Snowboarding Blog & Snowboard Reviews » Editorial

Recon-Zeal’s Transcend Shows Us The Future of Goggles

Mo — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 13:02:14 +0000

Recon-Zeal’s sexy Transcend goggle

We’ve had our eye on Canadian-based Recon Instruments for a while now, especially when they announced that they would collaborate with Zeal Optics to enter the winter sports goggle market with a revolutionary product estimated for the end of this year. We are absolutely blown away by what they have come up with. Not only does the Recon-Zeal Transcend goggle completely transform the reason we cover our eyes while we ride, it ushers in a completely new era in snowboarding technology.

Let’s get down to the facts.

Features

World’s only fully-capable GPS goggle.
Real-time speed, latitude/longitude, altitude, vertical distance traveled, total distance traveled feedback.
Chronograph/stopwatch mode for timing runs, clock, and run counter.
Temperature sensor
Accelerometer
Gyroscope
3-Dimensional lens
USB-capable
$399 for SPX version, $499 for SPPX

How does the goggle display all this info?

This is the part we love. The lens has a built-in micro-LCD display that sits right below your right eye (yes, serious black ops stuff). When you put the goggle on all the information is displayed in a user-friendly dashboard that appears to hang six-feet in front of you. Glove-friendly buttons on the outside of the lens help you navigate the full-color display and user menus. One menu will show you stuff like your current speed and altitude, another one will show you your fastest run alongside a few other stats, and somewhere along the way you can punch a button to drop a location marker you can view later on a map.

Transcend's Built-In Micro-LCD Display

The Lens

There are currently two models for this line of goggles. The Transcend SPPX is fitted with a polarized photochromic lens. That’s right, this lens will get darker or brighter adaptively depending on sunlight conditions. The brighter it is, the higher the rate of activation of the photochromic pigment and the darker the lens will get. In low-light situations the lens becomes much clearer as the pigment remains deactivated. The Transcend SPX comes fitted with your standard high-end polarized lens without all the fancy photochromic features.

Software

Recon Instruments developed a special program for this product that you comes with the goggles. Using the Recon HQ application, you can plug the goggle into your system and upload all your data. The software will pull-up actual maps of the resort you just rode, layout all your tracks on it, and give you all your stats. You can connect to the Recon Instruments website and share your info with an online community that’s becoming increasingly popular. Recon has also talked about the possibility of a software development community for more apps that can potentially be accessed directly from the goggles.

Recon HQ Application

This is one product we definitely cannot wait to get our hands on for the 2010-2011 riding season. Products like these can definitely help a rider get the most out of the relatively short-lived action on the slopes. Besides, who doesn’t want to feel like a commando while shredding some pow?

Check out the official product page here.

Thank You Whistler!

Rami — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 01:18:15 +0000

Well I’ve spent the past week or so kicking off the season at Whistler Blackcomb and I just got back this morning. What an awesome start to the season this has been so far, so I really hope everyone else has had the chance to kick of theirs. I just wanted to post this to let you know (and serve as a self reminder) that I’ll be posting a few new posts this week including a full review on Lib Tech’s latest Travis Rice C2 Power Banana board (and I think many will be happy to hear the results).

In the meantime enjoy this video while I get some much needed rest in an actual bed (for a change).

Click here to view the embedded video.

5 Winter Exercises Outside the Gym

Rami — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 16:36:43 +0000

Winter is right around the corner, and for some that means the lost desire to work out. Some of us will be confined to our couches, snuggies, and hot cocoa, while others will still seek to find their adrenaline rush in the coldest of days. Regardless of which bucket you belong to, below is a list of some exercise activities you can still do in the winter to keep yourself in shape.

Staying in shape, especially keeping your leg muscles and abdominal area in top condition is the best thing you can do before and during the winter season. Nothing is worse than having your legs fail on you halfway down a run.

