New Moves

Random Snowboards LLC. has a new address: 919 Calle Amanecer Suite N, San Clemente, CA 92673; phone: (949) 369-9410; FAX: (949) 369-8495.

The third annual ESPN Winter X-Games will return to Crested Butte Mountain, Colorado, January 14—17, 1999. The event will bring together more than 250 top-level athletes from around the world to compete in snowboarding, ice climbing, snow-mountain-bike racing, freeskiing, skiboarding, and snowmobile sno-cross for more than 250,000 dollars in total cash prizes.

Last year, more than 30,000 spectators enjoyed four days of exciting alternative winter-sports action at CBMR. Once again, ESPN and ESPN2 will combine to televise approximately seventeen hours of programming, while ESPN International will distribute the Winter X-Games to millions of homes around the world.

Sims Snowboards has contracted Goodwill Industrial Services to help with the packaging and prep work that’s necessary before boards are shipped.

For 1998, expect to see additional snowboards in the Angelic line. These new boards will feature innovative automotive finishes. Improved formulas originally designed for the Bullet Train in Japan have been applied to Angelic’s three-dimensional core models manufactured in six different models. Prospective customers will be able to choose high-end holographic finishes. The next-step collection will include Prismatic and Fluorescent lines that incorporate an array of colors.

Vans has teamed up with Psygnosis, a leading publisher for PlayStation games console, in a major cross promotion. The co-marketing efforts include Vans being the feature footwear and clothing brand worn by the lead characters in Psygnosis’ new game, Psybadek.

Using another medium for marketing, Vans has brought back the three misfortunate cheerleaders from its successful fall 1997 commercial advertisements and put them in three new scenarios.

And toping off its multi-media marketing the Vans Triple Crown can be viewed on ESPN in the largest television distribution package ever for this type of board-sports contest series, which includes skateboarding, snowboarding, surfing, and wakeboarding.

Joe Johnson, Santa Cruz rep in the Rocky Mountain region, was awarded the Hardgoods Snowboard Vendor of the year award from Gart/Sportmart. The retailer has 130 stores in Johnson’s territory and 76 snowboard specific stores–Big Daddy’s Snowboard Emporium.

The award ceremony took place at Coors Stadium after a Rockies game. Johnson happily accepted the honor along with free bratwurst, beer, and a seat in a media box.

Oakley Inc. recently announced it has filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court, Central District of California against Bausch & Lomb, Inc. alleging that certain Bausch & Lomb sunglass product lines, including Revo, Killer Loop, and Arnette, have styles which infringe on Oakley’s XYZ optics patents as well as its Iridium lens-coating patent. The awarded patents validate Oakley as the originator and proprietor of this technology and provides Oakley with a valuable tool to ward off other eyewear manufacturers and pursue legal remedies against attempts by competitors to incorporate this technology in their products, says Oakley.

Oakley also filed a complaint against Nike alleging that certain of Nike’s sunglass products infringe on these same Optics patents. This case is currently scheduled for trial in the U.S. District Court, Central District of California on December 22, 1998.

Four prominent pioneers in skiing and snowboarding have been elected to the U.S. National Ski Hall of Fame in Ishpeming, Michigan.

The four include longtime skiing and snowboard official Anna McIntyre of Waterville Valley, New Hampshire; Ski Racing Magazine founder, Bill Tanler, who died suddenly in January, 1997; ski-academy pioneer Warren Witherell of Burke Mountain, Vermont; and John Woodward ofSeattle, Washington, a former racer and longtime ski-industry leader in the Pacific Northwest.

Whistler/Blackcomb’s unique Mountain Adventure Centers, four rental shops where guests can "test drive" a piece of snow-sports equipment and then exchange it for another (at any of the four centers, at any time of day) received Canada’s Innovative Retailer of the Year award by the Retail Council of Canada. This was the second season in a row the resort was recognized with the award.

Blackspoon snow-apparel company, known for offering apparel at the under 200-dollar pricepoint, has added features in an effort to meet the growing demands of the market. Technical improvements include use of a new dry-laminate fabric Fine-Tex, which combines lighter weight and improved breathability. The linings will be micro-plush polyester, improving wicking and breathability. Also new to the line for next season is a mountaineering-style coat.

Retail Technologies International unveiled the most recent generation of its successful retail point-of-sale (POS) and inventory-control system software, Retail Pro 7 Series. The software is a comprehensive, cost-effective system approved by the National Retail Federation for operations ranging from small single stores to large multi-store environments. For more information on the program contact Retail Pro at: (916) 483-1656; FAX: (916) 481-6903; or visit RTI’s Web site at: www.retailpro.com

Sporting goods businesses can receive a free tax deduction tool kit that shows how to earn a federal income tax deduction by donating excess, slow-selling inventory to charity. In some cases, a company’s deduction can be as much as twice the donated product’s cost. Included in the kit are step-by-step instructions on the donation process as well as a formula for estimating your company’s potential tax savings. To request your kit, call the nonprofit National Association for the Exchange of Industrial Resources: 1-800-562-0955.

