What started as “Girls Can Shred Too” in the Midwest has evolved into an International event. Last year, over 75 women came out and became addicted to the sport and bought full snowboard set-ups before the season's end. This year, with one of the organizers moving to Germany, it seemed only natural to expand the event to a global scale.
Head organizer, Kassandra Cassily, who has taught snowboard lessons in China, Michigan, and California started the event last season after noticing one consistent trend: guys always outnumber girls on the slopes. It seemed that most females couldn’t get past the first hard day on the slopes and were too self-conscious to learn with guys around. Kassandra noted, “Girls liked physic breakdowns of how the sport works and learned fastest when able to do flatland statics before trying things on slope, but most guys were pretty fine with more of a ‘monkey-see-
The Minneapolis event planner, Missy Killian, who has taught snowboarding in Wisconsin and Minnesota, also runs a girls-only online snowboard shop, RosaSnow.com, and met Kassandra and the other event planners through the first Girls Can Shred event in 2009. Missy is excited to assist with and sponsor this event because “as a girls-only shop, we can show the ladies that there IS gear made for them and we DO have a solid community full of fun, supportive people!”
Ladies Shred Day is a non-competitive, day-long event focused on learning in a fun, supportive environment. The event invites women of all ages and all skill levels to participate, providing free female-friendly lessons, discounted lift-tickets and rentals, and the opportunity to meet other riders and learn more about snowboarding.
“In this male dominated industry, it's SO refreshing to find a group of girls to shred with. Companies and event organizers need to realize this and start reaching out to the female audience. That's why I am super pumped about International Ladies Shred Day,” says Kumara Kelley, Burton pro-rider and Washington event organizer, “When I started snowboarding there were very few females, it's always exciting to see females get out there and have fun! Because of traveling, competing and filming, I mostly ride with guys. The boys push me, but when a girl does a sick trick I feel much more motivated to do it myself.”
To date, events are confirmed in Germany, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Washington and Colorado, with more countries and cities in the works. Each location will have its own local flavor, but with the underlying purpose of getting as many girls as possible snowboarding, whether for the first time ever, or just to simply ride for the day for a new adventure. “Ladies please spread the word, and lets get as many girls as we can out on the snow...its about time everyone stops hating on the winter season and gets out there to enjoy every bit of it!!!,” says Paul Cybulski, the Chicago event organizer.
Organized by passionate snowboarders, the grass-roots event has gained the support of sponsors, shops and resorts in the U.S.A. and abroad. The event will be held on Saturday, January, 23, 2010 around the globe. In addition to promoting in local shops, the various event planners are using social-networking tools to promote the events, including their respective MeetUp.com groups: Windy City Boarders (WCB) in Chicago, Brew City Boarders (BCB) in Milwaukee, and Twin Cities Boarders (TCB) in Minneapolis.
