and sausages!

 

Chateau Sam will also be hosting a cocktail/wine/appy party featuring chef Alfie and friends on either Monday or Tuesday.  Details to follow.

 

We are also looking at maybe some bowling or other fun stuff around town.  The bowling proved to be soooo much fun in Boise, it's tough to pass up while everyone's here.

 

 

 

 

Hi Everyone!!!

Fun!! I got to be motd- LUCKY!!!

 

It's so great to be home for a bit, just chillin, freeriding and having fun.  Yesterday it was sunny at the Lake in the afternoon and I enjoy some time on skis for a break and today back out with a cool crew of Banff cool kids.  So fun, even with the small hangover from the charity dinner and Bo Diddley show I enjoyed last night.

 

Tomorrow I drop a friend at the airport and thankfully don't have to get on a plane myself, and then I get to go session the pipe at COP for some more fun!!!!

Lots of love SAM

So here we are back at Big White for another round.  It was great to go to Snowshoe Sam's last night and actually remember being there.  It was even better to see all of my adopted team after suffering four long days of painful seperation anxiety .  My boys Cale and Pat even walked me home last night, which was greatly appreciated after what happened to me here the last time... lots of love to a couple of fine young gentlemen .

 

Looks like we might even have some visibility today, which would almost be a first for me here.  I'm looking forward to riding today, and catching up with Anna who I haven't seen in ages, and being ready to slay it tomorrow.

 

Oh ya.  And we coined a new name for freestylers (credit to Cale) "spinnies" or the long version "skinny pygmy spinnies".  No offense to our "spinnies brothers and sisters, but pull your pants up, you look silly.

Guess what everyone!!! There was so much snow overnight that it was so soft and snow that i decided to "what the heck" and do it today. And, having the time of my life, if I had not blown the start (was actually super fast down the start and up the wutang0 and sort of panicked, I likely would have qualifiied... Oh well. super stoked.  We are hosting a 686 Sweater party (we all got matching hoodies to wear) and i invited the Austrians (couldn't help myself).  See you all there or see you soon!
SAM

Hey all!!

 

Official news from the US Grand Prix- yes it is a Neptune course, aka super gnarly, however, not impossible.  This of course is good comment from a girl who less than three weeks ago wouldn't start an easy course.  The start here is a pull off a sticky plastic mat to board length flat deck to drop in to a perfect 90 degree pipe style drop in (when you are dropping in it actually looks like you are going in, rather than down, like under the start if you know what i mean).  You drop about 20 feet then hang on up another wall just like being in a pipe over a wutang then into 5 rollers, left berm step down gap to right berm into two massive step ups, and that is the first 1/6th of the course.

 

Parts of it (like the start) are really fun but I am evaluating whether or not it is worth risking injury and messing up Nationals at home just to post a shi*tty time,  They are going to make a few changes for tomorrow so I will see then.  None of the girls rode anything close to full speed today, including the likes of Maelle Ricker and Lindesy Jacobellis so I may just give it a shot and see what happens.

 

We are going to do some video reveiw now and I have decided to stay at least tonight if not straight through with the BC crew because I love it here with them.  It is very happy and loving and feels as much like a fun vacation as a hard core comp.  And it is very hard core.  But I am still having an amazing time and again, love to te BC crew and my great roomate Robyn (Ontario team) for making me feel loved and welcome.  You guys are the best-OH!

 

To my pals at home, looks cold, pray for snow and if anyone can ride a half day with me on Tuesday I love you long time.  And a full day on Wednesday or Thursday.  Friday it's back on the road for provincials at Big White then home through to Nationals third week March. 

 

Lots of love

SAM

Yep it is actually raining.  Not like 06 Nationals raining, but some light wetness.  Course looks fun and we have all day to train on it tomorrow.  THe loot that we got is awesome- all kinds of awesome stuff, makes the trip worthwhile already. 

Any-hoo, there will be more later- a bunch of us are heading to the gym now for a little session and then it will be time to hang out some more, get some super wet warm (about 3 C or warmer right now) wax on Chippy and be ready to rock soon.

