Snowboarding’s Best Countries
Newsweek recently released an exhaustive ranking of the best countries in the world, based on key factors such as education, health, quality of life, economic dynamism, and political environment. They even made a fancy interactive flash infographic thing so you could see how authoritative it was, and have no grounds to argue. But perhaps the most newsworthy part of this feature was that the good ol’ USA ranked a sorry number 11, thanks in large part to our pathetic health and education systems. We felt as good Americans it was our patriotic duty to bring some esteem back to the good old US of A. To do this, we’re presenting a similar, but far less researched and authoritative feature on snowboarding’s best countries, where clearly, we rule.
The following totally arbitrary rankings are loosely based on the number of relevant ski resorts, the number (and quality of) of pros it has produced, how good the snow fall/terrain is, and a small focus on the amount of Olympic ass kicking the country has done in snowboarding. However, most statistics we’re completely pulled out of our asses.
1. United States
How could you even argue with USA being number one? Sure, the Midwest and East Coast kind of suck, and the South doesn’t even have snow, but the sheer number of snowboard epicenters contained in states such as Utah, California and Colorado surely make up for that. The number of super pros from here is too many to count, and it’s also the home to a ton of brands (but we have the good sense to get the product made cheaply elsewhere!) As far as the Olympics go, ever heard of a guy named Shaun White? He clearly kicked all of your asses, even if he is kind of a douche. In short, we invented, popularized and continue to dominate snowboarding. The End.
2. Norway
Now we’ve never ridden in Norway, or even been there, but since the entire place is more or less covered in snow, Norwegians grow up riding the stuff. Sure, a lot of them ski or worse, cross country ski, but it’s managed to pump out some serious shredders. Basically, once you have one Terje, you’re on the map forever, and it doesn’t hurt that he hosts the ultra-epic Arctic Challenge there too.
3. Canada
Mostly due to its proximity to the US, Canada comes in high on our list. But seriously, take a trip to Whistler, or take a sled into interior BC, and enjoy some free health care and you’ll soon agree Canada is a good place to snowboard. It is also home to the original Shakedown, and even though French Canada is cold as fuck, it’s got some of the best urban riding and coolest resorts around. Not to mention there have been some incredible Cannuck shreds over the years, most recently Jed Anderson.
4. Japan
Japan is a great place for snowboarding for a few reasons, namely enthusiasm and pillow lines. The Japanese love snowboarding and anything to do with snowboarding, and whether you know it or not, they are pretty much keeping the sport afloat. Many outerwear and other brands would be out of business if not for Japanese support. Throw in a solid variety of resorts, chairlifts that talk to you, beer in vending machines, and some serious natural snow fall in some parts of the country, and you get in the top 5 for sure.
5. Australia
Not only do they speak English in Australia, but it’s quite a snowboard friendly place. It is home to Torah Bright, who is not only the best female pipe rider in the world, but has a postage stamp and there to prove it. BawBawdn’ has been stoking us out all summer, and even though we couldn’t tell you what the resorts or snow there are actually like, it seems pretty swell.
6. Switzerland
We’re getting down the list, so the rankings are getting tighter and tighter. Frankly, Switzerland scores above some of Europe’s other snowboard-friendly countries in our minds for a few reasons. First, the number of resorts in this tiny country (there are nearly 40 in a space the size of Vermont and New Hampshire combined) means there’s a good chance there is one in your backyard. We also like that it’s a neutral country, so they probably hate Americans slightly less than the rest of Europe.
7. Finland. Finland topped out Newsweek’s list, but we put it at number seven because it seems like it’s probably cold and dark there, all up in the Arctic Circle. Also most Finnish pro snowboarders live in Southern California now, so we’ve decided to count their prowess towards the US’s ranking.
8. Chile. Rumor is the snow in Chile sucks right now, but it doesn’t change the fact that you can go snowboarding there, right now! South America Snow Sessions seems pretty sweet, so if we were going to go snowboarding in South America, we’d go here.
9. Austria/ France
Frankly, I couldn’t decide between these two countries as they share a mountain range, and both hate Americans (or maybe we just hate them, I am not sure.) Most of the pros from these places are into racing, or racing offshoots such as boardercross, which makes them equally lame, but who I am I kidding, it would be sick to go ride in the Alps.
10. New Zealand
New Zealand just got done hosting the Junior World Championships and the New Zealand Open, so obviously it’s on the map as far as snowboarding competition is concerned. The entire country is also apparently sponsored by Red Bull. Though often overshadowed by Australia for some reason, it’s a go-to for summer photo shoots and training, so it definitely makes the cut for our list.
And that, by our best estimates, is all you need to know about the global state of snowboarding. Agree, disagree, we don’t care, just as long as you realize how great America is, right!?
‘MERICA!
It is not a rumor….snow in Chile, right now, SUCKS AS SHIT!
But in the middle seasson was PERFECT!
You all should come down here….but next year 😉
Bite your tongue when you speak of the East
Go USA!
South America Snow Sessions is in Argentina and all I keep hearing from people down there is that it’s dumping.
missing argentina! we have been having mad dumps after mad dumps! 3ft in the last 24h!
Shit. I was like, Argentina or Chile (or both) but since I’ve never been to either, I just guessed. my bad.
Well this article was pointless. Everyone knows that America is better then everyone at everything. We win. Always. And if we don’t we will probably invade your country and win at that just to prove how much better we are.
