Thursday, December 10, 2009 10:14am PST

Hardcard Systems Launches Site

By: chrisworden

December 10, 2009 (Pebble Beach, CA) - Hardcard Systems Inc. has launched www.HardcardSystems.com to showcase Hardcard's line of affordable automated sports timing and scoring systems. Hardcard Systems has developed proprietary, patented technology to become one of the first companies to track high speed racing vehicles using low-cost, passive RFID stickers in place of expensive and fragile battery-powered transponders. This technology has made computer timing and scoring affordable and available for all amateur sports.

The www.HardcardSystems.com site showcases the company's initial products-- a timing system for racing schools and trackdays, an amateur motorcycle racing system and their bicycle racing hardware, tags and software. HardcardSystems.com will also be the portal to where events will be able to display live timing results online via Hardcard's Resultsweb interface and where competitors, their families and friends can go to view them.

Hardcard Systems will continue to launch and sell new products for different forms of racing throughout 2010. For more information, go to www.HardcardSystems.com.

Wednesday, December 9, 2009 12:00pm PST

What Really Happened at the Billabong Air & Style

By: Adryan Roane Ritter

The Billabong Air and Style in Innsbruck... it's kinda a big deal. It's a 6 Star TTR event (as highest ranked as they come) and this years showing of big names like Travis Rice, Peetu Piiroinen, Andreas Wiig, Iouri "iPod" Podladtchikov and Torstein Horgmo made it even that much bigger of a deal.

But it was the modest Slovenian kid with the dimples who dropped those "big" names down on the results list and came out on top with the always heartwarming underdog story.

You may not have heard of Marco Grilc but any friend of his, especially any friend of the European type, will tell you that this is a much deserved win for the unassuming Slovak.

Here's the bottom line in results, but for more impact check out the bottom line in video courtesy of TTR (Ticket to Ride) If you can't get your fill here make the jump over to www.ttrworldtour.com for even more eye candy.

1. Marko Grilc SLO 281 Pkt. Switch Backside 1080 Double Corked Mute Grab

2. Peetu Piroiinen FIN 268 Pkt. Backside 1080 Double Corked Mute Grab

3. Andreas Wiig NOR 251 Pkt. Frontside 1080 Double Flip

4. Iouri Podladtchikov SUI 54 Pkt.

5. Eero Ettala FIN

6. Werner Stock AUT

7. Elias Elhardt D

8. Torstein Horgmo NOR

9. Antti Autti FIN 
10 Marc Swoboda AUT

11. Chas Guldemond USA

12. Stefan Gimpl AUT

13. Risto Mattila FIN

14. Tim Humphreys USA

15. Travis Rice USA

16. Gigi Rüf AUT


This is what Marco did to win:


Here is the overall breakdown:


And here is what Rice did:
For more footy of each rider head over to TTR's profile and scope out all the different edits from one of the biggest nights Innsbruck will see this winter.

Tuesday, December 8, 2009 2:27pm PST

The Best Thing You Don't Know About Yet

By: Adryan Roane Ritter

www.frendsvision.com


Danny, Jack, Luke, Scotty, Keir, Kevin and Mason have just put a new way to kill time up on the wide world of web.

Also, we're hearing rumors of an 8th member being added to the infamous Frends crew. We won't say anything until it's official, but we will say that if this transaction happens he would be the shortest member of the crew.

Stay tuned for more info and exclusive video about "Frends Vision". In the meantime, go surf the brand new site and tell your own friends about it.

Tuesday, December 8, 2009 6:42am PST

MARKO GRILC MOVES INTO TTR WORLD NO. 1 AFTER 6STAR BILLABONG AIR & STYLE

By: Swatch TTR World Tour

After a night full of action on the big air jump at
the 6Star Billabong Air & Style 2009/II at the Bergisel Stadium in
Innsbruck, Austria, Marko Grilc (SLO) took the top spot on the podium
and is now the new leader on Swatch TTR World Tour. Grilc was not on
the original invite list, but after two injures during practice for the
main event, he was given a spot in the legendary competition. 2008/2009
Swatch TTR World Champion, Peetu Piiroinen (FIN), took second place at
the Air & Style and Andreas Wiig (NOR) rounded out the podium in
third.

All New Swatch TTR Top 5
With the first 6Star
result of the season registered, there were many changes in the TTR Top
10. Marko Grilc, the new TTR World No. 1, really shook up the Swatch
TTR Rankings as he bumped Sebastien Toutant, who could not compete this
weekend, down to World No. 2. Other big movers in the ranking include
Torstein Horgmo (NOR) who jumped up to No. 3 and Peetu Piiroinen who
moved up to World No. 4. Antti Autti, Tim Humphreys and Chas Guldemond
all moved into the
TTR Top 10.

