The Eye Of the Condor

Photo: Roberta Rebori; Skier: Rebecca Selig/Team Icelantic

After an intense week of competition, Sony Eye of the Condor concluded Friday in spectacular fashion at the first ever iF3- La Parva in Santiago, Chile. At a crowded Mallsport, Chris Bezamat and Team Discrete took top honors in the photography category while Katy-Robin Garton and Team Icelantic took home the award for “Best Film.” The “People’s Choice” award will be voted on this week.

On the photography side of things, Chris Bezamat bested photographers Jordan Ingmire, Roberta Rebori, and Juan Luis de Heckeren with his capturing of Chilean mountain culture and his unique use of flashes. This is Bezamat’s second year competing in Eye of the Condor, and his first year taking home the win.

“Last year’s winner, Juan Luis de Heckeren, is a really talented photographer so I was pretty nervous about what team Chile was going to have- plus we didn’t see them the entire week,” said Bezamat. “But, the portrait shot I had of Rachael (Burks) and the sunset shot of Parker (Cook) were pretty strong images, so I thought I had a pretty good chance, but I definitely wasn’t sure we had it by any means.”

The most heavily contested category, the film category, came down to a tight race between Team Discrete and Team Icelantic. In the end, John Roderick and Team Discrete’s film came up one vote short to Katy-Robin Garton and Team Icelantic’s heartfelt tribute to the mountains.

“Having people appreciate the video meant so much (to us) because of everything that went into it as a team,” said Team Icelantic editor and producer Katy-Robin Garton.

“I’ve never experienced such an incredible group of women working together and it showed and that’s what carried (the film).”

The “People’s Choice” award will be presented this week through an online voting contest hosted by several websites. Sony Eye of the Condor is presented by Subaru and supported by Delta, Columbia, Smith Optics, iF3 La Parva, Skiing Magazine, Estrategia, Val di Vieso, Hyatt, and Mallsport. For more information refer to http://www.laparva.cl/eyeofthecondor/ or become a fan of Ski La Parva on Facebook.

Team Icelantic took top honors in the film category at Sony Eye of the Condor

Yup, it’s official. Icelantic and Discrete were the big winners at Sony Eye of the Condor 2. It was an extremely tight contest, and the judges took a long time to finally choose the two winners. Each team came up with unique films and photography portfolios, but in the end two stood out.

On the photography side, Chris Bezamat and team Discrete took top honors with their creative capturing of Chilean ski culture and La Parva’s unique terrain. This is Bezamat’s second year competing in Sony Eye of the Condor, and his first year taking home the top photography prize.

On the film side of things, each team produced outstanding material. From WIDSIX’s ghost story to Team Chile’s use of horses, all of the films thrived. In the end, it was Katy-Robin Garton and Team Icelantic’s heartfelt tribute to the mountains that won the judges over.

Stay tuned for a full re-cap of the event with all the full length videos and photography portfolios.

Judges Dave Fields, Thomas Grob, Adam Clark, Steve Backstrom and Chris Davenport check out some footage

After an intense week of competition at La Parva, the photo and video submissions are starting to roll in. Competition should be tight, with each group taking their own unique approach to the competition. The judges are currently deliberating, and the awards will be announced tonight, at the first ever iF3- La Parva. Stay tuned for videos, photos, and the people’s choice award, which will be hosted on a variety of websites.

Athletes and industry leaders have arrived at La Parva, Chile, welcomed by bluebird skies and Pisco Sours. With Sony Eye of The Condor 2 fully underway, the entire mountain has been taken by storm with teams filming and shooting photos everywhere, trying to get those winning shots.

“I have been looking forward to this event since I left last year,” says professional skier Rachel Burks.  “Compared to your typical skiing event where you have one day, this event takes a ton of planning on everyone’s part to utilize their time wisely and when the final videos come out, it really shows.”

The week of celebrations will culminate in the major metropolis of Santiago at the first ever iF3 (International Freeskiing Film Festival) La Parva. It will be a night of Ski Movies, Athlete Meet and Greets, Awards and of course a Fiesta at Mallsport.

Stay tuned for more photos and epic footage straight from the heart of the Andes.

Sony Eye of the Condor is presented by Subaru and supported by Delta, Columbia, Smith Optics, iF3 La Parva, Skiing Magazine, Estrategia, Val di Vieso, Hyatt, and Mallsport. For competition updates, stay tuned to http://www.laparva.cl/eyeofthecondor/.

Top skiers and industry leaders are scheduled to arrive in La Parva this week for the second annual Sony Eye of the Condor, a weeklong film and photography contest. Set in the heart of the Andes, La Parva will play host to athletes including JT Holmes, Julian Carr, Rachel Burks and Drew Tabke and industry leaders including Chris Davenport, Adam Clark, and Ingrid Backstrom.

“The Eye of the Condor format is full throttle,” says professional skier JT Holmes.  “It’s not a long period of time and the competition is fierce, so you have to hustle to get exciting shots, but with the terrain available it all works out. I tend to need a week to decompress after the event.”

