I have just been taken on as a ‘semi pro’  by the style company ‘Nooka Mindstyle’. They are supplying me with designer watches, belts, wallets. I will stick up some pictures of me wearing the product when it arrives. I am really stoked as the watch and belt designs are really cool.

www.nooka.com

https://www.facebook.com/nooka

BeXx x x

Hey everybody, This weekend I travelled up to the Halifax ‘Sportsman Inn and Leisure‘ dry slope, for two days of kicker training with the GB Junior Snowboard Team. Unfortunately the weather decide to have other ideas on the Saturday. After picking up our GB training coach Ben Kinnear from Manchester Airport we arrived at the dry slope in gale force winds. It was decided to abandon the idea of kicker training and just concentrate on some rail and box riding for the day.

The days session was cut short by the wind and bullet like hail stones, and so we relocated to the Rokt Climbing Centre at Brighouse. They were really pleased to have the GB team turn up and made us feel very welcome, providing us with equipment and training all evening.

It was really cool and we even bumped into the snowboarding sensation that is Jamie Nicholls who trains at Rokt on a regular basis. We spent the evening ‘bouldering’,and it was great as I have not done any rock climbing in ages and I really love it. We all decided that it was such a good session not only for our fitness and core training, but was amazing fun as well. So we arranged to have a private early morning session on the Sunday before carrying on with kicker training on the dryslope.

Sunday turned out to be a lovely day with the sun shining and calm winds, after spending the early morning rock climbing and slack lining we hit the kicker.

It was a cool day and I had to get used to riding dry slope again after riding snow for ages. I ended up working on learning to spin my 360′s off my toes instead of off my heels like I normally do. This makes spins on dry slope much easier to do and control. I had a couple of nasty slams off the kicker first hurting my elbow and then whiplashing my head after a heel edge catch. But battered and bruised I finished the session happy and smiling. I really enjoy training and meeting up with everyone on the GB Junior Team, and I look forward to the next time we get together.

Thanks to Felix Robinson for the picture:

BeXx xxx

Hey everybody, my really cool shop sponsor Boarders Boards over at Weedon, are having a Snowboarding ‘Jam session’ called ‘Wanna Be An Icon?’ at  Sno!zone in Milton Keynes on 30th March 2012 at 7pm. They are really cool bunch of guys, come and have a shred with me and the other guys on the Boarders Boards Team. Hope to see you there,

BeXx xx

This season, I have been wearing and testing the latest body armour and protection gear from my sponsor Head protection. I have worn this protection in many different situations from riding the Mountain to dry slope and indoor artificial snow. Each different environment has unique set of challenges for body protection to deal with.

The base layer protection has to deal with different extremes from the cold on the mountains to heat generated when riding indoors. Body armour also needs to be lightweight,easy to pack for travel yet strong and sturdy enough to offer protection. Having good body armour on gives a rider confidence to try new things out, while lessening the impact when things go wrong. But any body armour or protection is next to useless, if it is uncomfortable to wear or does not offer suitable flexibility and movement. Read on to see what I thought of this seasons new product from Head Protection.

The ‘Mute’ series under layer protection

While competing and training I have been wearing the new ‘Mute’ series of under layerbody protection. This year the adult woman’s range comes in a very nice purple colour, and this makes a very nice change from usual black. The long sleeve  top and the ‘Mute, Pant Plus are made out of a bamboo/polyester and elasthan material, this is warm and very comfy to wear and is a really good breathable material to allow any moisture to dissipate. Both the top and the bottom come with built in padding around all vulnerable areas. The top has padding around the shoulders,elbows, back and kidney areas, this padding while slim and unobtrusive works very well on impact and has protected me really well from some big impacts on both rails and very large kickers. The Mute 3/4 length pants are made from exactly the same material and padding and again has protection for all areas, such as the Knees the hips and the coccyx regions. It is really nice to wear padded pants that do not make you feel like you are wearing a nappy, yet offer the confidence of full protection. The only grumble I would have is that the knee protection often twists round slightly, and has to be adjusted fairly regularly. But with this said it is far more comfy than wearing strap on Knee pads.

