The Weekender: Snowboarding in a waterpark, race cars on the hill, more
Every Friday in The Weekender we take a look at the best videos from the week that was—like snowboarding in a water park and charging an F1 car up ski slopes—and we give you a preview of the most important events in the world of action and outdoor sports coming up this weekend.
Snowboarding In a Watery World
It’s hard to imagine a better use of a closed water park. With the help of Red Bull, brothers Red and Brendan Gerard along with Toby Miller turn New Jersey’s Action Park at Mountain Creek into a futuristic terrain park. Using a winch for speed, they charge funnel slides and create custom jumps into the food court. Mountain Creek is actually a ski resort with 167 acres on four peaks and is the closest resort to New York City. The water park is closed October through April. Mountain Creek is hosting Red Bull’s All Snow competition January 30, a flow contest in expression session format where judges pick the winners out of one, free-flowing heat.
Formula 1 Racing at a Ski Resort?
Doing it for the fans. That’s essentially what Max Verstappen was doing when he charged his Formula 1 race car up the slopes of Hahenkamm, south of Kitzbuhel, Austria. F1 drivers are heroes in Europe and the sport’s fans are often considered purists in the racing world. That’s why it was surprising to see how stoked the fan base was on Verstappen’s stunt in this edit. Once at the top, a helicopter helped get his car off the slopes, which was somewhat disappointing: It would have been even better if the youngest driver in F1 racing would have “charged the gnar.”
15 years in 14 Minutes
Documentaries produced by brands about the brand itself can often ring hollow with the viewer as companies sing their own praises. But 15 Years in 14 Minutes actually captures the essence of the American entrepreneurial spirit: passion, hard work and doing what you love equals success. CAPiTASnowboards' anniversary documentary looks at the company’s rise in the snowboarding industry at a time when the sport needed a good kick in the pants. Former and current team riders weigh in on the CAPiTA story in this free mini-movie.
Can't Take Your Eyes Off Pipeline
The Banzai Pipeline on Oahu’s North Shore is sometimes like a car wreck: it’s scary to look at, but nearly impossible to take your eyes off of. It invokes fear and awe in surfers around the world—and deservedly so. This winter the wave has shown its teeth, nearly killing professional surfer Evan Geiselman and then breaking the pelvis of Bede Durbidge during the Pipeline Masters, the WSL’s final competition of the year. But this drone footage from Steven Trialongo captures one of the world’s fiercest waves in all its beauty.
What’s On Tap
Monster Energy Supercross | FS1 | Saturday, 10 p.m. EST
The Monster Energy Supercross season heads back to Anaheim, Calif. for the second time this with Ryan Dungey leading in the points standings in the 450SX class. He has 18 consecutive podiums dating back to last year and looks to make it 19 in a row this weekend. Jason Anderson, who won the last event in Anaheim three weeks ago, will look to take back the top spot on the podium from Dungey, who won last week in San Diego.
US Grand Prix | NBC | Saturday, 6:20 a.m. EST
California’s Mammoth Mountain Hosts the US Grand Prix skiing and snowboarding event this weekend which includes snowboarding and freeskiing. Both male and female athletes are competing for $400,000 in prize money as the last warm-up for the X Games next weekend in Aspen, Colo. Be sure and check listings here as events are subject to change because of inclement weather.
Laax Open | open.laax.com | Saturday, 4:25 a.m. EST
Europe’s best snowboarders have gathered in Switzerland for the LAAX Open, which includes halfpipe and Slopestyle. The Slopestyle event will be broadcast live here. America’s Arielle Gold won the women’s halfpipe Friday.
World Cup Skiing | NBC Universal | Saturday, 5:30 a.m. EST
Fifty-thousand screaming European race fans? That’s the reality this weekend as the U.S. men are in Kitzbuehel, Austria for the famous downhill event. It’s already been a great start for the men as New York native Andrew Weibrecht finished second in the Super G. The combined event is today with the downhill slated for Saturday.
