Winter is finished.. but it still snows in Austria!!.. Weather has been awful until now..
Sorry for the quiet period, I haven’t talk to any of you since a while.

After my first football game ever in a big stadium during ISPO, I straight flew to Japan for the last two weeks of february.

Three days in crazy Tokyo, then contest time for my boys in Niigata area, before heading up to Hokkaido.

It was my first time in Japan and I have to say that I really enjoyed the country and people. Between culture shock and amazement, the way of life is way different from our occidental west country.

I was pretty exited with Hokkaido and expecting a lot considering all stories I could have heard. The place is mystic with high mountains when you approach Niseko area and definitely less people than Honchu.

Our first stop in Niseko was a blast, good times nice people but snow conditions were not the best… so we hit the road again and head up north 5 hours from Niseko. We had one day just correct before high temperature went up. The rest of the trip took place on the road scouting rails and urban features for my riders.

Well, so far, Japan is a sick place with a massive culture and tradition and extreme behaviours. I will be back there.

Since I get back beginnig of march in Europe, we’ve been chasing powder. I had the chance to have a few nice days.
Conditions have been really dangerous, we count 5 dead persons in avalanche only in Arlberg area. Therefore our tent trip could not happen safely, we decided to cancel everything.

Now season is over, spring takes time to bring warmth and skateboard season started. We are hunting good weather windows as it is raining like it never did during the winter.

I actually just came back from a trip in france and situation is the same! I’ve been surfing in 15°C water and cold air temperature in the middle of may…

One more example to keep in mind the fragile balance of our planet which requests our attention!

As I said it is time for concrete waves, I’ve been travelling around in Germany and Austria to skate new spots, I hope that I will have some sweat, dust and blood stories next time.

Action pics by Joel Fraser and Basti Gogl.

I wish you all a nice summer.

Love
Mateo

Looking back on some Romain de Marchi sessions from a few years ago… wonder if he was as stoked about his goggles then as he is about his new ones today.

This is one of those sick pics taken by Matt Georges of Romain just doing what he does best… throwing himself off of cliffs. The new RDM Slab is going to be available in Retail stores for the 2010-2011 snowboard season. To ensure that your local store has them in, go ahead and call them up (see dealer map for phone number) and tell em you want your RDM Slabs for 2011!

Anyone who has met Resi, knows she’s a talented girl with a lot going for her: she’s thoughtful, athletic, beautiful, and — as you’ll see through this video — determined as all hell to do what she wants.

To ski race.

Slickly shot and edited, this video shows Resi’s latest come-back trail in it’s infancy stages through her summer plans. Definitely worth a look.

Resi Stiegler’s way back from Kevin Pritchard on Vimeo.