Helly Hansen

The winners of the hydropower challenge, Team Fantomasso, received their team gear at the Helly Hansen Hungary office from the country manager Gabriella Rajna.

We wish team Fantomasso the best of luck in future races, in your new team gear.

The BMW Sailing Cup is setting sail for its fifth season in 2010. Under the motto "Joy is sailing", yachtsmen and yachtswomen from around the world will go head-to-head in the largest international regatta series for amateurs. This year, 17 qualification regattas with about 1,500 entrants will be held in Germany, with the winning crews from the regional regattas progressing to the Germany Final. About 2 million visitors are expected at these popular events. In spring 2011, the best German crew will compete against crews from Hong Kong, Italy, New Zealand, Portugal and Spain at the International Final. 

To give more sailors the opportunity to experience the BMW Sailing Cup, the maximum number of entrants for each regatta is being increased to 90 yachtsmen/yachtswomen for the 2010 season (18 teams of five). Previously, the crews in Germany only consisted of four persons.

One particular attraction of the BMW Sailing Cup is the fact that entrants can only register individually, rather than as a team. All participants are put into 18 crews of equal strength. It is all about finding your feet quickly on the J80 keel boats provided by the organizer. 

As official sponsorship partner, Helly Hansen is supporting the BMW Sailing Cup with polo shirts, caps, sailing clothing and life jackets for the third time in succession.

Are you interesting in sailing at the BMW Sailing Cup? You can find the venues and the application form here:

http://www2.bmw-yachtsport.com/ys_de/bmw_sailing_cup/deutschland/termine

Team Fantomasso from Hungary.

The jury picked Team Fantomasso as winners with the following motivation:

"With an action filled image, in battle with natures forces and a competitive team motivation we wish Team Fantomasso all the best with winning the forthcoming races in their new Hydropower gear."

Congratulations to the whole crew and good luck in the Hungarian championship with your new gear.

We also like to thank everybody that sent in their entries to the Hydropower Team Challenge showing us your world of sailing.

Check out Team Fantomasso and their race performance at their blog, http://fantomasso.vox.com/

Team Veolia, with Bastian and Sven Christensen on board, finished second at the X35 European Championship in Medemblik, Holland, last week.  

Team Veolia competes in the new Helly Hansen Hydropower collection that has been produced with inshore sailing in mind.

Find out more about our Hydropower collection at our microsite, www.hellyhansen.com/hydropower

By winning the Star Class European Championship in Viareggio, Johannes Polgar and Markus Koy from Germany underlined their Olympic ambitions. 

German Laser Class talent Philipp Buhl finished 4th in the European Championship in Tallinn two weeks ago and 3rd at Kieler Woche last week. Aged only 20 Phillip has great potential for some Olympics medals in London 2012 and coming years!

Norwegian outdoor magazine Vildmarksliv has tested 12 sets of waterproof and breathable rainwear sets in their latest publication. The tests were conducted over a period of five to six months with experienced outdoorsmen.

The Helly Hansen Tofino jacket and packable hybrid pant was awarded the Best All rounder

You can find the two products in our shop

See the Tofino jacket in the HH shop

See the Packable hybrid pant in the HH shop

To read the whole test at the Vildmarksliv site (in norwegian) Click here 

”Broskraperen”, the boat with HH logo in the mainsail, in close battle with the Danish Crown prince at Fyn Rundt, Denmark’s biggest yacht race. The race took place last weekend with 384 yachts on the starting line. Unfortunately Broskraperen had a break down and didn’t make it to the finish.

Starting out wednesday may 12th from Åsgårdstrand, Norway, racing down the west coast of Sweden and across Skagerak to Skagen, Denmark. 291 Norwegian and Swedish yachts sailed the 110 nm race in strong northerly wind finishing during Thursday. After a long night on the ocean 1800 sailors populated the bars and restaurant of Skagen, making the exotic Danish town extremely lively.
 
Tor, Øyvind and Karl-Einar represented Helly Hansen sailing NOR 10925 “New Deal”. Highly motivated to win, but with very little practice, the team finished 3rd despite having ripped their spinnaker in pieces during the night.

Thanks to all participants, making this into a great event and hope to see you all again next year!