While the film and photography competition will be the centerpiece of the event, a collection of industry leaders will also provide a forum for broader discussion during the Eye of the Condor Actions Sports Symposium. Industry leaders such as Chris Davenport, Dave Fields, and Julian Carr will offer their insights on the roll that action and adventure sports play in the world at large.

“Yes, Eye of the Condor is about teams producing the best short film and photography portfolio, but it’s also a celebration of skiing and mountain culture,” says La Parva Director of Corporate Sales and Marketing Rodrigo Medina. “It’s a perfect way to share Chilean Ski Culture with the rest of the world.”

Sony Eye of the Condor is presented by Subaru and supported by Delta, Columbia, Smith Optics, iF3 La Parva, Skiing Magazine, Estrategia, Val di Vieso, Hyatt, and Mallsport. For competition updates, stay tuned to http://www.laparva.cl/eyeofthecondor/ or become a fan of Ski La Parva on Facebook.

2012 Sony Eye of the Condor Teams and Competitors:

Team Discrete
Julian Carr
JT Holmes
Parker Cook
Rachael Burks
John Roderick Cinematographer
Chris Bezamat Photographer

Team Icelantic
Annelise Loevlie
Alex Taran
Rebecca Selig
Kaylin Richardson
Katy Robin-Garton Cinematographer
Roberta Rebori Photographer

Team Chile
Chopo Diaz
Vicente Sutil
Soledad Diaz
Iñaqui Irarrazaval
Alvaro Zurita Cinematographer
Juan Luis De Heeckeren Photographer

Team WIDSIX
TJ David
Ashley Maxfield
Drew Tabke
Jordan Ingmire Photographer
Derek Smith Cinematographer

Judges
Chris Davenport
Dave Fields
Adam Clark
Steve Backstrom
Ingrid Backstrom
Sherry McConkey
Thomas Grob

How do you cap off a week long photo and video contest with some of the world’s greatest skiers? With a celebration the likes of which Chile has never seen, of course! On August 3, Eye of the Condor will conclude with the first ever iF3 La Parva at Mall Sport in Santiago. Located below the slopes of La Parva in Las Condes, Mallsport will host Eye of the Condor photos, films, and awards, in addition to iF3 athlete appearances and film screenings.

“There’s really no better way to conclude a week of competition than a celebration like iF3 that will truly bring mountain culture to the urban setting of Santiago,” says La Parva director of Sales and Marketing Rodrigo Madina. “iF3 is truly a unique event and it provides the perfect combination of sports, mountain culture, and celebration to conclude Eye of the Condor.”

The party gets started August 3^rd at 6PM and will begin with an athlete autograph session and screening of Sherpas Cinema “All.I.Can,” and will conclude with a presentation of Eye of the Condor videos, photographs, and awards. This will be the first festival of this magnitude in Chile, and will surely be a night to remember.

Team Icelantic hits La Parva this summer with an all-ladies team of hard chargers. Athletes Alex Taran, Annelise Loevlie, Kaylin Richardson and Rebecca Selig bring big time international experience and energy to the 2nd Eye of the Condor competition.  Keep an eye out for these rippers as they are sure to step up to the Chilean challenge with style.  For more on Team Icelantic, please see below, and check out Icelantic’s website, www.icelanticboards.com.

ALEX TARAN	Alex Taran is a competitive big mountain Freeskier, a Professional Rescuer, and Founder of the South American Beacon Project. She splits her year in a cycle of endless winter between Salt Lake and Santiago, Chile. She ranked top 5 in her first freeskiing competition in La Parva 3 years ago, and has ranked top 10 in every Freeskiing World Tour 5 star event she’s competed in since. In her last photography competition, The Salt Lake Shootout, her team placed 3rd overall (March 2012). She is an Avalanche worker in the statistically most avalanche prone canyon in the lower 48 states and Canada (Avalanche Hazard Index). She founded an organization to bring avalanche education to South American freeriders and workers alike (www.southamericanbeaconproject.com). Alex rides for Icelantic Skis, Mounatain Hardwear, Panda Poles, and Bern Unlimited.
ANNELISE LOEVLIE	Annelise Loevlie has been skiing before she could walk, “Nuzzled in wool and packed together with champagne bottles, salami, cheese, and chocolates.”  Skiing has become a livelihood for her, feeding not only her bank account, but her heart, soul and head too.  As a founder of Icelantic Skis, she’s had the opportunity to observe the positive influence this sport has had on so many people, and continues to push herself to explore the boundaries of what is possible on skis.
KAYLIN RICHARDSON	A ten year veteran of the US Ski Team, Kaylin Richardson is a four-time National Alpine Champion and two-time Olympian.  Since retiring from the World Cup in 2010, Kaylin has fallen even deeper in love with skiing.  A temporary position at Canyons Resort in Park City served as her introduction to the Wasatch Mountains and she instantly became hooked. After begging the resort to make it more permanent, Kaylin now calls Canyons her home as their Ambassador of Skiing.  This past season Kaylin made her debut in the big mountain arena appearing in Warren Miller’s 63rd film, “Flow State,” and winning the Freeskiing World Tour’s North American Championship in Snowbird. Kaylin counts Dale of Norway, Astis Mittens, Tecnica, Marker and POC as sponsors and is thrilled about recently adding Icelantic Boards to the list. Kaylin’s life philosophy is “laugh often” and she plans to do so- all the way down the mountain.
REBECCA SELIG	Rebecca was born and raised in Kalamazoo, Michigan where she was one of the few people in her community that had any interest in skiing.  She started skiing at the age of two when her father taught her to ski down the small vertical foothill of Timber Ridge.  Excelling in a variety of sports throughout her high school years, Rebecca earned a full ride softball scholarship to one of Michigan’s top colleges.  But skiing was in her blood and she decided to move to Vail to pursue her dream.  Fast forward a few years, Rebecca entered her first skiing competition at the age of 28 and found herself taking 3rd place in the US Freeskiing Tour.  In 2009 she was titled the Freeskiing World Champion in Alaska.  She has been working as a talent model with Vail Resorts since.  Skiing is Rebecca’s church, it’s her lifestyle and It means everything to her. It gives her motivation to keep going and drives her to be a better person.  Today Rebecca is working in Michigan caretaking for her mother with stage 4 pancreatic cancer and volunteering at the West Michigan Cancer Center.  This experience is helping Rebecca become a better role model and she is practicing sharing her experience, strength, and hope with others.

