News
Liberty is proud to accept a number of product awards for the 2007/08 Skis! Check out our Awards Page to see the selections!
6/9/08 Avon, CO David Lesh checks in with Liberty!
Liberty Pro Team rider David Lesh checked in with us for a Spring update as he stays busy skiing and filming thanks to an amazing winter!
Click here for the whole update!6/5/08 Avon, CO Ryan Spinks Competes in the Logging Masters
The annual Logging Masters contest went down at some point this past seson, bringing together the best log riding snowboarders in Colorado and beyond. Ryan Spinks, one of the first Liberty riders became the first skier ever to be invited to compete in the coveted event! Check out the story and video of Spinks's day! Click here for the video!
04/29/08 Avon, CO Lesh on PowderMag.com!
David Lesh shows us some great lines in Switzerland using his Vio Sport helmet camera. Check out the video at PowderMag.com!
03/25/08 Avon, CO Updates as they happen from Europe!
We have the full story as it happens from the crew in Europe. Alex Applegate and David Lesh have been killing it with Freeskier and Powder documenting the whole trip. Check out the most recent updates here!
Powder Magazine!
Freeskier Magazine!
Also, Two Plank Productions has posted some video from the trip! Check that out atTwoPlank.com
03/31/08 Avon, CO 2008/09 Skis Reviews
Check out the first reviews of the 2008/09 Helix and Double Helix skis at ExoticSkis.com
03/25/08 Avon, CO Updates as they happen from Europe!
We have the full story as it happens from the crew in Europe. Big thanks to Tom Winter from Freeskier for sending the story. Click here for the whole story!
03/18/08 Avon, CO Pro Rider David Lesh and Photog Alex Applegate Head to Europe!
Pro rider David Lesh and friend Alex Applegate are traveling to Europe for a dream ski trip. They will be filming in the amazing Swiss Alps for various magazines and film companies, and of course Liberty. Check back for updates and photos from David and Alex throughout their trip, as well as the full story upon their return!
03/11/08 Montreal, QC Liberty Canada Team Riders Killing It in Competition
Team Canada riders have finished on the podium of nearly every event they have entered this season. Recently, Pro rider Alex Lallier and Dominic Laporte-Cote finished 2nd and 3rd at an open Rail Comp at Mont. Avila, QC. Check out the video of the event at www.33mag.com
This past weekend CDN Flow rider Arthur Gignac won the amateur division at the Axis Slopestyle, and CDN Flow rider Samuel Lagrange took 2nd place at the Johannsen Big Air Challenge at Mont-Trembant.
02/05/08 Avon, CO ISPO Announces Liberty as a 2008 Eco-Design Finalist!
We are extremely excited to be chosen as a finalist for the Volvo Sports Design Forum 08, Eco-Design Awards. Liberty has taken greater notice of our impact on the environment and we are very proud to have our skis selected for this award.
"The Volvo SportsDesign Forum was opened by Andrej Kupetz, CEO of the German Design Council. Kupetz's paper on the background, history, potential and challenges of Personal Design addressed the latest and most exciting trends in international design: products are being individually tailored to the wishes and needs of each individual consumer - but nevertheless manufactured on an industrial scale."
"EcoDesign systematically brings ecological factors into play at the earliest stages of the product planning, development and design process. This ensures environmental factors are considered alongside classic product development criteria such as profitability, safety, dependability, ergonomics, technical feasibility and, of course, aesthetics.
Ecofriendly doesn't have to mean ugly: Good design is one of the keys to bringing together ecology and the economy. This leads to products, systems, infrastructure and services that serve their purpose while requiring a minimum of resources, energy and space. It also reduces waste and the use and emission of hazardous substances. An ecofriendly approach embraces the complete lifecycle of a product."
For more information, check out the Volvo Sports Design Website!
12/25/07 Avon, CO Liberty Rider Ben Wannamaker visits Japan!
First impressions are important. When meeting a girlfriends parents or squatting stoked on a chairlift with a stranger, the first few moments will effect the future of all involved. So fortunately for me a gracious four feet of fresh in two days was enough to make a bonafied new best friend in Japan's Hakuba 47. Click here for the whole story!
12/25/07 Avon, CO Liberty Tests Progressive Powder Ski Design
One of our newest projects has been an innovative, progressive powder ski. We created a ski we thought may break open new possibilities for powder skiing. The ski, codename: BFF, became a reality. Recently Liberty team rider David Lesh took the skis out for a test and wrote in with a few comments.
"Hey guys, so I rode those BFF's all day today at Keystone. REALLY SICK! I skied some pow and even some park and hit the jump line and everything. they were scary for the first few runs, but I got used to them after about half the day. You can carve really easy with them, and they ski really well for being so big. I even did some switch carving with them!
At first I thought they would have to remain a joke, but when i got used to them, they were really sick. i think I'm going to ski them a bunch from now on, especially in the pow. Bring em out on the sled and such....
