Quiksilver Natural Selection - all mountain freestyle invitational

Name:	Travis Rice
Home Mountain:	Jackson Hole Mountain Resort
Sponsors:	Quiksilver, LIB Technologies, DC Shoes, RedBull Energy Drink, Bluebird Wax, Grenade Gloves, Nissan, Jack's garage
Video Parts:	The Brainfarm DC Mtn Lab 1.5 - DC Snow The Community Project - 1242 Productions The Gap Session - Blank Paper Studios DC Mtn Lab - DC Snow That's it, That's all First Decent - Transition Productions Water to Wine - Bluebird Productions More - Absinthe Films Pop - Absinthe Films

Travis entered into professional snowboarding in the same fashion he does everything- caution to the wind. Sponsor-less and fresh out of high school he traveled to Mammoth, CA to poach the super exclusive Snowboarder Magazine event Superpark. While other riders were shying away from the biggest jump, an enormous 110-foot gap, Travis opted to throw a backside rodeo over it. Absinthe Films captured the trick on video and the little known Wyoming snowboarder was immediately asked to film an entire part for the 2001 film "Transcendence". Though most of the snow was gone for the season, he traveled to Alaska for a few weeks and put together a part that was worthy of the prestigious opening section and cemented his name into snowboarding history in one season.

Rice is one of snowboarding’s only truly all-around riders, as comfortable in the backcountry as he is on rails or in the park or the halfpipe. Maybe it is his exceptionally short attention span, or the fact that he has more energy than ten normal human beings combined, but Travis does everything, and does it well.

"I like the fact that there're so many aspects to snowboarding because it keeps it fresh for someone like me who snowboards all the time", Travis told Transworld Snowboarding. "Jibbing is technical-it's got a whole different vibe than riding a powder kicker. If I did nothing other than ride straight pow, it would get boring".

Travis was raised with skis on his feet as his father was a ski patroller at Jackson Hole, WY. Admittedly he tells people when he first saw snowboarders emerging at his notoriously steep, double black diamond riddled home resort, he thought the sport was stupid. Then he tried it and a few bumps and bruises later, he was hooked. Growing up on a mountain like Jackson Hole, known as a freeriding Mecca thanks to its deep powder and rugged terrain, it wasn't until much later that Rice honed his freestyle skills in the park. Ask him and he'll sheepishly tell you he began competing mostly out of a desire to get days off from school as a member of the snowboard team. Now with X Games gold and multiple US Open victories under his belt, it's hard to believe he didn't care if it happened. But one thing Rice has made very clear, through his riding and his attitude, a good day in powder with friends will take precedence over a contest medal any day of the week.

In 2004, Travis again floored the snowboard world when he set out to hit Chad’s Gap, a 120-foot gap in Utah’s backcountry that had been deemed un-hittable. He and friend Romain De Marchi spent three days constructing the perfect kicker and on his first attempt, Travis actually overshot the gap. Travis proceeded to ride the massive jump like it was a normal obstacle built by a ski area, eventually stepping up to a switch stance 540. The session was featured in Absinthe film's 2004 movie "Pop".

Though Travis snowboards as if he is invincible, he has had a few brushes with death. A ruptured spleen at a halfpipe contest put him into intensive care for 6 days at age 16. In 2004 he was swept 2,000 feet down the side of a mountain by an avalanche in Alaska. He was buried up to his armpits, but suffered only bruises. Travis doesn't let little things like that get him down.

Currently he is embarking on his most adventurous project to date, an anxiously awaited film two years in the making. Travis teamed up with Curt Morgan to create 1242 Productions and has been traveling the globe filming for "Shedding Light". In keeping Travis's socially conscious nature, there have been rumors of an environmental slant in it, but the crew has kept details under wrap. The film is slated for release in September 2008.

Travis still resides in his childhood hometown of Jackson Hole, WY. He rides for Lib Tech snowboards, where he helped design the innovative T.Rice Magne-traction series. He joined the Quiksilver team in 2007.

