Remembering Sarah Burke
Sarah Burke would light up a room when she walked into it. Actually more than that, she lit up an entire sport, and was bound to light up the world in the forthcoming Olympics, before she succumbed to spine injuries sustained while training in Park City on January 10. She passed away yesterday. The world lost an amazing skier and a superstar human being.
I had the amazing opportunity to know and work with Sarah over the course of a decade. During that time I, along with so many others, had the insanely good fortune to watch her change the face of women’s skiing and simultaneously watch her inspire all those around her. The image gallery above is the tip of an iceberg of images I was able to capture of/with Sarah. This tribute isn’t her best work, or mine. It isn’t meant to be. It’s rather a humble historical look back – in some cases looking back more than 10 years – at her first Freeskier skiing cover, her first Smith Goggle ad, her practicing runs at the X-Games, and that amazing smile. Working with her was pure joy. And she will be missed dearly. RIP.
My manager, Christopher Jerard, knew her even better than I did, as he was the publisher of Freeskier and Snowboard Magazine for many years before coming to work at CJinc. Jerard and I got the news of her passing while we were together yesterday. He wrote these words below about Sarah that I think we can all live by. The theme is ‘step up’. Step up to the challenges in your life. Step up for your friends, step up because it’s human to do so….
For my friend Sarah Burke – January 19, 2012
“Step up.”
I met Sarah when she was 16 years old shortly after I joined the staff of the brand new Freeskier magazine. She was already the “it” girl in freeskiing. Actually, in 1999 she was really the only girl in freeskiing. She was incredibly talented and fearless. And there was always that ever-present smile. She was shy early on -but before you knew it she was giving the editors at our magazine shots in the arm, still with that same great smile, and challenging us to get the shot, ski another run, or just have more fun. Her passion for skiing was evidenced by her athletic success – and her passion for life came through like the sun. She was a light for all of us. Just one of those people that is universally loved. For all of those who knew her only through the movies and photos – she was exactly as she seemed. Simply one of the best people you’ll ever meet. Pure love.
It’s impossible to deny, that by the time she was 20, she went from being a cute kid, to being simply drop-dead gorgeous. Suddenly she graduated from profiles in the ski industry standards Freeskier and Powder to being in Maxim, People and one FHM’s sexiest athletes alive. But she played it all off as no big deal with a humbleness rarely found at her level of success – an elegance and grace that was unique to her. And yet, even with all the beauty and the elegance, she was one of the toughest people Ive ever met. She once put me in a head lock. And I am not ashamed to admit I could not break out of it. And I tried. Hard. I think that memory would make her smile.
She could play with the boys. That is for sure. She had to for a lot of years in order to open up the sport for the women behind her. Her will and determination on and off the hill in this regard are legendary. Sarah was an innovator and a leader for women in skiing. Even as Sarah was an inspiration to so many people – but she was especially important for women athletes. She did more for the progression of woman’s freeskiing than any other single person – period. She was a founder of the Association of Freeskiing Professionals and was instrumental in helping to push the disciplines of skiing she loved, halfpipe and slopestyle skiing, into the Olympics for 2014. That will be a lasting part of her legacy forever.
She pushed her sport, her profession, to the next level. And even as she had to fight for women to be considered in competition with the men, when she took her hits, she always smiled through the bruise and the bang. Both on and off the hill. In 14 years of working with Sarah – I never saw her without a smile and a good word. Not once. Ever. No matter what. That smile on the podium, holding the X Games Gold four times? That was the same smile she would give 2 months later if you ran into her on the street in passing. So radiantly genuine.
Sarah will always be around us.Trennon Paynter, her coach and good friend to both Sarah and her husband Rory, sent a message out on twitter yesterday: “She’s in every snowflake, every ray of sunshine, every breeze. More than ever, now and always, #IBelieveInSarah.” She will always be there to remind us to “step up” and be better. No matter if it’s out skiing, at work, at the gym or remembering to smile and give your friend a hug. Do not hold back. Life is simply to precious and too much of a gift. Step up. Its such a powerful idea.
It was a dear friend of mine, Matt Harvey, the longtime Editor of Freeskier magazine, who reminded me of this playful challenge to step up that Sarah so often conveyed to her fans and those around her – with such obvious joy.
