7th Place FIS World Cup Opener!

The 2004/2005 World Cup Snowboarding Season has begun. This marks my 14th World Cup season. It was nostalgic packing my bags at home in Aspen a few weeks ago, departing for another competition season, so many great memories from almost a decade and a half of boarding. I still love it. There’s nothing like the feeling of testing yourself in a race course, racing head-to-head against the best in the world and trying to perform your best. I still love being in the starting gate! I’m stoked on our team this year. We’ve got a great group. It’s going to be a fun season.

It was a great first event in Soelden, Austria. 7th place, not a bad start to the season for me! I’m happy with my riding considering the time of year. It was a great race. Good weather and rock hard snow. The first few turns were black glacial ice, pretty slick! I worked hard this summer and fall on my training and equipment and I’m feelin’ fast! It’s going to be a fun season ahead. My teammates did well. Michelle Gargone placed 5th, Pete Thorndike 15th, and Ryan McDonald 16th, three American men in the top-sixteen finale! My parents and my sister were on-hand to cheer me on. I was happy to make it out of the start gate this year and ride well in front of my family. Last year I barged the start gate, flipping over the bars head-first, landing on my chin and riding it past the first gate. I ended up with twelve stitches, and an unusual start to the season, so I was happy this year to make eight runs and get off to a better start.

I’m in Munich now, getting ready to head to Landgraaf, Netherlands for this weekend’s indoor slalom World Cup at Snowworld! Long drive today, six plus hours across Germany. Snowworld, the indoor Dutch ski/board area, is crazy, flat and cold, feels like riding in a meat cooler. Perfect conditions though, super-grip man-made snow. I redesigned my slalom boards this summer and dedicated a lot more training to improving my slalom tech. Half the World Cup races this year are slalom and I’ll be ready! I feel really good and look forward to a fast weekend. We’re training there the next few days, getting ready to find the podium.

My new book, “To the Edge and Back” comes out beginning of November. I’m proud of it and can’t wait to share it! I hope you enjoy it. Inquire at your local bookstores! We’ll have it available on the newwww.klugriding.com eCom site in the weeks ahead. We’re almost done with the new site and should have it up and runnin’ soon with a totally redesigned look and updated inventory including new 2005 Burton R. 17 Addicted Race Boards. Stay Tuned! Enjoy the photos below! Talk to ya from Holland!

CK

2005 US Snowboard Men’s Alpine Team (CK, Smith, Warren, Thorndike, Flappy)

Austrian Alps 2004 en route to Soelden

Hintertux, Austria

Sunrise in Lannersbach, Austria

Climbing in Innsbruck, Austria

Soelden, Austria racing action 2004! Photo courtesy FIS Media.