Epic Trip To New Zealand

Hey Everyone,
This is Focus team rider Alex Zipperer stopping by to post a few things about my recent trip to the South Island of New Zealand. I just went on the best trip of my life, I went to New Zealand and traveled the South Island for 18 days. We started off our trip in a very remote town called Arthur's pass and rode at Craigieburn, and Mt.Cheeseman. We then went South to a small sheep town called Fairlie where we stayed at a sheep farm. This farm was over 900 acres and had over 2,000 sheep. While in Fairlie We rode Mt.Dobson where we got our best snow and RoundHill. We would then spend our next few days in Twizel and ride at Ohau, where we ended up seeing Andreas Wiig, Pat Moore, Torah Bright, And Jake Welch. After that our group made our way to our first city Wanaka, where we rode Snowpark and Cardrona. Then to round off our trip we went to Queenstown and rode The Remarkables. Overall this trip was EPIC. I would really like to thank Sean Busby my guide for giving me this opportunity, my parents for supporting me, and Dobbe for hooking me up with a sick Never Summer Evo.


Representing Focus.


Nose Press at Mt.cheeseman


Kea Parrot eating rubber off a car in Arthur's Pass.


Me at Craigieburn.


Feeding Pregnant Sheep.


Me on the summit of Mt.Dobson.


Beautiful Mt.Cook, Tallest peak in the South Island, New Zealand.

Restock of some great CIrca's

We just got a restock of some sweet Circa's, time to get pumped!! Four new mid tops a runner and the new Blitz in all black.

FOCUS BOARDSHOP at Ride the drive!!!

FOCUS BOARDSHOP at Ride the drive!!!
This Sunday June 6th we will be out at the Ride the Drive with our Friends from Revolution Cycles. Never Summer was rad enough to send us out a few Demo boards for people to test ride. So stop down to the Ride the Drive and find the Revolution Cycles tent and give one of these boards a push.


Here is a link to the ride the drive site for some more info on the event.
http://www.cityofmadison.com/transportation/ridethedrive/

Some of the new stuff this week!!

Got a shipment of Plan B skateboards in today!! As always they're looking classy.

A few new shades in from Spy Optic the other day to refresh the case. This new Spy Tron's are straight up summer!!!

If your looking for a classic style in a larger frame then look no further the Cooper XL is the one. When it come to bang for your buck the Spy Logan for only $75 is a steel!

The only thing hotter then out side right now might be these boards

This week we got some new board colors of our new graphic and they look so good it might be hard to skate these and not just put them up on the wall.
If you where brave enough to get out and skate or longboard this weekend you would know that the heat is on full blast. I for one am on full time tank top season till the heat chills down and if your fillin it. We got a bunch or rad Volcom and Matix tanks in stock.
Also this week we got a restock of Bones wheels that have been just killing it. There new formula is out lasting every wheel on the market and because of it they are selling out fast. Stop down and check them out for yourself.

Super Secret Blogging Longboard Race Series

Last night was the first of our super secret blogging longboard race series. The photo above pretty much somes it up minus all the pads, full face helmet, custom race board, the fact that we operate in the shadows of the night and the serious look but otherwise you get it the picture.
The race was super fun and as promised a real leg burner. The Gauntlet was definitely laid down by Ben. We are thinking about going back and testing urine or blood or what ever lets us sleep at night after the beating we took from Ben the only Member of the exclusive 8 minute club.
Some where into the first lap after I started to get muscle spasms in my legs I realized there was no way I could keep this pace for another lap, if I wanted to walk the next day. During the Cruiser Classic in Minneapolis a few years ago my leg gave out trying to catch the leader on a small dip in the trail and I rolled off my board, had to get up quick as the guy in third past me and got third. After that race I had a limp for days.

Ben in a bad I-Phone photo with the traveling trophy. Nice work to all the rest of the boys next time we will spread the invites out a little further so beware of any invites from the shadows. Thanks to Andrea for the very professional start and slightly unbiased time keeping and to Isobel for keeping us safe on the turns.

SPRING TIME GOODS

With this spring starting out so nice it's time to get everyone up to speed with the newest products from Vans, Sector nine, Never Summer and Volcom. If you like the idea of skateboarding but have never been on one or think tricks aren't for you then you need to get on a longboard and now. Longboards can be super stable and take way less effort to push then you might think. The soft oversized wheels roll over most cracks and make for a super smooth ride. Stop down and push one around the store and see for your self.
Vans has offered a few new surf shoes that I had to get in. From the hemp uppers to using water based glues make for a much greener shoe that won't get all nasty if they get wet at the beach.
We got a bunch of new tank tops and surf shorts in from Volcom to keep you cool all summer long.

FOCUS's new board graphics are in and as always we are repping Wisconsin hard. Boards are $32 with free grip and we can ship to any of our Wisco Transplants that still like to rep where there from.