Results for the Helly Hansen Skagen Race can be found at http://www.seilmagasinet.no/id/31991

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Everest Base Camp Trek Underway

Mountain Madness Everest Base Camp Trek is well on its way! After climbing to the top of the Monkey Temple for views of the city, watching the funeral rituals at Pashupatinath, sitting beneath the eyes of the Buddha at peaceful Bouddhanath Stupa, and meandering through monasteries, we packed up and headed for the mountains! A few days in chaotic Kathmandu, fascinating though it is, makes me long for the fresh breeze and quiet jangling of yak bells that we find on the trail.

Our flight into Lukla is always a thrill, but even more so this trip! The weather was extremely clear and we had sweeping views of the Himalayas before sliding into the airstrip. These Nepali pilots are accustomed to flying several flights a day into Lukla, and they navigate the looming mountains with professional ease. We sped in for a fast landing, the uphill runway immediately slowing us down. Stepping out onto the tarmac in the cool wind of morning, everyone was elated with the views, the village, and the start of our adventure!

In Nepal, however, everything starts with tea. So we made our way over to a sunny courtyard and sat down to enjoy tea, while our sherpas and portering team assembled our bags into even loads. After introductions, we all set off for a few hours of hiking along the Dudh Kosi, or Milk River, and a night in Phakding.

The following day we began to see waterfalls and snowy peaks, even as we hiked through forest and small villages. Crossing the Hillary suspension bridge high above the river, we made a steep climb for the rest of the afternoon until we arrived in Namche Bazaar. An old trading town, it's now filled with lodges, shops, and bakeries. Our whole group hiked strongly and is looking good!

Our group continues to be amazed by the magical and mystical scenery, constantly surprised that every turn is a more beautiful panorama than the last. This morning's acclimatization hike brought us to the famous Everest View Hotel. Aptly named, we could see a long way up the valley that we will trek through and staring us in the face were Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, Ama Dablam, and Taboche. Stunning!

We've also been getting to know each other and our Nepali staff, from the 6-time Everest Summiter to the Everest Marathon runner, from the Sherpa studying to be a Buddhist monk to the local village boy saving money for his family. We have a great group: Americans, Brazilians, and Nepali staff, and we're climbing higher tomorrow!

Deana Zabaldo, Team Leader

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Dispatch #2: Everest Base Camp Trek

From rhododendron forest to high alpine valleys, our days take us through local villages, past Buddhists deities painted on cliffs, past yak caravans loaded with supplies, and around large piles of stones carved with prayers. We arrived in Tengboche just in time to visit the monastery for the afternoon ceremony – monks chanting Tibetan scriptures and drinking steaming bowls of tea. Afterwards, we stayed to have some prayer flags blessed and ended up talking with the monks.

They were setting up for a big ceremony the next day and needed to move some heavy furniture. Handing back the prayer flags (and after chatting a bit in Nepali), the monk took a look at Brian and Geoff and figured they were pretty strong – and asked if we'd lend a hand with the rearrangement. Brian and Geoff were happy to help and were laden with a handpainted wooden throne (heavy indeed!), plus a few tables, for ceremony setup. Two weeks ago they never expected to be moving furniture with Buddhist monks, but here they were and fully enjoying it! You just never know what you're in for in Nepal.

From Tengboche to Dingboche took us above the tree line to high alpine valley. A few people opted in for the harder of two acclimatization hikes out of Dingboche this morning. It was well worth it. At the top of a steep, steep climb, we were rewarded with an exquisite turquoise blue lake gracing the foot of a massive glacier on the back side of Ama Dablam. The rest of the group curved up the valley towards Island Peak, with fantastic views of Lhotse, Nuptse, and a range of fluted, serrated mountains. Acclimatization complete, we're reveling in the last showers and internet for a while. Tomorrow we climb an alpine valley for one of my favorite days of the trek: sweeping views of the mountains, stone memorials perched high on a ridge top, and the dizzying arc of Taboche peak looming over us.

--Deana Zabaldo, Team Leader

Monday, October 26, 2009

Dispatch #3 Everest Base Camp Trek

These days are not easy, but they are powerful. Over 14,000 ft, our bodies struggle to breathe, struggle to recuperate from any minor infraction (respiratory trouble, stomach ailments). Nonetheless we climb...and we reap the rewards.