Go Downhill skiing/snowboarding/sledding

Well this one was obvious. If you’re not snowboarding during the season on a regular basis, then we need to talk. If you have decided to go to a ski resort, that’s even better! 60 minutes of riding or skiing burns about 500 calories (slightly less or more if you weigh less or more than 150 lbs).

If you are a naturally fit individual, none of these activities should be too difficult for you. Snowboarding and skiing rely a lot on abdominal and leg strength, along with flexibility. If you want to tone up your abs and leg muscles before your trip do some exercises in your home gym. Check out these other exercises you can do to improve your new winter hobby in snowboarding and skiing (in addition to keeping in shape during the winter time)

Snowshoeing

Trekking through the depths of snow, works your leg muscles as well as gets your heart rate up. If you want to get a serious workout in, bring a partner along so you can motivate each other to keep a steady pace going (highly effective). A 30 minute hike is a great way to get your cardio in for the day.

Snow Shoeing doesn’t have to be an intense workout though, it can also be a great activity for a group of people; bring your friends or family along to check out the winter-y sites in your local park.

Go to your local parks and recreation center to see if there are trails around that you can rent snowshoes at.

Cross-Country Skiing

Cross Country skiing is one of the most demanding winter sports that anyone can do. Heck, it’s an Olympic sport! Whatever you put into your workout – no matter what it is – is what you are going to get out of it. If you want to train for a winter cross-country skiing race, all power to you. I am sure you can find these races all over the country. However, just like snowshoeing, cross-country skiing is also a great way to just get outside and venture out to your local parks and check out the scenery.

Run Outdoors

Now that it is the winter, going to the gym can be a hassle because all of the treadmills, or ellipticals will be taken up, so why not run outdoors. If you want to time yourself or run a certain distance, map out a path first with your car. If that’s not your cup of tea, just do a search on your smartphone’s application market for a number of cardio timing and tracking applications.

Find a nice area that you can run and be safe in. Big neighborhoods are always my personal choice. The elaborate houses decorated to the 9s with their seasonal cheer always put me in the winter spirit. Also, most of the time the roads and sidewalks will be shoveled, plowed and even salted for your running needs. You should aim to do 20-30 minutes. Also make sure you are dressed to stay warm.

If you don’t want to run through the neighborhoods, go on your town’s main roads or “over the river and thru the woods.” I’m sure the path to grandmas house is always a nice journey!

Shoveling

It is a necessary evil. Do you realize how much shoveling can help tone your body? Please use your legs! Don’t just use your upper body and back. If you shovel incorrectly (just like if you are at the gym and throwing up 500 pound weights to show the 95 pound teenage boy next to you how it’s done) there is a high percent that you will throw out your back! And then in that case, you really won’t be able to stay in shape for the rest of the winter season and will be stuck on the couch in your snuggie drinking hot cocoa and baileys just like the rest of us lazy humans out there.

Shoveling is also a great way to get on your neighbors good side, and will make you feel good about helping those around you, especially during the holiday season.

I cannot stress enough the importance of careful exercising, warming up, and stretching before a workout. And as always, if you have any questions or comments, feel free to ask in the comments section of this post.

First Snow Dump Reports of the 2010-2011 Season

Rami — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 14:46:37 +0000

Nothing ushers in the new snowboarding (and skiing) season better than a wave of snow dump reports. Since I’m sure all our readers are anxiously waiting to hit the slopes, here’s a list of the latest snow dumps.

Fernie in British Columbia gets 20cm (7.9 inches) of snow: The resort was hit by a snow storm bringing along with it up to 20cm of snow in the upper alpine of Fernie’s legendary 5 bowls. With the predicted La Niña weather cycle for the Pacific Northwest, cool temperatures and more snow than the resort’s annual 29 feet (8.9 meters) of snowfall are expected. Fernie Alpine Resort is (tentatively) scheduled to open for the season on Saturday December 4, 2010.

