 Poster: A snowHead
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Recovering from a bit of a party on Saturday night, I sat down yesterday evening and switched on the lunatic lantern, flipped through a few channels before happening on one about Craig Kelly.
Not being a boarder and therefore having no sense of any of the history, I found myself absorbed by the programme - a fascinating insight into the effective launch of snowboarding.
Seems that Sims and Burton (early board-makers) represented the best that there was until they inevitably "bumped" into Craig Kelly, a bit of a phenomenon on the skateboard tour. The resultant signing of Kelly, by Sims, created a partnership that helped propel them into a distinct lead in design of equipment.
A chemical engineer by training, the young Kelly was soon engaging with designers to help them come up with better performing materials to enhance the ride quality and competition performance.
He switched to Burton after a few years and helped establish them as the world leader in board/equipment manufacture.
Craig Kelly appears to have been an amazing talent, a bit of a maverick. In the late 80's and into the 90's he seems to have won just about everything going, whether freestyle or race competition. Apparently he became the first millionaire in the sport from prize money and the subsequent endorsements.
At what one might call the zenith of his career, he walked away from the increasing corporate/business environment and went travelling to many 3rd world countries (as put on the programme) to snowboard in out of the way, back-country places, to, as he put it, get back to the free-spirit days.
The amazing footage offered quite a comprehensive look into the life of the person they called "the Godfather of Freeriding".
Craig Kelly died in a huge avalanche at a resort in Canada on January 20th 2003. One of 7 who lost their lives on that day, apparently. According to witnesses, he was possibly only 3 or so paces from safety when he was caught.
There's much more to Craig Kelly and the development of the sport that he stood on top of and I've obviously glossed over a huge amount. If anyone thinks they'd enjoy watching the programme, its repeated again - details here.
An absorbing 2 hours with some excellent footage, amusing anecdotes, history of modern boarding and interviews with Craig Kelly himself.
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Mon 9-05-11 14:47; edited 1 time in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Kelly was the man. One of the snowsports all time greats. He was actually training as an aspirant guide and was killed on the Durrand glacier in BC by a multiple point release when the groups were climbing/traversing IIRC.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Kelly was a great and a good guy as well by all accounts. He went early to places like Gulmarg and Iran and when he left handed out all his equipment to locals. He helped to found Baldface lodge in BC Canada and there is a tribute to him there.
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