Kurt Salmon Associates and the World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry predict a healthy future for manufacturers and retailers, but underscore the importance of understanding consumer tastes and demands.

According to the Sporting Goods Industry World Sporting Goods Outlook, manufacturers and retailers list snowboarding among the top-ten sports, while skiing was listed by manufacturers in the bottom ten. Retailers did not list skiing at all. Other points of interest, manufacturers who responded to the survey projected a slight (one percent to four percent) or significant (five percent or more) increase in overall consumer spending on sporting goods in the coming year. Nearly half of the retailer participants (47 percent) project a slight increase in overall spending on sporting goods in the coming year.

For more information, contact Cara SaoBento at: (212) 508-8320.

CARV Industries, Inc. recently announced plans to have its entire product line sold through its online sports shopping center, X-Sports (www.skatesurfsnow.com). X-Sports, which was acquired by CARV earlier this year, services a two-billion-dollar-a-year active-sports market.

Companies product featured on the Web site include: Reef Brazil, Gotcha, Free Style, Etnies, Emerica, Arnette, and World Industries. As well as, CARV’s own subsidiary manufacturers: Outcast, Natural Born Carvers Wear, Pure Juice, and Toobs (final acquisition pending).

Seattle, Washington-based Northstar Distribution Inc. has launched a new accessory line called Ass Industries. The premier product is high-end, after-market snowboard mounting hardware called Tight Ass. Northstar Distribution has been responsible for the design and production of the MIA Snowboard brand, established in 1993.

The new Tight Ass hardware features a "Duraloc" superior thread-locking system. ASS Industries will offer hardware for almost every binding system on the market. The suggested retail price will be $4.95 for the stainless-steel versions.

Furthering its effort in promoting snowboarding and skiing, Sirdar’s latest release is a video entitled Snow Monsters. The 32-minute film features a young snowboarder and a young skier along with a handful of furry creatures including snow snakes, blizzard babies, and powder pigs. The film explains the resort responsibility code and introduces beginners to chairlifts and operators, snowboard and ski instructors, closed-area signs, and more.

The movie is available for $7.99, suggested retail price: $14.95. For more information contact Sirdar at: (970) 247-3435, or on the Web at: www.sirdar.com

This fall, Radical Films is expected to release No Man’s Land, the first all-women adventure film. Created by Christian Begin, the 45-minute flick features snowboarders such as Shannon Dunn, Victoria Jealouse, and Morgan La Fonte.

Film sponsors include Columbia Sportswear, Burton Snowboards, Oakley Eyewear, Whistler/Blackcomb Mountains, Snowboard Canada, and Ski Canada magazines. Cost to order is $19.95 U.S. ($29.95 Canadian) plus shipping and handling. Call 1-877-RAD-FILM for more information.

Capcom Entertainment has introduced Freestyle Boardin’ ’99 for the PlayStation game console. Developed by Pony Canyon of Japan, this snowboarding game incorporates 3-D polygonal graphics and unmatched gameplay. There are eight different courses that include a downhill halfpipe, a freestyle jumping course, and moguls. Players are expected to pull off advanced tricks and keep the board under control while traveling at top speeds.

The game is scheduled for release this fall. Suggested retail price is $39.95.

The ’97/98 winter season was the most successful year ever for Snowboard Outreach Society. The organization taught approximately 500 at-risk kids to snowboard and hosted halfpipe events, a silent auction, and live music. New last season was the Learn To Ride Program, a five-day camp that outfitted kids with free lessons, tickets, clothing, and rental equipment.

If you are interested in making an in-kind donation or obtaining more information about the program, call SOS at: (970) 845-7040.

Leedom International recently announced the approval of its Temperature Control System and Energy Absorbing Ribs patents for its snowboard and ski helmets.

Leedhom helmets are designed in collaboration with David Rogers of DeDe Design in Boston, Massachusetts. For more information on Leedhom call: (781) 440-0633.

Recreational Equipment, Inc.’s (REI) online store, www.rei.com, recently announced the launch of a second online store (www.rei-outlet.com) offering off-price bargains on quality gear for outdoor activities. The Web site also features a recently added link directing consumers to newly posted products, and will be adding a progressive markdown venue where prices on select products are routinely reduced until they sell out.