After two successful events in Europe and the US, Nikita is proud to introduce the winning girls, who have now officially joined their team!
Europe: Elena Könz
Elena Könz has been a Nikita Chickita regular for some time now and 2010 was no exception. After bagging a win in the first round of the Swiss Tour in Leysin, she went on to compete in the final at Thyon, where she placed 2nd.
She then made her way to Serfaus for Nikita Chickita Europe on 10th April and was crowned champ there. Elli is a super talented and deserving rider, having impressed the judges at NC with a bunch of tricks; frontside 3, backside 5, switch backside 1, frontside 5 and by trying out a backside 7. As part of the win, not only did Elli grab a grand (euros), she also clinched the one-year sponsorship contract with Nikita.
We can now fully confirm Elli as part of the Nikita Team, representing both outerwear and streetwear and are stoked to welcome her on board. And to find out a bit more….
So how does it feel to be part of the Nikita family? I’m looking forward to meeting riders from all over the world. Nikita is the brand I can definitely identify with for both style and quality.
When did you start snowboarding? When I was 12 years old in Scuol, Engadin.
Where are you from and is that where you still live? I’m from Graubünden (Switzerland). Most of my childhood I spent in Vnà, a very small town in the mountains with about 60 habitants. My parents still live there. For my studies at art school I moved to Zurich some years ago.
So where are you riding at the moment? We’re building kickers just where we find some snow and until August, I’ll spend a lot of time in Zermatt Gravity Park.
What’s the news about the new movie you’re working on due out September? Our project is a self-made production of me and my shred buddy Corinne. We are filming snowboarding during the summer, creating a real image of what we do. We search for snow and we build kickers. We show cool snowboarding but also alternatives like jumping bridges, slacklining, skateboarding… And mix it in the movie with animation and some other creative and funny stuff.
Where will you be headed for the next winter season? Again I’ll ride in Scuol, nearby my hometown and all the other resorts in Graubünden.
Any specific plans for what you want to achieve this winter? I’d like to film again, building more pow kickers and do the double backflip.
Favourite people to go riding with? Shred buddy Corinne and other girls and boys who rock, my little brother who is now bigger than me. Thomas Beanies crew.
Where’s your dream destination to go ride? Greenland.
What are your top 3 ‘can’t do without’ travelling things? Book, skateboard, something to draw or write.
What do you love about the Nikita Chickita contests? Meeting other women riding. Riding in new resorts.
Favourite trick to impress the judges? Handstand.
What would be your perfect day? Waking up in a freezer and feeling like an ice cream. Then step outside and walk up to a pow snowfield. Build a very big kicker and shred it until the landing is bombed. Then eat some coconuts and dream about the Caribbean. After that shred in the park and jib some crazy obstacles. Like a world ball or an aquarium with goldfishes in it. Then drink a fresh beer and go back in the freezer to do some slacklining over ice cubes and meet Lars the icebear to go fishing. Then cook the fishes with some spinach from the fridge and eat it with some ginger. After that go to the warm oven and watch a movie in front of the window about big snowflakes meeting cornflakes.
Favourite food to make your mouth water? Stuff cooked by my father.
What’s your signature dish (when / if you cook)? Whatever there is around to cook in one pot on our camping cooker.
Any last thoughts…..? READY TO ROBIN or just do what you want to do and not what people expect you to do.
USA: Jessika Jensen
Jess first hit our eyeballs at this year’s Nikita Chickita USA contest in Brighton. After entering the AMs event, she styled it all the way to win and top even the PROs on points. The 17 year old Idaho ripper hucked some clean back 5’s to impress the judges at her first all-girl event and it was obvious she enjoyed the easy going atmosphere.
As part of the prize, Jess won a year’s sponsorship on the Nikita Team – she joins the family and represents Nikita Streetwear alongside her other committed sponsors. Here is her first interview on the team, grilled by USA Team Manager Sebastien Burns:
Where are you from? Rigby, ID
When did you start snowboarding? At age 10
When and how did you first get sponsored? I got my first sponsor, Ride Snowboards, at age 16 by sending in my resume and footy.
What’s your favorite thing about Nikita? It’s an all girl clothing line made for girls who ride as well as there sweet hoodies!
Where do you spend most of your time in the winter? I seem to be on the road traveling a lot but I probably spend most of my winter training at Park City, Utah and riding with my good friends at my local ski resort, Kelly Canyon in Idaho.
Where’s your favorite place to ride? My favorite place to ride in the winter is Keystone, CO and Mt. Hood, OR in the summer.
Something that you can’t live without. I gotta have my laptop
Any pre-contest rituals? I like to visualize the run I’m going to do before I drop in.
What’s your favorite trick? Backside 3 Stalefish
Describe your perfect day. A sunny, mid 30’s, bluebird day riding with my friends!
Goal you want to accomplish this year? One of my goals this year was to stomp my Misty 7.
Your music in your mp3. Metric, Shiny Toy Guns, Ke$ha, Atmosphere, Crystal Castles, Tegan and Sara
What are you up to this summer? I’m going to attend Mt. Hood in July, do some gymnastics training, catch up with my friends, and hopefully find me a job to start paying my expenses.
Flavor. Blue Raspberry
Random Quote. “There are no friends on a powder day.”
What do you love about snowboarding and what do you hate about snowboarding? I love a lot of things about snowboarding but the main reason is the freedom you have to maneuver your snowboard any way you want to. What I don’t like about snowboarding is it’s a seasonal sport… I really hate when the snow melts.
Any last thoughts? I’d like to give a big thanks to my Dad, Mom, Family, Friends, Sponsors, and the support from local businesses.
A big welcome to both girls! We’re looking forward to seeing even more of you in the future…
