Simple Snowboardings Mikey Ciccarelli is the first ever Slopestyle Gold Medalist!

15 Year Old Mikey Ciccarelli Blitzed the rest of the field on his last run in the Slopestyle event at the Youth Winter Olympics. Finishing with a score of 94.25 out of 100, Mikey was 4 points clear of his closest rival for the event, Ben Ferguson from the USA who won Sundays Halfpipe event. Simple Snowboarding’s Tyler Nicholson fell on his first run and ended up in 6th place. Congratulations to both of our team members and also to Simple Snowboarding/Team Canada coach Elliot Catton who brought home 2 Gold Medals in Slopestyle for Canada and had all 4 of his team members in the finals for Halfpipe and Slopestyle!!

Mikey also just missed out on a double podium with his 4th place finish in Halfpipe, missing out on a Bronze medal by 0.25 points!

Simple Team members Tyler Nicholson in Canada and Mikey Ciccarelli in New Zealand

Simple Snowboarding announces Simple Snowboarding NZ!
100% New Zealand Owned and Operated

Originating from Ontario, Canada, Simple Snowboarding is quickly turning heads both nationally and internationally for producing well rounded, internationally successful snowboarders including young riders Mikey Ciccarelli and Tyler Nicholson. However the Simple Brand is set to turn a few more heads with their recent announcement – the birth of Simple Snowboarding New Zealand.

Sam Marcotte, New Zealander and owner of Simple Snowboarding, has joined forces with well-established New Zealand freestyle coach Colin Bartlett. Both Sam and Colin recognise not only the need, but also the importance of bridging the gap between their Southern and Northern Hemisphere athletes. The idea behind the expansion is to unite under one umbrella – the Simple Snowboarding family.

“It is great to be able to bring something to New Zealand Snowboarders that is currently not available. I have seen first hand what young Snowboarders can achieve when they are surrounded by a positive, supportive group of friends combined with expert coaching and mentoring.  Colin and I share a common vision for New Zealand riders, and we both are looking forward to developing New Zealand talent and extending our Snowboarding family.” – Sam Marcotte

“We have created a new opportunity for the youth of NZ snowboarding. We are providing a platform for them to ride, learn from and aspire to the success of their international peers. We have seen the likes of Jossi Wells and Shelly Gotlieb reach the world stage internationally. Our young athletes deserve to achieve this international recognition, and with the backing and support of their team, we can’t wait to see more New Zealanders join them on international podiums.” – Colin Bartlett.

The New Zealand team will have the opportunity to be exposed to greater diversity in terms of talent and opportunities alongside some of the best young riders already on the Simple program. The Northern Hemisphere riders will have the opportunity to live, ride and progress in New Zealand, anywhere from 1 month to the entire season.  They will experience a new culture and be welcomed by a team of locals with the same goals and interests as their own.  Together they will now call Wanaka, New Zealand home during the southern hemisphere seasons.  The new Simple NZ team riders are off to North America to begin training this coming winter, where they will meet up with some of their Canadian teammates to ride and progress together.

Further details to come in January 2012….

Simple Snowboarding will now be up and running in New Zealand for the 2012 Winter onwards…

This means that New Zealand Snowboarders will have the unique opportunity to ride, train and progress with other international, highly talented young riders… Including some of the riders featured in the above video.  To find out more about what it is like to be a part of Simple Snowboarding, push play…