Today is January 13th. To all of us who love to snowboard,
NoBoard, or ride any kind of board or plank down a snowy mountain it's known as "Greg Todds Day". A friend, legend, inspiration and original thinker who passed away 6 years ago in an avalanche doing what he loved to do, NoBoard in the BC Backcountry.
Last weekend was the annual GT Memorial NoBoard Race. An event not to be missed and contrary to what many people think, open to everyone. I rallied out there for an extended weekend to join in the festivities and shoot some photos for DC after the event. It is always an amazing time with old friends and something I really look forward to every year. Don't miss it next year!
Here are some photos from the journey out to the Kootenay Mountains from Vancouver:
Snowy roads and closed highways due to avalanche control mean epic conditions for riding powder.
Met up with the crew and woke up to this. I proceeded to put my truck into the first snowbank I could find.
Parking lot hang after a good day.
Race day preparations. Serious business. Ceasar mix and a keg.
Tuttle making firewood to keep the spectators warm.
Long live GT.
The view from the starting line. Way down below is the finish line which you see in the photo above. Each heat in the race has about 5 people in it. Best overall time wins. When you get close to the bottom you can hear everyone yelling and cheering. You want to pin it but if you fall you are toast.
This is my line down the course. No bindings. No problem.
I won my heat and got 6th place this year. My best time, best result and best run of my life! The trees just seemed to move out of the way for me and for a while there I was in first. Didn't last long though, by the next heat I had dropped down to second. This list shows the top 20 only so as not to embarass any big time pros, ex pros or loudmouths who may or may not have had their asses kicked by me.
The auction and party after the race. About 8000$ raised for Gregs family and kids.
The overall winner, Ave (R) and winner of the Asian Canadian Downhill, Jake Price (L). The politically correctly named Asian Canadian Downhill is an all out, no rules, first guy to the bottom race. The first two to the finish have to chug a can of beer. First one wins the prestigious title.
Winner of the ladies division, Jenna Low and some perv creeping on her.
Trevor Andrew and the Trouble Gang put on a show for the crowd.
Temperature dropped the next day just to add insult to the many injured brains after the party.
Leaving town and another huge snowstorm.
No sign of the ferry left some time to take a few more pics. A logging truck on the other side got stuck on the hill, delaying the ferries return.
It's a long drive home but worth every second. Can't wait for next year................R.I.P. Greg Todds! You may be gone but you are not forgotten.
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