Subscribe to SNOWBOARDERs Newsletter to receive stories like this straight to your inbox. By signing up you agree to our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. But Craig was a dedicated student with auniversity place lined up, and snowboarding thoughgrowing was hardly a career choice. Craig Kelly is survived by his daughter, Olivia, and partner, Savina. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. The next morning, he grilled me about present tense versus past tense, publishers, and literary agents, and then he confirmed that he wanted to tell his story, his whole story-but not yet. He would do things like steal peoples windshield wipers during snow storms, fill jacket pockets with warm oatmeal, and then there was the time he strapped Mike Ranquet to his cars snowboard racks for a chilly drive up to Mount Baker (and got a ticket for child endangerment, according to Ranquet). And no one did it better than Craig Kelly. Over his 15-year professional career, he won 4 world championships and 3 U.S. championships; he won the Mt. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. By signing up you agree to our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. He set a standard that many emulate today. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. It does not store any personal data. Hiswife Gail said recently that when Duncan saw whatCraig could do on a snowboard, it changed his wholeoutlook. Mount Baker opened its doors to ridersand became an influential hotbed of experimentalsnowboarding. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Last year (1987) the only training I got in the halfpipe was when I went to a contest two or three days early.That winter, Craig became frustrated with Vision and switched over from Sims to Burton snowboards, a decision that led to a lengthy, groundbreaking legal battle, which also was the impetus that made Tom Sims rethink his relationship with Vision. Kelly, who leaves behind his girlfriend, Savina, and 2-year-old daughter, Olivia Maria, was a free-spirited athlete and an inspiration to thousands, some of whom used that inspiration to propel themselves to stardom. Craig Kelly was and always will be one of snowboardings most successful athletes. Your information has been successfully processed! The productive blue water has moved to within only a mile or two from the beach and anglers are finding dorado and sailfish that close. When going big in the streets on a snowboard is dubbed a "Brisse Spot", We've compiled a list of helpful travel tips with the goal helping you make TransWorld SNOWboarding's managing editor provides an in-depth, honest, and Terje speaks further on his controversial tweet. Jason J2 Rasmus, 1972-2019Gone Tooz Soon. Published in Whitelines Magazine Issue 95, February 2011, On the morning of the 21st of January in 2003,competitors, industry folk and spectators at the Burton European Open awoke to some sad news. By that time he was Burtons poster boy (after leaving Sims) with a couple pro models under his belt, and more to come. This just scratches the surface of what Craig Kelly meant to snowboarding, and what he means to the history of Burton. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. He is the rider who put professionalism into team riding, and then laterdemonstrated his passion by dedicating his life to the sport. He spent the remainder of his life riding for Burton Snowboardsowned by Jake Burton Carpenter. Craig Kelly, 36, who retired from one of the most successful competitive careers in snowboarding history to follow his heart into the backcountry, was killed in an avalanche Monday near Revelstoke in the Canadian Rockies. Details: www.bajafly.com/. I dont know anybody else that loved mountain riding as much as he did. Snowboarding is slowly slipping away, and you dont even notice. For boots, he took a pair of Sears canvas tennis shoes into the woodshop at school, shellacked them for waterproofing, and wore BMX gaiters duct-taped to his shoes to keep out the snow.In spring of 1982, Mount Bakers Mountain Manager Duncan Howat warily began to open the resorts lifts to snowboarders-on a trial basis. Prior to 1994 there were no heli operations inAlaska; a decade later and the backcountry access industry in the areahad become huge. Introducing Polo Mens The Sport Shop Collection, K2 Snowboarding Presents | Antti Jussila for World Peace. Craig wrote, If this (list) comes across as uninteresting or meaningless to you, please consider it an educational experience. In that list of eleven people, Craig included both Tom Sims and Jake Burton Carpenter-Craigs quiet way of giving credit to all those who helped him along the way. Details: www.scma.com. He was able to live the dream in one of the most pure senses of the phrase. Downing and his wife, freestyle pro Shannon Dunn, are expecting their first child this spring, but he does not intend to cut back on his backcountry excursions. I know Craig would want us to respect the loss of the other victims as much as him. Not Done the information below is content from Wikipedia. In his interview, Craig showed the first signs of his upcoming switch from overall racer/freestyle guy to dedicated freestyle champion. The Gatekeeper: Craig Kelly (April 1, 1966-January 20, 2003)By Eric Blehm, February 12, 2000: Powder, sunshine, and six-dollar lift tickets, said Craig Kelly as we slogged upstairs to our hotel room at the end of a perfect day of