Northwave has relocated its North American office to downtown Seattle, Washington. There are now sixteen people working out of the office, with warehouse, administration, and marketing all under one roof. The address is: 5000 First Ave. South, Seattle, WA 98134. The new phone number is: (206) 762-2955; and FAX: (206) 762-2977.

Sole Technologies has a new phone number: (714) 460-2020.

Erik Kalacis, president of Peak Productions, recently announced that the Vancouver-based company had acquired the trademark "Boardercross." It was recently assigned to Peak by the creator and founder of Boardercross, Steven Rechtschaffner of Industrial Strength Productions.

Peak manages and produces boardercross races that are part of the Swatch Boardercross World Tour, the Kokanee Kross Grand Nationals, the North American Boardercross Championship, and launched International Snowboard Academy, the first ever boardercross summer camp on Mount Hood, Oregon.

Arbor Snowboards headed to Mammoth Mountain, California this spring to film its soon-to-be-released technical sales and promotional video Free Your Soul. Filmed by award-winning documentary filmmaker John Jopson and renowned surf videographer Scott Detrick, footage will feature Arbor’s ageless signature rider Mickey Muñoz as well as team riders Steve Klassen, Ken Perkins, Leigh Coats, and Jason Holmes.

The fifteen-minute video will be used by reps to educate retailers about Arbor product as well as an in-store sales and public relations tool. A highlight of the film is an interview with surfing legend Gerry Lopez. For more information or to view a copy of the video, contact Adam Nagler at Arbor: (310) 656-3268.

U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association released the schedule for upcoming the U.S. Snowboard Grand Prix series. The 370,000-dollar series will include the same first-place prize money for both the men and women riders, giving this year’s tour one of the largest prize packages of any snowboard series in the U.S.

Mt. Bachelor will host the first stop of the tour December 17—19. It will be run alongside a FIS Snowboard World Cup in Mt. Bachelor (December 15—16). The tour then moves to Copper Mountain, Colorado January 7—10 and the series concludes in Sunday River, Maine, February 24—28.

A new breed of after-riding footwear has been introduced by Vans. The new Snow Utility Series combines the insulation, weather-proofing, and traction of snowboard boots with the function of a street shoe. The outsole of the boots are a revised version of the Vans Hi-Standard snowboard boot giving the boots traction in snow, ice, and slush. The uppers are made with water-resistant material while the insulation is similar to that found in Vans’ snowboard boots.

Look for these new boots at upcoming trade shows.

The G-Shock Air & Style Snowboard Contest will be held December 5, 1998 in Innsbruck, Austria. The town has hosted this contest the past five years at the Bergisel, a ski-jump stadium built for the 1964 Winter Olympics.

This unique in-city event mixes snowboarding and live-music and attracts spectators from around the globe.

There will be a straight jump and two quarterpipe challenges with a 10,000-dollar prize for each challenge. Ten of the best female snowboarders and 24 top freestyle men will be nominated to participate in two separate quarterpipe challenges.

If you can’t make it to the contest make yourself comfortable on the couch and surf: http://www.air-style.com

After an eight-year hiatus, SIA has revived Deduct-A-Ski. This program, running from October 15 through December 31, allows consumers to drop off old equipment at designated retail shops and receive a tax deduction for 1998. All products that are dropped off will either be donated to a charity or recycled. Unfortunately for some, only fifteen states (Maine, New Hampshire, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Vermont, Rhode Island, Virginia, West Virginia, Washington D.C., Maryland, North Carolina, and Delaware) are offering it this year. For more information, contact SIA at: (703) 556-9020.

Moguls/Tours de Sport, a snowboard and ski tour company, announces its lineup for the Fresh Tracks program for the 1998/99 season. Five resorts have been chosen based on overall quality of the snowboard or ski experience, with an emphasis on resorts that are uncrowded and largely undiscovered. These include Grand Targhee, Wyoming; The Big Mountain, Montana; Alyeska, Alaska; Sundance, Utah; and Fernie Alpine Resort, B.C.

Custom packages are available. Call Moguls for information and reservations: 1-800-929-7300.

Marty Bonacci in Gallup, New Mexico is making custom snowboards for experienced riders and specialty shops. Custom Craft’s newly expanded production facility is making full-cap, full-length woodcore boards with stainless-steel inserts, full-wrap edges, and sintered bases. Direct inquiries to: Custom Craft Snowboards, attention: Marty Bonacci 3408 Blue Hill Ave., Gallup, NM 87301; phone/FAX: (505) 863-6626; or e-mail: [email protected]

This summer, Cold As Ice sponsored and outfitted several of the female coaches at High Cascade Snowboard Camp and the U.S. Snowboard Training Center Camp in Oregon.

Also, the company announces its new Web site: www.coldasice.com Check it out for company secrets, training tips, a walk-in closet, or a chance to chat with team riders.

On the International Trading Connection Inc. homepage at www.itcoem.com you can find OEM pricing, photos, descriptions, and closeout specials. ITC specializes in snowboard bindings, snowboard accessories, snowshoes, wakeboard bindings, wakeboard accessories, EVA foam, and closeouts.

CampCare, a children’s charity committed to helping at-risk, disadvantaged youth experience snowboarding, will travel to four resorts in the Rocky Mountain and Pacific Northwest regions this season. The six-day camps will benefit 60 teens each stop. Omar Lundie and Megan Pischke will act as head coaches, bringing in an elite group of instructors and pro riders so each camper receives individual instruction.

Sponsors already on board include the Vans Warped Tour, Groove Inc., Swiss Army Brands, Motorola, TransWorld SNOWboarding magazine, Freeze magazine, Mervin Manufacturing, K2 Snowboards, The Chill foundation, Sims, Burton, Lamar, Morrow/Westbeach, Santa Cruz, Forum, Option, World Industries, Palmer, Rusty, Heelside, Northwave, Vans, Ride, Sessions, Four Square, Special Blend, 686, Fresh Jive, Smith, and many more.

Camp dates are: January 5—11, Berthoud Pass, Colorado; February 20—26, Kirkwood, California; March 21—27, Mt. Baker, Washington; and a special achievement camp, April, TBA, Mt. Hood Meadows, Oregon.

For more information contact Heidi Landau, founder and executive director at: (802) 885-1356.

Ride Sports announces it has secured a new seventeen-million-dollar credit facility with CIT Group/Credit Finance, Inc. and retained a three-million-dollar credit facility with US Bank NA. The CIT facility has a term of three years and is collateralized with the assets of Ride and its subsidiaries. Ride and CIT have agreed to review the facility after ’99/00 preseason orders are in with a view to increasing the line if conditions support doing so. The US Bank facility is subordinated to the CIT credit line, has a term of one year and is secured with certain business assets and guarantees.

Flow performance boots and bindings announces the launch of its 1999/00 rental binding: the FL-5 Zytel. The all-new system has a full Zytel base with a flip lock that allows for tool-free 360 degrees rotation. The FL-5 Zytel will be delivered as an integrated system with either the Boogie or Spin boot. Both offer built-in liners with triple-layer Thinsulate insulation. Berthoud Pass and Copper Mountain are the first mountains in North America to offer the rental system. Orders are being taken now for December delivery. Call: (905) 841-4001 x223.