The news of Sarah’s passing hit in the middle of the work day and Matt was onstage hosting a Freeskier magazine sponsored event. He was a very close and personal friend of Sarah’s. To be in public and hurting, gutted with loss, was painful. But he remembered her words, “Step up.” She would tell him this, no matter if she was standing next to him on the hill taunting him to try a jump or rail slide or pushing him to go talk to the girl across the bar later that night – she was always nudging those around her to be better. And she led by example. So when it hurt and he wanted to hide – he smiled and remembered Sarah. He dug deep and stepped up. That’s what Sarah did when organizers told her that girls didn’t have a spot in competition and that’s what she did when she was battered from falls and that’s what she did when there was a line of little girls who wanted an autograph…hours after the last competition run of the day.
Sarah always stepped up. Always.
And that’s what we’re going to do to remember her. Step Up. Thanks Sarah. We will. And we’ll remember you’re smile when we do.
Another Winter X Games Podium for Jossi Wells
Aspen, Colorado (29 January 2012) –Jossi Wells wraps up the 2012 Winter X Games in Aspen, Colorado with a bronze in Ski Big Air, becoming a three-time medallist at the world’s most prestigious winter snow sports competition.
NZ’s Jossi Wells (right) takes home bronze in Ski Big Air at Winter X Games 16 Photo Credit: Tim Pierce
Click on above photo to see Jossi in action at the Winter X Games Big Air
It was a big week for Wells, as one of only two freeskiers competing in all three disciplines at the X-Games: Slopestyle, Halfpipe and Big Air. Things did not quite go to plan in the Slopestyle, and despite excellent amplitude and execution in the Halfpipe and the biggest, styliest last-hit switch 720 of his life, Wells missed the finals by a whisker.
Jossi was building momentum throughout the week and saved his best to last, fired up going into the Big Air night finals. In the 15-minute jam session, with the two best scores combining for an overall score out of 100, Jossi focussed on having a good time and performing to the best of his ability landing a doublecork 1260 and a switch doublecork 1440, to post a combined score of 83 points. Wells was in it to win it, and in the closing minutes of the session attempted two 1620’s to push for the lead, got close, but was unable to nail the landings, securing third place behind Bobby Brown (first) of the US with 88 points and Kai Mahler (second) of Switzerland scoring 84 points. Wells impressed the judges with his control in the air, the amplitude he gained over the 110 foot jump, and his trademark smooth landings.
“I couldn’t be more stoked with my skiing tonight, and I’m so happy to be back on the X-Games podium,” said an elated Wells. “Thanks to my Dad/Coach Bruce – he’s a legend, and our physio Sally for keeping me in one piece this week!”
New Zealand boasted its biggest team to date at the prestigious Winter X-Games with Carl Murphy placing fourth in the Adaptive Snowboard-X, rookie Rose Battersby placing ninth in Freeski Slopestyle and Rebecca Torr placing 10th in Snowboard Slopestyle.
Pictured left to right: Two of NZ’s rising stars, Rose Battersby and Rebecca “Possum” Torr
After falling at the top of the course and then finishing fourth in the head to head six person straight final Murphy was in high spirits.
“It was a great experience to ride such a challenging course,” said Murphy. “Although my results weren’t what I had hoped for I was still pleased with sections of the course and am feeling confident heading to the World Champs in France next week.”
Carl Murphy in the starting gates at his first-ever Winter X Games
“Coach, Adam Dooney was impressed with Murphy’s ability to adapt to the most intense course he has ever raced. “Qualifying fifth put Carl in a far right gate for the start which was always going to be a challenge,” said Dooney. “Carl exploded out of the gate passing three riders to the inside of him meeting the top qualifier at the first feature. With such a good start Carl was looking good but unfortunately could not hold it together on the top section of the course going down on a table top feature which saw his chance of a podium disappear. He gathered himself well and managed to pass two riders on the bottom section putting him in fourth at the finish line.”
“With very limited training opportunity it was great to see Carl attacking such a technical course.”
“As always, there were major performance breakthroughs at this event,” said Tom Willmott, Head Park and Pipe Coach for NZ’s Winter Performance Programme. “The bar just keeps getting raised and it will continue to be very exciting to see the progression of our sports over the next few years in the build up to the Sochi Winter Olympics in 2014 and beyond. Our athletes are performing well, and it’s great to see Jossi back at the cutting edge. At the mid-way point of the season we are sitting in a strong overall position with solid world rankings across freeski and snowboard, slopestyle and halfpipe, men and women.”
