This pic is just funny. What more can we say that snowboarding always has been and always will be FUN – even when doing STIFFIES was rad. Wait..STIFFIES are RAD!

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

---

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”.

Contributor // WACKLE

In the 80’s a part big of the surf/skate and later, the snow “experience”, was trying to find like minded fools to share the stoke. The Westbeach shop became a meeting place and ultimately an info source. These Westbeach newsletter helped spread the gospel and tune riders into the scene. Now of course snowboarding is mainstream, we get info from blogs, websites, mags, and all this seems silly. But at the time, these newsletters were the pulse.

Snowboards evolved in much the same way that Westbeach did – By trial and error and the pioneer spirit….

A Quebec legend of notable mention was Louis “LOFO” Fournier. Emmanuel Krebs told us about him being the first to make highbacks and we learn a great deal more from LOFO. Frustrated with his inability to fit his board into his Renault, he cut his custom made highbacks in two. Check out this pick of him taken from our book (look to reserve your copy online soon) at an event in the early 80’s. Note that the competitors behind him don’t even have highbacks!

Check LOFO’s workshop crafted boards below. Nice SNOWBOARD SHOP sticker on the W-1! Lastly, check out LOFO in his workshop below in 1985. This was where the magic happened. And of course, a pic of LOFO in his WESTBEACH PANTS circa 87-88.

Innovation started in the workshop as seen in the below image of Lofo in his dad’s shop.