Episode 4 - Results From The North Face Masters Round 1

Ryan Hudson

We got an update from Ryan Hudson about the first stop of The North Face Masters competition held in Snowbird, Utah. Needless to say, we think he was feeling pretty good. We would like to congratulate Ryan and send our support to continue his effort to reach his goals! See his update below...

Waddup!!
Yesterday I competed in my first ever Big Mountain Snowboarding Competition called "The North Face Masters Of Snowboarding".I was competing alongside some of the biggest names in the business; Travis Rice, Rob Kingwill, Mark Carter, Ralph Backstrom, Ryland Bell, and so many more. There were a total of 76 Male athletes and I placed 17th! I was also given the "North Face Masters Young Gun Award". "The North Face Young Gun award recognizes riders under the age of 25 that demonstrate raw talent and innovation in their riding style. Young Gun award recipients embody the big mountain riding culture and are the future of the sport." I was stoked to know that I had placed high among some of the best riders in the world!

My original goal was to place top 30 and move on with my life, I would have been pleased with 28th even 30th but, to my surprise I rose way above my own bar and came out the "Young Gun". It is the first trophy I had ever won for anything in my entire life, I wanted to cry on the podium but I held it in for media sake... haha. Crushing a goal you set for yourself is an accomplishment worth achieving. Now that the comp is over and things are coming to a dull roar, I'll be back to my daily routine; ride, work, sleep, dream.

Check out the Competition info, pics and vids at www.thenorthfacemasters.com

"Peace. Love. Music."

Jesse Delgado

We also just received an update from Jesse...with some news we didn't want to hear. The day of The North Face Masters competition, Jesse was hucking huge and ended up fracturing 4 vertebrae and his hip. The good news is the doctors say he is going to be fine. He will just need rest, recovery,and rehab. We wish Jesse the best and a speedy recovery...We are confident that Jesse will be back with a vengeance sooner than later. Get well soon brother!

We will have some more updates on Jesse soon...

Update 01/29/10

We received over 4ft of fresh snow all within 3-4 days. The North Face Masters had been postponed two days in a row, due to weather constraints. I had the opportunity to meet people from all over the country who had flown in to enjoy the bottomless pow and compete. A friend from Snowboard-mag snapped some pics with me and the Alta crew the day before my injury. I was ninth in line for what was to be a amazing day. I hucked huge and clipped a big rock, I ended up fracturing 4 of my vertebral bodies at the l1, l2, l3, and l4. Also a hairline fracture on my right hip. Luckily all my injuries are very minimal and i will be back on a board in no time. The doctor said to expect 6-8 weeks of rest and recovery. You live and learn. I know that I will come back even healthier, and with vengeance.

"Being hurt just reminds you of how good it is when you are not" -Tom Burt.
I want to thank "Gramicci" and "The North Face" for all there support. And I will keep you updated on the recovery!