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Name:	John Jackson
Home Mountain:	Mammoth Mountain
Sponsors:	Forum Snowboards, Special Blend, Dragon, Thirty-Two, Etnies, Jacks Garage
Video Parts:	Catch The Vapors - Standard Films Draw The Line - Standard Films Lost In Translation - Standard Films Paradox - Standard Films

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Name:	Nicolas Müller (oomplots over U)
Home Mountain:	Zurich, Switzerland
Sponsors:	Burton Snowboards, Oakley, Adio Shoes, R.E.D., Nokia, Fiat, Arcuswear
Video Parts:	Optimistic - Absinthe Films Pop - Absinthe Films Saturation - Absinthe Films More - Absinthe Films

Nicolas Müller was born in Zürich in 1982 and raised a bit outside in a tiny Swiss town of Aarau. The town may have been small, but there was no shortage of snow in the area since the town was located right next to the Swiss Alps. It was never a matter of if, but when, Nicolas would begin to ski. However, Nicolas also enjoyed skateboarding during the summer months, and promptly onverted to snowboarding for the winter season because the two sports were more compatible. Nicolas spent most of his time at resort in Laax, Switzerland where he became notorious for his stylish straight airs and uncanny ability to learn tricks in seconds whereas it would take other snowboarders weeks to learn them. Those who witnessed him snowboard could only remark in awe that he was "talented". Anyone else with Nicolas’s ability would have been content to showcase their talents on their local mountain for all to see, but Nicolas wanted to transfer his skills to the backcountry and beyond. He has the ability to float kickers and shred tree trunks that can only be envied by his fellow riders. Nicolas Müller has seen the sport of snowboarding explode in popularity, and has been at the forefront of it. Nicolas has appeared in countless snowboarding movies and on the cover of virtually every European Snowboarding Magazine, and all the while he is just looking for the next big hit.

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Name:	Romain De Marchi (RDM)
Home Mountain:	Les Crosets in Les Crosets Des Soleil
Sponsors:	Burton Snowboards, Anon, Gravis, Nixon, Qwst, Fiat, Les Croset Porte Du Soleil, Fom, Pulp 68
Video Parts:	Transcendence - Absinthe Films Saturation - Absinthe Films Pop - Absinthe Films Lines - Standard Films Optimistic - Absinthe Films

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Name:	Mark Carter
Home Mountain:	Lackson Hole Mountain Resort
Sponsors:	Atomic Snowboards, Bluebird Wax, 686, Smith Optics, Grenade Gloves, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, I AmDdesigns, Ogio, Cti, Redbull Energy Drink, Jackson Treehouse
Video Parts:	The Community Project - 1242 Productions The Constant Struggle - Mongo Productions Anomaly - Teton Gravity Research Lost And Found - Teton Gravity Research

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Name:	Mark Landvik
Home Mountain:	Mt. Baker
Sponsors:	LIB Technologies, Volcom, Vans, Drop, Bent Metal, Anon, Boarderline, Spacecraft, One Ball Jay
Video Parts:	White Balance - Standard Films Lost In Translation - Standard Films Paradox - Standard Films Draw The Line - Standard Films Catch The Vapors - Standard Films

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Name:	Aandreas Wiig
Nome Mountain:	Heavenly Resort
Sponsors:	Nitro Snowboards, Vans Boots & Outerwear, Neff, Rockstar Energy Drink, Electric, Grenade, Heavenly Resort, Pro-tec, Active, Vestal Watches
Video Parts:	Picture This - Mack Dawg Productions Follow Me Around - Mack Dawg Productions A Lucid Dream - Vans Derelictica - Defective Films

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Name:	David Benedek
Home Mountain:	Innsbruck, Australia
Sponsors:	Solomon Snowboards, Bonfire, Rockstar Energy Drink, Anon, Swatch
Video Parts:	In Short - Blank Paper Studios 91 Words For Snow - Blank Paper Studios The Gap Session - Blank Paper Studios TB 9 - Standard Films Afterbang - Robot Food