The waist and kidney pads are also removable, and this is useful those who like have a “slim fit” feel at the hips. The garment can be easily washed with the pads in place just like your regular underwear. This is purely a girly thing, but I do not like the fact that taking the garments on and off charges my hair with static and makes it all stand on end. Also to note is that all the products in the ‘Mute’ range come with the POLYGINE treatment, this has a lifetime garuntee for odour freeness. For more detailed information about this for you technical people check out the weblink  http://www.polygiene.com/polygiene-technology-1.aspx

The Flexor Back Protector

I have also been trying out the new ‘Flexor’ range of back protector, this is a brand new range and design for Head Protection so here is the technical bit:

The ‘NEW’ FLEXOR range is a ‘CE certified (Standard 1621:2, Level 2) vicso-elastic Softback-protectors. All articles in this line are made from multi- impact absorbing foam the supplier of this foam is also the main supplier for years to the BMW Motorbike protection manufacturer.The fabric of the vest and jacket is a high quality 4way stretch fleece and comes with a POLYGIENE Silver Salt treatment, which provides you a permanent odor-freeness.

I have to say this back protector is one of the best I have ever worn. Not only is it incredibly lightweight and amazingly comfy, but it really absorbs heavy impacts very well. I have had some heavy landings of big kickers on my back while trying to work on my spins on both snow and dry slope surfaces, and not really felt a thing.

The Flexor unit seems to mould itself to your body and does not create the ‘hunchback’ of many other back protectors on the market. The strapping system and Velcro stomach strap hold the unit securely and comfortably to the body.

The only problem I have had with the unit was when I left it in the boot of the car overnight after a days riding in -18 degree temperatures. In the morning the unit had curled up on itself and frozen in this position, but after a minute of warming it up with my body temperature it returned to a flexible shape again. But it did give me a moment of panic as I thought I would not be able to wear it.

The ELA Helmet

The helmet I was sent to evaluate was the Ela model and was in a rather vivid yellow colour,and not to my liking although that is my personal opinion. However this was a very comfy helmet with good wind protection for the ears, the helmet has a very professional construction and feels very strong, yet still light on the head.

The strapping system works very well and is easy to operate even in cold temperatures and encumbered with gloves on. However I do feel that the colour range of the Ela is very poor with only black, white, green,brown and a vivid yellow. These colours are all solid and the graphic design is very boring. However Head also have a model called the Rebel/Cloe and although I did not have this years model, I still wear last years and the helmet has all the comfort features and ease of use of the Ela but comes in a far cooler range of colour designs.

So comfort, weight, construction and protection are all very important in a helmet design, but I also want to look good on the slopes. So I would choose the Rebel/Cloe over the Ela purely based on looks.

This is my first ever review, I hope you enjoyed it, thanks for reading

BeXx xx

Hi, I am slowly beginning to catch up with all my news since the Christmas holidays and the New year!

Saturday 17th December 2011

This Saturday would see me competing in one of the most unusual and coolest competitions I have done in the UK so far. I had been invited as one of only 5 female snowboarders by Snowsport Scotland to attend the Edinburgh Invitational Street Session.

This was and I quote ‘Scotlands biggest urban snowsports festival celebrating the UK’s best ski and snowboard athletes, turning the centre of Edinburgh in to a world-class ski resort’. Basically the slope was erected on Princes street under the shadow of Edinburgh castle, built of scaffolding and 50 tons of real snow imported from the Sno!zone at Braehead.

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Been feeling a bit sick the last couple of days, but today was made to feel so much better! My sponsor Dragon Alliance have sent me some brand new APX Goggles, and they are soooo lush, I love them to bits.

Thanks so much Sam and Craig

BeXx x x x

Friday 16th December 2011

Just before Christmas, I was so stoked to be invited to attend and compete in the ‘Nike Chosen Series’ big air competition, at the Snowcentre at Hemel Hempstead. This event would see one of the biggest indoor kickers seen in the UK, a lofty 13m to the sweet spot. The invited riders would compete for the evening sessioning the massive kicker showcasing their best tricks.