Coming off a 2011 Eye of the Condor “People’s Choice Award,” Team Discrete returns to La Parva this summer with the same athlete, photographer, and cinematographer line-up as last year. Athletes Julian Carr, Rachel Burks, and Parker Cook are sure to keep photographer Chris Bezamat and cinematographer John Roderick busy.  If last year’s entry from Discrete is any indication of this year’s direction, look for combination of action, lifestyle, and Chilean culture from the Salt Lake City-based team.

“The Eye of the Condor competition is an awesome event- it takes the pressure of a one-chance-and-you’re-out competition off your shoulders and gives you a few days to get it right,” says Team Discrete member and 2012 Red Bull Cold Rush champion Rachel Burks. “The atmosphere is the best part of the comp- La Parva is an amazing host that wants everyone to feel welcome and stoked about the competition.” For more on the members of Team Discrete, please see below.

JULIAN CARR	Entrepreneur, pro skier, poetry fanatic, Julian Carr is one of the best known athletes in freeskiing today. With numerous appearances in national and international magazines such as Skiing, Ski, Powder, Freeskier and more, Carr is the founder of Discrete Headwear, a hat company based in Salt Lake City, Utah. His sponsors include Icelantic, Backcountry.Com. Discrete Headware, GoPro, Pow Gloves, Skullcandy, Smith, Suuto Watches and Spyder.
JT HOLMES	Professional skier and recently-turned Hollywood stuntman, J.T. Holmes has over two decades of experience as a professional athlete, both on the snow and in the air. An accomplished skier, Holmes broke into the pro scene as a teenager, scoring trips on photo shoots and winning competitions. The Squaw Valley, California based athlete is also one of the most respected B.A.S.E. jumpers in the world, with hundreds – if not thousands – of flights to his credit. Holmes’ sponsorships include K2 skis, Sessions, Porters Tahoe, Five Ten Shoes, Discrete Headwear, Squaw Valley USA, The True Collection and Arcade Belts.
PARKER COOK	Parker Cook is based out of Snowbird, Utah. This professional skier is quickly gaining a name for himself in the freeriding Mecca of the Wasatch Mountains with his massive backflips and solid skiing. Parker’s sponsors include Blue House Ski Co, Bern Unlimited, Obermeyer, Discrete, Arnette and Coalatree.
RACHEL BURKS	With appearances in Teton Gravity Research’s Re:Session and Light The Wick, Burks is recognized as one of the top big-mountain skiers in North America today. Burks has podium finishes in some of the most important freeriding events in the world, including a third at Crested Butte and a win at Kirkwood in 2007. Sponsors include Peak Performance, Dynastar, Smith Optics, Backcountry.Com, Discrete Headwear, Hestra, and Alta/Snowbird.
CHRIS BEZAMAT	Chris Bezamat portfolio includes images published by magazines ranging from Powder Magazine to National Geographic Adventure. Chris is the staff photographer for Carve Designs surfwear. Currently residing in San Francisco Chris Bezamat has been following athletes around the globe shooting photos for Teton Gravity Research for the past 6 years.
JOHN RODERICK	Owner and founder of Neu Productions, a Breckenridge, Colorado, based production company, John Roderick has worked with some of skiing’s best athletes in locations spanning the globe. Most recently Roderick filmed, edited and produced “Moving Mountains”, a highly acclaimed four part film series that followed athlete Jen Hudak (a member of the USA national ski team) through her 2010-2011 season as she traveled the globe, pushing the limits and pursuing her dreams.