I got a lot of questions and ghasps from people today, everyone was real stoked on them, great marketing tool for sure!!
talk to you soon, and thanks again for the big sticks!"
-Lesh
12/13/07 Avon, CO Liberty Signs Mike Hornbeck!
Liberty is proud to announce our newest team member, Mike Hornbeck! Mike's aggressive and fluid skiing style and positive attitude are a perfect fit with Liberty, and we are looking forward to his input on everything from product design to Midwest claims. Liberty president Dan Chalfant says Hornbeck's addition will bring" A strong skier with amazing urban skills and a good outlook on the sport" to the team.
Liberty Team rider David Lesh had this to say. "Hornbeck and I are honkies from the Midwest. We've been friends for a while, and it's amazing to see his progression and the ways he is influencing the sport. It's hard to develop such an aesthetic and smooth style coming from the "good ol' huckin'" Midwest, but it is really his personality that brought him to the attention of Liberty. He is kind, down to earth, and hard working, and I look forward to having another good friend on the team"
Mike Hornbeck followed up by saying, "I'm super stoked to be a part of the Liberty family, the skis are so durable and quick. The swing weight is unbelievable! I'm very excited to be working with a company that is as progressive as Liberty. They try so many different things to make the skis right. Rider input is huge. The skis are so sick, I couldn't ask for anything better."
Liberty Sponsors Vail Snow Daze!
Liberty Skis has once again teamed up with Highline as the official ski of Snow Daze to bring you the goods. Liberty will be sponsoring bar parties, giveaways, and contests as well having our entire line of award winning skis available for demo at Eagles Nest December 6th through December 8th.
Come celebrate the start of the winter season at Vail with the biggest early season party in North America, featuring a week-long calendar packed with daytime and nighttime events and activities! Daily DJ's spinning at the base areas, on-mountain bands, FREE Ski Tips from Vail Snowsports School, the celebration of Vail's birthday, snowball eating contests and more! The week is highlighted by three nights of entertainment including:
- Ziggy Marley on the 6th
- Social Distortion on the 7th
- Ludacris and The Roots on the 8th.
VisitVailSnowDaze.comfor more info and official schedule.
11/01/07 Avon, CO Liberty To Ride Program!
Looking for a sponsor? Liberty Skis and Scott Eyewear are teaming up to dial in the top rookie athletes of the year with sweet sponsorships. The deal is simple. The top male and female rookies of the year who compete at the Crested Butte Extremes, the Colorado Freeride Championships and Taos' New Mexico Extreme Freeride Championships will score sponsorships from Liberty and Scott! The winner will also have the chance to film with Two Plank Productions for their new action ski film. "There are a lot of amazing skiers who compete in the big-mountain arena. This is a way to recognize some of the top up and coming talent and help them pursue their dreams of competing at the highest levels." -Dan Chalfant, CEO, Liberty.
10/10/07 Truckee, CA Liberty Sponsors the Jibassic!
Snow has started falling and the season kick-off competition is right around the corner, the annual Jibassic Pro Invitational is come up at Boreal Mtn. Resort! Once again, Liberty has stepped up and is throwing down big money for first place, a $3000 winner-take-all purse goes to the skier that can impress the judges in the jam format competition.
Tahoe locals Rafe Robinson and Sean Collin, both invited to the JPI and on Liberty skis will be joined by Utah resident Rich Fahey to represent our company. Good luck guys! Other competitors include Sean Field, Ian Cosco, and Tom Wallisch.
Be sure to stop by the Liberty booth at the event to take a look at the upcoming skis for this season! There will also be a public jib arena where anyone can bring their sticks and get a little early season shredding in.
for more information on the event go to www.jibassicpark.com or www.rideboreal.com
9/14/07 Steamboat Springs, CO Liberty Sponsors Steamboat Mountain Film Festival with NossaTV
NossaTV Sweetens the Prize for 5th Annual Steamboat Mountain Film Festival
$1000 in cash and prizes for Reel People; Deadline extended to Wednesday 9/19
Steamboat Mountain Film Festival, and its Reel People Award, has just received a boost from festival partner NossaTV.com, who matched the festival's $500 prize to bring the total to $1000 cash being awarded. Filmmakers will square off for the cash along with a pair of Liberty Skis, outwear from Helly Hansen, and goggles and poles from Scott. Additionally, the date for entry has been extended to Wednesday, September 19th, at 5 p.m.
"We are thrilled to have NossaTV.com as a sponsor and their contribution to the festival allows us to give filmmakers greater exposure and a prize worth fighting for," says Michael Martin, festival organizer and Director of the Ski and Snowboard Business program at Colorado Mountain College. "I can't wait to see what filmmakers have produced for this exciting event."
