Sneaky, sneaky Kazo Kokubo. While Shaun White, the red-headed golden child, and I-Pod were showing off their back-to-back double corks, Burton team rider Kokubo was coming up with a trick of his own. Always one to entertain when dropping into the halfpipe with his unmatched style, signature McTwist, and disregard for what the snowboarding world thinks of him, Kazu never seemed to play into the whole spin-to-win game in the contests. Although capable of the winning tricks, he preferred to go big and do what he liked.


Touche, Kazu, touche. The Japanese hero was caught practicing double rodeo 1260's in the halfpipe at Copper Mountain. We're not quite sure what that would look like either, so we needed the video documentation to prove it. Looks like it's a tough one to land. Although the new breed of tricks are getting a bad wrap for being outright ugly and lacking in style, no one can deny that they are incredibly difficult and demonstrate a whole new level of athleticism.

Kazu Kokubo joins PCMR for the 2011-2012 season.

GrindTV Newswire: Park City Mountain Resort announces the addition of Kazu Kokubo to the Park City All Star team. As part of the partnership, Kazu will call Park City Mountain Resort his home mountain and will primarily train in the world renowned Eagle Superpipe, as well as with a Monster Energy branded airbag, in order to perfect his halfpipe run for the upcoming contest season. 


"Kazu spent a lot of time training in Park City last winter and decided it is the ideal training ground to continue to push him, and the sport, to the next level," said Jeremy Cooper, terrain park manager at Park City Mountain Resort.

"Kazu has amazing style, which is why he is one of my favorite riders to watch whether he is boosting the pipe or dropping big lines in the backcountry. Straight up: Kazu is sick! He is the perfect addition to the Park City All Star team." 



Since entering the international snowboard scene in 2003, Kazu's career exploded in 2010 by taking podium at nearly every event he entered including X Games, European Open and the US Open. His solid riding style has also landed him amazing parts in several videos including six Standard films, two Burton movies and three guest appearances in Seven Samurai's films.

"I've snowboarded all over the world and felt most at home at Park City last winter. I'm excited to be able to spend more time in Park City this winter and am really looking forward to being a part of the Park City All Star team," said Kazu. 

Kazu joins the well-rounded Park City All Star team that includes snowboarders Scotty Arnold, Stevie Bell, Aaron Bittner, Torah Bright, Dan Brisse, Erin Comstock, and Sage Kotsenburg & Bode Merril. Park City All Star skiers include Alex Schlopy, Ashley Battersby, Tom Wallisch, Tanner Hall and Joss Christensen.



I Ride Park City welcomes Kazu Kokubo to the team from I RIDE PARK CITY on Vimeo.

If you know what's good for you, you are subscribed to SNOWBOARDER Magazine and therefore, you saw the September cover with Japanese shredder and halfpipe monster Kazu Kokubo sending a Japan in the backcountry. To get some insight from Kazu, SNOWBOARDER sat down with him and asked him to talk a bit about getting that shot.

To make it more entertaining and maybe because Kazu doesn't speak fantastic English, they translated for him. Watch this hilarious "behind the cover" video HERE.

With the trailers that Burton has been putting out for their upcoming film, "Standing Sideways" we're already teased to the max from these guys. Then they just start releasing snow porn that has us so bitter we're not riding at this very moment it's almost just plain rude.

Kazu Kokubo, Nicolas Muller, and Stephan Maurer took a heli trip down under last summer and they gathered some highlights from the trips for us. How thoughtful of them.

If you're in the mood for deep powder slashes that last for days, soft buttery landings, and bluebird skies than this edit will most likely do the trick.

We had a feeling that Burton had more up their sleeve. Not that the first teaser for "Standing Sideways" wasn't sweet in it's own right but what can we say? We wanted a little bit more of a preview. To put it lightly, they delivered.

Under the title "Winter Storm Warning -- It's Happened Before", Burton has just released five and a half minutes of pure snow porn. The classy kind, not the kind that makes you feel uncomfortable. Danny Davis and Jack Mitrani pull their usual antics in the beginning and we'll never complain about that.

Hammers, bails, pow days, park booters, massive hits, street rails...it's all there, and then some. Everyone has shown up in this trailer and got us running laps around our living room in anticipation for winter. I wouldn't be completely lying if I said I am wearing my outerwear right now.

Share the stoke with this trailer 'cause this team isn't holding anything back.