The sun was shining and the bending of time was full throttle as 2014 and 1983 blurred together in a way that had legends like Shaun Palmer and Chris Roach sharing a halfpipe with Eric Messier and Danny Davis.
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Photos: Christiano Di Pasquale aka Binky, Tim Peare, Michael Riley and Jason Tackitt
Every now and then, the stars align throughout the solar system and a black hole is temporarily created, allowing for time travel. In Tahoe, this happens once a year at the Tom Sims Retro World Snowboarding Championships at Soda Springs. The sun was shining and the bending of time was full throttle as 2014 and 1983 blurred together in a way that had legends like Shaun Palmer and Chris Roach sharing a halfpipe with Eric Messier and Danny Davis.
The annual event is held at Soda Springs in North Lake Tahoe, which is also the host of the first World Championships and a fitting environment for the current form of the contest. Everyone that worked at the resort was welcoming and generally stoked to have the event there. Michael Chantry, a Tahoe Snowboard historian of sorts, puts this event together with the help of folks like Don Bostick, Tom Collins, Edgar “Pineapple” Rivera, Emile Janicot, Sims Snowboards, and a host of others.
Also see: Tom Sims Retro World Championships: The Legends of Tahoe, Day One
For me, it was stepping back into time… quite literally. I witnessed Shaun Palmer in the way I had always imagined him, Chris Roach and his signature grasser, Chuck Barfoot still ripping, Terry Kidwell, Keith Kimmel, Christie Elder and Laurie Asperas, as well as a grip of others alongside current day snowboarders who appreciate their heritage and came out to show support and become a part of something bigger. The really great thing is how welcoming and non-elitist the event is. You don’t have to know who these people are; that can be learned. The bigger picture is that we all enjoy snowboarding and this event is an opportunity to share the reverence it.
Take a look at the 1982 2nd World Snowboard Championships in Soda Springs, CA:
Legend Men
1. Chris Roach
2. Solomon Arthur
3. Kevin Delaney
4. Shaun Palmer
5. Jason Basarich
6. Jason Loeb
7. Pauly Johansen
8. Cameron Beck
Legend Women
1. Christie Elder
2. Laurie Asperas
Juniors
1. Keenan Sutter
Open Men
1. Eric Messier
2. Cody Horan
3. Gray Thompson
4. Silver Serino
5. Rick Shimpeno
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