A Mathematical equation of sideways style.
Photo by Ed Gloor
A company dedicated to creativity and expression, Volcom Stone has embarked on a snowboarding movie premiere world tour titled 9191 that visited Denver, Colorado on September 7th, 2010.
Produced by VEECO films and based on the travels of professional snowboarder Gigi Rüf, 9191 has proved to be a big success in great proportions. As stated in an interview by Jesse Huffman from ESPN action sports news, “The 9191 movie is about the freestyle progression on natural features,” says the director Jake Price.”The general vibe of the movie should be a surprise to everyone!”
Although he had been snowboarding for over a decade, Rüf was still very flattered at the opportunity given to him by Volcom Stone. “Really, I am still tripping about this since Volcom made all my snowboarding dreams come true in only one year. I was dreaming this up since I started snowboarding in 1991,” says Rüf.
The title 9191 comes from a play on words from the year in which the Company Volcom Stone began; 1991. Although the movie was considered to be a little short, it still left the crowd speechless in amazement. “When we walked in, the anticipation was building up. I thought it was really cool when Gigi got up on stage and spoke, but then it all began,” says TJ student Mitchell Moore, who attended the premiere. “They started busting out crazy tricks that gave me instant chills. It really blew my mind.”
Denver was very lucky to host a premier that appealed so greatly to the audience and even made the audience enthusiastic and eager for the upcoming winter season. “It’s one of those influential videos that makes you want to get up, strap up, and snowboard. I mean, what they’re doing is incredible. They were flipping over and onto trees, diving down vertical cliffs; it really makes me want to pursue snowboarding so much more,” says Moore.
A few of the pro riders accompanying Rüf in the production were Jake Blauevelt, Luke Mitrani, Blair Habenicht, and Willie Yli-luoma. All of the riders in the film presented a style of snowboarding that is known as backcountry riding. The objective behind 9191 was to show a side of snowboarding that is not usually being promoted, in contrast with Shawn White’s half pipe runs in the Winter Olympics, which are very renowned.
9191 proved itself to be a very influential film in the context of defining the line between riders who mix their skill and wit in more natural terrain versus riders who stick with the generic aspect of “hitting the streets” with urban snowboarding and riding in man-made terrain parks. “9191 showed the shredding aspect of snowboarding that you might see in a terrain park, but in a different way, and at different levels. It’s more of a freedom type of perspective of riding; it’s natural, not man-made. It’s free, without limitations. It’s just as cool, if not cooler, than the typical things one might see in a video part. It’s sick seeing a different perspective of snowboarding; it just adds on to my love for riding,” says Thomas Jefferson student Michael Canady.
Rating: ★★★★★
