|
Ultimate Boarder competitor: Andy Finch |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Written by Paul Raymore
|
|
Wednesday, 09 April 2008 |
|
|
|
|
One week, three boards, one champion — the first ever Ultimate Boarder™ competition kicks off on the snow April 13 at Squaw Valley USA with local riders, including Andy Finch of Truckee, in the hunt.
Andy Finch
• Age: 27
• Hometown: Fresno, Calif.
• Current residence: Truckee, Calif.
• Home mountain: Northstar-at-Tahoe
• Favorite skate park: Truckee skatepark
 • Favorite surf break: “I can’t tell you. Actually, it’s called left spot.”
• Strongest discipline: Snowboarding
• Why did you sign up to be a part of this? Don Bostick gave him the information about the competition and, since he did all three board sports, he was a natural.
• How long have you been skating, surfing and snowboarding? Started skating and snowboarding at age 12 , surfing at 16.
• Favorite trick skating, surfing and snowboarding? Surfing — just riding powerful head-high waves. Skating — big ollies and gaps. Snowboarding — frontside 3s are always fun.
• What sport is the most difficult for you? “Between surfing and skating... I’d probably say skating is my weakest. I grew up skating a ton, and then I kind of stopped skating once I started traveling a lot [for Snowboarding]. So that was probably 18 when I stopped skating. But I started surfing when I was 16, I just don’t get to do it very often...
“I’m stoked that skateboarding is last because that’s the one I’m most likely to get injured on. And half the guys who don’t snowboard are probably going to drop out because they’re going to get wrecked snowboarding.” [Finch said, laughing.]
“It should be funny though because some of us are definitely going to suck in certain areas. I was reading the criteria for the surfing — and I’m decent at surfing, I can get into waves and whatever — and you’re going to be judged on your maneuvers and all. And I was like, ‘OK, first off, I’m just going to try to get up and go down the line of the wave, let alone actually doing airs and 360s. Are you kidding me? So what do I get, negative points?’”
 • What makes you a good all-around rider? “Everyone is going to be strong in their area, so I think, for me being a snowboarder, it will be key to do well in snowboarding. But then it’s going to be key to do decent in another one, and probably at least make a showing in a third. I think it’ll be more about who can do two really well. I doubt anyone’s going to actually slay all three.”
• In what sport have you hurt yourself the worst? “I’ve jacked my face up a couple times surfing. One time I broke the tail of a surfboard on my jaw. I couldn’t even open my mouth to eat a sandwich for five months... Skateboarding, I’ve had a few good crashes, but nothing too bad. And snowboarding... [laughing] Yeah, obviously I’ve been injured a few times.”
• Ever competed in anything like this? Nope.
• What do you think your chances are for winning the whole thing? “I don’t have a clue. I’d like to make top 10. That’s my goal. I’d be stoked to make top 10...
“It’s going to be the funnest event all year. I’ve had fun just skateboarding again. I haven’t skated in a long time and this last week I’ve been trying to go out and skate every day.”
• If it’s not you, any other bets on who might be the best all-around riders? “I could imagine Todd Richards would do well. He lives down in SoCal so I know he surfs a ton, he’s a ripping snowboarding, and I’ve seen him skate and he kills it... I know a lot of snowboarders who rip skating, but I know they can’t surf... Shayne Pospisil could do really well. I haven’t seen him skate, but I hear he’s really good at surfing, and he’s obviously a ripping snowboarder too. So I think he could be a main threat for the top three... I’ve heard rumors about Nathan Fletcher. Never met him or seen him do anything except see him on the cover of my last Surfer magazine.”
Photos by Paul Raymore (top) and Emma Garrard.
Check out other local riders in the Ultimate Boarder competition:
• Ryan Wichert (Incline Village, Nev.)
• Dave Brumm (Alpine Meadows, Calif.)
• David Burright (Truckee, Calif.)
• Rick Gravesen (Alpine Meadows, Calif.)
• True Love (Kings Beach, Calif.)
• Or, go back to the main story about the competition
Only registered users can write comments.
Please login or register. Powered by AkoComment 2.0! |
|
Last Updated ( Wednesday, 09 April 2008 )
|
|
|
