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by
Kathleen Gasperini
(August 18, 1997)
Girls' Gospel Archive: Check out previous sermons of the Girls' Gospel
Hello princesses. Anyone been on board yet? I've received a few emails from
you ladies, telling me about a fun summer thing to do called, "board tramping."
Looks like our princesses in the Midwest mostly, are strapping on their boards
in the mid-summer sun and using a trampoline to catch some air. Sounds way
too cool. You gals in the Midwest always seem so creative! Others of you
are checking out surfing for the first time (like Rosey Fletcher GS racer
from Alaska but she's in SoCal for some sun). According to Isabelle Tihanyi's
report, our surf diva in La Jolla, her weekend surf sessions for women have
been packed to the gills (pun intended). Don't forget to call her if you
happen to be out So-Cal way (619-454-8273). Izzy promises to take anyone
out for a surf session, no matter how much you suck.
As for what's happening with our favorite women pros, it's a summer of the
Girls in the 'Hood. Mt. Hood has always been packed in July and August with
pro riders coaching, but with the race to make the first-ever U.S. Snowboard
Olympics team soon to cross the finish line, riders are actually "training"
a word that used to be considered dirty when talking about freestylers. The
scene goes like this: It used to be that High Cascade, among the other snowboard
camps at Mt. Hood, were where pros went to "coach" a bunch of young kids
in the halfpipe. This month, more than a dozen of the pros said later to
coaching and have become "campers" themselves. Take Athena queen of summer
snowboard camp coaching. "It's a new deal up here," she reports. Even I'm
not coaching. We all want to 'train' and ride as much as possible to prepare
for the Olympics. Coaching's been left to some pros, but mostly riders who
aren't quite pro status yet." Predications indicate that next season, pros
will mostly be campers, while the young campers will mostly be coached by
soon-to-be pros. "With the Olympics and the snowboarding industry down-sizing,
it's a race to see who can be the fittest and the best athletes," says Athena.
The result is drawing women like Tina Basich (check out the story I write
on her in this new mag called "Blue"), Shannon Dunn, Barrett Christy, and
Michele Taggart to camp and pushing each other on jumps for the cleanest
540s and hucking themselves into 720's and McTwists. The bar has been raised
girls! Tricia Byrnes, another Olympic hopeful, is still coaching, but riding
hard also. Only thing getting in her way is her new passion for the drums
and the fact that she left her drumkit back at home in Vermont. Look for
the Trish Band sometime in the future. Jennie Waara even showed up at Hood
and paid to be a camper (since her sponsor Ride doesn't sponsor a camp at
Mt. Hood, she couldn't ride for free) to work on her 720's. But with big
hucks comes injuries, which are running rampant. Victoria Jealouse, who is
actually training to race gates to make the Canadian GS snowboard team, tweaked
her back and was side-lined for a few days.
Riding the backs of these pros, is a new breed of women snowboarders ladies
catching sky-time that used to be reserved for the boys in the 'Hood. Look
for Nicola Thost from Germany, who's camping at 'Hood on the Nitro ticket
and supposedly spinning like a top and higher than a kite (we're talking
physically, here). Also, Natasha Zurek from Canada, who came down to camp
this month in time to get "discovered" and signed on with Burton. (She must
be hucking some sick McTwists).
As for news, well, we'll have the latest boots, bindings, boards, and apparel
for the '98 season here in CirclePlus soon so make sure you check it out
before buying anything new this winter. Farmer's Almanac snow report here
in Utah predicts and ungodly amount of snow in about 90 days. Personally,
I'm in love with my mountain bike right now, but boarding's always in the
back of my brain. What are you gals up to this summer? Email me about your
sporty (or not so sporty) summer so far. Upcoming is news from the Action
Sports Retailer show (where I can gather loads of more gossip), news from
the all-girl skate jam in San Diego, and a review from the premiere of J2
Productions new chick flick, "Trade-Out." Until September, I'm signing off.
From Gospel Headquarters,
[email protected]
Girls' Gospel Archive: Check out previous sermons of the Girls' Gospel
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