Stop. Think. Then whatever.
Torment Weather Report: Massive flooding in Indonesia and other areas of Southeast Asia has killed over 900 thus far, and the toll is still rising. Unfortunately, we are on a collision course for even more of this extreme weather in the near future, and we may be “locked in” to this trajectory as well. Sooo, don’t give up, but maybe put some extra oomph into those turns this year before they become a thing of the past.
In better news, the Bonezone at Brighton is open, and everyone brought out their best kits for the occasion. Utah is also seeing a fair bit of snow at the moment, so let’s hope the faucet stays on.
A little slow-down this week in the video/content arena due to the holiday, but a few heaters did make it out. Paid Programming’s Red Ribbon is up on the site with a little summary and a photo feature. The boys went in this year with some massive and creative features, and as usual, Quin Ellul brought it home.
And, pretty much at the exact opposite end of the boarding spectrum, is Sage Kotsenburg’s Eternal Descent. From the video game intro/aesthetics, to the drone follow cams, to the SSX-level tricks, it’s all effing epic. Even the lifeys are in slo-mo…
With a little dip in the incessant video stream we figured we’d look forward to the snowboard contest world for the upcoming season. There’s a ton of em, and we’re guessing at least a few things worth watching will happen.
First up is Ethan Morgan’s DIYX Street Jam. We don’t actually know if this is a contest, but we are hyped for the carnage that will inevitably make its way onto the gram. This one is popping off, or maybe Krakin’ off?, in Krakow Poland Dec. 5-6th.
There’s at least two women-focused events this year; Jess Kimura’s “The Uninvited” and Robin Van Gyn’s “Research and Development.” The Uninvited is a “tour” this year, making stops in Japan and New Zealand on the way to the “Invitational” in Park City. Research and Development will be held at Whitewater Ski Resort in British Columbia. Winner gets a spot in Natty Select, so ladies, get your stomping legs ready.
Natural Selection has switched things up yet again. This time, instead of the “duels” of the past few years, they are hosting “super sessions” at spots around the globe, featuring multiple riders battling it out for a slot in the main event. It’s being held again at Revelstoke, March 10-16, 2026. We don’t know if Austen Sweetin will be in, but we sure hope he is so he can lace this insane line he went for last year.
These ads ruled, and is basically how we look on premiere night.
Next up, we’ve got the rebranded X-Games going down in Aspen, Jan 23-25th. We don’t think they’ve transitioned to the “league” thing yet. And thank god, cause we watched the whole explanation video and still have no clue how it works. There’s also Shaun White’s “Snow League”, which has it’s first 2026 stop in China in just 2 days time. We'll tune into the highlights if Ayumu does another record-breaking air.
Finally (well probably not finally, there’s tons of contests these days), we’ve got the big kahuna, the ultimate showdown, the global stage. The motherfucking Italian Winter Olympics! Athletes will be sipping wines and carbo-loading on the best pasta they’ve ever had, all while prepping to do 8, 9, or 10 spins while grabbing their knees or whatever.
Judging from the text and photos on the Olympic website this will be another well-informed representation of our sport; “Snowboarding is a fun mix of surfing, skateboarding, and skiing.” They go on to say; “In the 1970s, the production of snowboards grew, and the sport began to gain popularity among surfers and skateboarders. Snowboarders began to ‘invade’ ski resorts.”
Here’s one for all you comp kids perfecting your routines, don’t forget about sex appeal!
Here’s your Instagram Clip of the Week: Protect Ya Neck, Kids.
And your Instagram Photo(s) of the Week: It’s Mine, Fuck it, America Loves Nepotism Right?
