Winterstick Snowboards Expands Ownership with Seth Wescott, Plans Custom Workshop with Chairlift Access at Sugarloaf Mountain

First Name in Backcountry to Develop Workshop at Sugarloaf Mountain Complete with Custom Design Technologies, Renewable Energy, & Direct Mountain Chairlift Access

Portland, ME (September 17, 2015) — Winterstick Snowboards, the first modern snowboarding company in the world, announced the addition of pro snowboarder and entrepreneur Seth Wescott to their ownership group and unveiled plans to develop a custom snowboard workshop at Sugarloaf Mountain in Carrabassett Valley, Maine. The “Original Snowboarding Company” has secured its own manufacturing equipment and will continue their proud tradition of producing American-made boards in their first workshop in the spring of 2016.

Winterstick will transform an old barn on West Mountain at Sugarloaf into a state-of-the-art, custom snowboard shop that will serve as the epicenter of their signature designs and handcrafted boards that will feature Maine-sourced lumber and will utilize rooftop solar panels to deliver clean energy to the shop. Winterstick’s new base for operations will also feature access to West Mountain chairlift from the shop, becoming the only snowboard or ski manufacturer to have direct, mountain-lift access.

“The history of Winterstick is long and storied, and we believe Seth is a great addition to our ownership group as we enter the brand’s next chapter,” said Tom Fremont-Smith, President of Winterstick. “We share a passion for snowboarding and Maine, and the opportunity to combine our knowledge to develop our own facility at Sugarloaf Mountain is personally rewarding for all of us. We look forward to helping drive economic growth in Franklin County and the state of Maine for many years to come.”

One of the most accomplished pro riders in snowboard cross history, Wescott has focused significant time as a professional athlete and backcountry enthusiast to designing and shaping his own boards that combine world-class performance with an infusion of freeriding style. He began working with Winterstick last fall to design his signature pro model – Seth Wescott – that received immediate fanfare during the 2014-15 testing phase.

“The opportunity to be an owner of a snowboarding company has been a lifelong goal of mine and to do so with Winterstick is an absolute dream come true,” said Wescott. “As a snowboarder, the heritage of the brand, the innovation in developing specialized boards for people, and the commitment to freeriding is reflective of my personality and desires for the continued progression of the sport. As an entrepreneur and business owner, I am well aware of the tremendous resources that the people and businesses of Maine have to offer, and I believe the collective potential with the shop at Sugarloaf will be a beneficial endeavor for all of us.”

“Sugarloaf has been home to many of snowboarding’s pioneers, including Seth, so a partnership like this makes perfect sense to us,” said Karl Strand, Sugarloaf General Manager. “We’re excited to be working with Winterstick, and about the opportunities it will provide to our guests and to snowboarders around the globe.”

Winterstick’s product line features the godfather of snowboards, the Swallowtail, the quiver of one ST Series, and signature pro models from legends Tom Burt and Seth Wescott. All boards are hand-crafted and made in the USA; boards are available for order online at www.winterstick.com.

Winterstick is recognized as the “First Name in Backcountry” thanks in large part to its founder, Dimitrije Milovich, whose background in engineering and passion for riding fueled the development of the Swallowtail, the first patented modern snowboard in 1972. Today, Milovich is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in snowboarding history, and his vision of Winterstick remains in-tact under the stewardship of Tom Fremont-Smith, Chris Lorenz, Tom Burt, and Wescott as custodians of the oldest and only freeriding-based, custom snowboard company in the world.

ABOUT WINTERSTICK SNOWBOARDS: 

Winterstick Snowboards is the original snowboarding company in the world. Engineer and snowboarding enthusiast Dimitrijie Milovich began developing snowboards in the Wasatch backcountry and patented the first modern snowboard, the Swallowtail, in 1972. The success of the Swallowtail led to the launch of Winterstick, the first snowboarding company established in 1976 and based in Salt Lake City, Utah. The oldest and only freeriding-based snowboard company in the world, Winterstick enjoys a rich heritage of unsurpassed performance in the backcountry and American craftsmanship that has earned industry recognition as the “First Name in Backcountry.” Winterstick is owned and operated by Bigelow Mountain Partners since 2000. 

For more information, please visit: www.winterstick.com.

ABOUT SETH WESCOTT: 

A three-time U.S. National Champion, nine-time Winter X Games medalist, four-time World Championships medalist, and two-time Olympic gold medalist, Seth Wescott is one of the most accomplished riders in snowboarding history and is widely regarded as an international ambassador for the sport. A native of Farmington, Maine, Wescott graduated from Mt. Blue High School, attended Carrabassett Valley Academy, and is a member of the Maine Sports Hall of Fame and co-owner of the popular restaurant “The Rack.” He is a spokesperson for Maine’s “Take it Outside,” “Huts & Trails,” and “WinterKids” programs, serves on the Board of Directors for Special Olympics Maine, and is an ambassador for Protect Our Winters and Level Field Fund. Wescott, a long-time Sugarloaf Mountain ambassador where he resides and trains, serves as host and course designer for the annual Sugarloaf Banked Slalom event, is a product testing and design partner for L.L. Bean, as well as a spokesman for Bern, Bolle, and Norway Savings Bank.

ABOUT SUGARLOAF: 

Located in Carrabassett Valley, ME, Sugarloaf is largest ski area in the East, and is home to the only lift-serviced above treeline skiing and riding in the East, as well as the number one golf course in Maine, according to Golf Digest. Sugarloaf is a member of the Boyne Resorts family of resorts and attractions.

Follow: www.sugarloaf.com, www.facebook.com/sugarloaf, and http://twitter.com/sugarloafmaine.



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