Upcoming events in February include the Adaptive Snowboard Cross World Championships in France, the Burton Canadian Open, the third Winter Dew Tour in Snowbasin, Utah, followed by this year’s pinnacle event for snowboarding – the TTR World Snowboarding Championships in Oslo, Norway.
The Maggies
Media Release Thursday 8th September 2011
THE MAGAZINE COVER OF THE YEAR AWARDS SHORTLIST ANNOUNCED!
Auckland (8th September 2011) – NZ rugby player, Sonny Bill Williams, stares down the competition second year running, while Dan Carter catches his first kingfish on the cover of New Zealand Fishing World.
A brightly-coloured butterfly made of lamb flies off the plate to welcome Spring and a plate of pastel-coloured macaroons beckons to us to “get festive” as they battle it out for Best Food & Wine Cover, while the piercing eyes of the male model on REMIX competes with Drew Barrymore’s bright red pout.
These are just some of the images that are in the running to win the Best Magazine Cover in their respective categories, plus the coveted Magazine Cover of the Year Award in this year’s 2011 consumer awards, The Maggies.
New Zealand’s leading online magazine and newspaper subscription business, iSUBSCRiBE, today announced the shortlist for its annual publishing awards. This national poll celebrates and awards the best covers over the next eight weeks as the voting goes live at www.themaggies.co.nz
A panel of industry heavyweights gathered to select a shortlist of 5 covers per category from the nominated entries. This panel included:
John McClintock, Executive Director of the Magazine Publishers Association New Zealand and chair of the judging panel, said, “The Maggies (NZ) 2011 once again has shown that the skill and talent existing within the magazine category, for the production of outstanding front covers, is as strong asever. Brilliant photography integrated with extraordinary design skills ensures that New Zealand titles rank with ‘world best’. The judges debated at length to agree on the finalists from a wide range of high calibre entrants.”
The overall winner and individual category winners will be announced early November 2011.
The public will be incentivised to vote for their favourite magazine cover with a reward of a $5 iSUBSCRiBE gift voucher. The voucher may be redeemed against iSUBSCRiBE’s entire range of over 280 magazine subscriptions. In addition, $1 from every subscription sold using the iSUBSCRiBE gift vouchers will be donated to children’s charity, Cure Kids.
The shortlist consists of:
Business & Trade
Idealog (Jan/Feb 2011)
Landscape Architecture NZ (Summer 2010)
New Zealand Doctor (1 June 2011)
ProDesign (July 2010)
Threaded Magazine (March 2011)
Lifestyle
Good (Dec/Jan 2011)
MindFOOD (Sept 2010)
No Magazine (Autumn 2011)
No Magazine (Winter 2010)
Remix (Autumn/Winter 2011)
Sports
Curl (June 2011)
New Zealand Adventure Magazine (Jun/Jul 2011)
New Zealand Fishing World (May/Jun 2011)
New Zealand Golf Magazine (Jun/Jul 2011)
NZ Rugby World (Dec 2010)
Food & Wine
Cuisine (Sept 2010)
Dish (Dec/Jan 2011)
Dish (Feb 2011)
Healthy Food Guide (Dec 2010)
New Zealand’s Best Dining Guide (Winter 2011)
Specialist
AA Directions (June 2011)
IRL Solutions (Summer 2011)
NetGuide (July 2009)
New Zealand Geographic (May/June 2011)
New Zealand Weddings (Autumn 2011)
ENDS.
For more information please contact Paula Vinogradov, iSUBSCRiBE Pty Ltd on telephone +61 2 9251 3500, mobile +61 404 862 933, or email paula@themaggies.co.nz
The Maggies © iSUBSCRiBE Pty Ltd
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Wintervention win tickets
March 23, 2011 by admin
Filed under Competitions, Featured, News
Our 61st film: Wintervention
We have ten tickets to give away email the word wintervention to enter our draw
Do you have a skiing or snowboarding problem? Do you always take “just one more” run? If you answered “yes” to either of these, it may be time for a Wintervention. Narrated by skiing icon Jonny Moseley, Warren Miller’s Wintervention is the definitive solution for the snow-obsessed. Wintervention takes riders like Chris Davenport, Jonny Moseley and Lindsey Vonn on a global tour of Alaska, Norway, Canada, Antarctica and beyond… delivering a successful Wintervention for all of us in need. Warren Miller films attract a cult-like following and mark the official start of winter for sports enthusiasts everywhere. Warren Miller premieres are an experience, a party and a phenomenon not to be missed.
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