Later

Yep.  Got up at JoJo's in Calgary at 4am.  Arrived at beautiful accomodations in Tamarack, Idaho, 12:10am.

 

It was a long journey, but a fun one.  Happy to make it here and will provide more details later.  I do have to mention that we did get to go bowling in Boise, though.  Makes the whole trip worthwhile already!!!

 

More tomorrow must sleep now.

HUgs

SAM

So it's that time again- packing and lugging around my quiver of boards and 10 kinds of wax and freshly laundered layers (always leave the washing til the last minute) and some new magazines for the plane... we're off to another comp!!!

 

The couple of weeks at home have been totally awesome for my riding (I re-convinced my mind and then my body that I actually know how to snowboard) and my personal life (except for the gash between my eyes- if you don't already know the story, had nothing to do with riding, don't ask for more details!!!).

 

As per usual I will try to keep up with this blog and put up pics as I have good ones.  The new SST website is also up and running and new content is being added regularly.  Check it out at www.sunshinesnowboardclub.com

 

SBX crew- see you in Idaho- home team, see you in a week!

 

Oh yah- and thanks to Eventsing and the rest of the crew for a fun event over the weekend at Norquay and Wild Bills!

Happy Valentine's Day Everyone!!!

I had a great day feeling the love at the Lake, mostly sunny and good snow, and I saw lots of friends and I actually was able to snowboard for a change (I've been suckin l  arge lately- kind of snowboard funk).  Nice to finally be able to turn again, and feel strong.

 

Any-hoo, just wanted to send some love out to all my pals and anyone else who needs a little.  And lots of good karma and hugs and snow and whatever else you need to keep you smilin'

 

For those of you around Banff I will working doing some promo stuff at Norquay for a fun Slopestyle event and rad 80's theme party at Wild Bill's on Saturday and kickin around for some freeriding and dryland til Wednesday if anyone wants to train with me or just hang out!!!

Bug hugs from SAMANTHA 

Greetings all!!

Though it was sooo much fun being on the road the last two plus weeks, it is sure great to be chillin' at home.   I am actually doing some snowboarding (FUN!!!!), though it would be nice if we could get just a little more snow. 

 

There have been a couple of changes to my upcoming race schedule as I am now in for the Idaho NorAm (there were some earlier concerns about not enough CAN quota spots) so I have scrapped the trip to Minnesota.  It will likely be a very minor points event and it is a long trip to go on without my coach when i could be at home having fun and training.

 

A few plans are transpiring for festivities as my home town will be hosting Nationals this year.  I am waiting for venue confirmation and additional info from the CSF but will confirm "social" dates and locations as soon as I know.  I do have space after the races for people to crash so keep me posted if you are interested in stickin around to ride and check out Banff.

 

To my SBX friends, enjoy the next couple of weeks and see you in Idaho.  For the rest, please drop me a line if you want to shred the Lake or session the pipe at COP or take a day road trip to Panorama or somewhere!!

 

Big hugs from SAM

 

PS To those of you who I saw over the weekend in Big White and don't remember, nice to see you, sorry if I behaved badly, all is a bit blurry- there are some interesting pics that some of you are in that I won't be posting here but can send along to you if you want...

Hey-O

 

Despite the fact that I ended up finishing last I actually had a good day.  My start was slow, but also OK and the rest of my run was actually great until I fell (booooo).  So, tomorrow the goal is to qualify.  It is totally doable.  I am really looking forward to getting home and training again- with all this racing and travelling, I spend more time waxing and scraping then actually snowboarding.  I do wish that we had a little more time in CO- I love it here.  It's alot like home, the people are awesome and the mountain looks really good. 

 

In another race news it was a Euro sweep in the men's, with two Italians on top (Vive Italia!!!) and a Swiss boy in third.  Maelle won the womens, followed by Mellie Francon (SUI) and an American girl.  Ziggy (Banff hero) was fourth (YEAH ZIG!).

