Grand Opening Celebration on The Longhorn Patio was unreal.

The Opening Day Celebration went off! There was probably 800 people on the patio of the Longhorn and outside once the patio was full. It was an amazing day with people riding the new Banshee's, checking out the latest stuff from Transition and Straitline and finding out about COC.Tons of people entered to win the Banshee Wildcard that had been pimped out with Straitline components. Eric Maude? Won the bike and looked super stoked. He had wrecked his ankle so was actually sitting right under where I was standing on the Longhorn bar out on the patio. The first person we drew to win the bike actually had just gone home to shower and missed being there to win it. His dad was almost ready to kill him. We did say you had to be there to win part of the what ended up being $14,000 in prizes. We hooked him up with a 5 Day session at COC as a consolation prize because we felt so bad for him.
There was product from Oakley, Dakine, TSG, Sigg, COC, Zimtstern, Straitline, Transition and Banshee flying over the 350 people's head on the patio and the 400+ people in the square out front of the Longhorn Patio. It was great to see so many riders covered in mud spreckles, crowded in to win stuff, see who won and compare stories after an awesome first day in the park. There is nothing like the first day of the season, and there was nothing like The Opening Day Celebration. We'll be doing it again next year, so if you didn't make it to Whistler for this one ( with our super wicked one week notice) you now have no excuse not to be here this time next year.
Camp of Champions Pro Photographer Mike Crane was out shooting the park and the dirt jumps with Transition, TSG, Straitline rider and COC coach, Casey Groves. Nothing like the first day of the season to throw down. It's going to be sick for campers to be able to ride with such a rider. Banshee, Straitline rider and COC coach Alan Hepburn was also in town and due to a mangled ankle was manning the Strailine tent showing people all the latest Straitline stuff. The thumbprint scalloping on the new 1.5 stem was super dope.
Transition had a proto of their new DH rig and it looked off the hook. They weren't letting anyone ride it but even just sitting there leaning against their pop up awning it looked fast. They couldn't handle watching everyone hitting the park so they took off for a few runs in the middle of the day.
Banshee had part of their demo fleet up for people to ride and everyone that rode them were stoked out of their gourds. Their new bikes have the nicest fit and finish, in addition to how great they ride. Such a great step up from even a couple years ago.
Thanks again to all our sponsors and all the riders that made for such a fantastic good time. It was a great launch for the Bike Park 2009. See you in the lift line or on the mountain.

Ken