If you missed out on the action, fear not. Fellow photog Jeff Nass was in the trenches for the past three days, nabbing shots of practice and the finals. Check 'em out...

Practice started today for the Dew Tour in Breckenridge, Colorado. I headed up to snap a few shots with my 4x5 camera. Here's a gallery of a few black and white film shots from slopestyle practice.

Travis Parker, getting loose and limber around one of the tight Derby turns.

Well, the 3rd annual Dirksen Derby has come and gone. If you weren’t there, better luck next time. If you were, how fun was that!!! For the last three years, Josh Dirksen has thrown a miniature Baker Banked Slalom type event up at his home mountain of Mt. Bachelor. The event was created for two reasons. First, was to have as much fun as you can on a snowboard, and second was to raise money for Tyler Eklund, a fellow shredder who took a hard slam a few years ago severely injuring his neck, resulting in the loss of body movement from the neck down.

This years course was 100% hand built by Josh and friends and featured 12 vertical banked turns and a even a 10-foot double. There was also a “green line” down the course, which was the more all-natural course of about 9 turns made for anyone else who wanted to take the easy style way down. In true NW fashion, the wind and snow picked up the day of the contest, which always makes for challenging course conditions.

174 snowboarders, sit skiers, skiers and split boarders showed up to donate $25 bucks for Tyler and wait in line for upwards of an hour and a half for a run down the 30-second or so low pitch, but high speed course. When the dust settled over $5000 dollars was raised for Tyler and and a great time was had by all in attendance. So next year when you hear rumors of a 4th annual Dirksen Derby, make sure to mark your calendar and get ready to go fast down the slowest and most fun course you’ve ever shredded.

And a big thanks to Bonfire/Salomon, Dakine, Scott, Sideffect snowboard shop, Exit, Skjersaa’s, Parrilla, Rebound Physical Therapy, Deck Tech and Oregon Adaptive Sports for sponsoring and donating prizes to help make this event a success.

Words and Photos Abe Blair www.blindmanphotos.com

All of the breaking news aside, here are some bangers from the Copper Grand Prix this past weekend. Enjoy...

Nothing goes hand in hand better than snowboarding and free beer.

We always try to keep things fresh here at SNOWBOARD Magazine.

The Fall Bash... An amazingly eclectic gathering of New England’s finest along with a who's who of snowboard industry heavies. All brought together graciously by Jake Burton to celebrate fall in New England and the beginning of yet another snowboard season. Gym Class Heroes took the stage, and there were plenty of drinks to go around. All and all a great night.

Words and photos by Laura Austin

If ever there's a time and place to get hyped on the season ahead, it's at The Meeting in Aspen. The fall foliage is always in full-swing, and it's the place to watch the newest videos premiere with all your buddies.