Pacific Cycle Hires Aaron Bethlenfalvy as Director of Industrial Design
...one of Aaron's many designs.
Pacific Cycle has hired Aaron Bethlenfalvy as Director of Industrial Design. He will work with all of Pacific Cycle’s major brands, including GT Bicycles, Schwinn, Mongoose, Kustom Kruiser and a variety of others. A former GT Bicycles employee, Bethlenfalvy is excited to work with familiar brands and familiar people. “I feel like I’m back home again,” said Bethlenfalvy. “There are lots of familiar faces and this is an easy transition. The opportunities here are great to make a big impact on the cycling community with all these brands, and I’m excited to be here.”
“Aaron’s work in the industry is well known and we feel fortunate to bring his vision back to our brands,” said Jeff Frehner, President and COO, Pacific Cycle.
Bethlenfalvy spent a total of seven years at GT designing bicycle frames and components for specialty markets. He was responsible for defining, creating and managing brand identity and for taking products from initial concept through production.
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Steve Ruff Signs On With WMG
Steve Ruff (left)
One of the most influential members of the snowboarding industry, Steve Ruff, has signed on with the Wasserman Media Group to head up the companies snowboarding division.
Growing up in Southern California, Steve got involved in the actions sports scene early on in life. An avid surfer, skateboarder and snowboarder, Ruff’s first job in the industry was managing his local surf shop while in high school. Growing tired of the beach lifestyle and attracted to the mountains, upon graduation Steve moved to Big Bear where, due to his skills on a snowboard, he was immediately picked up by Joyride Snowboards to be one of their team riders.
During that time, another one of Steve sponsors at the time, Dragon Optics, offered him a position as the companies Snow Team manager. Jumping at the chance, Steve went on to amass one of the best snowboarding teams ever seen. Using that position as a stepping stone, Ruff then went to be a key player in starting the most influetial snowboard company of all time, Forum Snowboards. There he spent eight years as the Global Team Director, lending a hand in everything from board design, movie projects, ad campaigns, and putting on numerous team/movie tours.
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I.S.A. Announces 2006 World Surfing Games Judging Panel
by Press Release
8.17.06- The judging panel for the ISA World Surfing Games, October 14-22, 2006 in Huntington Beach, Calif., has been selected. The 2006 ISA World Surfing Games, organized by Surfing America will bring the best surfers from around the globe to compete on behalf of their countries. ISA member nations were asked to nominate judges for international, team and ISA invited judge positions. The ISA Technical Committee reviewed all of the applications and selected the panel based on team's placement at the 2004 ISA World Surfing Games, judge's previous ISA contest experience, judging certifications and overall judging experience.
The panel represents 14 different ISA member nations and is lead by Head Judges Glen Elliott (Australia), Craig Hoshide (USA) and bodyboard Head Judge Francisco Garritano (Brazil). International, team and ISA invited judges are Duane Avenell (Australia), Jordao Bailo (Brazil), Jonothan Channing (South Africa), Nino Lauro (Peru), Stanley Sham Koua (Tahiti), Antonio Fernandez (Spain), Bruno Truch (France), Miguel Yecerra (Venezuela), Yeffrey Rojas (Costa Rica), Joanne Hillman (UK), Cirilo Yagual Ramirez (Ecuador), Fernando Arca (Argentina), Shogo Takenaka (Japan) and Chip Hall (USA).
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Movie Line-UP For The Meeting At Aspen
by Press Release
Aspen/Snowmass, Co. 8.16.06- This October, Aspen/Snowmass will once again host The Meeting presented by Nissan – an innovative, must-attend happening for the winter sports industry and action sport film fans. For four days this fall, October 5-8, this industry-driven event will bring the snow-crazed local community the new crop of ski and snowboard films.
“In only its second year, The Meeting has gained intense interest from top industry movie companies with the hopes of having their latest films screened in Aspen. We have been in the fortunate situation to screen and select a variety of the top movies based on industry feedback, media buzz, and athlete interest,” said David Perry, senior vice president, Aspen Skiing Company. “There are over 85 snowboard films alone out there today. This is a vibrant and growing industry and we continue to make Aspen the headquarters for fall screenings and a kick-off to the upcoming season.”
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VAS Unveils Fall Snowboard DVD Lineup
by Press Release
San Luis Obispo, Ca. 8.21.06– VAS Entertainment, the leading international distributor of action sports content, struck gold last year with its collection of award-winning, record-breaking ski and snowboard titles – and this year, they’re at it again with a whole new lineup of exciting snow sport DVDs just in time for the fall tradeshow season
“When it comes to ski and snow DVDs, we’re putting the best out there – some that we’ve replicated in-house and some that we’re distributing as a result of great partnerships with other studios like Studio 411,” said VAS Entertainment Vice President of Sales Tom Allen. “Plus, on top of this fantastic lineup, we’ve got big plans to tour all the key tradeshows and give the industry a true taste of the upcoming season. We’re looking at a very exciting year.”
In the realm of snowboarding, VAS is excitedly resuming distribution of Whiteout Films titles and, for the first time ever, is proud to offer the “Golden Ticket” snowboard sweepstakes in conjunction with Trilogy Arts and DFI Snowboards – a promotion that gives the buying public multiple chances to win one of two new snowboards. The company is also in its 12th year of distribution partnership with Mack Dawg, for whom VAS is distributing three titles this season. New snowboard titles will include the following VAS-replicated DVDS:
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The Surfer's Path and WetSand.com to Merge
by Press Release
8.18.06- WetSand.com and The Surfer's Path magazine today announced that they are to merge. The merger unites one of the world's largest online surf communities with the premiere international surf publication. Both companies provide content that appeals to the core, everyday surfer, who values his or her environment, wherever in the world he or she lives and surfs.
In a single stroke, this merger integrates the best of the traditional and new media companies to form a world-leading surf communications company offering the best of online and offline media capabilities.
"This merger gives WetSand and The Surfer's Path much greater scale and momentum," said WetSand's Chief Executive Officer Chuck Menzel. "The real highlight for WetSand is that we can place an enormous marketing effort to leverage the exposure of The Surfer's Path magazine in the North American market."
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CITA Issues Revised Snowboard Pant Decision
New Definition Revises Chinese Import Quota
by Alicia Allen
SIA
Washington, D.C., 8.11.06- The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA), an interagency committee chaired by the US Department of Commerce, sent a letter to SnowSports Industries America (SIA) and Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) recently informing the industry that it has revised the definition of ski and snowboard pants that are exempt from the quota on man-made fiber pants from China.
SIA and OIA met several times with the CITA Chairman, officials of the CITA agencies, and other administration officials in recent months urging the committee to address problems with implementation of the exemption, which was included in the November 2005 US-China apparel agreement.
The revised definition will be effective July, 1, 2006 and is as follows:
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