My first impression on seeing the huge kicker was how massive it looked in an indoor setting. I have hit bigger kickers on the mountain, but I was a little worried that I might not be able to get enough speed on the indoor snow. With no option to drop in from higher up the slope, I would have to wring every bit of speed I could find.

With this in mind, I waited a little bit to see some of the other riders hitting it and then did a couple of speed check runs. I would ride up to the lip of the takeoff to feel how the run in felt, before actually fulling committing to the jump. With this done, there was nothing left to do but go for it. I dropped in and held my speed and my nerve, as I left the lip of the kicker I felt a little unstable in the air and waved my arms about a bit. But I landed in the sweet spot of the landing and rode away clean.

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Hi, sorry I have not updated my blog sooner, but it has been a really hectic few months. Loads of competitions and events as well as keeping up with all my school work. Plus my numpty Dad went and dislocated his elbow trying to keep up with me snowboarding. He is ok though but out of action for a few weeks, hurry up and get back on your board soon Dad.

Ok so what has been happening;

British Snow Tour Championships 2011

Due to the current financial state of the country the British Championships has been reduced from 6 events all over the country to just one. A real shame as the tour has always been a really fun and enjoyable event.

Saturday 24th September

Saturday 10th September 2011

This is my first post for a while, as I have spent most of the summer in Cornwall staying with my Nan. But after a Summer filled with sea, sand and sometimes sun, it is back to the UK snowboarding competition season.

This kicked off on Saturday morning with a 6:00a.m. start, way too early for my liking. I was off on my travels again with my Dad at the wheel, taking us up to Halifax for the Westbeach Snowflex series 2011 at Halifax dryslope. We were first going to stop in Leicester to pick up Lucy Prior one of my fellow competitors and friend. So as I was very tired I had a good power nap until we picked Lucy up.

Once back on the road Lucy and I had a chance to catch up as we had not seen each other for a while. Dad made very good time on the journey and we arrived at Halifax in what seemed like no time at all. In fact we were so early that the place had not even opened up. Another of my fellow competitors and friend Cerys Allen had also arrived early so we just chilled out and waited. Once the doors opened Lucy and I rushed in to get to the comfy sofas!

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Friday 22nd July 2011

Today I went to school like any normal day, but this was even better as it was the last day before the Summer holidays!  I had only been back at school a week, as I had only just returned from my GB Team training in Les Deux Alpes. It was a really cool day,  I had just won The Gifted and Talented award for all my sporting achievements; and for the work I had done as sport ambassador for the school. It was a bit embarrassing as I had to collect it in front of the whole school. But it was a cool shield style trophy with my name and year engraved on it.

As soon as I came home from school I had to pack up all my snowboarding gear again. This time I was off to Holland! Now when you think of Holland you generally think of it as a flat place with no mountains to shred on. This is very true, however it is home to one of the largest indoor real snow slopes in Europe. I was really looking forward to riding in the massive  ”Snowworld” snowdome  it is so large that it has a six seater chairlift going up the center!

My shop sponsor, Boarders Boards had organised the trip for the shop team members, friends and shop staff.  Dad and I collected a journalist Kaz Willmer from ‘Gone Boarding’ Internet Magazine, from our local train station and started our travels to the Boarders Boards HQ in Weedon. Here we waited for everybody else to arrive. Finally with everybody sorted we set off at 1am in the morning, we drove to Dover in a convoy of two vehicles belonging to the Boarders Boards shop .On route we picked up the trips photographer Andy Jay from a service station on the m25.

At Dover we boarded the ferry to Calais and tucked into breakfast, well it was 7am. While waiting to disembark from the ferry, the guys in the other van opened up their side door and played this old Neil Diamond song through some huge speakers fitted in the van. I thought other people waiting would get cross, but they all seemed in high spirits and joined in with the fun. Back on the road for what seemed a far longer trip than I remembered  from when I went with the Mum and Dad two years before. We finally arrived at ‘Snowworld’ at 12 o’clock. YAY! I had been sitting in the middle seat in the car I was travelling in; and it was really hard and uncomfortable and when I tried to get out of the car once we arrived in Holland I couldn’t feel my bottom at all!

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