Contributor / WACKLE /

IN 1990 the contest scene was warming up a bit as seen by the number of entrants below. Pipes were still dug by hand and the entire ethos was a lot of D.I.Y. – if the pipe needed some work, grab a shovel. CONTEST ANNOUNCEMENT -  send the name of  bib #128 to competition@westbeach.com to win a FREE JACKET.

Contributor//Jon//

Devun Walsh recounts his memory of the event in  “Out Westbeach: Snowboarding, Westbeach, and a new Canadian Dream”.

I really remember [Sean] Johnson bonking the announcer stand [and] Jamie Lynn doing late-grab 540s and snowboarding way different than anyone else. The first time I saw him was at Westbeach, and he’s doing those frontside fives in the pipe, and he’d come around late mute and bone ’em out straight—it was just like, “That is sick! He’s so different.” There was just a clear-cut difference. It’s not like he was going that much bigger—it was just solid. And that’s when I was like, ‘That’s who I wanna snowboard like.’  – Devun Walsh

Below – Sean Johnson (founder Stephchild snowboards)  bonking the announcer’s stand.

Below – Westbeach team rider Kevin Young – perfect style.

Below – Kevin Young in the news.

This original artwork for the first ad featured in Transworld Snowboarding tells it all – $10,000 cash prize. Snowboarding was on the up…..

Contributor Jon // Not many people remember it, but The Westbeach Classic was originally held at Cypress Mountain and more than a few careers were made of it. At this time contests were as much about socializing as about winning. Snowboarding was pretty small, and all the competitors were acquainted with one another.

Dano Pendygrasse puts it this way in “Out Westbeach; Snowboarding, Westbeach and a new Canadian dream” (buy it here)

So, in April 1989, Cypress Mountain in West Vancouver became the first host of what would become an iconic event. I was 19, and I remember it being a pretty big deal. A big-name American pro, Dan Donnelly, drove up, which was something most riders hadn’t seen up until that point, and people came from all over the province to ride, watch, and party. I guess because it wasn’t very good, I don’t remember much of the “pipe,” but what I always will remember is the jump that was built at the end of it: a big booter to a terrible landing that pun- ished everyone who hit it. The halfpipe contest became a jump contest, and Don Schwartz won it with a backflip full twist. Warburton blasted some double-grab rocket airs, and Ross Rebagliati’s signature method air was good enough to push him to a win in the amateur category. That kid had style, man. I used to think it was a shame that he got into racing, because he was so good at freestyle, but then he won the Olympic gold medal. I doubt he regrets the switch.

Contributor WACKLE //

IN the mid 80′s before snowboardings’ rise in popularity and commercial appeal, shred competitions were near non existent. Surfing on the other hand, had roots, lots of participants and competitions. Westbeach was the at the epicenter of the California lifestyle scene and knew it had to stoke the fire and blow the scene up. The solution? The Westbeach Classic!

An excerpt from Out West: Snowboarding, Westbeach and a new Canadian Dream by Dano Pendygrasse available at www.westbeach.com.

The first Westbeach Classic was actually a surf contest. it started in the mid 1980′s on Vancouver Island’s west coast and in its very first year had 100 entrants, including four in the women’s cateogry. As Marco Allinott remembers it, Raph Bruhweiler, who went on to some fame in the surfing world, won the novice category that year. In typical style, Westbeach decided they were going to have a contest, set out to do it, and, without asking too many questions, went ahead and did. Only after they showed up to the beach did they find out that they needed to have an event permit from the Canadian Parks Service. The next year they had that covered and had rented and filled the entire campground at Chesterman’s in Tofino.

Below: A poster from the 1989 Westbeach Surf jam advertising sun, surf, sand and prizes.

By the late 80′s the snowboarding communities’ core followers had started moving to Whistler to see for themselves if it lived up to tales. Leaving the comforts of home, work, and girlfriends, they banded together in the cheapest accomodation available. This often meant 2 to a room, no toilet paper, and only beer in the fridge. Given the hope of a brighter future, or at least unlimited powder to be shared with new friends, many gave in to the higher calling and headed west. Once there they met others who were equally as determined to snowboard everyday and progress the sport. It was this combination of location and timing that set the explosive and progressive scene that would put Whistler on the map as the epicenter of Canadian snowboarding. If you wanted to go pro, you moved to Whistler.

Below: The front porch of “The Snoboard House” in Whistler. Three different Craig Kelly prototypes belonging to Alex Warburton
and Jeff Brushie as well as the debris from the lives of a dozen or so young snowboarders. Photo: John Kamitakahara.

Contributor – JonC //

Scott Sibley – co-owner of Westbeach living the life on the front steps of the Cal BC shop on W 4th. That area has gone on to become the Hub of all shred shops in BC and one of the must stops on the way to Whistler….to this day, any and every brand can be found there.

The Classic is widely regarded as the contest that introduced the jam format and brought snowboarding into the realm of entertainment. Watch the video to hear Dano Pendygrasse, Roberta Rodger, JP Walker and a host of others talk about how careers were lost and won at this season end contest.

The Westbeach Classic Heritage Video 2

Welcome to the first of five Westbeach Heritage Videos……

The Westbeach Heritage Video Teaser

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At the same time as the Westbeach brand was gaining momemtum there were a whole lot of California brands that were already established and on the scene. Many of them were skate or surf brands such as, Airwalk, Gotcha, Stussy,   and Jimmy’z – featured here. It was around this time that the boom of “streetwear” often credited to Sean Stussy, really got going. Note the awesome cut and paste styles in the ad. Also note the absense of the Westbeach Logo … “Man”.