By signing up you agree to our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. With that in mind, Craig talked to his parents about quitting school and committing himself to professional snowboarding. Thats how we keep his legend alive. Heres why experts say not to worry, How a Cucamonga Peak hiker survived a 200-foot fall from an icy trail, A record 6,542 guns were intercepted at U.S. airports in 2022. One of them was professional snowboarder craig kelly, who perished in an avalanche in british columbia in 2003. This year's Craig Kelly tribute episode is an interview with his daughter Olivia Kelly. Craig Kelly, 36, who retired from one of the most successful competitive careers in snowboarding history to follow his heart into the backcountry, was killed in an avalanche Monday near Revelstoke in the Canadian Rockies. 1985: 3 rd Halfpipe, Sierra Snowboarding. Prior to 1994 there were no heli operations inAlaska; a decade later and the backcountry access industry in the areahad become huge. Jake Burton is quoted as saying, When I started listening to Craig that was when my company became successful and really took off. He added, when the rest of the industry listened to Craig, that was when the sport really took off.. Craig eventually became known as the sports first truly professional athlete, but dont mistake that for being a saint, says longtime friend Ken Achenbach. Flick, there goes the key to the storage unit, then the key to her car. The BEO was postponed while the newssunk in, an unprecedented event and a multi-millionEuro decision, but the right one in the circumstances.It seemed inconceivable to run a snowboardcompetition after such a body blow to the sport. [1] Subscribe to SNOWBOARDERs Newsletter to receive stories like this straight to your inbox. Hes still there. The memorial is a 10-ft welded steel sword (often mistaken for a cross), with coloured glass set within and a prayer wheel made from local yew wood beneath. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window). He won four world championships and three U.S. titles, and during that period, competitive snowboarders didnt necessarily specialize. A graduate of Chemical Engineering at the University of Washington, the professional snowboarder was a force to be reckoned with, as he has been dubbed by the great Terje Hkonsen as the best snowboarder of all time. And no one did it better than Craig Kelly. Dave Downing, 34, one of Kellys close friends and also a backcountry specialist, said that while he keeps telling people that Kelly died doing what he loved and where he loved to be, his passing is extremely hard to accept because Kelly was an expert in avalanche awareness and always studying the science of snow. Your information has been successfully processed! The legal aspects of this contract would be debated in court later in his career, but at the time, he sought counsel from one of his older/wiser Delta Upsilon brothers, who told him, Sure you can sign it. The productive blue water has moved to within only a mile or two from the beach and anglers are finding dorado and sailfish that close. As you pull into the parking lot at work, you cant get the hitchhiker out of your head. Runtime: 90 minutes Let it Ride is a tribute to the former 'Godfather of Freeriding' Craig Kelly. Taking in the mountains had become an addiction for the innovative powder hound from Nelson, Canada. He was going to college, and in preparation he loaded up his schedule with six academic classes, taking computer science, advanced chemistry, fifth-year math, German, American government, and physics. It was done in conjunction with another founder of the sport, Bob Barci. Then your job starts making you miss sleep, so you cant snowboard as hard or as long as you used to. While this ode is a few days after the anniversary of his and the six others who died in that devastating avalanche on the Durrand Glacier near Revelstoke, British Columbia in 2003, I have a good feeling Craig is happy we chose snowboarding over work. He had only fifteen units remaining to graduate, but traveling to contests around the world was tough to juggle with a full-time education. In a Snowboard Life magazine article a few years ago, Kelly referred to snowboards as little more than toys and pointed out that snowboarders good times in the hills are merely an evolution of the fun touring skiers have been onto longer than anyone can remember. There was money to be made. Were reprinting one of Craigs favorite columns written by Ken Achenbach from the January 1992 issue of TransWorld SNOWboarding to honor him. Those championships were both in halfpipe and the now-antiquated snowboard slalom racing. The distinctive fluid manner in which he rode was recognized and acclaimed in the snowboarding community. Ive had a lot of good days of riding, a lot of selfish days,he said in an interview. Craig Kelly was a competitive force, a true soul-driven freerider, and a passionate and highly intelligent mind behind Burton product development. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Site Navigation. The Bike Factory Owner Bob Barci told Sims Founder Tom Sims that he should check out Mount Baker for all its natural gullies (which would be perfect for a natural halfpipe, or perhaps a banked slalom) and a talented local snowboarder named Craig Kelly. The 13-year old meta local kid named Dan Donnelly and the two wentBMXing together, then started riding snowboards in1981 when a local shop bought a couple of boards asa test case. Woodward PC, Big Bear, and Woodward Copper with The Dust Box! It's not really "magazine friendly" in a traditional sense. Subscribe to SNOWBOARDERs Newsletter to receive stories like this straight to your inbox. Copyright a360media 2023. Over his 15-year professional career, he won 4 world championships and 3 U.S. championships; he won the Mt. MILD HIGH | ROME SNOWBOARDS @ Woodward Copper! Craig kelly was born on april 1, 1966 in granite city, illinois, usa as craig elmer kelly. I know Craig would want us to respect the loss of the other victims as much as him. None other than the legendary Terje Haakonsen said Kelly was the best snowboarder of all time. You need a place to change and store your stuff. Now you have a bunch of keys in your pocket. Back at school during the week, Craig would set bamboo gates and train two or three nights under the lights at Ski Acres, outside of