"Common Threadz is one of those rare non-profits that is extremely effective in their mission while staying relevant to youth culture," explains AP Co-Owner Jesse DenHerder. "Action sports athletes are creative by nature and ActionProfiles is a perfect venue to harness it.” Zac Folk, founder of CommonThreadz added, "It's great to be working with ActionProfiles on this project and to witness how the nonprofit and private sector can work together in a win-win fashion. We're excited to see the designs and hope to make this an annual contest.” AP has also put together an elite team of judges who will be announcing the winning design including:

Monica Staniec- Board member of WIAS (Women in Action Sports) and VP of Marketing at iMa, a marketing and PR agency that targets the actions sports, art, music and fashion markets. Monica is also an active Snowboarder and enjoys surfing.

Luiz Calado – Photographer, writer and award winning editor, Luiz's work has been published in many US and Brazilian publications including Thrasher, Tribo, SKT, Veja, and Yeah! Magazine. With degrees in Communications and Photojournalism, Luiz blends insight and ingenuity in his reporting, while remaining true to his skateboarding roots.

Wendy Burkman- Co-Founder/producer of the Wanda Show and media personality for ActionProfiles.com. Wendy is also a talented singer/songwriter and model.

The Design For Good T-shirt design competition kicks off on Nov. 1st. Submissions are welcome from November through December 23, 2009 and they encourage artists from all over the world to submit their entries. The winner will receive national exposure as an artist/humanitarian, and a generous prize package from their sponsors, including watches, headphones, apparel and much more. Presentations to the winner and commercialization of the T-shirt designs will take place in January.

Source: www.pr.com

Winter weather brings an onset of activities for families to do together from hiking, skiing and snowboarding, to sledding, snowshoeing or building snow forts. REI is stocked with gear and apparel, classes and advice to keep everyone connected and exhilarated while recreating outdoors.

Staying warm is especially important in keeping the entire family happy while playing in the cold. REI's "Find Out” page is available online for anyone to access a wide range of resources in one place to see the hottest winter gear and apparel choices, classes and clinics, and expert advice to ensure families are prepared for many outings this season.

Get the "kiddos” ready for the ski and snowboard season with quality gear from REI. Members may also bring in gently used kids' or junior ski or snowboard gear (originally purchased at REI) and trade it in for 20 percent off the purchase of new kids' or junior snowsports gear. Learn how the trade-in works.

Adults can also update their layering systems with REI's new Windbrake fleece collection that is wind-proof up to 50 mph, while the new Taku collection combines softshell and hardshell fabric for a comfortable hybrid of stretch and warmth ideal for many activities in cold weather conditions.

With hundreds of quality, top brands and its 100 percent satisfaction guarantee, REI is an excellent choice as a convenient one-stop shop for winter and holiday shopping. Visit REI stores or the REI Holiday Gift Shop for the latest and hottest outdoor gear and apparel ideas to keep the entire family warm and stylish this season. No time – no problem, shop REI.com on the go. Simply visit REI.com for an optimized shopping experience from most Smartphones and web-enabled devices.

Start the holiday shopping season at REI. The first 300 customers to each of its stores on Friday, November 27, will receive an REI-branded reusable shopping bag and REI gift card, ranging in value from $5 to $100.

REI invites the entire family to attend its free snowshoeing 101 classes (offered at REI stores nationwide now through January 2010). The co-op also offers a variety of in-store skiing classes, ski or snowboard maintenance and waxing classes and clinics. Additionally, some REI stores offer Outdoor School classes where outdoor experts teach basic outdoor skills. For those who want to try before they buy, most REI stores offer a rental gear program. Check with a local REI store for classes and rental gear availability.

From its "green vest” experts, to informative articles and videos online, REI offers some of the most comprehensive outdoor-related expert advice available for almost anyone from the budget-conscious to those looking for a new hobby. For a list of winter-related activities and advice, click on REI's Expert Advice snowsport tab for A-Z instruction columns and videos on mounting bindings to waxing cross-country skis and layering apparel for maximum warmth.