 

Ok- gotta sleep now.  More fun tomorrow!!!! :)

SAM

   Hey all

Colorado is awesome.  I love it here.  We are having tons and tons of fun and there are lots of really really hot SBX boys here from all over the world.  THe course is easy except for the start.  I was really excited to do it and then after a couple of minor falls, went into a deep funk and wouldn't snap out of it.  I have never had anything like that happen before- very strange.  I spent a lot of time watching everyone hit the starts and after seeing lots of other carnage, knuckling the jump, airing the roller and different stuff, it just made it worse.  I just couldn't do.  I did it only once in slow motion, which was even slower than when I went through it at inspection. 

 

Anyway, it isn't really that hard, so I am just going to do it.  Plus they are fixing it up for tomorrow to make it a bit safer.  It's all mind games from here, so I just need to get over myself. 

 

THere isn't a hope of qualifying for tomorrow anyway, but there is a glimmer for the next day, as apparently many of the top people are leaving.  There are about 40 women from 9 countries and about 108 men from a dozen or so countries here.  A couple of things are coming into factor here:  all of the World Cup events that should have happened so far this year have been cancelled, and the X Games just wrapped up in CO this weekend.  Thus, several WC athletes are looking to the NorAm for race opportunities since there have been none, and a bunch of X Games athletes are still around and keen to race. 

 

This makes this event very much like a World Cup which is beyond cool.  Riders like veteran Swiss girl Mellie Francon and X Games men's champ Nate Holland are all at this party so no matter what is a super cool experience.  THere are enough people here that I will go 20th out of the girls, and will have bib 150.

 

I'll let you know how it goes.

SAM

Good morning all!

 

Things here at tremblant are starting to look up a little- the old forecase high for training day has improved from -18 to -14 which is making me feel a little happier...

 

I'm gonna put the new Palmer Crown on the snow here this morning, and the Dreamraider in the afternoon and see how we go.  The team all spent some time cuddling with the Palmer which was adorable- he's bigger than some of the kids

 

More later!
SAM

Good times had by all at Big White this weekend!!!  Finished 7th on day two after some tough heats and a silly DNF on day one when I opted to spend some quality time with the b-netting...

 

Any-whoo, supr tired because the drive home took 11 hours (for real) due to road closure (avi).  At least I had a chance to nap in the closure line up and snooze off some of my hangover- I blame the draft Pilsner that I drank with Ryan at Sam's- gross!!   Many thanks anyway for the warm hospitality of the BC crew and especially Cale for driving me home safely- I doubt I could have made it back on my own- you rock!

 

We're off next to Tremblant for the first NorAm- I'm feeling good and should have at least one new board with me for the trip which I am stoked about!!

 

Ciao for now

Greetings all!!!

 

One more day then time to hit the road west!  I'll get a chance to train at the shine on Wed and have a nice morning at the Lake on Thurs before heading to Big White.  We had an awesome night training today with some good head to head carnage- even the ski coaches were cheering (they wish they were tough enough for SBX).  I even resisted just riding pipe all night- it's hard to stay out of that pipe cuz it's so freakin' fun...

 

So, now I'm just on a mission to sort out some snowboards that are not f***ed.  I am having some base bevel issues on my 'A' deck and my everyday freeride deck came to it's career end this week  but there may be some secret weapons coming my way real soon- look out girls!  In the mean time, Daniel is spending some quality time with the world's greatest tech, Mike and should be at least a little ready for BC.

 

Rock on shred crew

SAMANTHA

Hello friends and visitors and shredders everywhere

 

We are just a few days away from the start of the SBX season in North America and I'm pretty stoked.  I wish I could shake this cold that has been standing on my chest for the last two weeks, eventually it should just go away... Bummer that most of the WC events have been cancelled in Europe- maybe it will bring some of our best riders home for NorAms.

 

Can't wait to see all the SBX crew from everywhere and get on course for a proper race season- first time I will be able to do more than a couple of events and get to know everyone a little better...

 

In the meantime the home snow at Lake Louise/Sunshine (have to give a shout out to the the shine cuz I'm on their team :)- not easy for a Lake girl) is amazing, record season, nothing but fun, fun, fun, FUNNNNNN!!!!!!

 

Shout out to my new riding buddy Jim- take care of that knee

SAM