Dear YoBeat:
Why the hell is this post even on here? Are you trying to be funny? I suggest getting new people to represent your cheap ass website because I am slowly losing interest in coming to this url everyday with dumbass shit this retard brooke geery posts. I mean, wow, are you trying to make everyone that snowboards look like an idiot? How close minded are you? I suggest waking up and posting real snowboard news, not some lame opinion about someone who doesn’t even know how to ride. Thank you. d
Dear youareretarded,
I suggest you find something better to with your days then visit YoBeat everyday. Secondly remove the the large stick from your ass and then maybe you won’t be perceived as such a douche. If you want real news go to CNN.
Love,
Me
Yeah Argentina and Chile should definetely be on the map – uncrowded powder for days, great terrain. Plus, Australia..? Over Switzerland/Austria/France? That’s a wild guess. I met a snowboarder from Australia that had never ridden powder there – all they have is good parks and Torah Bright.
Even lolboarding in the shitty east coast is wayyyyy better than any other section of the globe. Rain, rocks, sleet, concrete, grass, mud, and sometimes snow, East is Beast. Ammmmmuuuuuurrrrrrrrrricah!
Yeah! Norway should be nr 1 if you count number of pros compared to population….
Norway over Canada? Fuck that noise.
Shred N. Korea
fuck yeah this post makes me wanna use my god given right to use a gun and fucking kill someone thats not from merica
Dear JB:
To answer your stupid response… A.) There is nothing better to do when its August and you unfortunately have to sit in front of a computer all day in order to shred all winter (you do too cuz you are responding to this shit) B.) There is no stick up my ass. (Really?) I really dont give a fuck what people percieve of me from a lame as website comment board. You think this makes up my life? haaaa. oh wait, it actually does make up YOUR life, so doesn’t that suck? and finally C.) Do you really think real news is CNN? this is worse than I thought; you people really have no idea what is going on do you? maybe try watching John Carpenter’s movie They Live (1988) and see what you are missing. That is, if you can sit and watch the whole thing without pausing to log onto yobeat.com and see if anyone needs a smart ass response in a comment board.
In final, stop ruining August for all the people who want to see snowboarding. That is your job right? To keep us informed with cool happenings in the snowboard world, right? You aren’t funny, nor are you intelligent. So please, stop with the retarded posts and get back to “making fun of snowboarding”, the right way.
And yo….since 1997? Where the fuck were you? Quit lying to everyone and just shut it down
I’m aout to make a dickhead out of myself, but i herd drunk yobeating is the new thing to do, so ill try it since everyone here is a fucking hipster. The US obviously dominates the industry because almost every company in snowboarding started here with the exception of canadian companies like endeavor or airhole or stepchild (I’m probably missing some but whatever), USA started almost all comapanies unless there ski companies or in canada. Super Pro’s come from all around. lets be real here, the most recent super pro is Halldor Helgason who has greatly surpassed any and all recognition his brother will ever get. But we still hold down T-Rice, Shaun White, and Danny Davis or whoever you want to throw into that ranking of superpro contest dude from the US. Theres more street spots in the US that are in well known videos every year than any of this euro bullshit, and more US terrain parks that are reconized over any bullshit in europe or anywhere else too.
Japan is good for powder and that one analog promo video that came out like 4 years ago.
New Zeland is great for DC adds and summer time edits on TWsnow.
Australia is kinda lame, but if you get borred of hood, COC, and New Zeland edits, you might find something to watch while your waiting
Chile, Who on earth gives a fuck about chile. I watch i’d say 90% of the edits on tw, yobeat, snowrev, snowboarder, and ashburys blog ( kind of dosn’t go along but that’s my go-to) everyday and chile edits always blow dick.
USA wins like a 16 meter breast stroke with michael Phelps.
Canada is only good for whistler pro’s, Jed and Jake K
“9. Austria/France: Most of the pros from these places are into racing”.
year right….. dont underestimate us. Probably no one here knows a pro-racer by his/her name. But everyone knows ästhetiker,pirates,isenseven(ger) and top of all absinthe films. Iam not trying to say , austria or france should be placed better, but i have to make clear we are not into racing at all! 😀
Imho statistics are sometimes interesting, but nobody should take it to seriously.
Dear Youareretarded,
If you need to call the whambulance then do so, or at least stop making an attempt to hate on a website you truly do have an erection for, which is why you posted two comments now.
Dear Sam Cosby,
I’m so proud of you, son. Your ignorance and your narrow mind makes you the impersonation of everything that made the USA great.
GO USA!
youareretarted you mad? If you don’t care, than why do you care to respond to “smartasses?”
oloololoololoololololololololololololololol JB wins.
Awesome post!
yeah, youretarded, make some god damn friends and chill out, why do you feel a need to hate on what people do. As far as i know, everybody who works at this website is pretty damn broke/not very well off, and so am i. This is how they make money, which i bet you have enough of you aspen-living 5-star-restaurant douche. i fucking bleed mcdonlads. for christ sake man, you’re the reason i have heartburn right now you asshole.
side note, you should rate the actual states in america, that’d be a cool post
Do all americans like the smell of there own farts? or is that just a myth?
The comment are better Than the article….thanks to all you internet weirdos.
fuck snowboarding
haha can’t believe australia got no. 5 with prob the least amount of snow and resorts on the list yeeew. All thanks to torah. Baw Baw prob only averages 1m a season with man made and has a few t-bars, can get some half decent jibs goin though…
austria> australia
It´s easy to say that Chile sucks if you came in the end of seasson, May, June and July are the best months in Santiago´s ski centers. The next months, you can travel south and get some fresh powder.
Australia? Over New Zealand, Switzerland, Austria, France, etc etc etc.. Funny..