**UPDATED**First Rock On snowboard Tour in Les Deux Alpes
For years the Mondial du Ski and snowboard was the beginning of the new winter for many people. A chance to meet up with friends, hit the snow on the Les Deux Alpes Glacier and sample all the new kit from the biggest manufacturers. Salomon, Rossignol, Ride and Burton would all be in attendance. Parties, competitions and a free test centre all on France's largest glacier.
When this summer Les Deux Alpes announced that the Mondial was being cancelled it seemed that the winter would not start with it's usual bang, until The Rock-On Snowboard Tour was planned.
The Rock-On Tour travels from resort to resort celebrating the beginning of the winter season with a test centre with all the latest boards and bindings. It brings little of interest in the way of equipment for skiers but with live music, Djs, on snow competitions and premières of snow sports movies it is not just a weekend for those who stand sideways..
The second stop of the 2009 season was held this weekend in Les Deux Alpes under clear blue skies with fresh snow and over 1000 boards available to the public.
Although Saturday morning dawned with clear skies and the promise of 20cm of fresh untouched snow the Jandri express remained closed until 12.30 as seventy five kilometre winds howled over the glacier. From the town below an expectant crowd gathered waiting on the hourly updates, watching as the peak of the glacier smoked until the lift opened and we enjoyed our first taste of winter.
The test centre was at the foot of the glacier and representatives from Burton, Rome, Ride, K2, Battalion, Apo and more were in attendance. Testing the boards was free with a card granted to anyone who produced two forms of identification and with the card all of the latest kit was available.
This season all the major manufacturers are releasing a number of boards with rockered bases. Unlike traditional boards that have their points of contact at the tip and tail these new boards have varying levels throughout their base. The upshot of this new technology is a whole new style of snowboard that creates a new style and feel of riding. Boards like the Rome Pusher with it's “reverse-free camber” carve with almost no effort and hold an edge through the turn just as easily. On a first ride the Pusher slips around and feels unstable but with a quick adjustment of technique you will be carving tight turns and leaving nothing but a thin line in the snow as your edge holds like a downhill skier on samurai blades.
The Pusher is just of of the boards I tried and each different style of base creates a whole new feel and demands a whole new style of riding. Snowboarding it seems at the beginning of a new revolution and the different base structures could change what is possible on a board. The days of choosing a board based on it's length and stiffness alone may be a thing of the past and a new generation of boards with specific base structures for specific tasks seems to be dawning.
Despite trying a number of these new style boards I had the most fun on a short, soft and very pink Rome Artefact which has a traditional shape but is as playful as any board I have ever ridden.
As well as the test centre there were a number of competitions on the glacier that showed what snowboarders were capable of. Although the new Les Deux Alpes super-pipe was not shaped for the weekend the kickers in the park were in very good condition and a new HUGE guitar rail was sitting in the middle of the park awaiting the pros who were riding for their share of the €1000 prize pot.
Other awards were given out over the course of the weekend at the Snowboarders Collective 2009 riders of the year awards which were held on the Saturday night in the Amphibia in Les Deux Alpes. Nico Droz and Caroline Béliard were named as French riders of the year and 21 year old Les Deux Alpes local, and Arctic challenge winner Arthur Longo took rookie of the year.
Off the hill there were screenings of new movies and live music in Smithy's bar as well as parties in Avalanche.
The whole weekend was blessed with beautiful weather and fantastic snow conditions and if you want another chance to try all of this seasons newest equipment then the Rock On Snowboard Tour will be back in the Alpes for the opening weekend of the Avoriaz winter season 14th-15th December.
Watch our video from the Rock on Tour in Les Deux Alpes here >>