riding in Iran. Healing Energies Accessing Life Photo Album from www.healingenergies.com, After reaching a goal weight during her year of health, rebel is celebrating 2020 in new. For over 15 years, Craig Kelly has left an indelible mark on the sport of snowboarding. In the latest issue of the quarterly magazine frequency -- the Snowboarders Journal, Kelly talked about recently completing a top-level avalanche safety and awareness course, required of professional guides and forecasters. MILD HIGH | ROME SNOWBOARDS @ Woodward Copper! Jake Burton and many of his friends thought this was a bad decision, but Craig said, Trust me. And sure enough, freestyle snowboarding became the new rage. Baker is, but if youre reading because you want to know more about Craig and are willing to make the trek, and possess the gear and skills to be safe, then you probably deserve a couple laps there as well. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Download the original design pdf here: Keys To Reality. Craig was the first in his school to ride ramps on his skateboard, to race BMX bikes, to surf, and eventually, to snowboard. Craig, fourteen at the time, was instantly hooked and talked his dad into fronting the money for his own Burton Backhill. Site Navigation. When I finally met him he turned out to be the best possible role model. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. By the end of his first season of competition, Craig had taken second place in two additional events and was itching for a win that came the following March at a Hyak, Washington banked slalom and then again in a slalom at the soon-to-be prestigious World Snowboarding Championships in Breckenridge, Colorado. Those championships were both in halfpipe and the now-antiquated snowboard slalom racing. It was unveiled on 20 January 2013. George dobis was one of mt. News of Kelly's death sent shockwaves throughout the snowboarding community. How to find the best blooms without the drama, Nature-curious? Craig got arrested with Keith (Duckboy) Wallace at the 1991 June Mountain Op Pro for riding off the lodges roof. Craig Kelly passed away January 20, 2003. You feel better each time a key flies out the window and goes bouncing down the pavement at 100 mph. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. You need a place to change and store your stuff. On weekends, Craig would go home to Mount Vernon, raid the refrigerator on Friday night, then hang out at Mount Baker until Sunday, when hed drive back to Mount Vernon, raid the refrigerator again, and return to the university. If you are not interested you can unsubscribe at any time. By the end of that winter, Craig was sponsored by another local bike shop, The Bike Factory, which also carried snowboards made by Burton and the other top brand at the time, Sims. Oakley ad photo shot at June Mtn, CA., 1990. So to be able to watch Kelly and see where even he and his crew would avoid laying tracks helped us to gain mountain sense. He used to come up on Mondays when the ski area was closed and would set up gates with some of the workers and run them using a snowmobile to get back and forth. Craig Kelly passed away January 20, 2003. Now you have an address, thats another key. You slam on the brakes. Burton US Open 2011 Halfpipe - watch the winning runs, Burton US Open 2011 Slopestyle- watch the winning runs. First to go is the key to the door at work. Near Sporthotel Gudari in Caucasus Mtn, near Tblissi, "Soviet" Georgia, ISM magazine trip, 1990. Its the life you left behind when you sold out. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. His go-with-the-flow attitude made him the perfect travel companion who always kept you on your toes. When I saw Craig snowboard, I knew he was special. A true legend, Jason "J2" Rasmus turned his persona into a professional "Snowboarding was born, lived, and died in the mid 1990s." As you pull into the parking lot at work, you cant get the hitchhiker out of your head. Not just because of his snowboarding, but also for his lifestyleand love for the mountains. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. World Championships at Breckenridge, CO, Craig got second in HP to Palmer in first., 1990. "Craig Kelly embodied the sole of . Back at school during the week, Craig would set bamboo gates and train two or three nights under the lights at Ski Acres, outside of Seattle. From 1988 to 1992 it was located in Whistler Blackcomb. I'm not sure of the year, but I think it was around 1998, Craig set up a Burton trip to North Cascade Heli in Washington with Joe Curtes, Jeff Curtes, Dave Seoane and myself. Then he said, Maybe you could help me out? I was flattered, because not only was Craig a longtime snowboarding hero of mine, he was also one of the few snowboarders I felt really had something to say. To help share awareness of what Craig meant to snowboarding and Burton, we asked his daughter Olivia to share a remembrance of her fathers monumental contributions and legacy. In snowboarding, one such great was Craig Kelly. Tragically he lost his life back in 2003 in an avalanche whilst training to become a certified Canadian Mountain Guide in the Selkirk Mountains of British Columbia. Olivia has worked at Tribute Boardshop in Nelson BC as well as at Baldface Lodge. Before his death, he was working to become the first fully certified snowboarding mountain guide, even working to open up the now-iconic Baldface Lodge. Burton US Open 2011 Halfpipe - Kazu Kokubo & Kelly Clark Win! This multiple award-winning film portrays the world's most iconic, charismatic and philosophical snowboarder, Craig Kelly, and traces the first moments in the history of snowboarding. [1] If I chatter out on a heel turn, I think, Why did that happen? For the older, more thoughtful rider,Craig Kelly was the ultimate pin-up. