It’s snowing everywhere (apart from the UK)!

Last winter season in Europe is now but a distant memory after a cracking start to this season and record snowfalls over most of the Alps. In fact, more snow has fallen so far to date this winter than for the whole of last season! Those holidaying over the coming weeks will enjoy soft snow on-piste and powder off and those who have booked later rather than earlier should be encouraged by the base that is being built on lower slopes. If you ventured out for the Easter holidays back in April surely you will remember a lot of grass and sunshine…

Corduroy at it's best!

Pretty much all of France, Italy, Switzerland and now Austria have had heavy snowfalls intermittently from the beginning of December and this weekend yet more snow is forecast for the Northern Alps. High altitude French resorts such as Tignes, Val Thorens in the 3 Valleys and Les Arcs, have almost 200cm of snow at 2500m above sea level, and on lower slopes there is a metre of coverage. Although winds have been high, new snow has fallen quickly and the avalanche risk has been extremely high, there has certainly been some awesome powder to be had and piste conditions couldn’t have been better!

Chamonix, France

Over the Atlantic, North America and Canada got heavy snowfalls early on but had a dry spell towards the end of December. There has been recent precipitation over many resorts in the US and also now in Canada although it is generally thought that this season will be some what warmer than last with perhaps more rain falling than usual.

Snow a-plenty!

Scottish resorts have had plenty of snow although temperatures have risen since and there has been very high winds which have forced some lifts to close. It looks like most have now reopened though and once again, conditions are looking good so far.

Skiing · Snowboarding

With snow finally falling across the Alps and Christmas drawing closer, here’s a little write-up on our favourite top ten products for this winter and why we like them…(in no particular order)

1. The Element P.M.A t-shirt – because everyone needs a little positive mental attitude during the winter especially if you’re in the UK and it’s raining and dark at 4pm!

2. Full Tilt Hot Dogger boots – because if they’re good enough for Tom Wallisch, they’re good enough for us!

3. DC PLY snowboard – because donuts and coffee are two of our favourite things and this board is also excellent value for cash!

4. Shaun White Oakley Airbrake goggles – because they look and feel amazing and the lens’ are the easiest to change.

5. K2 Party Pole – because they are called the Party Pole and we are ready to party! They are adjustable in length and they look awesome.

6. RVCA Wordless C. dress – because you can still wear a pretty dress in the winter and the detail at the back is very lovely.

7. Line Sir Francis Bacon Skis – because they are designed in every way by pro skier Eric Pollard and they ski like a dream!

8. Billabong Anne Flore Marxer jacket – because she’s one of the world’s best snowboarders and we love the dreamy, pixelated print.

9. Nike Vapen boot – because this is a really good looking snowboard boot for the ladies, it is purple and there is a swoosh. That is simply all.

10. Salomon Brigade helmet – because everyone needs a helmet and this one looks particularly bright.

Skate fashion · Skiing · Snowboarding · Surf fashion

So, winter is gradually kicking off in the Northern Hemisphere albeit with limited snow in Europe yet absolutely loads to start off the season in the US and Canada. By all accounts the European Alps should be in for a relatively large dump of the white stuff this weekend…

Jake at the O'Neill Rail & DJ Battle in Ice Mountain, Belgium

This season we will be closely following our grom rider Jake Terry (who is also sponsored by Billabong, Dakine and is part of the Flows International Micron Team) and already he’s got off to an awesome start on the competition circuit. Last year saw Jake bagging victories at the British Championships in Laax and The Oakley Grom Games and we hope that this year will be a super successful one once again.

Jake has featured on the podium more than once already since the summer in both the Burton Hi5 Tour, taking 3^rd place (behind a sixteen and seventeen year old) at his home dome Hemel Hempstead and in the O’Neill Rail & DJ Battle where he got 3^rd in the U16 category.

Jake loving the rails at the O'Neill Rail Battle

This season promises to be an even busier one than last for the thirteen year old who is heading to Laax next week to compete in a half-pipe comp. Then it’s here, there and everywhere for the rest of the winter, next stop Davos for training and then to Livingo for the Protest Rookie Fest.

Good luck Jake!

Billabong · Jake Terry · Snowboarding

John Jackson is firing on all cylinders at the moment so it’s no surprise that he’s been taken under the wing of the empire that is Burton Snowboards!

Having had huge success recently with his epic part in The Art of Flight, he has won the TransWorld Riders’ Poll Award for ‘Video Part of the Year’ for the second year running (the first snowboarder ever to do so) and a second consecutive ‘Rider of the Year’ award. It seems there has been some demand for Jackson but Burton being Burton have got in there first!

“It’s rad to be a part of such an insane company and team who’ve paved the way in snowboarding since the beginning,” said John Jackson. “I can’t wait for the snow to fly to test out some new gear and let ‘er rip. It’s an honour.”

So, having left Forum Snowboards now, next year look out for John Jackson’s take on Burton AK outerwear and the Custom Series of boards in particular. If they ride anywhere near as good as him then we’re in for a treat!

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Burton · Snowboarding · Snowboards

Fancy checking out all of the Burton gear for this coming season? Here at Two Seasons we’ve got loads of Burton gear flooding into stores and online as we speak, in fact, all you need for pretty much an entire winter set-up!

So, why not come down to Tamworth Snowdome on Tuesday 27^th October from 8.00pm-11.00pm to test-ride virtually every snowboard in the range and make sure find your perfect combination of Burton goods for the forthcoming winter? There are plenty to choose from!

