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McConkey's Influence?????

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codizzle
Posts: 895 - Karma: 2,250
Hey, I'd like to hear back from the 18-and-younger crowd on this one:

What do you know about Shane McConkey as a skier?
What does he mean to you?
What does he stand for?
Did his skiing inspire you?

The reason I ask this is because McConkey's impact on the newschool/freeski movement is ridiculously important; I'm just trying to figure out if the younger crowd knows this or not.

I'm guessing that the younger generation really only knows him as a skier who BASE jumps and does funny shit like Saucer Boy. I am guessing that the younger crowd doesn't realize how important a figure he is when it came to fat ski innovation, big-mountain riding, inverts and switch flips, and helping pave the way, in a business sense, to be a paid, professional freeskier - stuff that we take for granted now, but was barely existent 12 years ago, and I mean barely.

By the way, if you don't think he had much impact on your skiing, please feel free to say that. I'm not trying to chastise you - I'm just trying to figure out what the younger generation knows about him.
Mar 28 2009 2:14PM
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huge-go
Posts: 1451 - Karma: 33
Pretty much just introducing rocker into the ski industry alone would have already made him one of the most influential figures. Add everything else into the mix, being a really influential big mountain skier, and just being an all around hilarious dude who always seemed stoked, and you've got the biggest loss skiing's ever had. That first video sums him up pretty well it seems. "I would do this all over, have 6 more season ending injuries in the next 10 years to do what we do, slide down snow and fly through the air." He died doing what he loved. I don't think anyone has done as much for the sport that gives so much to us. Shane will RIP.
Mar 28 2009 2:54PM
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Kevski
Posts: 7056 - Karma: 2,785
I'm 17, so I missed the beginning of his influence, and I've only known of him since 03 in Focused. Even in 5 or 6 years I have felt his influence big time. I saw his original spatula, which was introduced in Focused, his water skis, and him riding 2 snowboards down some big slopes. He showed that you can do sick things just having fun.

His segments have always entertained me. His skiing itself didn't really influence me until I picked up some fatter skis this season, and have been playing around with "McConkey turns". His happy, fun, stoked, genuine attitude has definitely been a huge influence on how I view skiing.






Kinda related, but I thought I'd put in that there was a half page article on him in today's Vancouver Sun. That's pretty much the most-read newspaper around the Vancouver area for those who don't know. It was a good summary of who he was, in a way that non-skiers could understand. I think probably a million people would have read that article. Good tribute.
Mar 28 2009 3:26PM
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codizzle
Posts: 895 - Karma: 2,250
thanks for dropping that perspective on me, dudes. most appreciated.
Mar 28 2009 3:30PM
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JordanClarke
Posts: 998 - Karma: 1,922
im 18. i saw him as a pioneer and mentor of the sport. Unreal skiier, super entertaining watching his base jumping. i didnt even know the guy but am extremely upset and sad of what has happened. He will be missed RIP
Mar 28 2009 5:20PM
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Casey
Posts: 7849 - Karma: 24,311
McConkey was like one of the best park rippers way back in the day, his switch backs and switch back 3's were unreal when I was like 12-13. When I was a kid I remember me and my friends were like, McConkey is the best skier out there, hands down. I can't believe he died. RIP
Mar 28 2009 5:24PM
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*TURBONERD*
Posts: 15081 - Karma: 9,158
RIP Shane. to me, he was a pioneer, and continued to be one up to his death. he helped introduce rocker, helped combine freestyle with big mountain, and pioneered ski BASE jumping.
Mar 28 2009 6:09PM
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codizzle
Posts: 895 - Karma: 2,250
yeah, to see McConkey throw those switch backflip 360s in Gaffney's 1999 and whichever MSP movie came out that fall - it was totally insane.
Mar 28 2009 6:54PM
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LMPJibbin
Posts: 1607 - Karma: 17
I know neither I nor most of ns have personally had the pleasure of being close to Shane, there still is no doubt in my mind that we all feel his death to be a terrible loss. For me personally Shane was one of the most inspring and impressive skiers out there and ive always enjoyed watching big mountain more than park but dont have the oppurtunity to ski that stuff out on the east coast. I just got back from a 5 day trip today and found out about his death, and i hope that everyone realizes all that he has done for our sport and begin to appreciate him and the athletes like him even more.

RIP Shane McConkey, you'll always be remembered as one of the greatest...
Mar 28 2009 7:41PM
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kiwi_as
Posts: 421 - Karma: 189
He was a pioneer, taking one of the most important changes in powder ski design to the main market, pushing the level of the sport throughout his career.

To me, Shane McConkey is the ultimate example in how to live life, doing what you love without a care in the world and a smile on your face.


Mar 28 2009 7:56PM
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sirskizalot
Posts: 4370 - Karma: 161
Im only 15, but i know how influential he was. One of my favorite things about him was how stoked he was.
Mar 28 2009 8:46PM
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dylansiggers
Posts: 1667 - Karma: 6,089
when i was ten i saved all my money up for like 2 weeks just to buy the shane mcconkey huckdoll, anyone ever remember those?  About the sickest toy a young skier could ask for

Shane mckonky has done so much the ski industry, that i could not type it in one sitting
he will be missed greatly
Mar 28 2009 10:04PM
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ECski
Posts: 976 - Karma: 13
I am 17 years old.

Shane Mcconkey is everything to big mountain skiing. Not only did he completely rip, but he began the fat ski revolution and reverse camber by creating the K2 Pontoon. This was just the beginning, and thanks to shane we now shred pow on fat rockered skis. To me, he is the reason i began to get really big in to skiing. The first movie I saw was on fuel TV way back and they showed him skiing. He just ripped big lines, and did everything all out. That is when I found newschoolers and got really into skiing. Shane McConkey was the greatest. RIP
Mar 28 2009 10:11PM
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codizzle
Posts: 895 - Karma: 2,250
thanks for the feedback
Mar 30 2009 12:47PM
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ilikeplants
Posts: 1868 - Karma: 17
I'm 17 and only started skiing last season but pretty much the first pro skier I had heard of was Shan McConkey. He kind of brought the whole rocker/reverse camber/reverse sidecut thing into skiing with the Volant Spatula. When he went to K2 he created the Pontoon (aka the McConkey). The skis helped him and everyone else to go bigger, faster and charge even harder.

When I found out that he had passed I was with one of my friends that I ski with all the time. I said "dude, Shane McConkey just died, this sucks." His respone was "Who is Shane McConkey?"

To me it's amazing that my friends don't know who he is. I mean he was the kind of like the god father of big mountain skiing and one of the guys who really got me away from park and regular resort riding to go explore other stuff and see what nature has to offer.

Shane was a huge influence for me and even if you don't know who Shane McConkey is, it's very likely that he influenced your skiing and many genorations to come. R.I.P Shane, you were one of the greats and still are man.
Mar 30 2009 1:00PM
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