Foreigners make everything better. Alright...maybe that's not a true statement. But for the most part - when you have some kids around with accents who like to snowboard and get loco, it ends up being a pretty good situation.

In Hana Beaman's latest webisode of "P.S." on SNOWBOARDER, she is cruising around Telluride with a few friends from across the pond including Ms. Jenny Jones, Angus Leith, and Nate Kern. The crew scores loads of backcountry goodness in southern Colorado and charges the open road towards Silverton where they encounter a few obstacles. What's a decent road trip without a few setbacks right?

Watch "P.S. Who Brought the Tea and Crumpets?"...

And stay tuned for the next episode March 30th.

Jenny Jones has been around the block a time or too. She's been in the game since 2000 and has held a steady presence in the industry since 2005 but has yet to really break into the mainstream. Our favorite English rider is coming off back to back golds from X Games USA and a gold from the inaugural Euro X event last March. Despite these heavy accolades, Jones rarely sees the media attention she deserves.

Could this be Jenny Jones' full-on break out year?

Relentless Energy gives us an inside look at Jones' shredding career, where she's come from, and where she could go. Check out this artistic portrayal of the pro life that's led by English shred, Jenny Jones.

All we need to say is...Marie-France Roy, Anne-Flore Marxer, Jenny Jones.

In the early days of last winter, the Oakley girls took a trip to Retallack in British Columbia. Sunshine, powder, and babes that rip? That sounds ideal. Check this little teaser out for the banger riding that's to come.

Introducing: Retallack on your computer screen.

Here's a little teaser courtesy of Billabong and Oakley, filmed and edited by John Roderick from NeuProductions.

Look for the webisodes - set to launch soon right here on Oakley.com. Also, don't forget to the read a complete story, entitled "Resolutions: Retallack, BC," in the November issue Women's Feature of Snowboard Magazine, dropping early October.

I-Pod P: Courtesy of ESPN.com

After a video was uploaded all over the inter-web a week ago of Iouri Podladtchikov landing "Shaun White's trick", the Double McTwist 1260 on the second try, an idea was sparked and people began to question: "Would it be possible to beat Shaun White?" After all, the Olympics just came to a close and after White's perfection of a halfpipe run with the debut of a brand new trick, it seemed pretty much impossible. However, I-Pod answered this question with an apparent, "heck no it's not impossible" attitude and set out to show us why.

In the middle of his second run at the Euro X Games, he laid out the Double McTwist 1260 flawlessly after a Cab double cork 10 and an inverted front 5. He didn't stop there, Iouri completed the run with a front 10 and Cab 7. This inconceivable display of riding earned him a 98.00 - the highest score ever in X Games history. On ESPN.com, I-Pod even admitted to having another double he's never shown in competition. It appears that White is not the only rider ready with not only some surprises, but surprises they can actually pull off. Shaun White might be regretting not showing up to Tignes right about now. When these two guys finally get to hit the same halfpipe at the Burton US Open, we can be sure that it will be riding for the books.

Earning the silver medal was France's Mathieu Crepel with a 95.00 run topped with a front double cork 10, front 12, and an alley oop rodeo. Rounding out the men's snowboard halfpipe podium was America's dancing sensation, Louie Vito with a 92.33. Vito threw three double cork 10s back-to-back-to-back, which some believe deserved the silver.
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Men's Snowboard Superpipe Final Results

1. Iouri Podladtchikov 98.00
2. Mathieu Crepel 95.00
3. Louie Vito 92.33
4. Markus Malin 90.33
5. Aluan Ricciardi 88.66
6. Christian Haller 85.00
7. Luke Mitrani 82.33
8. JJ Thomas 79.66


Jenny Jones P: Courtesy of ESPN.com

The riders at the European X Games are simply showing us what's up. With improved conditions on the demanding slopestyle course, the ladies had their opportunity laid out in front of them and they decided to spin to win.

Jenny Jones came in hot and clinched gold, adding to her X Games medal collection, while Kjersti Oestgaard Buaas nabbed the silver, her first X games medal since her first appearance in the games in 2002. The bronze medal went home with X games newbie, Swiss rider Sina Candrian.

Each one of the ladies on the podium stomped a 7 in their run, no doubt epitomizing the progression of women's snowboarding in that a chick throwing a 7, grabbing, and landing it was unheard of a few seasons ago. The long and unique set up at the European X Games provided a different competitive experience for the ladies - allowing them to focus more on their riding rather than their speed.

Jones' winning run was made up of a 5-0, front 3, back 3, front 5, Cab 5, 50/50, and a front 7. Her known top competitor, Jamie Anderson was taken out of the contest with a practice injury earlier in the week while Sarka Pancochova was also missing from the finals due to a foot injury. Jenny Jones is a the top of her game right now and it doesn't look like she's going anywhere anytime soon.

Women's Slopestyle Final Results

1. Jenny Jones 92.33
2. Kjersti Oestgaard Buass 86.66
3. Sina Candrian 83.00
4. Spencer O'Brien 80.66
5. Silje Norendal 63.00
6. Charlotte van Gils 48.33


The riding this winter is staggering - almost stupidly good. No one knows what to expect, including the riders. The US Open begins next week - tune in only if you want to witness the snowboard world change as you know it, again.