Huge Winter sale on now!!!!!!!

40-50% OFF all snowboarding gear!!!!!!!

Just because these are your last days out on the hill for the season doesn't mean you don't need to freshen up your gear. These are the lowest prices we do all year so stop down and get what you can. While your here think about some cross training with a longboard for the summer to keep your a game till next season. New Sector nine and never summers longboards in all the time.

Longboard seasons is on!!!

With winter winding down it's time to get Hyped on longboarding season. We just got a few Never Summer boards in today and we have a bunch of Sector nine longboards coming in early next week. Here is a little eye candy for you.


Never Summer boards look so good you might find it hard to just put these boards up on the wall

up in da U.P 'eh!

Last week we got back up the the UP or upper Michigan if you will. I still think we should claim the UP for Wisconsin already. We road two day's at Mount Bohemia and one day of hiking on a local ridge. Snow was not the best on the easy to get to runs but we are never against hiking into the better stash's for quality runs.

One of many fun drops at Bohemia.

One of the best parts of the trip was the Mountain Lodge in copper harbor we stayed at. They have a free lit snowboard park with some super fun features. Cross country ski trails for those that still have legs after a day of hiking and being only a ten minute drive to Bohemia. lets you party a little harder with out having to get up as early. This is my new favorite place to stay.

Not a view we are used to here in the midwest!! Photo from the top of the ridge we hiked to get some fresh turns.

Olympic snowboard schedule

Ok (time) to get your Olympics on!!!

February 15, 2010
10:30 - Snowboard - Men's Snowboard Cross Qualification
14:00 - Snowboard - Men's Snowboard Cross 1/8 Finals
14:26 - Snowboard - Men's Snowboard Cross Quarterfinals
14:42 - Snowboard - Men's Snowboard Cross Semifinals
Medal Event 14:53 - Snowboard - Men's Snowboard Cross Finals
February 16, 2010
10:00 - Snowboard - Ladies' Snowboard Cross Qualification
12:15 - Snowboard - Ladies' Snowboard Cross Quarterfinals
12:29 - Snowboard - Ladies' Snowboard Cross Semifinals
Medal Event 12:40 - Snowboard - Ladies' Snowboard Cross Finals
February 17, 2010
13:05 - Snowboard - Men's Halfpipe Qualification
17:15 - Snowboard - Men's Halfpipe Semifinals
Medal Event 19:15 - Snowboard - Men's Halfpipe Finals
February 18, 2010
12:30 - Snowboard - Ladies' Halfpipe Qualification
16:00 - Snowboard - Ladies' Halfpipe Semifinals
Medal Event 18:00 - Snowboard - Ladies' Halfpipe Finals
February 26, 2010
10:00 - Snowboard - Ladies' PGS Qualification
12:15 - Snowboard - Ladies' PGS 1/8 Finals
12:51 - Snowboard - Ladies' PGS Quarterfinals
13:09 - Snowboard - Ladies' PGS Semifinals
Medal Event 13:31 - Snowboard - Ladies' PGS Finals
February 27, 2010
10:00 - Snowboard - Men's PGS Qualification
12:15 - Snowboard - Men's PGS 1/8 Finals
12:51 - Snowboard - Men's PGS Quarterfinals
13:09 - Snowboard - Men's PGS Semifinals
Medal Event 13:31 - Snowboard - Men's Parallel Giant Slalom Finals

© IOC 2010, Official Results powered by Atos Origin. Timing and results management by Omega

Legendary!!!
Before the X-games became the place where all top pros challenged each other for supremacy in the freestyle world of snowboarding Mt Baker Legendary Banked Slalom was the place where all top pros battled for the freeriding crown or as it is Painted Duct tape trophies. I remember hearing about all the times Shaun Palmer and Craig Kelly had dominated early on. Then how Terje Haakonsen had qualified switch one year. The LBS is a epic event held on one of the best Mountains in the US. The best thing about the LBS is there is a amateurs comp as well. Everyone races the same course so you get to see how your times stack up against some of the biggest names in snowboarding freeriding alumni.

Now for the hard part, getting in to the contest. There are three ways into the LBS, invite, locals qualifier and the lottery. Now there is only 75 spots in the lottery and around 1,500 entries so it's not the best of odds. Unless you're my friend Curt who has gotten in three of the last four years. After five years of entering into the lottery I got in this year and get to go out and try and do Focus proud. My main goal is to be racing on Sunday in the Finals. Wish me luck.

Curt Cline on course

Focus all up in that #$%#

After a bit of a hike from the top lift you can access the arm at Baker with near endless back country riding that empties out to a lower chair lift.

My friend Johan got Third last year (Johan is one of the owners of Coal head wear and Union)

Victoria Jealouse

Gretchen Bleiler

Temple Cummings

And yes that's T-Rice, In the House!