Nick Goepper, a third-year Windells Academy student, placed second in the Men’s Ski Slopestyle finals at this year’s Winter X Games in Aspen, Colorado. The event took place Thursday night under the lights on the challenging slopestyle course. “Wall Street”, as the announcers nicknamed the urban-style jib features, includes a 25ft cargo container that 17-year-old Goepper and Gold medalist, 24-year-old Tom Wallisch, had no problem topping. After the urban portion, the athletes face four 60 to 70 foot jumps. Goepper and Wallisch landed almost identical, nearly perfect runs. Goepper qualified first in the elimination round with a score of 93.33 and finished second, just 1.34 points behind Wallisch’s record setting 96.00.
The first night of X Games was blanketed by a spirit of celebration in light of the recent loss of our dear Sarah Burke. Nick tweeted last night after the big event, “I’m going to sleep well tonight. Thanks, Sarah, for an epic night!” Burton’s Kelly Clark and a handful of other X Games athletes were showcasing Celebrate Sarah stickers on their helmets.
Photo credit Aaron Ontiveroz, The Denver Post
Goepper attends Fall, Spring and Summer semesters at Windells Academy. Nick’s commitment to training in the off-season has allowed him to podium at professional level events. Nick’s next big competition is the Dew Tour Championships in Ogden, Utah, February 9th.
Watch Nick’s qualifying run and go to ESPN.com to watch his second run at finals.
Last week we brought back one of our favorite contests, “Show Us Your Windells Stickers!” We heard from a lot of you, so thanks for taking the time to show us your sticker love. You guys have been busy, stickering just about everything in your path. Here are a few of our favorite entries:
Here it is. The seecond installment of our Employee Scavenger Hunt. Our staff is amazing. They come from all over the country to live life in Mt. Hood with Windells Camp. Once August starts to slip away, they all eventually have to go back to reality and back to their roots. As winter keeps on trucking, our employees are building parks, taking classes, teaching lessons, and just about everything you can think of to pass the time until summer comes back into our lives.
You guys are awesome. It’s true. Watching each one of you get stoked, day after day, is why we love to be at the “funnest place on earth.” Our media team works their fingers to the bone filming and editing all summer long, but we know that some of you are doing just the same! So in an effort to showcase how truly awesome all of you are, we are bringing you an exclusive all-camper summer edit series. Here are just a few of the edits we have received so far.
We know all of you invest in some serious camera equipment, and we definitely know that you put it to good use. Every shot looks so good with Mt. Hood in the background, it’s hard not to film the entire time you are at camp. So…what are you waiting for, send us your footage! If you filmed a summer edit while you were here at camp, we want to see it. Send us a link to your video for a chance to be featured on our website! It’s time to make that video viral. So get off Newschoolers, stop texting, put down Modern Warfare 3, and show us your summer edits!
Calling all Californians, Ski Dazzle is only 2 weeks away! If you have never heard, of or been to Ski Dazzle Los Angeles, well, you’re missing out. Every year, the L.A. Convention Center is taken over by the world of skiing, snowboarding, and skateboarding. For one jam packed weekend, you can get your season passes, get outfitted with all new discounted gear, or just get lost in the maze of awesomeness that is Ski Dazzle.
It’s Friday! Which means the weekend is only minutes away, but more importantly, we are announcing the photo contest winners today! Thanks for sending all of the awesome pow shots. We enjoyed sifting through them this week in the office. As the air gets colder and the top of Mount Hood gets whiter, we know that our infamous Oregon powder is right around the corner. If you have never experienced a winter out here, we highly recommend it. There is nothing better than knee deep turns through the trees, forgiving landings for those first ever back flip attempts, and all the terrain you could ever ask for. Don’t take our word for it, come see for yourself! Winter Camp is coming up quick, and these lucky winners are getting a head start! So here it goes, drum roll please…..
Winter Camp is coming. Mount Hood has a new blanket of snow and the lifts are starting to turn. Some people are thinking about Halloween costumes, but not us. We are thinking about that first heavy snow fall, a midday hot chocolate, and a face mask painted white from pow shots. In honor of the new 2011/2012 powder filled season and our upcoming Winter Camp, we are giving you guys a chance to earn some money towards this session! That’s right, it’s contest time.
Start searching through those desktop folders, because we want to see YOU and your best powder photo. Show us something good. A cliff drop, a heavy pow turn, you digging out your car, anything with you YOU and POWDER. First place will get a Windells prize pack along with $100 off the cost of Winter Camp. Seconds place will get a sticker pack and $75 off, and third place gets a sticker pack and $50 off. We will give you until next Friday the 21st to get us your entries. Send us those pictures!
*Send one entry per person to marsha@windells.com by Friday Oct. 21st at 3pm Pacific Time.
