Yesterday Ride Snowboards announced a brand-new, limited edition Algorythm that will be available on 2.2.22 through select retailers and on Ridesnowboards.com. Honoring two hugely impactful individuals and their roles as leaders, innovators, and makers of change, this Algorythm is a product of the friendship of Russell Winfield and Virgil Abloh, a friendship rooted in snowboarding. The board is a tangible celebration of these two, whose passion, style, and strength of character is pressed into the board and its iconic art.
“Through snowboarding I was blessed to build a friendship with the superpower Virgil Abloh,” said Russell. “He and I share the same passion for snowboarding and growing the culture, I’m very excited to share this special project he and I put together before his passing.”
“RIDE Snowboards has given us an opportunity to create something special through the release of this limited edition Algorythm,” Russell continued. “This board is extremely limited and is sure to become a collector’s item. Proceeds from this board are being donated to two organizations whose mission align with Virgil and my vision. $5 per board is going to Hoods to Woods, a mentoring nonprofit in Brooklyn introducing teens to the outdoors through snowboarding, and an additional $5 going to Virgil’s Postmodern Scholarship Fund.”
Mikey LeBlanc, friend and fellow veteran of the Ride team, put it well in a post on his Instagram, as well:
“This is not just a pro-model, this is a statement. Snowboarding is where it is today due to keepers of the real and Russ is one of these keepers.
“I view the history behind this useable art piece as a mix of props due for being a game changing snowboarder, the support of snowboarding’s history, and the telling of snowboarding’s black history.
Russ was the first pro Black Snowboarder. Russ and his crew ushered in the modern age of snowboarding’s style on and off mountain. There were people before, and people after, but this extended crew was strongly disruptive in a mainstream way during snowboardings massive expansion (300 plus board brands) They made their own brands, made their own media, drove street style snowboarding to the forefront, and set the tone for what still exists today. This battle continues to be fought for style (art) over skills alone, and that’s done with passion, using one’s position and opportunity, restraint, and personal fashion.
“Russell’s stayed true to the passion for decades. It’s about that time in snowboarding we start to incorporate our history, and honor the people that gave it all to keep it real. This is almost non-existent in snowboarding to date, and our fellow sideways sports like surfing and skateboarding have done a far better job of protecting and telling their history. So props to @ridesnowboards and to the powers that be for stepping up and repping history.
“A while ago a friendship between Russ and Virgil developed that turned into this project which is about first and foremost their mutual love for snowboarding. Virgil’s understanding and connection to so many subcultures was amazing. I also love how he used his position to rep and bring up so many people, that is one the most amazing things someone can do in life.”
On February 2, 2022, the Russell x Virgil Algorythm will be available in a limited release at select shops and on Ridesnowboards.com. Aligning with Russ and Virgil’s vision, $5 per board will be donated to Hoods to Woods as well as to Virgil’s Postmodern Scholarship Fund.
