JAPAN GRABS - Hakuba Blog 2013 / 2014
Finally took some time to catch up on this again 
Such a good read.
Hells yeah Lukey!!
Must of just missed you Marc! Luke said your little adventures were quite the time!
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The Board Ridaz Contest
This is a unique “3S” contest coming up next weekend (surf, skate & snow), with the combined winner being crowned the “King of Nature”.
The contest begins on Saturday, March 29th at Momokawa beach in Niigata, followed by the skate comp that evening at True Players Skate Park in Hakuba.
Then, Sunday morning will see Happo Banks hosting the snow comp.
Entry is 7000 yen for two events or 10,000 yen for all three. To enter contact the Board Ridaz Committee at 0466-24-0800 or email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)Note: Happo Banks will be closed for public riding until 12 noon on March 30th, however it should be fun to come and watch the event. Pro tip: riding the chair lift will offer the best view of the action.
For event times and other info (in Japanese), check here
Due to the rain forecast for Sunday, the surf and snow comp days have been switched. Happo Banks will now be closed for public riding tomorrow (29th) until noon. You can still come out to watch the event. That night there is the event party at Naughty’s.
Word is there will be an informal gathering of snow skaters tomorrow afternoon at Happo Banks too.
Stellvadore, I’ll be at the park tomorrow afternoon if you’re around.
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“Bubbles” Maruyama in action
Goes to show that Happo Banks isn’t just about doing turns 
Stellvadore, I’ll be at the park tomorrow afternoon if you’re around.
I’ve ran off to Niseko, Spring Park and Hano!
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The Board Ridaz Comp - March 29, 2014
So yesterday was the Board Ridaz contest at Happo Banks, which meant that the park was closed until noon. Lame sauce for us punters for sure (especially since the comp ran late and the park didn’t open until 1!) I went up anyways to take some photos but it was slim pickings as most guys were going for nice clean carved lines through the park, which don’t make for nice photos. Mr. Yuki Ita, Atsushi Gomyo won the skate/snow crown.
Back 1 over the GoPro sign
Among the competitors I found my friend with this little puppy:
It’s a new line called Korua. The makers of Fanatic snowboards are behind it. Looks pretty cool. I’ll have to take one for a test run next winter. It was weird, I just saw this instagram post by Stephan Maurer a couple of days ago:
So, to run into my friend who had a proto was quite the coincidence. I think they are meant to send me the Apollo and the long one on the right (hint hint).
Anyways, I’ve never been one to give up a day’s riding to watch other people ride, so I went for some runs (and missed both of my friend’s runs 
)
So, a really cool thing on Happo this year, is the emergence of built up side hits (on the Panorama cat track), banks (at the start of the Riesen cat track) and now hips!
On Skyline, I found two of them. Check them out:
Watch out for the innocent
You need to straightline a mogul field to get enough air for this one, but who’s complaining?
Happo is usually covered in moguls so it’s sick to find freestyle features dotted around the resort. Oh yeah, there was a set of banks just before the gondola loading area too. Keep it up, Happo! 
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Bankrobbing! 2014 - a snowskate gathering
Last Sunday, after the Happo Banks park opened to the public again after the Board Ridaz contest, there was an informal gathering of like-minded snow skaters.
Some of them were pretty good.
Snowskate - Snowboard Symmetry
Of course, it’s easier to fall off a snowskate
They even had a race through the park, which looked like loads of fun.
The start
Check out yellow pants on the left
Yellow Pants is up instantly and back in the pack
Yellow Pants getting ready to pass into second place
Oh no! Yellow Pants goes down again!
The winners! Congrats to Ben Gibson on winning his own event (cough Travis Rice cough cough)
Party time!
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Closing Festival at Happo Banks
Man, I can’t believe the season is ending! If you’re in Hakuba, make sure you come out for the final weekend Happo Banks is open. It will probably be super crowded but it should be a good vibe.
The following pros and djs are coming:
【GUEST RIDER】
畔田 正志（gentemstick,parmanent union）
五明 淳（the snowsurf,make yukiita）
大江 信行（gentemstick,afd）
西山 勇（outflow,green clothing）
松浦 将（outflow,columbia）
渋谷 謙（blueblood）
南浦 高士（green clothing）
溝口 靖史（moss snowstick）
鬼頭 春菜（gentemstick,patagonia）
松本 麻衣子（tj.brand）
原 大輝（rome sds,blue blood）
丸山 隼人（gentemstick,patagonia）
and more
【DJ】
Oki（mancheez）
Tsuru（spectator）
Marcy（gentemstick）
and more
Not sure why they have me down as deejaying….and they added a Y to my name! 
Anyways, lots of pros mean lots of action to watch while you’re taking the park lift up! Should be a great time, so fingers are crossed the weather improves for Sunday. Could be pow on Saturday though 
They’re also making a mini banked slalom track so there might be a race on!
See you there!
Yellow Pants!!!!! 
Awesome, Marc! 
Awesome, Marcy!
Stop oppressin <strike>him</strike> her!!!!! 
what have I done?!!
Oh, and before I forget, the board that’s third from left!!!!!
Have ya heard any feedback on that shape????? While I reckon it’d be awesome in pow, I reckon it’d be a major struggle to ride it on anythin that’s remotely hardpack?????