Windells ski coach Nicky Keefer is standing behind Saga Outerwear‘s movement of correctly fitting clothing. More specifically; pants. In today’s world, this may seem outlandish. Some believe that the taller the tee, the better the skier. But what if Nicky is right? What if the size of your outerwear is not directly correlated to your ability level? What if bigger is not always better? We asked Keefer some questions to get inside the head of a trendsetting young man.
Q: Keefer! How was your summer season at Windells?
A: Hellllloooo! It was tons of fun in the sun… It was nice to be on my skis all year instead of just the winter. And what better place to be on skis this summer than Windells great weather and great park thanks to Chase Weaver the park manager.
Q: You were a coach for a couple sessions. Any memorable camper moments?
A: Umm, definitely a few unforgettable ones. Probably one of the memorable moments is when my campers entered into the Saga Activities on hill which led to some classic puking. As gross as it is…I still think it’s hilarious.
Q: Where did you grow up riding as a little grom?
A: I grew up in Huntsville, Utah skiing resorts like Snowbasin (Snowbasin holds the last dew tour stop) and Powder Mountain. Huntsville is about an hour north of Salt Lake City and is a tiny farm town. Definitely an interesting place growing up; compared to my friends that I’ve met throughout the U.S. Utah is a little sheltered, but at the same time; the state is possibly little more safe to raise your kids.
Q: What styles did you rock back in the day? What was your outfit on hill?
A: Ohh man, I used to have the hardest time trying to figure out what style worked best for me. I definitely got called out for looking like a gaper at Park City whenever I got the chance to get over there, where the real park scene is. I would wear the classic outerwear that you would wear when you went out to play in the snow when you were real young. Just try to imagine suits beyond suits.
Q: Slims are in. Do you think they are here to stay?
A: Well in other snow sports yes.. but for skiing I think it will take a little more time to be that much more of established sport. So skiing will have “ALL” the different variety of styles that may take place in snowboarding and skateboarding. Hopefully people will stop caring so much about what’s cool and what isn’t and start wearing what they like to wear. PERIOD! Plus ski boots are kinda weird with slim pants cause they are just oddly shaped boots. The new Saga Slims are the answer.
Q: Did any campers hate on your Slim style?
A: No hate, but some of them where all about gangster this and gangster that. Huge pants here and huge tall tees there. Some were into ‘em though.
Q: The tall tee craze…tell us what you think.
A: Well depends on how tall. If it’s a dress than noooo. But if it’s just a slightly larger shirt to hang out of your hoody or jacket than suuure.
Q: Thanks for taking the time to chat with us Keefer! Where can we find you this winter?
A: I’ll will be residing in Salt Lake City skiing Park City every chance I get! Also messing around in the rest of the Wasatch Mountain range filming for the new 4bi9 film. If you get a chance pick up our latest and greatest film “Begging for Change” at 4bi9media.com. Do it!
There you have it, directly from Nicky Keefer himself. The message of the day is: wear whatever you want! Whether you are rockin’ the Slims, or sagging your pants down low, we want you to be on hill with us! Go check out Saga Outerwear‘s entire winter collection and don’t forget to check out Nicky Keefer in 4Bi9′s new film “Begging for Change.”
It’s that time of year again. Go pick your pumpkins and watch the leaves change. But first, get your tickets to every premier you possibly can! All across the country, folks are lining up to see the newest and best ski films of 2011. Here at Windells, we want to make sure you don’t miss a thing. We have put together this tour guide, full of schedules, teasers, and even some free movies. Go ahead, get started!
Sammy Carlson, along with Nimbus Independent, produced “On Top of The Hood,” this past spring. The highly anticipated film gives us a view from Mt. Hood that few have ever seen. Sammy and friends turn our home mountain into their own personal playground, creating features that seem to defy the laws of gravity. Sit back and watch this amazing, and free, full length movie thanks to Sammy Carlson and the team at Nimbus Independent.
With so many good movies to see this fall, you have to make sure to mark your calenders! One of our top picks comes from Windells ski coach Alex Martini and his production company Stept. Their new film “Weight” is sure to deliver everything a viewer could ever ask for. Last year, Stept won the coveted Best Amateur Film award at iF3, The International Freeski Film Festival, for their movie “Network.” This year, they walked away with the Best Jib Movie title. So, if you are in need of some unmatched jibbing, go ahead and catch Stept Production’s new movie “Weight” when it comes through your town. From what we hear, you might have a good time.
Another one of our top picks is Inspired Media’s “Retallack: The Movie.” This summer during Session 4, we were happy to share our park with Tanner Hall and the Inspired Crew. Every day, Tanner showed up with a giant smile on his face. He was just as excited to ski as the campers. That’s what we love to see; a seasoned veteran and decorated athlete riding each day and truly having fun. It’s no surprise that “Retallack” shows that same spirit and excitement that we saw on hill this summer. Make sure and get yourself a copy or download it online right now!
Still need more skiing in your life? Haven’t gotten enough yet? Well check out all of the tour schedules below. Don’t miss these movies when they come to a venue near you!
