Welcome to my first blog ever and the first for the winter 2009.I'm a Profesional Snowboarder, Skier and Climber living in Chamonix France where I run McNab Snowsports, the Freeride, Freestyle and Backcountry Ski and Snowboard specialists, a company that I have been running now since 1995!
Whilst I post regular news on my site at www.mcnabsnowsports.com from now on I intend to also post my activities and thoughts here on my new Blog!
So far this winter I've been out filming around the Mont Blanc Massif, gethering footage for a 3 part DVD series on Snowboard technique that should be out for next winter (i'll keep you informed of progress here!) I've so far flimed some quite nice Freeride powder lines but the big snows are yet to come and as the sun is still low in the sky on the cold North Faces where the best powder is to be found, the light has been quite flat so far so the best is still to come. Having said that, yesterday was pretty fun over in Courmayeur hitting the secret spots around the resort boundaries where the snow still lies fresh and untracked even 7 days after the storm (a rare thing in the Mont Blanc Massif!)
I'm working the next few days with a Private client, some Freeride technique on a one to one basis and then next week my manic seasons starts with BC and Freeride courses right through until May when I finish with a BC trip to Norway after Heli Boarding in Russia, Kamchatka.
Hope you'll find the news from the coming winter interesting and I'll update soon.
Here's a few topics I'll be airing my thoughts on over the next few weeks and months.
1. Why are most snowboarders happy to be average? I see riders who have been riding for years, some that even do season after season who just never get any better due to faults in their very basic technique. Why don't they just take some time to sort it out?
2. The snowboard stance? Snowboarding is one of the only sports were most of its participants stand in such an un-natural bio-mechanically incorrect twisted stance and think they're doing it right!
3. Backcountry safety! The Backcountry is no longer extreme? How can this be when the mountains haven't changed. Is it only our attitude to them that has changed? After a big storm we used to let the mountain settle for a day or two, now the race is on to be first and fastest!
OK, enough words for my first Blog hit.
Back soon,
Neil.
G'day mayte....I just wanted to be the first to congratulate you on your blog from down under. hahahaha...of all the people to write the first comment and its little old me =)Good luck with it!!
ReplyDeleteCheers Richy,
ReplyDeleteHope all is good down under. Cowabunga mate!
Neil.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteHa
ReplyDeleteSorted the blogging deal out!
So looking forward to the 3 set instruction DVDs, what topics are you going to cover Neil?
Have a great year
Regards
Hugo
Hi Hugo, the series is to cover in detail the McNab 3 phase technical progression.
ReplyDelete1. Learning the movements (awareness)
2. Matching the movements to Tasks (Practise)
3. Matching the movements to the mountain (Aquired technical level)
These 3 phases equate to
1. the introductory and foundation building level were you learn to understand how everything works, Stance, Bio-mechanics, Board and momentum change.
2. Using the movements to achieve a task, this builds your bag of technical tricks and teaches you how to use a task to work on different parts of your riding. This phase covers long and short radius turns, cross over and cross under edge changes and control of speed by line. This is a big practice phase!
3. Setting your riding to the mountain. This teaches you about the importance of your line and how it is used and varied to control your speed on varying terrain and varying conditions. This phase is endless and creative and is essentially Freeriding. Another Practice phase but the technical foundations and skills need to be at a high level as this moves beyond technique.
This is the plan so far!
Hope this answers your question and sounds interesting?
Neil.
Neil
ReplyDeleteSounds great, Have a good season.
Regards
Hugo
Hi Neil ,
ReplyDeleteGood to see your still developing your computing skills , keep us updated with the conditions in Cham, any plans for the japan trip or turkey heli really want to go there ?? im off to jackson hole in feb looking hard for more of those perfect powder turns of Kamchatka,
still trying to develop my boarding and be better than the average bear !!!
hope all is well ..
Chris.
Neil
ReplyDeleteJust been over to Canada and heli skied with a group called Eagle Pass (www.eaglepassheliskiing.com) amazing small set, up similar to yours. Groups of 4 guests per guide (some of best qualified) in Canada, and 12 in party if required. amazing scenerey and tree skiing in Monashee mountains. We spoke to the owner at length re the set up, he uses a small ski lodge 25 km from Revelstoke (a great hill as well)and a small heli so you can see out which was great.
If you are thinking of going west to Canada rather than east to Russia I think you would enjoy taking a party) all kit transcievers ect provided including the air back packs. Snow fall between 30 -60 Feet per year!!
I took the liberty of mentioning you and your set up to the owner as one of the guides commented on my snowboarding and general mountain awareness and where I had learnt it!
So when you have less time it may well be worth contacting Andy (owner)if you are interested.
Best Wishes
Regards
Hugo
cheers for that Hugo, sounds interesting if you could send me the details I'll get in touch with them and see if we can plan anything for 2010!
ReplyDeleteNeil.
Neil
ReplyDeleteDo you want me to post it on here or send it through your main site contact e mail, I also have some literature and their DVD if you want me to send that directly to you in Chamonix?
Regards
Hugo
Their web site (in previous post) is very helpful, the Owner Andy was keen to talk to you when I described the skill courses and back country courses you ran.
if you could send the details to Mel@mcnabsnowsports.com I'll get Mel to have a chat with them and see what we can do. Cheers, Neil.
ReplyDeleteNeil
ReplyDeleteWill do
Regards
Hugo