Whistler Blackcomb gets 30cm (11.8 inches) of snow: The Pacific storm sweeping through BC brought along with it almost 30cm of snow into the Whistler Blackcomb twin mountains. The predicted La Niña weather cycle for the region is expected to keep temperatures cool and result in more snow fall than Whistler Blackcomb’s annual average of about 34 feet (10.25 metres).

Utah is reported to have received 50cm (20 inches) of snow: National Weather Service expects an additional 1 to 5 cm of snow today (October 27) as a result of what is known as ‘Lake Effect Snow Showers’.

Buying Your First Snowboarding Jacket & Pants Guide

Rami — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 17:37:59 +0000

Even though I had no plans to purchase anything at this year’s Ski & Snowboard Show (the board I wanted was not going to be available at the show), I still went since attending the show has become the official unofficial kick off to the season (side note: I have goosebumps just thinking about what an awesome season this year is going to be!). I met up with a few friends, 3 of them being beginners. Long story short, I spent about 4 hours helping them pick out what they needed and man was it a lot of fun! More importantly, that experience made realize how hard of a time it is for a new rider buying his/her first snowboard and set of gear. Given how popular my ‘Buying Your First Snowboard: The Most Comprehensive Guide‘ article was, it made sense to write a similar article about buying your first snowboarding jacket and pants (this applies to both Men’s and Women’s gear).

Snowboarding Jacket

Finding a good jacket is essential. Not only do you want a jacket that will keep you warm and dry, you also want a jacket that will last a few seasons and can be worn in different weather conditions. Essentially, there are two types of jackets that you can consider:

Snow Jacket: This is your traditional thick jacket that requires minimal layers to be worn underneath it. They can vary in thickness, but typically speaking, these jackets are thick and can keep you very warm. The warmest kind are made with Goose Down feathers. The advantages of this kind of jacket is in its ability to keep you very warm. The downside is, you are going to sweat your ass off if there’s any sun or if it’s not cold enough. Also, the warmer ones are usually pretty expensive. It’s a good option for those extremely cold conditions, but on not so cold days, you’re stuck with an overpriced jacket that’s going to make you uncomfortably hot.
Shell: As the name would imply, this is a thin shell jacket that would be worn as the outer most layer. These wont keep you warm by themselves given their thin construction, but they are designed to keep you dry (water resistant) and block out as much wind as possible. The advantages of this kind of jacket is in its versatility. Worn as the outer most layer, all you need is a warm flees and thermal worn underneath to keep you warm, even under extremely cold conditions. I personally wear a shell jacket with a flees and a ‘stay dry’ thermal – this is what is known as a 3-Layer System. If you find that it’s an exceptionally cold day, all you need is a thick flees and you will stay warm. If it’s an exceptionally warm day, go for a normal flees and simply keep your shell jacket air vents open – you can even unzip the jacket if it’s too warm.

The Features of a Good Jacket:

