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Revolution Sunset Session at Mammoth
Revolution Mammoth Night Session
Words: Johnny Centi
Photos: Andrew Miller unless noted
Monday, April 28th 2008, Mammoth Mountain Main Park | Mammoth Lakes, CA
The Eastern Sierra Mountain Range has been producing amazing sunsets for millions of years but tonight was our night. This was our opportunity to capture this moment with our snowboards on our feet, our friends at our sides and our eyes on the sky. This was our first ever opportunity to schedule an after hours photo shoot and we couldn't be happier with the way it turned out.
The sunset jump shoot happened during a very busy time at Mammoth. It was the day after the Volcom Peanut Butter Rail Jam and the day before the WCI build and during the build of Snowboarder Magazines Superpark. Because this was such a busy time for Mammoth we had a single day window to do this sunset shoot, weather permitting.
At five pm all of the riders showed up. It was a gathering of snowboarders from all over the world meeting up to ride on this evening. The riders included Lonnie Kauk, Johnny Centi, Mac Spedale, Scott Blum, Nick Russell, Cody Rosenthal, Peter Benchetler, Mitch Richmond, Kyle Lopiccolo, Clint Allen, Jared Dawoud and Alex Dawoud.
By six thirty the session began the sun was still up and the sky was just starting to break. The session was beginning and we decided the best way to transport each other to the top of the jump was to tie four ropes to the back of the snow cat and have three riders hold on to each rope. This way we could all roll up together and jump together. This proved to be both effective and entertaining.
The riders began to hit the jump right away and didn't hesitate to throw down. Cody Rosenthal and Peter Bentchetler rolled up together and both stomped some solid tricks. Cody stomped a sick cab nine and Peter was doing sick backside 180 japans. Scott Blum hit the jump for a while but had other obstacles in mind. He set up an insane cliff drop to wood platform drop in. The Dawoud brothers busted some smooth stylish spins and showed much improvement from the last jump session I had with them. Looking forward to see how good they get next year too. Clint Allen came in all the way from Australia to join us for a few hits. Nick Russell threw one of the biggest jumps of the night. He sent a backside seven Japan completely upside down and landed all the way at the bottom of the jump. Nick always brings a positive energy to any mix and we have decided if he were running for president he would have no problem winning. Mitch Richmond hit the jump with smooth floaty airs all night. Mac Spedale and Kyle Lopicolo are two members of the crew that both rode hard as can be and took their time to run the Revolution video cameras. Thats kind of how we do things around here at Snowboard Revolution. We are snowboarders that document what we are doing. We work as a team and it seems to be effective. Lonnie Kauk was definitely the stand out of the night as he always is. He stomped every single trick he attempted and did it with smooth powerful style. Lonnie has a sick indy-nose double grab that he does with his spins. Check the last photo for more.
As the session went on the sunset began to get more and more amazing. I heard multiple people say it was the best sunset session they had seen in Mammoth. I could explain the rainbow sherbet sunset to you in words all day but the images will explain it all.
Big thanks to Chris Zajec from Mammoth Mountain, Mammoth ski patrol, Peter Morning, Colin Farrell from OPP productions, Andrew Miller, all of the riders, and everyone else that made this night happen.
Click below to watch the Revolution session video:
- Everybody met at main lodge at 5pm and was shuttled up to main park to get ready for the session to start. We were rolling pretty deep tonight. We have the open door policy for snowboarders on our sessions and if you can ride you can roll.
- Nick Russell signing his life away to Mammoth. Its an easy price to pay for a session like this.
- Crew Collage (Joe Carter Photos}
- The crew getting ready to get towed up for round one. This was so sick rolling up like this, everyone was stoked. (Joe Carter Photo)
- Mitch Richmond has smooth style frontside threes.
- Nick Russell at the beginning of the session. Nick is the man.
- Lonnie Kauk spinning something ill melon. Either cab 9 or front nine melon grab.
- Cody Rosenthal cab nine to stompage.
- Johnny Centi one of the many frontside seven tail grabs I did. Sick work on the photo Andrew.
- Alex Dawoud is a ripper. He and his brother have really stepped up from last year and I look forward to seeing where they go next. (Peter Morning Photo)
- Clint Allen shows us how they do it in Australia. He is a ripping surfer too.
- Cat towing courtesy of Mammoth Unbounds Chris Zajec
- Kyle Lopiccolo rips. He also gets crazy at the bars after riding.
- Scott Blum double fisting his board in this photo. You know he was double fisting some pbr after the session. This kid can ride his snowboard for sure.
- Nick Russell sent this one to the bottom of the jump. He went an easy 80 foot back seven Japan to stomp.
- Mitch Richmond chilling out with some dope ass clouds.
- Mac Spedale doing what he does when hes not filming for Snowboard Revolution. Mac is a Snowboarder that films too. (Peter Morning Photo)
- Clint Allen rides for Billabong. They tend to like to sponsor guys who rip on snow and surf, like Shayne Pospisil too. I want to visit Clint in Australia, shred the Open, visit the Great Barrier Reef and go Heli board in New Zealand. Who's with me?
- The sun is starting to set for us.
- Johnny Centi. I love this photo taken by Andrew "Bloody" Miller for the reason that the sun ray is poked through the mountains right on me. Seriously all time for me.
- Peter Benchetler is one of the most solid snowboarders in Mammoth right now. Don't underestimate Peter because he will stomp his tricks in your face.
- Mac Spedale getting down with the sun. Mac is probably busting a cab nine by the looks of his tuck.
- Johnny Centi laying out this seven tail grab.
- Every photographers favorite time of the day...Golden light over the Minarets
- Jared Dawoud working with the sky.
- Rainbow sherbet sunset
- Johnny Centi indy-melon double grab "truck driver" five forty. (Peter Morning Photo)
- No better way to end the session than with "Big L" Lonnie Kauk double grab over an amazing sunset.
- Great end to a truly epic session in the eastern sierra.
Click below to watch the Revolution Session video:
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