Starting in December, iPhone users can download the REI Snow Report iPhone Application. REI will unveil an updated version of the popular REI Snow Report, a free iTunes application to help skiers and snowboarders prepare for weather conditions at more than 200 ski resorts across the country. Last year's application was the number one application for snow reports, with over 100,000 downloads.

Source: www.businesswire.com

As the festive season approaches, the ski holiday is perhaps the most obvious choice for those looking to book a winter break.

Yet the economic crash appears to have caused a significant reduction in the number of holiday-goers opting for ski excursions: according to the Guardian newspaper, ski trip bookings fell 13% just last year, with empty beds being cheaply sold off last minute, and companies failing to make profit.

With the ski industry now struggling to break even, this year has seen a sharp rise in the cost of ski holidays. Those budget and last minute deals have become harder to find, with ski companies adopting a supply-and-demand approach to save money.(1)

But the holiday-maker can look to the new resorts to find cheaper alternatives away from the more obvious destinations in the French and Swiss Alps. The "piste” found in the Abruzzo Mountains in Italy offer a similar experience to the more renowned ski-spots, and without a glamorous reputation of the more established resorts, it is a more realistic option for the budget conscious.(2)

Add this to the money-saving options of mid-week excursions and the enormous range of budget flight tickets available across the internet, and a festive holiday spent skiing or snowboarding remains a possibility. Even over Christmas, when expenditure hits a seasonal high.

With the recession still a very real concern, cutting back on essentials like travel insurance may be a tempting prospect, with those splashing out on their ski holiday simply hoping the worst never happens.

Tellingly, a survey commissioned by AA Travel Insurance exposes the need for an insurance package covering winter sports-based holidays. The fact that 57%(3) of holiday goers are taking more adventurous trips, signals a need for people to make sure they are adequately covered when they travel.. A sizeable 19% of those surveyed had required medical attention when abroad. 1 With the cost of treatment abroad potentially far outweighing the cost of the holiday, getting adequate cover for a winter sports holiday is a must. AA Travel Insurance offers a policy which includes medical expenses cover of up to £10 million and 24 hour medical emergency support which could prove vital in a medical emergency.

A spokesperson for AA Travel Insurance said, "Accidents can happen on a small or a large scale. Being equipped with the right insurance isn't tempting fate; an insurance policy on a winter sports holiday is imperative in any kind of emergency.”

Source: www.businesswire.com

What started as "Girls Can Shred Too” in the Midwest has evolved into an international event. Last year, over 75 women came out and many 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 is a certified snowboard instructor, started the event last season in an attempt to boost female representation 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 starting out on the mountains, but most guys were anxious to hit the slopes right away.” Thus came the idea for the ideal girls only beginner snowboard day: "Our goal is to make the perfect day for girls to learn how to ride. We use the best teaching techniques and leverage off the girls' energy and camaraderie to help them succeed.”

The Minneapolis event planner, Missy Killian, who 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 is excited to assist with and sponsor this event. Missy wants the girls to know, "that there Is special 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 rider and Washington event organizer, "When I started snowboarding there were very few girls, it's always exciting to see ladies 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 and sponsored by some of snowboards biggest brands, like Nikita and Betty Rides, this grass-roots event has gained the support of shops and resorts all over 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.

Source: www.pr.com

In the second Issue of our ISPO-Special we present u the second Part if Nitro and Academy Snowboards that will come next Season!

An early morning visit to a Best Buy in Marin City, Calif., reveals no lines, no craziness, and some fairly sleepy Best Buy employees.

The shuttle Atlantis returns to Earth after an 11-day three-spacewalk mission to deliver 15 tons of equipment and spare parts to the International Space Station.

Apple filed a lawsuit against Media Solutions Holdings for selling replacement power adapters that infringe on its patent.

Streaming movies will become more common to mobile devices as more people switch to smartphones. Can wireless networks keep up with the demand?

The Hewlett-Packard Envy 13 moves past the Apple MacBook Air in some important respects, but the price tag is a problem.