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Name:	David Carrier-Porcheron (DCP)
Home Mountain:	Whistler/Blackcomb
Sponsors:	Burton Snowboards, Spy, Hurley, Empire, Ski-doo
Video Parts:	Picture This - Mack Dawg Productions From ____, with love - Mack Dawg Productions Chulksmack - Mack Dawg Productions Follow Me Around - Mack Dawg Productions Back in Black - Kingpin Productions

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Name:	Gigi Ruf
Home Mountain:	Arlberg, Australia
Sponsors:	Burton Snowboards, Volcom, Dragon, Nixon, DVS
Video Parts:	Vivid - Absinthe Films Happy Hour - Kingpin Productions Saturation- Absinthe Films Back in Black - Kingpin Productions Pirate Radio - P.M. Productions

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Name:	Bryan Iguchi
Home Mountain:	Jackson Hole Mountain Resort
Sponsors:	Volcom, Mervin Manufacturing, Electric, Bluebird Wax, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort
Video Parts:	Escramble - Volcom The Community Project - 1242 Productions Anomaly - Teton Gravity Research Revenge of The Grenerds - Soldiers of The Frozen Battlefields Productions Road Kill - Standard Films

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Name:	Kyle Clancy
Home Mountain:	Jackson Hole Mountain Resort
Sponsors:	Rossignol Snowboards, Grenade Gloves, Liberty Boardshop, go211.com, Da Kine, Bluebird Wax
Video Parts:	Who Cares - Mongo Productions The Constant Struggle - Mongo Productions The Community Project - 1242 Productions Pulse - Mack Dawg Productions Saturation - Absinthe Films

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Name:	Bjorn Leines
Home Mountain:	Snowbird
Sponsors:	Rome Snowboards, Volcom, Oakely, Cel-tek
Video Parts:	DC Mtn Lab 1.5 - DC Snow Escramble - Veeco Productions Any Means - Rome Snowboards Apples and Oranges - Alterna Films DC Mtn Lab - DC Snow

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Name:	Sammy Luebke
Home Mountain:	Alyeska Mountain & Squaw Valley
Sponsors:	LIB Technologies, Oakley, Bent Metal, Vans, Grenade, One Ball Jay
Video Parts:	The Community Project - 1242 Productions The Constant Struggle - Mongo Productions

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Name:	Hampus Mosesson
Home Mountain:	Are & Tarnaby Resorts
Sponsors:	O-Matic Snowboards, Quiksilver, Union, Grenade, Neff
Video Parts:	Afterlame - Robot Food Derelictica - Defective Films Flavour - Mustach Media Follow Me Around - Mack Dawg Productions Picture This - Mack Dawg Productions

Hampus is a sprightly young snowboarder from a small village in the north of Sweden, called Tarnaby. He was born in 1982 and has since grown to a weight of 70 kg for 178 cm. He grew up surrounded by mountains and nice people, which has had a very positive effect on the young lad, with the small exception of his penchant for snus (gum tobacco) and thumping techno! Hampus started snowboarding about 5 years ago with a couple of friends back in Tarnaby, and was soon making fine progress, which was to be confirmed by his first place in the FIS Junior World Championships. He has been riding for Quiksilver since 2000 and is also sponsored by Gnu, Dragon and Flow. Hampus wiles away his lost hours skating or playing guitar and listens to bands like White Zombie, Ministry and Twisted Sister. He would like to try bull riding, in fact if he had not become a professional snowboarder, he would have liked to be a Rock Star or a Matador, which coincidentally, is very much in keeping with his motto: "Ride Hard - Die Free". Rock on Hampus!

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Austin Smith is an 18 year-old snowboarder from the Pacific Northwest. He lives in Bend, Oregon and has become fixture at Mt. Baker. Austin is super well rounded and, even though he's new to the scene, he's being hailed for his stellar his backcountry, rail and jump work in videos. While he can seem a bit shy at first glance, he's developing a rep as an undercover ladies man. His favorite things in life: 'Tasty food, near death experiences, pretty girls and good snowboarding


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