NZsnowboard.com

16th April 2008

In an exciting end to a beautiful weekend in Squaw Valley, Calif., the first stage of the first-ever Ultimate Boarder competition went off in flawless conditions as a group of 45 of the worlds best action sports athletes took to the state-of-the-art slopestyle snowboard course at Squaw Valley, Calif.

After solid runs by snowboarders, surfers and skaters alike, there were no surprises as the ten-man final was comprised entirely of snowboard focused competitors.  When all was said and done, Todd Richards from Encinitas, Calif., went a little bigger than the rest of the field and won the first stage of the triathlon of our generation.

We saw some real quality coming out of the final today, said Guest Judge Jim Rippey.  These guys were throwing down 720s and 900s. We were blessed today with the conditions and it will be interesting to see how the snowboarders fair in the waves on Wednesday.

In heats one and two of the day the Tahoe boys had a good showing on their home turf, but it was the Allan brothers, Clint and Mitch, from Australia that went one and two into the finals.  However, the wily veteran Todd Richards, who drilled back-to-back 900s in the finals, taught the two up and comers from down under the importance of saving your best for last and will wear the winners jersey down to Ventura, Calif., for the stage two surfing portion of Ultimate Boarder.  Joining the brothers Allan and Richards in the finals were local boys Andy Finch, Dave Brumm, Kurt Wastell, David Burright and east coaster Shayne Pospisil, New Zealander Kristian Phillip and Canadian Justin Lamoureux.

I am pretty hyped right now.  Its fun to compete in a contest that involves more than the discipline that you concentrate on, said Todd Richards.  I am really passionate about my surfing right now so I really want to have a good showing down in Ventura.

While the snowboarders saved face and received the highest contest results, numerous surfers and skateboarders proved they too are comfortable on a mountain.  Stand-out performances by non-snowboard focused athletes included Chad Shetler (Dana Point, Calif.), Toad Dincho (San Francisco, Calif.), Aaron Astorga (Carlsbad, Calif.), Jonathan Warren (Huntington Beach, Calif.) and surprise seventeen year old amateur skateboarder Logan Preston (Ballard, Calif.).

Next stop for Ultimate Boarder is Ventura, Calif. where all 45 competitors will take to the water for the surfing stage on Wednesday, April 16, 2008.  The event will take place starting at 8 a.m. at the famed C-Street surf break.  In addition to the $30,000 grand prize, the ultimate boarder will receive an $8,000 Rockford Fosgate sound system and custom made Soul Ryde skateboard.

Ultimate Boarder is sponsored by Amtrak California, Flexfit, LIVE 105.5, Q104.7, Red Bull, Redcord, Revenge Trucks, Rockford Fosgate, Skateboarder Magazine, Snowboarder Magazine, Soul Ryde, Squaw Valley USA, Surfing Magazine, The Octopus 95.9, Trilogy Arts Board Co., Ventura Visitors & Convention Bureau and Wahoos Fish Tacos.

For a complete list of results and event details, visit www.ultimateboarder.com. 

The Ultimate Boarder is the first-ever challenge of its kind: a one-week competition to find the first athlete who can conquer the art of surfing, skateboarding and snowboarding. The Ultimate Boarder was created in response to the growing popularity of these sports, and as a way to promote healthy athletic lifestyles among young athletes in a positive and competitive environment that grooms role models and heroes for our countrys next generation. To register for the Ultimate Boarder competition, and for event details, rules and eligibility visit .