Coaching for the McNab 'Freestyle Development Program' is provided by some of the best in the business with many of the top names in British Snowboarding are at hand to offer their tips and advice. Here you get the low down on some of the regulars.
Jenny Jones
One of Britain’s best known and most successful Professional Snowboarders who won the prestigious 'X-Games' slopestyle event, winter 09.
I coached Jenny for many years and now she’s back putting it all back in at Kommunity.
Name: Jenny Jones
Dob: 03/07/80
From:bristol
Kommunity coach: 9 years
Riding style: Freestyle, I love to jump either in the park or the powder.
Titles results:
British champ three times up to 2006
2007 US open 3rd place
6th place ranking for the women’s World tour 2007
TTR winner in 2008
2009 - X Games Gold medalist.
2009 - 2nd US Open
Favourite trick: frontside five nosegrab
Favourite spot: Avoriaz and Canada ( Kicking horse Fernie etc)
3 top tips that have most helped your progression:
1. Repetition, practice makes perfect try, try and try again.
2. Visualisation. I build up a strong mental image of the trick, how it should look and how it should feel.
3. I try not to let past errors negatively affect my future attempts at a new trick.
Kit essentials: Impact shorts, Transceiver shovel and probe for Backcountry and Peanut butter and jam sandwiches.
Sponsors: Billabong, Salomon, Nixon and Oakley
After word: May the force be with you
Gary Greenshileds
One of the UK’s most professional, dedicated and gifted freestyle riders. It’s great to see him doing so well at what he loves. He did his first season at my place in Cham back in 97.
Name: Gary Greenshields
Dob: 29/10/1979
From: Edinburgh scotland
Kommunity coach: 5 years
Riding style: fully charged
Titles results:
3rd place Brits half pipe
2nd place big air
1st place TTR overall
Favourite trick: spins into powder
Favourite spot: any where with friends (Russia is epic)
3 top tips that have most helped your progression:
1. think it , feel it , do it !
2. enjoy snowboarding it should be fun
3. give it all you got
Kit essentials: Boots, make sure they’re comfy. Warm jacket on cold days and good goggles.
Sponsors: Burton, Anon, Volcom, Gravis, Relentless
After word: Kommunity is where it all started for me. I originally started out as a camper and now have been a Kommunity coach for 7 years. Kommunity is like a big snowboard family and I love being part of it.
Hamish McKnight
Hamish has done it all. One of the Uk’s top riders, now putting it back in as British team Slopestyle coach. I coached Hamish as a junior team rider and have known him for years. He’s a great riders and a top coach and one of our longest serving Kommunity team members.
Name: Hamish McKnight
Dob: 14,10,1981
From: Edinburgh, Scotland
Kommunity coach: 10 years
Riding style: Fun, Lazy, Comedy
Titles results:
English Dryslope Champ
Scottish Dryslope Champ
Highest ranked British Rider FIS
19th Junior World Champs.
Favourite trick: Tech rails and Euro-carves.
Favourite spot: Niseko, Japan or Shemshak, Iran
3 top tips that have most helped your progression:
1. Set your kit up properly.
2. Learn the limits of your board and beyond.
3. Learn to analyse and improve.
Kit essentials: Board length should be dictated by the riders weight. Boots that don’t fit perfectly do not work at all. Set your binding up properly. If you don’t know how seek professional advice.
Sponsors: The Snowboard Asylum. Dalikfodda.
After word: I travel around the world all winter now coaching the British Snowboard Team and still never stop looking forward to the weeks I spend coaching for McNab in the summer. Bring it on.
Dave Seeley
Dave has been around Snowboarding since the beginning and is now involved in the industry with Arcus clothing. One of the most enthusiastic riders out there! Dave now coaches and runs the McNab Junior Development program.
Name: David Seeley
Dob:18/02/76
From: Guildford, Surrey
Kommunity coach: 6 years
Riding style: Pipe and powder.
Titles results: 4th at Brits in halfpipe 1999
Favourite trick: Backside airs in the pipe and backflips
Favourite spot: Laax or anywhere with good snow
3 top tips that have most helped your progression:
1. Practice and effort
2. Listen to your peers
3. Speed is your friend!
Kit essentials: Eleven outerwear! Moisture wicking thermals. Board and boots that suit your style of riding.
Sponsors: Me, myself and I
After word: Always try and get better and enjoy riding.
Nelson Pratt
One of the most naturally gifted riders I’ve ever seen. Text book riding style and always up for throwing it down and trying new combos. Watch, wonder and learn.
Name: Nelson Pratt
Dob: 21 06 79
From: Grateley
Kommunity coach: 5 years
Riding style: agricultural (Nelson comes from a Farming background!)