Big Air and Big Podium
The
head-to-head knock out format for the big air competition made the
contest quite the nail biter for the large crowd in attendance. The
long in-run, poppy jump and steep landing was a perfect combination for
Grilc to throw down a switch backside double corked 1080 in the super
finals to take the Air & Style 2009/II title. “This is the best day
of my life by far. I never even thought that this could happen. I am
just very stoked” says an overwhelmed Grilc after the prize giving. “I
went to Australia and New Zealand and then today I am Number one. I
don't even know
what to say. It came out of fun and pleasure and now
I am here and I am stoked.” He was up against Peetu Piiroinen in the
final round who was able to stomp a backside double corked 1080 for the
second place finish. Andreas Wiig laid down a clean fronside 1080
double flip in the final for the third place spot on the podium.

Next On The TTR Tour
The TTR Tour takes a
break for a couple of weeks and things will resume with another major
event, the 6Star Oakley Arctic Challenge, taking place in Norway over
the New Year’s holiday weekend. With some familiar faces from the Air
& Style slated to attend the Arctic Challenge, including Peetu
Piiroinen, Antti Autti and Torstein Horgmo, the race for the TTR World
Title is already heating up. After the Arctic Challenge wraps up, the
TTR Tour moves on to Davos, Switzerland for the 6Star O’Neill
Evolution. And, the ladies have a big contest on the horizon with the
6Star Roxy Chicken Jam Europe at the beginning of January.

Stay Up-To-Date on TTR
Check
back to www.ttrworldtour.com frequently for fresh videos from the Air
& Style, new rider check outs and all the current news from the
Swatch TTR World Tour.

Friday, December 4, 2009 3:19pm PST

2010 Olympic Snowboard Team Uniforms Unveiled

By: Adryan Roane Ritter

We don't know who's going yet... but we know what they'll be wearing.

Burton just unveiled the new 2010 U.S. Snowboard Team Uniform. Check it out. Thoughts?



Here's the official word on them from the big B.

After much anticipation, Burton unveils today the US Snowboard Team Uniforms for the upcoming 2010 Winter Olympics. This February, as the US Snowboard Team steps onto the World’s stage in Vancouver, they will look and feel unmatched with designs that speak to both individuality and heritage, key hallmarks of the Burton brand and the snowboard culture. Building on their long-standing relationship with Gore, Burton has enhanced their own unique designs with the Gore-Tex® brand.



The Olympic uniforms feature a fresh and progressive style while also managing to pay tribute to more classic Americana fashion staples. The pants seamlessly integrate the look of real, worn, vintage denim, and the jackets feature preppy plaids adorned with leather patches and chenille crests with both pieces incorporating the performance benefits of Gore-Tex fabric. All product development at Burton is rider driven and this Olympic outerwear is no exception. Burton held a roundtable discussion with top pro-snowboarders and Olympic hopefuls Elena Hight, Mason Aguirre, Danny Davis, Kevin Pearce, Jack Mitrani, Luke Mitrani, Steve Fisher, Scotty Lago, and Louie Vito to review design concepts for the outerwear before arriving at the final creation.



“Since its inception, Burton has been a rider driven company,” said Jake Burton, Founder and Chairman of Burton Snowboards. “For the creation of the US Snowboard Team uniform, we listened carefully to the riders’ needs and used their input to ensure that the final fit, fabrics and overall design would maximize their performances and take these riders to the podium. It was also absolutely critical to ensure these Olympic uniforms were worthy of bearing the Burton name.”



The partnership with the Gore-Tex brand, the official fabric of the 2010 U.S. Snowboarding Team’s Olympic outerwear, further enhances the technical designs, enabling riders to compete in a variety of cold weather conditions. Gore-Tex fabrics combat the snow, ice, water and wind, while maintaining breathability, keeping riders drier and more comfortable.



“The Olympic team is made up of the best riders in the world and they demand the best in functionality and performance,” says Brad Hill, NA Snowsports Marketing Leader.” As the leader in technical fabrics, our number one priority at Gore is to make sure our products are best in class. By blending Burton’s unique style with the unbeatable comfort and protection found in Gore-Tex fabric we’re confident the uniforms will enable riders to stay focused on the challenges of the event itself, and not on the distractions bad weather can bring.”



Providing support for riders worldwide, Burton is supplying the official uniforms for the Chinese and Finnish snowboarding teams for the 2010 Winter Olympics.
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