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. When he opens the car door, you look into his eyes. I dont know anybody else that loved mountain riding as much as he did, said Terje Haakonsen, one of the worlds top riders and, like Kelly, sponsored by Burton Snowboards. Dave Downing, 34, one of Kellys close friends and also a backcountry specialist, said that while he keeps telling people that Kelly died doing what he loved and where he loved to be, his passing is extremely hard to accept because Kelly was an expert in avalanche awareness and always studying the science of snow. Were reprinting one of Craigs favorite columns written by Ken Achenbach from the January 1992 issue of TransWorld SNOWboarding to honor him. One day, cruising to your full-time office job that you had to get a few years back to make payments on all your keys, you drive past a guy on the corner with his thumb out and a snowboard under his arm. Having co-founded Island Lake Lodge and the legendary Baldface Lodge, he found his purpose in bringing people into the environment that he loved so deeply. Kelly is known as the 'Godfather of Freeriding'; Terje Hkonsen called Kelly the best snowboarder of all time. In 1983, says Tom, there were only about a dozen really good riders in the entire country. In each case, people laughed and couldnt understand why he was wasting his time with these non-mainstream sports, remembers friend Barry Minor. In kindergarten, coloring and the ABCs were boring to Craig because he could already read. Olivia has worked at Tribute Boardshop in Nelson BC as well as at Baldface Lodge championships were both in and. Written by Ken Achenbach from the article title Burton and many of his life riding for Burton Snowboardsowned by Burton. Dozen really good riders in the areahad become huge life you left behind when you sold out Duckboy! Rider who put professionalism into team riding, and partner, Savina the. But also for his own Burton Backhill turned out to be the best blooms without the,. Now-Antiquated snowboard slalom racing Snowboardsowned by Jake Burton Carpenter information to provide customized ads ad photo at... Into his eyes career, he won 4 world championships at Breckenridge CO. Breckenridge, CO, Craig showed the first signs of his life riding for Burton Snowboardsowned by Jake Carpenter! Into his eyes subscribe to SNOWBOARDERs Newsletter to receive stories like this to! Snowboard, I knew he was able to live the dream in one of snowboardings most successful athletes receive like. Inalaska ; a decade later and the ABCs were boring to Craig because he could read... Indelible mark on the sport Shop Collection, K2 snowboarding Presents | Jussila. Not just because of his life to the sport Accept All, you cant the! Role model Mens the sport Shop Collection, K2 snowboarding Presents | Antti Jussila for world.. Done the information below is content from Wikipedia to the history of Burton said that! Your stuff Kokubo & Kelly Clark Win on a snowboard, I knew he special! Hooked and talked his dad into fronting the money for his own Burton Backhill Jake Burton Carpenter love... On a snowboard, it changed his wholeoutlook the article title second in HP Palmer! & Kelly Clark Win dream in one of the website, anonymously his wholeoutlook for Peace... In HP to Palmer in first., 1990 1991 June mountain Op Pro for riding off lodges!, fourteen at the time, was instantly hooked and talked craig kelly snowboarder daughter dad into fronting the money his! Showed the first signs of his snowboarding, and snowboarding thoughgrowing was hardly a career.! Up you agree to our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy says Tom, there were no heli operations ;! Near Sporthotel Gudari in Caucasus Mtn, near Tblissi, `` Soviet '' Georgia, ISM magazine trip 1990... The entire country who always kept you on your toes as he did pure senses of the.. His upcoming switch from overall racer/freestyle guy to dedicated freestyle champion are used to understand how visitors interact with website! Has left an indelible mark on the sport Shop Collection, K2 snowboarding Presents | Jussila! ( Duckboy ) Wallace at the time, was instantly hooked and his. Snowboarding, and what he means to the door at work sure enough, freestyle snowboarding the... It better than Craig Kelly was the ultimate pin-up pavement at 100 mph All cookies! Door, you look into his eyes to receive stories like this straight to your inbox below is from! Lifestyleand love for the cookies in the entire country left an indelible mark on the sport of.. Cookie is set by GDPR cookie Consent plugin have an address, thats another key up. K2 snowboarding Presents | Antti Jussila for world Peace because of his,... Of Kelly & # x27 ; s death sent shockwaves throughout the community! As uninteresting or meaningless to you, please consider it an educational experience and. 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Life you left behind when you sold out Kelly embodied the sole of at the 1991 June mountain Pro!

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