At Lobuche and beyond, the mountains become massive. No longer a distant sweep of peaks, they are now individuals confronting us and towering over us. Nuptse, which was once a ridge in the foreground of Everest, is now a shiny face of veined black rock, slick like a mottled mirror. We curve around its side, cross over the Chang-Ri glacier, and contour briefly along the 5-mile Khumbu glacier, its creaking and cracking making clear that the glacier is indeed moving.

Gorak Shep is the final outpost of shelter in this extreme world of rock and ice, and we spend two nights here. The first afternoon, Kala Patar lures us up to its rocky peak. At 18,450 ft, it's the classic viewpoint of Everest, the highest point of the trip, and a tough climb in the thin air (only about 50% of the oxygen at sea level). Strewn with prayer flags, the summit offers 360-degree views of mountains including a close-up of Everest and a long line of mountains as far as the eye can see. Thamserku and Ama Dablam. Lhotse and Nuptse. Lingtren and Khumbutse. Mountains even in Tibet. And of course, the rounded snowy peak of Pumo-Ri right behind us, so close and huge that it seems taller than Everest from where we stand. Wind whipping and sun streaming down, we feel on top of the world! It's hard to believe the summit of Everest is another 10,000 ft above us. Unfathomable.

The following day was a long hike out to Everest Base Camp with Pemba Gyaljen Sherpa. Pemba is a well-known Nepali climber with an impressive record, and it's been exciting to have him co-guiding our group. He has summited Everest six times; has summited K2, Cho-Oyu, Monte Blanc, and Ama Dablam; and has successfully rescued climbers on these mountains after avalanches, exhaustion in the dead zone, and other dangerous situations. Pemba is not only a famous climber however--he's also a friendly guy with an easy laugh and is great to trek with!

While other groups turned back at lower base camp, Pemba took our group on another 45 minutes to the regular base camp and found the "Icefall Doctors." The Icefall Doctors have some 20-years of experience and are specialists at detecting the safest routes through the ever-changing Icefall all the way to Camp 2. They were out on the glacier preparing to set the ladders and fixed ropes for upcoming winter expeditions. Also out at base camp were the remnants of spring expeditions--strands of prayer flags from when lamas come to bless the start of each group's climb and stone structures which serve as kitchens and staff shelters during the long two months of acclimatization. Pemba was full of stories and information ranging from the 1952 Swiss expedition that first reached 8500 meters to his own experiences over the last seven years climbing with international expeditions (Irish, British, South African, and Austrian). After lunch and lots of photos in the perfect weather, our group turned around and headed back down to the warmth of the lodge at Gorak Shep.

Now the hard days are behind us. We drop 3,000 feet to Pheriche, a small village on a wind-swept plain. Everyone has a chance to recuperate--14,000 feet feels low and comfortable now! Tomorrow we take the high trail to visit the oldest monastery in the region before contouring around to Phortse. Built into the side of the mountain, Phortse is a village few groups visit. We're looking forward to the quiet trail, the chance to see wild mountain goats, and a visit to the monastery, recently painted by one of Darjeeling's finest artists.

Watch out for the yaks--here we go!

--Deana Zabaldo, Team Leader

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Everest Base Camp Trek Wrap-Up

The trail to Phortse is one of my favorites, contouring high on the mountain and offering great views up and down the valley. As hoped, we run across a herd of ~25 tahr (wild Himalayan mountain goats) who are utterly at ease grazing on the steep hillside. We have left the main trail behind and find ourselves alone in the quiet of the mountain today. It's a welcome change not to see another tourist the whole afternoon.

The morning we leave Phortse, we drop down to cross the river and have a stiff climb up the other side. After 2 weeks of hiking, however, it's clear the group is generally stronger. At the top, we pause for some snacks and then cruise gently down to Namche through the afternoon. One more long day of hiking brings us to Lukla for a celebration with all our staff. Beers, sodas, and chocolate--before one last heaping plate of rice with chicken curry!

The following morning we slide off the side of the mountain on Lukla's inclined runway, and we're back in Kathmandu in an hour. The crumbling chaos has been transformed into a cosmopolitan metropolis after two weeks in the mountains. We can't wait to revel in all the comforts of the city before a final party to celebrate and close the trip! Strangers three weeks ago, we are now all familiar friends. Once you've walked in the Himalayas, you are forever changed--and you will always feel connected to the people who have been there with you!

