buzz

The hottest new trick in Slovakia? Air to rock. Skier: Tomas Kraus
ROCK SKIS

NO SNOW? NO PROBLEM.
Nikes All Conditions Gear promotes its return to the U.S. snow apparel market this winter with Sweetspots, a series of video shorts featuring European pros like Andreas Hatveit, Sverre Liliequist, and Gary Zebrowski. Nike invites amateur skiers, riders, and lmmakers to submit their own videos too. Every winner gets a shot at lming his own ofcial Sweetspot video next year. But just because the three-minute lms feature skiers doesnt mean they feature snow. The latest clip follows Robin Kaleta down a nasty chute in Slovakia, and then cuts to Tomas Kraus tracing the same line in the summer, wrecked bases and all. It all started as a kind of challenge between me and Kaleta, says Kraus. But, warns Kraus, Id never recommend anyone try that line in the summer. [nikeacg.com] MATT CRANE

Junior Woodchuck
n. [Origin: the Boy Scouts of Americaesque organization from Disneys Duck Tales cartoon]: A beginner or intermediate skier allowed to tag along with a group of better skiers. Example: Silverton is a bigboy mountainno Junior Woodchucks. Submitted by Kaya McLaren, Cle Elum, Washington.

Hear something funny? Send us your slang at editor@ skiingmag.com.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: BOHUMIL POSPSILL, COURTESY OF NINTENDO/ JAPAN, COURTESY OF SKISPACE, NIALL BOUZON

TECH

Wii SKI
After getting our butts handed to us playing the excessively difcult SSX Blur ($30; easports.com) for Nintendos get-up-and-do-it Wii console, we were psyched for another ski game, Namco Games Family Ski, released in Japan this fall. That is, until we found out that game play essentially equates to virtual poling. Players gain speed by using the motion-sensing Wiimote to simulate ski poles and maintain balance by staying low to the ground. But there is reason for hope: In April, Nintendo releases a balance-board accessorypart of a WiiFit bundle that provides a full workout through simulated sports like soccer, yoga, and ski jumpingwhich may make ski simulators more lifelike. If, of course, game developers realize theres more to skiing than pushing across traverses. [wii.nintendo.com] JONATHAN RITZMAN

BUZZ INDEX: WHATS HOT (AND NOT) THIS MONTH

HOT NOT

SCOTT JAKE GOGGLES SNOW GUARANTEES

SKI SPACES

Jake Pearlstein, age 16, won an online contest to design these megabright Alias goggles. [$100; scottusa.com] ResortQuests Snow Guarantee program lets you rebook your hotel reservation if your destination is bone dry. If only airlines were so forgiving. [snowguarantee.com]

A slew of online ski communities is cropping up, including SkiSpace.com, founded by Bode Miller, and the Loopd Network (loopd.com), which helps emerging skiers get sponsored. Lonely girls hawking Macys gift cards, rejoice.

SELF-WAXING SKIS GLOBAL WARMING

SQUALLYWOOD CLINICS

Developed by the UKs Wildre Snowsports, these devices apply wax while you ski. Pardon our skepticism. [shef.ac.uk] Technically its hot, but it still sucks. [myspace.com/skiers againstglobalwarming]

Robb Gaffney runs his Squallywood Clinic on March 8, giving you insights into the ski-lm biz while showing you Squaw Valleys best terrain. [$499; squallywoodthebook.com]

W W W.SKINET.COM

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2008

skiing

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