In honor of Shaun’s Olympic gold medal performance in the half pipe finals, this DVD of the week is all about “The Flying Tomato”—and what the snowboarding champ pulls off when no one is watching.
The Ultimate Ride – Shaun White (Genius Productions)
Release Date: 2008
Starring: Shaun White
Rated: Not Rated
When the fans and the media leave for the next competition, what does Shaun do? Perhaps the Double McTwist, a trick that has defined the career of the world’s greatest snowboarder.
The Ultimate Ride takes viewers away from the competition and puts them in the backcountry of remote Japanese mountains, where Shaun carves his way down steep cliffs with just his board and some adrenaline. There are no planned runs and no room for error; this is Shaun at his best, free styling, doing what he loves.
An in-depth interview threads throughout the film, in which Shaun reflects on his past experiences, the highs and lows of his career, and becoming one of the world’s most recognized athletes at the age of 21. Though he loves competing, his true passion is just pursuing the ultimate ride.
STACK’s Take: For those who think snowboarding isn’t really a sport, about five minutes into this film, you’ll see how intense and demanding it really is. Riding backcountry on some of the biggest mountains in the world is straight-up insane. There are no man-made ramps with soft landing areas, and no ski patrol or other safety measures for protection. It’s just Shaun vs. Mother Nature. Snowboarding is extremely difficult, but Shaun makes it look easy. This film will definitely give viewers a new respect for it.