Titles results: 3rd brits slopstyle 2007
Favourite trick: fs 7
Favourite spot: Tignes
3 top tips that have most helped your progression:
1. Ride with a strong body posision
2. Have the right stance on board
3. Getting the correct line to spin of jumps
Kit essentials: Wax and detune your board. Have a spare board handy.
Sponsors: Helly Hansen, Vans, k2, Dragon, Grenade, TSA, Dalikfodda
After word: Enjoy!
Chris Chatt
Chris has an amazing ability on the rails and can pretty much throw down any trick you care to mention on them.
Name: Chris Chatt
Dob: 15/07/1986
From: Milton Keynes
Kommunity coach: 4 years
Riding style: Goofball with a slash of pure rail Radness
Titles results:
1st Burton Black metal rail jam 3 years running,
various AIM series results.
Favourite trick: any nose grab variation
Favourite spot: Where ever the lads are at, we will make the best shred out of anything
3 top tips that have most helped your progression:
1. Just Try It
2. Ask Ham
3. Watch more snowboard movies
Kit essentials: Snowboard, SleazeJeans and No edges.
Sponsors: Ride Snowboards, Spy Goggles, Vans, Defcon, Coal, TSA
After word: just go and get Rad, ride how you want to.
Ed Gunn
Ed joined the Kommunity team last year. Known for his natural ability to spin any which way he is a welcome member of the team.
Name: Ed Gunn
Dob: 12/07/85
From: Aberdeen Scotland
Kommunity coach: 2 years
Riding style: Confused?!?
Titles results:
Some European and British results
Favourite trick: The “Rowdy Flip 7”
Favourite spot: Deux Alpes
3 top tips that have most helped your progression:
1. Look where you are going
2. Visualise
3. Pain is a state of mind
Kit essentials: Good .snowboard, boots and bindings.
Sponsors: Burton, Anon Optics, Red Protective Equiptment, Dalikfodda
Laura Berry is well known as one of the uk’s most burly rail and slopestyle riders. Very smooth to watch and a natural on the rails. Try to be on her team at the football too as she kicks ass in most things she tries.
Name: Laura Berry
Dob: 13/12/1988
From: Milton Keynes
Kommunity coach: 4 years
Riding style: Fun and individual
Titles results: 6th and 11th Roxy Chicken Jam, 3rd Brits Slopestyle 2006, 1st Brits boardercross 2005 and 2006
Favourite trick: Front lip 270 out
Favourite spot: Les Deux Alpes in Summer, Morzine, Brighton Utah in winter.
3 top tips that have most helped your progression:
1. Know your limits, and slowly push for them.
2. Wear a helmet off piste
3. Have a snack in your pocket to keep you going
Kit essentials: Helmet for off piste and park. Good boots. Good lenses that are right for the conditions
Sponsors: O’Neill, Red Bull, Ride, Vans, Anon, TSA, Grenade
After word: Go shred the rad!
Sam Cullum has been around for years and has recently been showing great form in international competitions as part of the British team squad. We ran a BC camp for some of the young British pro riders last season and it was great to see them performing just as well out of the park. Respect!
Name: Sam Cullum
Dob: 26-03-1988
From: Mighty Mighty England
Kommunity coach: 1 year
Riding style: Not sure as I cant see myself when I snowboard
Titles results: Check my web site www.samcullum.co.uk
Favourite trick: backflips for sure
Favourite spot: doesn’t matter as long as its good.
3 top tips that have most helped your progression:
1. try
2. fall
3. try again
Kit essentials: Good Snowboard, boots and bindings.
Sponsors: Oakley, Ride Snowboards, DC shoes/boots, Arcus streetwear, Ignite headwear, Waves gym, kinetic fitness After word: I went heli boarding with McNab this year and it was sick
Will Hughes has been around snowboarding for as long as I can remember. Great fun to ride, with he is a natural when it comes to rails and slope style trickery putting it down whilst not taking it too seriously. Will now spends most of his time as a resident in Tignes, France.
Name: Will Hughes
Dob: 05 04 1975
From: London town
Kommunity coach: 6 years
Riding style: Slapstick
Titles results:Don't compete!
Favourite trick: Eurocarve or layback
Favourite spot: Tignes France
3 top tips that have most helped your progression:
1. Speed is your friend
2. You can’t get hurt in the air
3. Bones heal and chicks dig scars
Kit essentials: Good board, boots and bindings.
Sponsors: Vans boots and outerwear, Dinosaurs will die, Smith, Dalikfodda, TSA.
After word: have fun