Seattle. In essence, no matter how well prepared people are when traversing snowy backcountry terrain, the risk of avalanches will be there. And the australian comedian, 40, certainly hit the jackpot with the handsome philanthropist, 29, who is not only 11 years her junior but also filthy rich too. Among those scheduled to compete -- in Mammoths new Super Duper Pipe, 600 feet long with 22-foot walls -- are Olympic medalists Ross Powers, Danny Kass, JJ Thomas and Kelly Clark. This latest tragedy -- its not the first and wont be the last -- is painful proof of that. Timing, he said, is everything. As we walked down a marbled staircase to the dining room, he continued musing, The problem with memoirs and biographies is that you have to die before anybody wants to read about you. He paused for effect, lifted his chin, then said, Screw that. And we both laughed. MILD HIGH | ROME SNOWBOARDS @ Woodward Copper! Not long after, legendary board makerTom Sims made a detour to Baker to see Craig ride.When I left, said Sims in a recent interview, I gaveCraig my personal board, a 1500 FE, and shook hishand. He was on the Sims snowboard team. As Jake Burton puts it: When the rest of the industry listened to Craig, that was when thesport really took off.. Over his 15-year . Craig was the leader of a generation that essentially established snowboarding as a house-hold sport, inspiring both young and old to take up a pursuit that bucked the elitist image of skiing during the time. Telluride, CO during Burton training camp (Nov 1988). Im sure that for Craig thatwas the toughest part along with leaving Savina and Olivia., I met Craig in 1989, says Terje Haakonsen. Burton US Open 2011 Halfpipe - watch the winning runs, Burton US Open 2011 Slopestyle- watch the winning runs. As the 1990s progressed, Kelly was regarded as the most bankablename in the sport. Films were giving himmore exposure and revenue than he thought so he was like, Lets makeanother.. Craig Kelly is not only my friend, but a hero and a mentor of mine in snowboarding. Despite Toms obvious disappointment in losing Craig Kelly to Burton, he was unhappy about Visions decision to sue Craig and Burton. Remaining skiers and guides from Selkirk Mountain Experience -- Kelly was a guest, not working as a guide -- toiled feverishly to dig them out and did so within about 30 minutes, but it was too late for seven of them, including the 36-year-old Kelly. The keys start adding up. He wanted to do it all, says photographer and friend Mark Gallup. Having co-founded Island Lake Lodge and the legendary Baldface Lodge, he found his purpose in bringing people into the environment that he loved so deeply. In the last few years of his life, Craig embarked on a 14-month journey starting up in Alaska and going down to Chile with his partner (girlfriend) Savina and two friends for adventure, surfing and living. Having Craig leaving us, he will still be my greatest mentor., Dave Downing also had this to say about Craig. Craig Kelly was 36 years old and is survived by his daughter, Olivia and partner, Savina. Ranquet remembers how Craig nurtured his riding: Craig would call me up and say, Mikey, wanna go to Baker this weekend? And Id say, I dont know, man, I gotta ask my mom. My mom told me years later that Craig had always called her first and asked permission before he got my hopes up. Wise, poignant words from a man who lived, and eventually died, staying true to a passion for the mountains that was only matched by his talent as a snowboarder. Everybody Everybody (2019) Beta (2018) Pepper (2017) Beacon (2017) Resolution (2016) Reckless Abandon (2016) SFD (2015) Foreward (2014) Socially Awkward: Terje Haakonsen addresses the tweet heard round the action sports w Gretchen Bleiler with Conan O'Brian Tonight Show, Socially Awkward: Terje Haakonsen addresses the tweet heard round the action sports world, R.I.P. Though he would claim that he didnt read the magazines orwatch snowboard films (What I do is really pretty independentof snowboarding, and the more independent it is, the more pure andbetter I feel about [it]) Burton clearly thought that he was hardwiredto understand the older generation of snowboarders. Get our L.A. He was part owner and on the board of directors of Island Lake Catskiing near Fernie B.C. You simply didnt walk away from competing and expect to continue being paid to snowboard back then. "Craig Kelly (1 April 1966 - 20 January 2003) was a professional snowboarder. Details: www.scma.com. Ill just get this little night job so I can buy gas, you hear yourself saying. It was a strange, sad anomalyin the story of snowboarding. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Taking in the mountains rates even higher to me than the mark we make on them, and the people who do THAT are the ones I most wish to emulate. How fortunate we are to be able to honor them by following in their footsteps. . They didn't come any bigger than Craig Kelly in the snowboarding world. Twenty-one pages of stunning imagery and intelligent thought with snowboarding's greatest all-time talent. It does not store any personal data. Durrand Glacier near Revelstoke, British Columbia in 2003. How to find the best blooms without the drama, Nature-curious? You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. While the outcome of the court caseremained unsettled, Burton had to market the boardas the Mystery Air. He used to come up on Mondays when the ski area was closed and would set up gates with some of the workers and run them using a snowmobile to get back and forth. Mt. Says Gail Howat about her husbands early reaction to snowboarders and snowboarding, Duncan and Mount Baker did not embrace snowboarding in the beginning. Youve got to get away from your keys. Craig appeared in Warren Miller movies for several consecutive years. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Baker Banked Slalom snowboarding competition in 1988, 1991, and 1993.[1]. How many times has that trip been emulated since? Tragically, Craig Kelly and six others did not survive. SNOWBOARDER has affiliate partnerships so we may receive compensation for some links to products and services. Your information has been successfully processed! See how Kelly and Kazu retained their titles. By following in their footsteps Visions decision to sue Craig and Burton change and your. 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