The Reel People category of the Festival will be judged by the audience of WZ-TV, through video on demand website NossaTV.com. To compete for the Reel People awards, filmmakers must submit 3-5 minute clips/teasers in addition to their full-length films to be considered. They will begin airing on WZ-TV, September 24, 2007 with online voting to begin concurrently on NossaTV.com. Awards will be given on Saturday, October 13th, with screenings of the films throughout the Festival. Further, filmmakers will have their works screened on the local television show, WZ-TV.
Clips must be sent to both the film festival and to NossaTV in order
to be considered for the Reel People awards. Submission guidelines
and forms are available at the respective websites:
steamboatfilmfestival.com
About Steamboat Mountain Film Festival
The festival will begin Thursday, October 11th and conclude Saturday, October 13th. Tickets are $10 and can be pre-purchased from 10a.m to 5p.m. starting on September 24th at Ski Haus and Surefoot (Ski Time Square) cash only. Tickets may also be purchased at the door the evening of the event. Each film entrant will receive two tickets to the festival.
9/07/07 Avon, CO Liberty Launches 2008 Skis
The much anticipated 2008 skis are here! We bring our biggest and strongest line ever to market with new laminated bamboo cores, edge profiles, topsheets, and bases in every Liberty ski. Working closely with Liberty riders and testers, we have refined and expanded proven skis like the Larose, while launching completely new lines in the Helix, Hazmat and Jinx. Check them out here, or better yet, get a pair on your feet this winter. Check our schedule for demo events, or ask your local core shop to get on a pair. A preview of one of the many prototype super fat models is below. Yes, it does say 200mm underfoot. Enjoy.
9/05/07 Phil Belanger joins Liberty!
Freeskiing icon Phil Belanger has joined his Plehouse Films partner Phil Larose as a Team Liberty rider. Belanger says "Since Liberty is a small independent company it's really easy to work with them on graphics or any new idea that we might have ... We can have a direct talks with the owner and things go way faster that way..." "I am really excited about joining the Liberty family for the 2007-2008 season . Liberty is a young, dynamic and positive company. Phil Larose and I will work on the new graphics and construction of the skis and I think I can help them to grow in the freeskiing market in Canada and world-wide.
Liberty's Jim Satloff says "Phil Belanger brings ski experience from around the world, and a deep knowledge of design to our brand. He compliments our existing team well and will bring additional leadership and industry knowledge to Liberty Skis". Look for Phil in Plehouse Film's new release, SAVE. www.plehousefilms.com
9/01/07 Boulder, CO Lesh Blogs on NS
Check out the new blog by Liberty rider David Lesh on Newschoolers.com. It chronicles his life and skiing in Lesh's unique and sometimes disturbing way. Surgery, urban spelunking, photography, and science are all on tap. Look for updates and more skiing as we head into winter.
08/22/07 Quebec City, QE 3 Phils Back!
In an attempt to show the sport of freeskiing to the most people, the 3 Phils in conjunction with Liberty Skis Canada gave a show at the Expo of Quebec City in front of thousands of people this past week. Many in the crowd had never seen skiers perform, and were amazed at the skill and amplitude these athletes displayed on a plastic covered ramp. The ramp was 35 feet high and the landing was on an air bag one and a half feet deep to clear a table equivalent to 25 feet. It seems easy? Think again!
Among the athletes were JD Zicat, Paul Bergeron, Louis Larose and the 3 Phils (Larose, Dion, Belanger), You can check more photos on www.d-structure.com.
08/16/07 Avon, CO Liberty Goes Green
As mentioned on Freeskier's website, Liberty has made a commitment to renewable energy and materials in all future operations. Liberty will continue to use laminated wood and bamboo cores across our entire line, and made the switch to wind power last January. Although it is a small step, we believe using renewable resources like bamboo in our cores and wind power for our energy needs sets a positive example for the skiing community and for manufacturing in general. Check out the Freeskier article below for more information.
06/01/07 Avon, CO Liberty Moves to New Headquarters
We have finally finished renovation of our new headquarters in Avon, Colorado and moved in. Our new home features offices, athlete lounge and bar, and new production facilities. This means we will make prototype skis and test them right across the street at Beaver Creek or just down the road at Vail. Testing new materials and processes will be very rapid, allowing Liberty to bring even more innovation and style to the market ahead of the competition.
04/15/07 Vail, CO Liberty and the World Pond Skimming Championships
Vail Mountain and Liberty hosted the World Pond Skimming Championships on Saturday. This event is part of a two week party called Spring Back to Vail that includes concerts, bar parties, demos, and a variety of other activities. Skiers and snowboarders in funny costumes go down a run and hit the Liberty Kicker onto an ice-cold pond where they try to "skim" across to the end. Over 100 participated, but most ended up cold and wet with many spectacular crashes. Liberty rider Charlie McArthur and intern Alex Iwanchuk both entered and had a great showing. Alex was dressed as Joe Dirt, and Charlie was some sort of Roman soldier or Caligula party guy. We are really not sure. Liberty is happy to be part of such a great scene.
