MLY Signs Halopoff,
Salasnek, and Cole
2/12/99

The Portland, Oregon-based developer of high-end snowboards, MLY Snowboarding, announced the addition of three top-caliber snowboarders–Jimmy Halopoff, Noah Salasnek, and Nate Cole–to its pro team to promote MLY’s new line of technologically-advanced Variable and EX snowboards.

Pro Brad Scheuffele, who has been riding for MLY’s M3 team throughout the season, will move over from the M3 team to join Halopoff, Salasnek, and Cole riding the Variable and EX series of boards.

According to MLY Snowboarding’s Director of Sales and Marketing Mark Miller, "MLY has experienced amazing results since starting the rider-based program. Other riders in the industry have taken notice of what we are doing. This season, our goal has been to sign only those special riders who understand what being a team rider in this market environment really means. And, when the opportunity presented itself to work with such a talented group, we had to jump on the opportunity."

Jimmy Halopoff is a 1997 and 1999 Winter X-Games Medalist. Halopoff has been featured on ABC Sports, ESPN, and MTV. He will also have two roles in major videos this year. In addition to MLY, Halopoff is sponsored by Vans Festina, Anarchy, and Heavenly Ski Resort.

Twenty-five-year-old Tahoe native Nate Cole will also ride for the Variables and EX teams. His sponsors include MLY, Planet Earth, and DC Boots. Cole has been featured in a variety of industry films including Upping the Ante, the Totally Board series, and TransWorld Snowboarding Video magazine. He has also been featured in Snowboarder and Transworld Snowboarding magazines./p>

The snowboarding skills of pro Noah Salasnek have been featured in Standard films, Mack Dawg movies, and the TransWorld Snowboarding Video magazine. He has also been featured in print publications like Heckler and Snowboarder. Salasnek’s home resort is Sugar Bowl Ski Area. In addition to MLY, he is sponsored by Billabong, Reef, Smith, and Sugar Bowl.

The talented Brad Scheuffele, and ex-Burton pro, joined MLY in 1998. His decision to join the company earlier last year was based both on the quality of the boards as well as the quality of the company.

"MLY Snowboards are the best boards I’ve ridden," he says. "It feels great to ride for MLY." In addition to his riding experience, Scheuffele also has a great deal of R&D experience.

MLY’s team-based marketing approach has been paying off for the company from both consumer and product development perspectives.

"We have a very unique prototyping process that allows us to work very closely with riders to produce new designs within hours of conceiving them," commented Miller. "The key for us has been to acquire a group of riders experienced and savvy enough to help us move to the next level in developing products. We wanted these riders to also have enough consumer name recognition to entice snowboarders to want to try their ideas." Miller feels strongly that his group of riders can do both.

"At this stage, I’m sure that our team will produce the best ideas and products in the industry. They all have so much coverage in major magazines and videos that the pull through at the retail level should be amazing," said Miller.

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