Windproof: Wind greatly affects the temperature within the snowboarding jacket, so you need a shell jacket that keeps as much wind as possible. Your body generates a lot of heat while you ride and you want to make sure that heat stays trapped underneath your shell jacket. I’m sure I don’t need to say this, but for clarity’s sake, if any of that cold wind makes it into your jacket, the heat your body generated is going to be lost. The easiest way to tell if a jacket is windproof to check whether the jacket is made with fully taped seams (basically every seam, regardless of whether it will come in contact with wind, is fully taped). You will want to avoid jackets with ‘critically’ taped seams. This basically means, only seams that are expected to be most in contact with wind are taped, while other seams will not be.
Waterproof: It goes without saying, you need a jacket that is waterproof. Whether it’s rain, falling snow, or snow from the ground, the dryer your jacket, the warmer it will keep you (and the lighter it stays). The easiest way to figure out how water resistant a jacket will be is by checking its water resistance measure (how much water, measured in mm, can be suspended above the fabric before water seeps through). Mid-range jackets will have water resistance between 5,000 mm and 10,000 mm. You will want a jacket that is no less than 10,000 mm, but preferably 15,000 mm. Generally speaking, the highest measure is about 20,000 mm, but that’s overkill for snowboarders.
Breathability: A good jacket should be able to resist liquid water while allowing water vapour to pass through. This basically allows the sweat generated by your body to evaporate and escape through the jacket. The easiest way to figure out a jacket’s breathability is by checking its breathability measure. Mid-range jackets will have breathability measures between 5,000 g and 10,000 g. Anything between 5,000 g and 15,000 g is good, but obviously, the higher the better.
Air Vents: Make sure you find a jacket with easily accessible (remember that you will have gloves on and nothing is worse than trying to fetch that tiny zipper grip) air vents. These will prove very useful if it’s a bit warm but not warm enough to justify unzipping the jacket or even using a thinner fleece. With these air vents, you can just open them up as much as you need to allow a little cool air to enter. These are usually located on the sides.
Gore-Tex: You will undoubtedly come across products with Gore-Tex. Gore-Tex is basically a type of fabric that is extremely water proof, wind proof, and overall considered as a high grade type of material. Many different brands use Gore-Tex to ensure the buyer that they are buying something of excellent quality. While this may be true, Gore-Tex products are much more expensive and more the most part unnecessary, especially for beginners. Gore-Tex fabrics have the equivalent of 20,000-25,000 mm water proofing. You can read more about their technology here.

Snowboarding Pants

For the most part, pants are very similar to jackets as it relates to things to consider when buying one. You can purchase pants that have a built-in thermal layer to keep you warm, or you can buy ‘shell’ pants and wear a separate thermal layer underneath. I’ve tried both options, and personally I prefer the two-layer system for pants. One other thing I would point out is to avoid tight pants. When trying them out on the store, just keep in mind that you will want something loose so that you don’t feel restricted on the slopes.

The Features of a Good Pair of Snowboarding Pants:

Windproof: As with jackets, you need pants with fully taped seams.
Waterproof: While with jackets you could get a way with 10,000 mm waterproofing, you will want nothing less than 15,000 mm for pants. Pants come in contact with the snow a lot more than your jacket (every time you sit to do your bindings) and nothing is worse than wet pants and boxers/thermals.
Breathability: This is much of a concern for pants, so anything above 5,000 g is good enough.

Layering

As suggested above, the ideal set up to use different layers. For jackets, a 3-Layer system is best. As you may know, the ideal way of clothing for every activity is to use different layers. Generally, it is advisable to follow the Three layer system. The first layer is your base layer and consists of thermal/’stay dry’ underwear. The middle layer is generally a fleece or anything else that keeps you warm. And the outer most layer will be your shell jacket as described above. The advantage of the layer system is in its flexibility. Typically speaking, your shell jacket and base thermal layer don’t change much, but the middle layer will be more of a variable depending on the weather and temperature.

For pants, you can go with 1 layer, but make sure the built-in thermals are warm enough. However, I would recommend a Two-Layer system, to accommodate for extra warm or extra cold days. With a Two-Layer system, you can find a water and wind proof pair of pants as the outer layer. For the base layer, you will need a good pair of thermals. I have a set of two; a slightly thicker pair for those extremely cold days, and a normal pair for all the other days.

In case you’re curious, my set up consists of the following:

Jacket: AK 2L Softshell Jacket, which I am VERY happy with (link goes to my official review).
Fleece: AK Fleece, which is no longer available.
Base Layer: HH Dry; this is more of a ‘stay dry’ base layer than a thermal (link goes to Helly Hansen’s product listing page)
Pants: Ripzone Trilogy Pants (link goes to Ripzone’s pants listing page)
Pants Thermals: Old school 100% cotton long johns.