Many thanks to all our Nepali partners and staff who made this trip possible--especially Kili, Sagar, and Shankar in Kathmandu and Pemba, Dawa, and Yubaraj on the mountain!! You've been amazing! As always. I'm already looking forward to the next trip!

--Deana Zabaldo, Team Leader

Check out the Freeride Spirit show on Eurosport. HH professional, Aurelien DuCroz gives you a sneak peek into the freeride scene and his life.

Pretty cool, guys - check it out!

http://video.eurosport.fr/sports-d-hiver/freeride-spirit-epis.-1_vid115034/video.shtml

Moss, Norway September 09
Norwegian clothing company Helly Hansen opens a 250 m² concept store in Oslo high-street Karl Johans gate on October 16th. The totally renovated corner location will give customers a unique interactive experience with a variety of sound, video and graphic effects – all highlighting the brand’s experience as the leader in protecting and enabling passionate professionals who work on the world’s mountains and oceans.

Karl Johans gate is Norway’s busiest shopping street. An estimated 18.5 million people will annually pass the new flagship store. According to Helly Hansen global retail director Peter Castella the store carves the way for what the company intends to do with retail going forward.

- “This store gives us a chance to provide people with a true Helly Hansen experience. By using innovative technology and a number of special features, we hope to inspire, excite and involve our customers”, said Castella.

Special features
The store is Helly Hansen’s first true Flagship. Among its features are innovative sound showers, giving a feeling of being outdoors while browsing. A “global weather station” delivers live weather reports and video from Helly Hansen destinations around the globe, such as Aspen, Mont Blanc, Jotunheimen and the Bering Sea.

The changing rooms are also worth a visit. Three special-designed changing rooms gives the customer a feeling of being “in the environment” while trying on apparel.

The HH experience
The flagship store also contains an interactive zone, labeled the “Helly Hansen Experience”. Here visitors can relax,hang out, and explore the web for more information about Helly Hansen and its products. People are also invited to investigate and test the different fabrics and materials used in the product lines in terms of breathability, endurance and weather protection.

The store represents a great opportunity for consumers to check out Helly Hansen’s new Winter 2010 collections. The HH team is looking foreward to welcoming new and existing customers to this exciting new store.

Helly Hansen has announced that it will also be opening new concept stores in Manchester, UK on October 27th and in Gothenburg, Sweden later this year.

I arrive in Geneva at nine twenty AM.  Traveling for the last 24 hours has me bleary-eyed.  I have been working for the last month straight in the Caucasus Range of Russia where the mountain climbing is the easy part.  It is a constant struggle to present all the documents necessary to pass the checkpoints without hassle.  And that doesn’t include the difficulties of not speaking fluent Russian.  Luckily there was mountaineering success on both expeditions.  Most of the clients made it, but for those that didn’t they will have to brave the Russian culture again.
 
All I can feel is a sense of relief as I step off the plane and hear the stewardess say goodbye to me in French.  What a civilized language.  There is no time to waste.  I have to make it to Chamonix in order to meet my next group of clients.  Mountain Madness set me up with all this work with little rest, but I need it.
 
Chamonix, what a place.  The coffee is excellent when compared with the Russian standard Nescafe.  The mountains are right there.  Just a short walk through downtown has you on the Aiguille du Midi lift and in mind-blowing glaciated terrain that is punctuated by towering rock spires.  This is the venue for my next course.  A week long training that is to be capped by a climb of Mont Blanc.
 
I manage to get my equipment out of storage.  Luckily I find my Helly Hansen Converter Soft Shell.  That was a great piece for me to have left so accessible and will serve me well for my adventures in the coming weeks.  Once I have everything sorted out, there is enough time to take in the vistas and savor an espresso before I meet my clients.  In the evening I arrive at the four-star Albert Premier Hotel in time to catch a taxi to La Cabane, a fine dining establishment in Les Praz.  I am introduced to the whole family who are on holiday in Chamonix. Just the father and one of the sons will make the effort to climb rock and don crampons with me for the next week.  During the dinner we get a chance to sample some of the local Savoie fare including fine French wine.  After beet soup with cabbage and vodka, this is a more than welcome change and a perfect way to fuel up for the week.
 