Snowboarding · Snowboards

Check out Two Seasons, Billabong and Flow snowboarder Jake Terry hitting this rail at the Windells camp earlier this summer in Portland, Oregon. Jake has had a busy summer, most recently get himself on the podium spot at the Gap Nation comp at The Snow Centre, Hemel Hempstead. He’s also spent time riding in the Netherlands.

Time for a bit of R & R now for Jake before the winter (which mainly involves getting spoilt by his grandparents!) then it’ll be winter again. Two Seasons will be stocking loads of Billabong snow outerwear and Flow bindings this winter, coming soon!

Billabong · Snowboarding · Snowboards

Snowboarder Scotty Lago has left long-time sponsor Billabong in favour of the trillion dollar empire that is Nike. Lago announced the news via his Twitter page earlier this week. The snowboarder, who features in the new Art of Flight film that comes to us via legend Travis Rice, has committed to Flow snowboards (Two Seasons will be stocking Flow this winter) for another three years.

It seems the swoosh was just too tempting for Lago who has left behind the likes of Antti Autti, Wolle Nyelt, Jenny Jones and Jamie Anderson on the Billabong team. Whilst there will be a Billabong Lago jacket this season (which will be available at Two Seasons soon) it will be the last for Billabong.

Billabong · Snowboarding · Winter 11-12

On Saturday 9th July, the very first Billabong All For One Comp was held at The Snow Centre in Hemel. The event served many purposes, Two Seasons sponsored rider Jake Terry’s 13th Birthday party, charity fundraising and generally fun times – a demo and competition.

2S Team Boss Jim with Jake Terry

The first half of the day was for progression and lessons, provided by Definition and Grounded. The evening session saw the Billabong All For One comp split into three specific comps – kicker, Billabong rail and most outstanding rider. I watched most of the evening session (whilst waiting for birthday cake) and the standard was high, riders came from far and wide. There were the Tamworth regulars along with Belgian and Dutch riders who were slaying all the features of the set up. The Billabong feature rail got a lot of love and UK superstar Jamie Nichols even turned up!

After the session it was up into the bar for the prize giving, raffle and finally some cake! Prizes on the night had been provided very generously by Billabong, Two Seasons, Salomon, Bonfire, K2, Icon, Skullcandy, Flow, Nitro, Giro, Demon, Project 77, The Snow Centre, DC, Air Hole, Moog Royale, Tall Tees, Adio, NXTZ, Amplify, Westbeach,Burton, Whitelines, SCUK. The night managed to raise £504.00 for the MS Trust and Snow Camp.

Tweeeek it Jake!

The highlight for me was being able to present Jake with his Birthday present from myself and his UK sponsor Two Seasons, we got him a Nixon Newton watch, no expense spared, apart from on the wrapping paper which was a Two Seasons carrier bag (I was in a rush, gimme a break! ). For your information the cake was also great!

Final comp results:

Winners on the kicker

Gold – Mark King (snowboard)

Siver – Callum Welch ski)

Bronze – Jake Binnee (snowboard)

On the Billabong Rail:

Gold – Rich Mcintosh (snowboard)

Silver – Craig Colbron (snowboard)

Bronze – Ronnie Organ (snowboard)

Most outstanding rider of the night:

Cody Hierons (snowboard) he was destroying the park and he had taught all day in the coaching sessions!

Best slam:

Ross Welch (ski) for nearly decapitating Zee (photographer)!

A short Edit form my close personal friend who I taught all he knows (like how to use the auto button) Jamie Durham, from the UK’s best film crew Grindhouse will be out soon, watch this space…

Check out Jake’s blog to keep up to date with what’s going on http://jaketerry.co.uk/

(Words by Two Seasons Team Boss and Snowboard Hardware Buyer James McKenzie-Brown.)

Billabong · Competition · Skiing · Snowboarding

After a dismal winter across most of the French Alps it seems that the snow has finally come, certainly to the Tarentaise, where these photos were taken today…Shame the lifts are closed. Get hiking!

1st June, Montchavin, La Plagne (1250m)

1st June, Montchavin, La Plagne (1250m)

1st June, Montchavin, La Plagne (1250m)

Skiing · Snowboarding

Another road trip on for Two Seasons and Billabong sponsored snowboarder Jake Terry last weekend saw him travel to Ice Mountain, Komen, Belgium, for the O’Neill Crazy Dayzz.

Jake (left) got 2nd place

O’Neill Crazy Dayzz is a great comp with around seventy to eighty competitors, Jake was in a tough category (under 16’s) and had his work cut out to impress the judges. He struggled to find the speed for the kicker (the snow was running slow, it was 26° outside) and knuckled the landing a few times, so he just stuck to straight air grabs and a few 180s, but stepped up his rail skills when it mattered.

Jake was one of the 5 to get into the 3 run finals. He had two solid clean runs but on the 3rd he knuckled the landing hurting his heel. Waiting for what seemed like ages for the prize giving, Jake didn’t think he had done enough, but after announcing 5th and 4th place and not hearing his name, he knew he had a podium! Jake bagged himself 2^nd place and an armful of goodies from the sponsors. Thanks to the Haystack crew for building a sick park.

Jake is attending Windells Snowboard Camp

The trip didn’t go without its problems as amongst other things, the Terry crew got to Folkestone for the train and at customs realized that the passports were in the kitchen drawer – whoops! Oh well, it was worth the stress in the end – Jake got another awesome result.

Jake is heading out to Mt Hood. Oregon, USA with the Flow Micron Team for the infamous Windells Snowboard Camp where he will train with his fellow Flow team mates and be given some massive help by some of the Flow Pro team. It will be an epic trip for our young star. Enjoy Jake, we can’t wait to see the pics!

Billabong · Jake Terry · Snowboarding