In summary, I wanted to keep this as simple as possible so I didn’t go into too many other details. As long as you watch out for the above things (and make sure you get a set of gear with the above requirements), you will have yourself an excellent jacket and pair of pants. Brand, design, and features like pockets, etc… will depend on your preference and budget. Honestly, you don’t need to spend too much for a good jacket, but it won’t hurt to buy a high quality one from the beginning. Good jackets last 4-5 seasons (even more if you really want them to), so don’t skimp out too much. As for pants, they are typically less expensive, and you should be able to find an excellent option for no more than $200. Just make sure it has at least 15,000 mm water proofing!

As always, please feel free to leave your suggestions or questions in the comments section.

World Snowboard Day 2010

Rami — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 16:41:49 +0000

It’s about time that the masses can say: the season’s around the corner and I can’t wait!. I don’t know how many of you find yourselves shuffling in your snowboard around your apartment during the off-season, but I’m certainly guilty of it. So when the season is literally around the corner, I can’t help it when I start obsessing about every little thing that I want to do this season.

One of those things is the World Snowboard Day which is taking place on December 19 2010. So far they have 26 events in 13 countries so be sure to check out the one in your area. If there isn’t one, then may I suggest you plan one yourself. Just like every year since its inception in 2006, the world’s snowboarding community will come together on Sunday, December 19 for one big day of madness. Snowboarding federations, schools, clubs, shops, resorts and even riders will have the chance to put together a day that will offer numerous free activities to seasoned riders and beginners alike. These activities will include product testing and demos, contests, pro rider signings, parties, concerts, and environmental awareness (no tribute would be complete without some kind of environmental agenda).

Last year, 139 events were organized around the world and when you compare that to the 4 that took place in 2006, it’s obvious that this day delivers. More information will be made available on the website but in the meantime you should watch the trailer of this year’s edition on www.world-snowboard-day.com.

Ellis Eecco Rocker 2011 Snowboard Review

Mo — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 19:54:09 +0000

2011 Ellis Eecco 153

So, we hooked up with the guys from Ellis Snowboards in Vail for an epic day of riding and trying out some of the innovative products they have in store for 2011. Ellis is a small shop operating out of Social that’s dedicated to putting some of the newest tech out there into their handmade, ride-or-die boards. I had a chance to try out their awesome environmentally-friendly Eecco Rocker prototype.

What: 2011 Ellis Eecco, $389.99

Where & When: Vail, Colorado, USA – February 2010

Conditions: Partly cloudy day, mild temperatures. Snow conditions varied from hard pack/packed powder to fluffy goodness and groomed runs.

Setup: 2011 Ellis Lithium Bindings, 2010 Burton Ion Boots

Technology Worth Mentioning

Twin shape: This board is symmetrical in shape for easy switch riding.
Full Rocker: The Eecco’s rocker runs from the center of the board between the bindings and extends all the way to the tips.
Tri-Comb Core: The board features an innovative honeycomb-like core made through a combination of three kinds of wood; bamboo, poplar, and a combination of bamboo and poplar called X-wood.
Bi-Axle Basalt Weave: Where most manufacturers opt for standard fiberglass to make up the remainder of their boards, Ellis introduces a weave made from basalt, which is a kind of rock found near and formed by volcanoes! 70% stronger and 20% lighter than standard fiberglass. It also acts as a natural dampener.
Dip & Grip Contact Points: Ellis adds stability to this rocker with increased contact points that dig right into the snow at the front and back (toe and heel) part of the bindings.

Expectations: I tend to have mixed feelings when it comes to rocker boards. Although these things are usually ridiculously fun, it really depends on the conditions. Snow at Vail was plentiful and I was expecting to have a little fun on this thing. Maybe a little too much fun.

First Line: Our first run was down the front side of the resort from the Wildwood peak and into Hunky Dory (blue square wide groomer) connecting to Look Ma (black diamond narrow groomer) and into Lion’s Way (wide open green run) to the Avanti Express chair.

First Impressions: Wow. I’m not sure if it was the excellent conditions that day but my first run on this thing was incredible! The feel goes past forgiving and into do-whatever-the-hell-you-want territory. Pops, switches, and buttering around felt so seamless on this stick. Awkward landings off little booters had zero edge catch.