The morning brings clear weather and we are off to climb in the Aiguille Rouge.  We hike to the base of the Crochues and make a nice rock traverse from west to east.  The clients and I admire the scenery from a birds’ eye view as we follow the ridge and wind through the gendarmes.  These sentinels of rock loom up in front of us and seem to guard against our passage, but usually allow us to pass on one side or the other.   After the summit, the descent takes us down by the azure blue of Lac Blanc.  The refuge there serves up croute au fromage to power our legs for the walk back to the Flégère tram.
 
Over the next two days we traverse the Entrèves and the Vallée Blanche.  The finish to the Vallée Blanche is an exposed snow ridge called the Arête de Peigne.  The slope starts up steeper and steeper until the ridge narrows to a two-foot wide track with a wild drop off to the left and a view all the way down to Chamonix on the right.  This is enough to make almost anyone think twice until they have done it and they realize that it is not too difficult.
 
The following morning we take a well-deserved rest before heading up the Aiguille du Midi and making the short descent to the Cosmiques Hut.  From here the view of Mont Blanc and the Trois Mont is phenomenal. From the balcony of the refuge you can stare up at the face of the Mont Blanc de Tacul and contemplate the route for the following morning.  Often times there is a queue of climbers toiling up or down the slopes that spread out in front of you.  The Tacul is the first of the three mountains you must tackle before heading to the summit of Mont Blanc.  Then comes the Mont Maudit and finally the Mont Blanc itself.
 
Breakfast at one a.m. leads to a one thirty or two o’clock departure for our climb of Mont Blanc. We mount the Tacul easily and then move on to the Maudit.  As we near the crest of the Maudit the slope steepens dramatically and we are forced to employ our crampons in a much more strenuous manner.  Luckily this section is over quickly and the grade eases some for the traverse to Mont Blanc proper.  I pull the hood up on my Helly Hansen jacket as the temperatures plummet to well below freezing.   The altitude begins to drain our energy as we slowly zigzag up to the crest and on to the summit.  During this time the sun rises and we get amazing views to the east of the Matterhorn and the surrounding skyline.
 
We finish our climb by traversing 7500 feet down the Goûter Ridge and return to Chamonix.  Once back in town we lounge on the hotel terrace and marvel at our accomplishments in the rich Chamonix air.
 
Geoff Unger
Helly Hansen Test Pilot
IFMGA/UIAGM Guide
Lead Mountain Madness Guide

Hyeres, France: UKA UKA Racing won the 2009 Melges 24 European Champions and the Giorgio Zuccoli Trophy. Their win creates a piece of unique Melges 24 history, as Lorenzo Bressani becomes the first helm to ever hold the World and European titles concurrently. On second place Alina, owned by Maurizio Abbà and helmed by Niccolò Bianchi. Both teams obviously looking extremely hot in their Helly Hansen outfits.. For hardcore Helly Hansen fans reading this newsletter we can reveal a totally new inshore range called “Hydro Power” is launched next spring – all developed and tested together with the very best sportsboat sailors in the world!!

(Lake Wanaka, New Zealand – August 15, 2009) –The North Face Big Mountain Finals at The Volkl NZ Freeski Open came to a spectacular close at The Remarkables Ski Area today with New Zealand Freeride skiers Geoff Small and Janina Kuzma crowned champions once again.

Small, of Wanaka, has now claimed his eighth title since 1996, while Kuzma, also of Wanaka made it her fifth straight victory.

Small wooed the judges as he put down the run of the day with his signature style of skiing.  Calculated line choice and huge airs off massive cliff drops gave Small a score of 8.17 out of a possible 10.00. Hot on his heels was fellow Kiwi Sam Smoothy, scoring 7.97 while Swiss skier Jérémie Heitz secured third with 7.67.

“I knew I had to do something different today at The Remarkables and I’m really stoked to win,” said Small who dedicated his victory to close friend who recently lost his life in an avalanche.

Kuzma, who took out the women’s category with a score of 8.65 out of 10 is currently ranked seventh on the Nissan Freeride World Tour after a stellar Northern Hemisphere campaign.

