"The evening also saw the premiere of Facing Giants, Ellery Manning's story of their journey from RND 2024 to Natural Selection 2025. The film highlights not just Ellery's riding, but their drive and perspective on snowboarding - as well as their heartwarmingly close friendship with fellow competitor Estelle Pensiero."
"Led by Zach Aller, more than 50 riders gathered for side hits, informal races, chairlift conversations and a few beers in the sun. Industry veterans mixed with weekend warriors, and the atmosphere was refreshingly ego-free. It was a reminder of how rare it is to see that many snowboarders riding together with no agenda beyond enjoying the mountain."
"What followed was a day defined as much by community as competition. Riders supported one another throughout: celebrating makes, offering encouragement after falls and helping steady nerves."
Natural Selection 2025 began with athlete seeding where Ellie Weiler won the ceremonial toss and chose to drop first. The opening night featured two film premieres: Facing Giants, documenting Ellery Manning's journey and friendship with Estelle Pensiero, and a TOMBOY Media documentary exploring women's influence on snowboarding. During filming, Natural Freedom and Burton Snowboards organized a community ride day at Whitewater with over 50 riders of varying skill levels, creating an ego-free atmosphere. Contest day arrived with ideal conditions—clear skies and deep snow—and was characterized by mutual support among competitors, with riders celebrating successes and encouraging one another throughout the event.
Read at Whitelines Snowboarding
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]