Longboard Classic: The “Woodstock of Snowboarding” Celebrates 20th Anniversary
The Woodstock of Snowboarding“ celebrates its 20TH anniversary!
Freeriders from the Germanic region mixed with legends from Europe, Japan and the USA! More than 400 shredders spend “2 Days of Peace, Music and Snow” together! A simple but unique concept that has been uniting “snowboard lovers” of all ages for 20 years!
The former small board event was born from the enjoyment of snowboarding: Snowboarding legend Paul Gruber from St. Gallen (CH) founded the Longboard Classic 1999 at a time when boarders were not welcome everywhere. Over the years, the Longboard Classic has developed into the best-attended snowboarding race in the world. Every year, more and more snowboarders are making the pilgrimage to Arlberg to be part of the “Woodstock of Snowboarding”. The international snowboarding legends appreciate the competition as much as the beginner snowboarders and young up-and-coming shredders of today.
The Longboard Classic is the largest longboard and old-school snowboarding event in the world and totally unique: Since 1999, hundreds of fans have the pilgrimage to Stuben am Arlberg to experience the Woodstock of snowboarding, the “Longboard Classic”. Whether young boarders, old foxes or snowboard profis from all over the world – nowhere else is the spirit of snowboarding celebrated more authentically than in Stuben at the Longboard Classic. Over 400 mad-keen snowboarders regularly take place in the race and start in the three categories “LBC Master”, “LBC Old School” and “LBC No School” from Albonagrat over an elevation gain of 1001 meters to Stuben.
Being a part of the spectacle is just as important as the sporting side of things. In order to round proceedings off properly, longboards and current freeride equipment of select companies can be tested on site. The Longboard is somewhat longer than a freeride board to give a lot of lift in deep snow. In Stuben, legends such as Chuck Barfoot, Terry Kidwill, Mike Jacoby, Shawn Farmer, Mike Basich, Dani KIWI Meier, Peter Bauer and many others could already be welcomed. The events with several hundred participants not only generate considerable interest among the public and a lot of action, the music also gets the audience rocking on every occasion. April 6, 2019 is D day and the 20th LBC opens officially in Stuben.
Instead of an event announcement that sounds always very similar anyway, let the founder of the Longboard Classics, Paul Gruber, said "Yes, they exist: those moments that change your life. In the autumn of 1979 I happened upon an advertisement from a guy named Jake Burton in the American publication, ‘Skateboarder Magazine’ and I became his first customer outside the US. Later, I was a SIMS team rider, founded CRAZY BANANA with Harry Gunz, and then RAD-AIR.
"I am now starting my 40th snowboarding season and I cannot imagine a greater sport! To feel such moments of happiness is what the Longboard Classic is all about – and has been for the last 20 years! at the LBC we spend a day – with or without bindings – together with 400 friends in the mountains. Because snowboarding (or snowsurfing, or skiboarding) was never only a sport."
The ‘Woodstock of Snowboarding’ means that instead of groomed pistes you get 1000m vertical tree-free freeride runs; instead of ‘Nouvelle Cuisine’ there is healthy food from the common kitchen; and instead of prize money, you will get hugs and high-fives from everyone.
They welcome you, pros and bros. Grab your boards and spend a day with your friends on April 6, 2019, in the snowboard Nirvana of Stuben. Thank you for keeping the spirit of snowboarding alive.“