“I’m just so happy to win again," Kuzma said. "Stoked to have such good conditions. I found my line and stuck to it.”

Sweden’s Rebecka Eriksson, who also competes on the Freeride World Tour placed second, while Lorraine Huber, Austria, took out third.

#1 Braving The Northwest Passage

My name is Chauncey Tanton and from the time I could walk I was a skateboarder and sailor, then a surfer, and eventually a snowboarder. More an adventurist than anything, on a perpetual quest for all things new and unseen. If you are reading this you are probably of the same mentality. We congregate here. Telling tales and reminiscing on our latest adventures not to boast, but to inspire and encourage our peers. Go! Dropping! Hoist the main! One more blog. One more check mark as if to say “We have lived!”  And lived we have. A life full of surprise, challenge, and accomplishment.  Cheers to those that blaze a path all their own.

One year ago, miserable and behind a desk, I was approached by my stepfather Sprague Theobald,  with the opportunity to join his expedition producing a documentary about the fabled Northwest Passage. The Northwest Passage is a long sought after route linking the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean over Canada through treacherous ice locked arctic waters. History is littered with failed attempts and countless lives have been lost until Roald Amundsen, a Norwegian explorer, completed the route in 1903. Still the Northwest Passage remains highly allusive and very few people have successfully traversed the 2000 nautical miles from Baffin Bay to the Bering straight. Over the next 3 months we will be documenting our way through these challenging waters.

This is our story.
Motor Vessel: 57-foot Nordhavn “Bagan”
Sprague Theobald (executive producer, boat owner, and check writer)
Captain Clinton Bolton (also my sister’s boy-friend)
Dominique Tanton (stewardess and my sister)
Sefton Theobald (deck hand and Brother)
Greg Deascentis (still photographer and the only non-family person on board)
Chauncey Tanton (deckhand and cinematographer)

Please visit www.northwestpassagefilm.com to meet the crew, learn about the passage, and track our progress on our interactive map!
 












#2 Ice Bergs

Although the voyage officially began in Newport, Rhode Island our cruising began along the west coast of Greenland. Every day or so we weighed anchor and headed to the next inlet, fjord, or bay. Wherever our charts promised wildlife and scenery and of course the more remote the better. At times we found complete isolation and made the most of every anchorage as well.  On one occasion Sefton and I hiked a remote ice field and snowboarded down. Greg Descente’s, a master diver, filmed icebergs using an underwater camera.  Everything was possible. Greenland was a play ground the way it was when we were young.
Our last stop in Greenland before heading west was Disko Bay. Famous for the Jakobshavn ice fjord that produces most of the Icebergs drifting around the North Atlantic. Words fail however where these photos might pick up. There was a constant danger of the bergs fracturing, rolling over, and my biggest fear, pieces breaking off below the water line and unexpectedly rising to the surface. In a 20-foot zodiac it was hit or miss with no forewarning whatsoever.
Nerved but exhilarated we left Disko Bay and set course for Lancaster Sound, 450 nautical miles to our west and the mark of our official entry into the Northwest Passage.
PS: A big thanks to Marc Campbell and Mike Arzt at Helly for your support! We are dry, warm, and happy! Thank you thank you!

Please visit www.northwestpassagefilm.com to meet the crew, learn about the passage, and track our progress on our interactive map!






















#3 Entering the Northwest Passage!

Land Ho!
Crossing the 450nm of Baffin Bay was rather uneventful although we were offshore for 5 days. Our captain Clinton Bolton did an excellent job of picking the weather window and most of the time we experienced calm seas and low winds. This gave the crew a chance to catch up on laundry, hygiene, and camera equipment.  Arbitrarily we noted the 80th Meridian as our official entry into the Northwest Passage and celebrated with cupcakes. My sister Dominique is a great cook and stewardess!

Upon adjusting a course closer to the shoreline we were welcomed by a pack of Killer whales. The male dorsal fins were tall! Then we spotted Polar bears, two of them, no three! We hadn’t been 20 minutes within sight of land and the place was teeming. A herd of Musk ox as well.  I went down below for some much needed rest. I dreamt of pack ice and when I looked out my porthole there it was. Pack Ice. It seems dreams and reality blend north of the Arctic Circle. That morning was magical as we silently filmed and maneuvered through the ice and made our way for a small sheltered bay. Before we could drop the hook we witnessed a Polar Bear stalking a herd of Walrus. Amazing! No words….Our first anchorage in 5 days!

