neil sunday

Hello Peoples, I just got back from a week at Mt. Hood coaching the 2010 US Snowboarding Project Gold Alpine Camp. I feel it is necesary to tell a little story about how determined, and cool Sean Martin at Donek Snowboards was to us... When I phoned Sean and told him about our camp, he sent me 4 boards to try as well as a plate system he is working on. The boards and plate rode wonderfully. I got dialed in on a particular plate and board after three days of experimenting, and let me say this... GIVE Sean and Donek a try! The products he is producing are right with some of the same World Cup race boards.... And he is in our backyard! Nothing beats the ability to send an email or phone call and talk to him directly on what's working and what's not... It's a nice change! I am personally giving Sean a thumb's up for all the $$$, effort and time he has invested in racing, and for making a US board a legitimate contender again. I will be purchasing about 6 Donek Snowboards for kids on my team this year, and would be happy to answer any of your questions... Again- I'm not getting paid for this endorsement, and I rode Kesslers for the last 4 years. I just feel that props should be given when they are due-- and Sean at Donek is working non-stop to produce boards that compete with the current WC environment.

That's the crew! Great group of kids from the US, and we hope they all ride and represent their countries well!

Yes- for junior world championships.

4 athletes have been selected for JWC to represent the United States. 2 males and 2 females...

I am a hard boot rider of 22 years, and now retired racer and current coach... I ride Kessler race boards, and this year one of my athletes got a 163 Kesssler SBX board.. It is the most stable ride I have ever set foot on. More solid than my GS or SL sticks. As Phil stated, a race oreinted board would have been a disaster in SBX.. The snow conditions are perfectly suited for what these guys are riding on-- custom made Oxess and Kessler sticks designed for SBX. Hard boots- while they remain my livelyhood, simply do not have a place in the SBX course 99% of the time. Go ride a current SBX setup, then realize what you've been missing!

an easy way to help find the sweet spot in your board (and to keep your balance in check) is to ride an easier trail at your mountain with your boots unbuckled. i have my athletes do this when they are riding new race boards, and it seems to help... good luck!

I have all last season on them as well... they are the finest binding i have ridden in 22 years of hardbooting... After over 125 days of mostly gate training and racing on them, I have yet to have a tweak, crack, bend or malfunction in this binding. Buy without hestiation! Worth every hard-earned penny, euro or whatever currency you earn!

i teach my athletes to ride with their hips in line with their feet/binding angles.

When racing in the large final... or any qualifier, these athletes are not "locked" into a pretty riding position or form. They rely on training and instinct ot get them down the hill as fast as possible. so yes... the upper body may be quite noisy. kinda like the party after the athlete grabs the check for winning!

Great Racing by all... Perhaps Phil could hold a clinic on "howtorunabanana" as to ease his tensions during raceday! Great job to Ezio Argento for making the top 16 cut to finals on his 2nd NORAM appearance. nice to see Fin, Michelle and BOLA at the event! GO MIMI!!!!

Just found out: Steamboat RTTC PSL on 12.12.09 changed to: PGS!!! on 12.12.09 visit here to see it: http://www.sswsc.org/snowboard/rttc/

5 down so far. approx 90 to go. 5 days per week thru usasa nationals.

Sigi had his atomic race boots modified so they fit in the binding properly. anyone with the balls to try to snowboard on these boots-- have fun! he rode like NO ONE ELSE on ski boots that i have ever seen. Pure power. The canadian team is riding what they call a "canoe paddle". Out of repsect for all teams and the amount of time they put into research, developing and testing, I will not post any pictures of these setups until they are made public. I will tell you black pearl is riding a binding with a completely clear toe piece, the canadians are riding a "wooden" canoe paddle, and there are about 6 different riser-dampening set ups being tested by teams across the globe. for the info? well... let's just wait and see what happens after the olympics. In my 22 years of riding, the technology is on a break-through cycle... every once in a while things seem to become stagnant in alpine racing. this clearly is not the case at this point and time-- we are going to see and experience some great changes in the very near future.

Unless you are flying Southwest, you will pay $50 each way for your equiptment. I just went from Harrisburg, PA to Denver for the Race to The Cup at Copper and it cost me an extra $100 total. I had a hard board case and a roller bag.

When not waxing boards, I'll try to post pics of the days events...

Phil, My crew is arriving on the 8th, and will begin riding then... Hope to see you soon! Safe Travels. Neil

Madman, i will try to give you my 2 cents of input on "shining" your base... your sintered base is a series of peaks and valleys which, when waxed helped channel water out from under your base, therby reducing suction from the melting snow, which is happening as you glide over it. when you "shine" your base by using a rotobrush system, you essentially "close" some of these peaks and valleys to a certain extent. this now turns your once "fast, sintered base" into a flat, non-channeled suction grubbing slab of ptex. i belive this is what william was trying to convey by making his statement. it makes sense to me... this is why i use hand brushes when i can, unless i have 15 kids at the start.

I fly between the east coast and the rockies approx six times per year for coaching and races.. the sport tube is by far the safest, easiest way to carry your boards. had to pay EVERY TIME THIS WINTER for two checked bags. not excesss weight. many airlines will not reimburse you for damages to your stuff unless they are in a sport tube.. also, even with these, they can be damaged-- ask alexa loo! she had many troubles this year. i just think the swiss were trying to sabotage the women's race! :)

Congrats to your Pops! I just woke up, and as I was looking at this picture, I thought... OMG-- those two riders are going to collide, as I failed to realize it was two different pics! hahahah. that's the course setter in me!

the board has a new home to a young upcoming 15 year old shredder! Thanks MW...

here's the Fox New's story about it: http://msn.foxsports.com/olympics/story/9624172/Olympic-snowboarding-champ-dies-in-climbing-fall

Kubo kills it! great kid and great mom and dad who keep him into it! i know him personally, and this kid has the making of a champion! GO MARION!!!!!

please email me at neilsunday at aol dot com what weight range was this built for? are those old hangl plate screws? who rode it before you? please answer these privatley and i will be in contact w you! I think i have a kid on my team that this board will work for... thanks! Neil

Tex, Fin is welding on a $1000+ prototype, but don't worry. He's got a beer for safety on the table. :) KEEP WORKING FIN!!!!

was the seller fair in selling the board to your buddy? if so, i'd think splitting it up would be the ethical thing to do.