Flex/Pop/Stability: Initially, I was kind of surprised at how stiff the Eecco felt under my feet in comparison to other rockers. I slowly realized this was a blessing in disguise since it held a pretty decent edge at high speeds. I could also feel the contact points help me lay down some order on this unrestrained beast. The stiffness also gave it a really nice pop on ollies that lead into switch transitions. The board has a very “skatey” feel to it and it’s almost impossible to resist doing crazy spins. Coming out of a spin riding switch was natural thanks to the twin shape.

Park/Jumps: Not sure if the Eecco is the type of board you would want to mess around in the park with. I didn’t get a chance to try any rails but with only a 6mm rise on the rocker I’m sure you wouldn’t have too hard a time ripping some with it. The board is extremely forgiving on landings but you might find yourself sent into a top-spin if you don’t lean into the edge you want to use right away. In the air, the board had a really nice swing weight to it and spinning it around for 180’s or 360’s felt very natural.

Carving/Switching: I was a little hesitant to go too fast on this thing particularly when it came to groomers. When I did go fast, the board had a very nice damp feel to it, even in pretty choppy areas. As is the case with all rockers, unless there’s some nice fluff on the ground, you’ll feel a little bit of instability when transitioning into turns and carves. For something so playful though, I was surprised at how confident I was to try out some things I had never done before, like high-speed back-side switches. Overall, pretty snappy response and feedback from the board. This stick definitely brings out a completely different rider in you

Powder Riding: The Eecco felt very much at home in nice deep powder. Ellis features their “Cassette” tip and tail design on this board, which helps move snow very seamlessly around the board in deep conditions and prevent buildup on the nose. I didn’t have to ride the backseat too much and the skatey feel of the rocker just makes you feel like you’re floating so much better than you usually would. I was actually having so much fun in the pow with this thing that I launched off a 2-3 storey cliff I completely underestimated just at the edge of one of the gladed runs. The board was 100% fine, my shoulder… 100% dislocated.

Pros:

Extremely fun, free-feeling board.
Excellent release from the snow, perfect for jibbing.
Beautiful float in powder.
Snappy response when initiating tricks.

Cons:

Not really meant for high-speed riding.
Spins are easy to initiate, difficult to stop/control.
Hard to track straight/power out of turns.
Too much fun sometimes!

Conclusion: I believe that every serious rider should have some sort of reverse camber board in their collection and the Eecco is a perfect candidate. Whether it’s a powder day at your local resort or a trek into the backcountry, the Eecco is the kind of board you want under your feet. Unfortunately most people’s riding is limited to groomed trails and while this board does perform well in the groomers, they’re definitely not its bread and butter. I would recommend this board for the intermediate to advanced rider looking to jump on the reverse camber bandwagon. Kudos to the Ellis team for making such an awesome environmentally-friendly board!

We Are Back!

Rami — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 19:20:23 +0000

So where have been the past 6-7 weeks? Well, aside from resort hopping in the Rockies and the Alps, we visited a few European cities, namely, Paris, Geneva, Frankfurt, and London. If that wasn’t enough, there was Mo popping his shoulder taking off a cliff in Vail (I don’t know what he was thinking pulling that stunt off while testing out an Ellis Snowboards prototype banana stick), my other buddy attempting to body slide down a super steep Alps hill, which turned out hilarious and sad (I have the video!), and our asses being air lifted after getting ‘lost’ a few kilometers out of bounds at the Les 4 Vallees mountain range.

As we settle back in Toronto, we will resume filling this site with great content as you’ve come to expect from Snowboard Go! Here are some things to expect in the new few weeks:

2 Ellis Snowboards reviews (including the Banana prototype Mo launched off a cliff with).
What to do during the off-season.
1 K2 Snowboard review
1 Mundaka Goggles review.
Vail, Colorado resort review.
Verbier, Switzerland resort review.
Sunshine Village, Banff resort review.
How to 3 days in Paris and 4 days in the Alps on the cheap.