One aspect of the film is to highlight the long and rich history of attempts to find the Northwest Passage, some tragic and some triumphant. Our shooting schedule required a stop on Beechey Island where four graves from the British Navy’s Sir John Franklin Expedition lie. Although clouded in mystery Franklin’s two ships anchored there for two years and the island remains a desolate and eerie place. We filmed through the night and in the early morning the belugas arrived…….in the hundreds if not thousands. I’ve never seen a more awe-inspiring procession of wildlife.  They completely filled the small bay, masterfully devouring the schools of fish and left within an hour. It was akin to watching an army come to town.
Photos below!

Please visit www.northwestpassagefilm.com to meet the crew, learn about the passage, and track our progress on our interactive map!












#4 Snowboarding
Throughout our adventures in the high arctic we haven’t wasted a chance to grab our snowboards and “shred”. This day was no exception. With time to kill in between Beechey Island and waiting for a hydraulic pump to arrive in Resolute we decided to push further north and cross the 75 Parallel. From here we would be 900 miles from the North Pole and above any know human civilization. Upon anchoring inside Bear Point one slope presented itself as a likely candidate. The slope was…well…probably 50 feet long and 20 foot of vertical. Miniscule by any comparative standards but worth it nonetheless. In addition a small claim to fame to say we snowboarded above the 75th Parallel might boost moral amongst a weary crew.

Kinking our plans slightly was a large white mass (aka Polar Bear) moving along the coastline. By now we know what to look for and in the summer months anything white is either a Polar Bear or Ice. The bear disappeared over a hill and we persisted with our plans to “ride” the small remnant of winter snow. The photos were taken on the fly. Sefton, Clinton, and myself ran up, rode down and got out of there. I doubt any of us will ever snowboard something with as little reward for that amount of risk. To make matters worst, Sprague kept radioing us that he had spotted two more “white things” down wind and they were heading our way.
Needless to say we were glad to get back to the safety of Bagan and her warm cabins.
PS: Those are polar bear droppings on either side of Clinton as he is buckling in. Not to be deterred however! Glory at all costs! Aaarrgg!

Please visit www.northwestpassagefilm.com to meet the crew, learn about the passage, and track our progress on our interactive map!




















#5 Pack Ice

Pack Ice. A lot can be said about pack ice. Eleven months out of the year the Canadian Archipelago is locked in a sea of ice. It is only with luck and planning that hopefully we will slip through during the month of August when historically the ice is at a minimum. No guarantees though. Our most important resource is the daily ice report we download from the Canadian Ice service. They have proved very reliable and show us where the ice is, and given the current winds and tide,  we can predict is likely to go.

During our expedition we have encountered many threats and forces of nature all of which can disable us and leave us stranded or alone in the sea. Icebergs seemed like elephants; large and potentially destructive but easily seen and avoided. Pack ice on the other hand is like a swarm of insects. Thousands of pieces pushed and pulled by tide and wind. It can surround you, block your passage, and worse case, crush the hull. It will remain our principal concern for the foreseeable future as we make our way down Peel Sound to Gjoa Havn where Roald Amundsen, the famous Norwegian Explorer and first to complete the passage wintered in his ship the Gjoa.  We look forward to our next anchorages.
Wish us luck!

Please visit www.northwestpassagefilm.com to meet the crew, learn about the passage, and track our progress on our interactive map!


Pack ice Greg
Charts download

WELCHES, Oregon (July 13, 2009) – The difference between action sport films is often just music, locations and athletes where the edit formula is the same.  Skiing is about more than the latest tricks and best action from the previous season.  The new motion picture film from Nimbus, “Contrast”, takes a different approach to both documenting and editing a ski film by examining the difference between objects, people, concepts, color, and the skiing of Pep Fujas, Andy Mahre, Chris Benchetler, Blake Nyman and Eric Pollard.

“Contrast” is a two-disc DVD set that includes the “Hunting Yeti” and “En Route” video series.  This premium DVD is a true collectors edition with a total of nine different films.  “Contrast” was shot in high-definition while following storms through Slovakia, Austria, Japan, Canada and America.      