The whirlwind of the 2009-2010 Winter Dew Tour has come to a close after the final event this past weekend at Mount Snow. With a different overall atmosphere and vibe resulting from the timing of the Winter Olympics and the shocking monumental injuries, this competition was an emotional roller coaster surrounded by drama and what seemed to be lack of interest. Many big names were missing from the last stop of the Dew Tour because of a little thing called being on the US Olympic team, so this provided a huge window of opportunity for the rookies to get in the spotlight. Regardless of speculation and which prime time events were being aired simultaneously, the riders didn't let it affect their riding or their attitudes. Who knows if they even noticed? They were there to thrown down, and throw down they did. Here are the final winners in each event:

Men's Freeski Slopestyle - Andreas Hatveit

Men's Freeski Superpipe - Jossi Wells

Men's Snowboard Superpipe - JJ Thomas

Men's Snowboard Slopestyle - Sage Kotsenburg

Women's Snowboard Superpipe - Kaitlyn Farrington

Women's Snowboard Slopestyle - Jamie Anderson

In the men's freeski events, Andreas Hatveit's performance at each stop was mind blowingly consistent and flawless. He was at the top of the podium in Breckenridge and then had a 2nd place finish at Snowbasin and came into the last stop of the Dew Tour tied with Tom Wallisch. This Norwegian Dew Tour newbie took home first place in Vermont along with the title of freeski's Dew Tour champ in slopestyle.

The race for first place in men's freeski superpipe was filled with top dogs like Simon Dumont, Jossi Wells, Xavier Bertoni, and Peter Olenick. After a final balls out, crowd pleasing run from Simon Dumont that landed him in first place at Mount Snow, it was Jossi Wells who ended up with the overall Dew Tour win. This kiwi had nothing to complain about after a stand out season so far that rightfully earned him the championship.

Now for the drama that is men's snowboard superpipe. After the crash of Kevin Pearce that hushed crowds across the nation, Danny Davis' almost perfect journey to the Olympics followed by a spinal injury that took him out for the rest of the reason, and many other top riders missing due to Team USA rules and regulations that restricts them from competing in any event before the Olympics, we begin to wonder, was this year's Dew Tour doomed from the start? In a difficult time, it's hard to focus on an event like the Winter Dew Tour when it seems like there are so many bigger and more crucial things to be worrying about. This year's Dew Tour was fighting for appreciation against the looming shadow of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics along with the fact that the last stop was being aired the same weekend of the NFL Superbowl. Well, I hate to disappoint but the athletes still left in the fight for the championship could care less about Peyton Manning or the Saints, and I believe the energy of the upcoming Olympics and their fallen friends only inspired their riding.


JJ Thomas was the epitome of inspired. Coming out of hibernation in the contest scene, JJ let everyone know he hadn't lost his edge. With his top performances in superpipe alongside stiff competition, Thomas seemed very relaxed and just stoked to be riding. Although he was not selected for the U.S.Olympic Snowboard Team, his riding this season has been impressive and fluid. JJ Thomas took home the Toyota Championship title and the Dew Tour Cup followed by Steve Fisher and the injured Danny Davis.

Keeping up with the big dogs, at 16, Sage Kotsenburg became the youngest athlete ever to be named the Winter Dew Tour Cup Champ in men's snowboard slopestyle. Torstein Horgmo, Tyler Flanagan, and Eric Willet all had their own bag of tricks at each stop but Kotsenburg was hungry for the win and stomped his way to the top.

Women's superpipe also had a lot of familiar names missing after the announcement of who will be heading to Vancouver on Team USA. Again, this allowed for some young guns to duke it out for top honors. Kaitlyn Farrington and Kelly Marren seemed to be the top two contenders for the Dew Cup. At the last stop of the tour, 15-year-old Maddy Shaffrick threw down a solid run that ultimately gave her a second place finish at Mount Snow. Rookie Kaitlyn Farrington was ready to bring it on her second run through the pipe. With a clean inverted 720 (the only chick to do so), a huge 540, and consistency and style throughout, Kaitlyn earned her spot on top of the podium and the Dew Tour Cup in her hands.

One event that did not follow the trend of surprising or unexpected was women's snowboard slopestyle. Jamie Anderson seems to be competing with herself these days and continues to come out on top after winning in Vermont and the Dew Tour Champ title. However, all these ladies were ready to lay it all out on the course. Coming into the last stop, Spencer O'Brien, Jenny Jones, and Anderson all had equal chances to take home the Cup. The girls were going huge with massive spins and throwing down presses that put most guys to shame. Ultimately, it was Jamie's last run that was deemed one of the best female slopestyle runs in Dew Tour history (scoring a record 96.25) that clinched the win. It was complete with text book tailpresses, perfect boardslides and frontboards, an insane switch backside 540, frontside 720, and was rounded out with a floater of a backside 180. The rest of the gals just couldn't hang after that.

Congrats to all the competitors and winners of the Winter Dew Tour. You can all breathe now. Sit back, relax, and get ready to see what our U.S. Olympic Snowboard Team has in store for us.