Absenteeism

Rami — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 19:12:32 +0000

To all our regular readers and the many new readers coming to SnowboardGo on a daily basis, let me apologize to you for the snail pace at which new content is being posted during this fine month of February. Mo and I have been resort hopping the past few weeks and have had very little time to post much. We will be back at the end of March and will resume our regular brainwashing activities.

Until then, enjoy this powder happy video:

2010 Winter Olympics Recap and Highlights

Rami — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 16:13:02 +0000

With women’s Alpine training runs again delayed by heavy rain and snow, American favorite Lindsey Vonn successfully tested her bruised right shin on her own rigorous slalom training session, and her husband declared her ready to race.After a weekend of Winter Olympics goodness and action, it’s time to put up a post to recap the weekend’s highlights. This might not include everything, but I’ll try my best.

Opening Ceremonies

The opening ceremonies began with a pretty impressive shot of a snowboarder coming down a mountain while listing the previous 21 Winter Olympic games years.
The snowboarder entered a Maple leaf (the Canadian national symbol) design made with torchbearers and ended with the snowboarder coming down a ramp into the stadium.
The underlying theme was mostly related to the First Nations of Canada.
This was followed by a 4-part celebration, with the first part showcased Aurora Borealis on circle screens which came down from the stadium’s ceiling. The most spectacular part was when the display of orcas moving across the floor and water spouts shooting out of the floor.
The second part of the show was related to Quebec, featuring a fiddler in a canoe coming from the ceiling.
The third part was about the prairies of Canada. It was a simple one man acrobatic show, with the the floor featuring the prairies as the acrobat performed.
The final part of the show featured the Canadian Rockies, where skiers and snowboarders came down from the ceiling as to appear riding the awesome rockies.

Medals Overview

USA now has 8 medals, followed by Germany with 5 and France with 4.
Switzerland has 3 Golds, followed by USA with 2 and France with 2.

Snowboarding

Kelly Clark who won a gold medal in the last Olympics can do a 900 degree spin which is basically spinning in the air and rotating more than 2 full times around. If she lands that, she will most likely receive the gold medal this year.
Her counterpart on the men’s snowboarding team, Shaun White is no small contender either. He won gold in the last Olympics and is expected to medal again. U.S. snowboarding is quite dominant and it is a fun sport to watch.

Men’s

Alexandre Bilodeau won the gold medal in men’s moguls, the first time a Canadian has won an Olympic event on home soil. Canadians failed to win a single gold at the 1976 Summer Games in Montreal and the 1988 Winter Games in Calgary. Congratulations Alexandre!
Jason Lamy Chappuis who competes for France, edged Johnny Spillane of Steamboat Springs, Colo., to win the Nordic combined. Spillane’s silver was the first medal for the U.S. in 86 years of competing in the sport that combines ski jumping and a 10-kilometer cross-country ski race.
Five-time Olympic champion Ole Einar Bjoerndalen struggled with his shooting in failing to win his sixth gold medal. He still has four more opportunities at these games.
Jung-Su Lee from S. Korea, Apolo Anton Ohno from the USA, and J.R Celski from the USA win the Men’s 1500m Gold, Silver, and Bronze respectively.

Weomen’s

With women’s Alpine training runs again delayed by heavy rain and snow, American favorite Lindsey Vonn successfully tested her bruised right shin on her own rigorous slalom training session, and her husband declared her ready to race.
Martina Sablikova gave the Czech Republic its first speedskating medal by winning the women’s 3,000 meters.
Jenny Potter scored three goals in the first 22 minutes as the U.S. opened the preliminary round of the women’s hockey tournament with a 12-1 romp over China.
Hannah Kearney from the USA, Jennifer Heil from Canada, and Shannon Bahrke from the USA win the Ladies’ Moguls Gold, Silver, and Bronze respectively.

Misc

The Chinese pair, Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo won the gold for the the pairs free program figure skating competition.