Nimbus Independent and Poor Boyz Productions are proud to announce the launch of a new event series, the “Triple Threat Tour.”  The new Triple Threat Tour is a separately branded event that will encompass three parts: photo/art exhibit, film showings of “Contrast” and “Everyday Is A Saturday” and an after party.  The new tour will hit over 50 stops in North America, then expand across the globe with athlete appearances, poster signings, product giveaways and lots of free gear.  Please visit www.poorboyz.com/tour to find a tour stop near you.

Nimbus Independent projects are presented by K2 Skis and supported by: Helly Hansen, Oakley, Atomic, evo, Tecnica, Marker, Dakine, Dragon, Bern, BNQT, VAS Entertainment, Line, Poor Boyz Productions, Freeskier and Newschoolers. 

Nimbus Independent is building a new business model for filmmaking and what it means for audiences, athletes and sponsors through online digital distribution.  The “En Route” episode series is syndicated online and available on TV through The Ski Channel.    The feature film “Contrast” will be available on DVD, as well as sold online as HD computer, iPhone or iPod downloads off of the Nimbus website.  Check the Nimbus website regularly for blog, photo and video updates at www.nimbusindependent.com.

MSP Films presents, “IN DEEP: The Skiing Experience”
CRESTED BUTTE, Colorado (June 29, 2009) – MSP Films’ new release, “IN DEEP: The Skiing Experience,” debuts on September 19th in Boulder, CO at the Boulder Theater.  The teaser is live and the film is now available for pre-order at www.skimovie.com <http://www.skimovie.com/> . The first 1000 pre-orders will get $5.00 off the regular DVD price, and every US order comes with a free one-year subscription to Powder Magazine.
The 2009 season gave MSP the opportunity to take an original look at the sport of skiing. “The format of the film is going to be a fresh approach for MSP this year,” said Executive Producer, Murray Wais. “We captured so much epic footage this winter, we could have put out five teasers like this.”  “Haines, AK was the ultimate trip because everything came together,” added skier Eric Hjorliefson. “We had great weather, great snow, and we were able to ski everything we wanted to, which usually never happens.”
 
MSP was also faced with tragedy this year when long time friend and star skier Shane McConkey died in a BASE jumping accident.  In this film MSP will feature a McConkey tribute segment that will highlight his incredible career as a pro skier.  Each tour stop will have a contest to see who can dress up as the best Saucer Boy with prizes being given out nightly.  “Shane McConkey was the greatest ski film star of our time, in addition to being an incredible person and a loyal friend. We all miss him deeply," said Co-Founder, Steve Winter.
“IN DEEP” features the best skiers in the world including Mark Abma, Sean Pettit, Eric Hjorleifson, Daron Rahlves, Henrik Windstedt, Chris Davenport, Bobby Brown, Colby West, TJ Schiller, Mike Douglas, Kaj Zackrisson, James Heim, Hugo Harrisson, Rory Bushfield, PK Hunder, Ingrid Backstrom, Jacob Wester, Russ Henshaw, Henrik Harlaut, Alexis Godbout, Michelle Parker, JT Holmes, Sammy Carlson, Chris Rubens and Shane McConkey. 
“IN DEEP” is shot in high-definition on location at Squaw Valley, Keystone, British Columbia, Italy, Haines, Sweden, Crested Butte, and additional destinations worldwide.  The MSP Film Tour visits over 200 locations across the globe this fall, featuring athlete appearances, poster signings, after parties, live entertainment, and more.  Please visit www.skimovie.com/tour <http://www.skimovie.com/tour>  to find out when "IN DEEP" will be at a location near you.
MSP Films would like to thank all of their partners for their continued support: Helly Hansen, Subaru, Red Bull, Salomon, Dakine, Discrete, Coreupt, and Powder Magazine.

ABOUT MSP Films:  MSP Films is the leader in action sport filmmaking. The team at MSP works with the best athletes in the world in the most exotic locations in order to capture compelling images in action sports.  Their ultra progressive camera techniques, editing, and production value have earned them many prestigious awards, including 2007 and 2008 Emmy nominations for outstanding cinematography.  For more information about MSP Films, please visit WWW.SKIMOVIE.COM