Snowboarding has always been concerned with the visual. Competitions require watching crowds, in bleachers and on TV-facing sofas, and backcountry exploits only become known through videos and photographs posted on online and published in magazines.
As a photographer, Jérôme Tanon has been bringing these visuals out of the mountains for more than a decade, and his work has likely appeared in every publication that documents the sport. From this high vantage point, he saw something: a lack of visual representation of female riders. In the winters of 2019 and 2020, Tanon set out on a mission to remedy the situation and atone for his own complacency in it by documenting the lives of the women in snowboarding. The result is his new book, Heroes.
To elevate the collection of images, Tanon made them on a medium format Pentax 6×7 film camera. Unlike the DSLRs that action sports photographers typically wield, the Pentax can’t fire 20-shot bursts. Each roll of film only has enough capacity for ten photos. What’s more, he printed the images onto a limited collection of dead-stock paper.
In the book’s preface, Mary Walsh, a writer, photographer and former editor of Snowboarder Magazine, likens the unorthodox method to the experience of female riders: “For them, every attempt on a handrail is always as pivotal as the one before it. With camera-imposed limitations, Jérôme had to navigate the same knife’s edge of success.” For him, every shot counted, just as every photo opp, movie clip or competition heat does for these women.
Heroes highlights 30 female snowboarders in its 288 photo-, art- and story-filled pages. Here are nine riders you should know now, before adding the book to your shelf.
Price: ~$55
SHOP NOW
Desiree Melancon
Desiree Melancon is closing in on two decades of professional snowboarding. In that time, she’s produced a nearly uncountable number of video parts — even during her early years, when female film parts were rare — and earned countless photo features in magazines, plus multiple Snowboarder Rider of the Year awards. Pushing herself that whole time, Melancon has also been vocal about women’s place in the sport and raising its profile.
LEARN MORE
Yuka Fujimori
After competing in the 2006 and 2014 Olympics in boardercross — races in which four to six riders share the same course — Fujimori went against the advice of those around her and switched disciplines. The late-stage swap didn’t stop her from earning a spot at the 2018 games, this time as a freestyle competitor. The Nagano native has since left the Japanese national team to pursue freeriding and a snowboarding career defined less by stopwatches and judges and more by creativity.
LEARN MORE
Naima Antolin
In middle school, Naima Antolin used to take the public bus to the outskirts of her home city of Seattle so that she could catch a carpool up to the mountains. Such effort at an early age ingrained in her a sense of ownership in the sport; “I feel a shift in the social consciousness of the snowboard industry, I’m seeing a lot more girls being given a lot more opportunities,” she writes in Heroes. “I also think it could be our downfall, I don’t want to be given anything.”
LEARN MORE
Anna Gasser
If you caught the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics, you might recognize Anna Gasser from the highest position on the podium for the games’ inaugural Big Air event. The Austrian shredder has earned enough other medals and trophies to decorate a very large room. More recently, she took her aerial prowess to the backcountry for a spot in Burton’s movie, One World.
LEARN MORE
Nirvana Ortanez
Nirvana Ortanez found her snowboarding community when she got a job at High Cascade Snowboard Camp in Oregon in 2014. It was there that she met Andrew Kelly and teamed up to create Soy Sauce Nation, an Instagram account that serves as a community for Asians in snowboarding. “The group is about community building, discovering new friendships, sharing stories and being proud of your heritage all the while ripping the mountain or park,” she told Melanin Base Camp in 2018.
LEARN MORE
Christy Prior
Before retiring from competition last year, Christy Prior was no stranger to snowboarding’s most competitive venues. World Cup podiums, X Games medals and accolades from other events top her on-paper accomplishments. Those feats are augmented by an appearance at 2014’s Sochi Olympics, where she competed for her home nation of New Zealand.
LEARN MORE
Leanne Pelosi
In Heroes, Leanne Pelosi reveals that the career she actually hoped for was one as a pro soccer player. The native of Calgary then recounts how a car accident diverted her from that path and how a one-year break from school to spend a season in Whistler turned into a new life as an athlete of a different sort. Now she’s a member of The North Face’s team and has a snowboarding CV that won’t fit on a single page. Catch her in the Vans film Listen to the Eyes.
LEARN MORE
Annie Boulanger
Canada’s snowboarding scene’s epicenter is British Columbia, but Annie Boulanger learned her turns on the far smaller peaks outside Montreal. She made the westward trek eventually, where she mastered big mountain riding and earned invitations to film with crews like The Gathering, Alterna Action and Absinthe, despite the lack of female representation in snowboard movies at the time.
LEARN MORE
Laurie Blouin
Laurie Blouin is another French Canadian, one who snagged a silver — the first medal in freestyle snowboarding for a female Canadian — at PyeongChang in 2018… after she was stretchered off the course following a training run crash. Blouin remains at the top of her game, too — she took home Big Air gold at the recent world championships in Aspen.
LEARN MORE
Editor’s Picks: Best Deals Today
Georgia Boot Small Batch Collection
SHOP NOW
25% OFF
If you’re shopping for a sustainable, practical and stylish boot, then take a look at the Georgia Boot Small Batch collection. The brand is offering 25 percent off, just use code GEARPATROL.
<a class="clickable-image-link clickable-image-embed-item clickable-image-product-link" href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ZPC9QD4?linkCode=ogi" target="_blank" data-vars-ga-product-sem3-brand="Apple" data-vars-ga-product-sem3-category="" data-vars-ga-product-brand="Apple" data-desturl="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ZPC9QD4?linkCode=ogi" data-id="" data-order="2" data-vars-ga-product-price="$199.00" data-vars-ga-product-id="46b021e8-6edc-42e8-846e-8d5df04a87f2" data-vars-ga-media-role="" data-vars-ga-gallery-id="6f0732a3-ecdd-4f8a-bfe9-f92e8deb398a" data-vars-ga-product-sem3-id="" data-vars-ga-outbound-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ZPC9QD4" aria-label="$199
$249 Apple AirPods Pro” data-affiliate=”true”>
Apple AirPods Pro
Apple amazon.com
$50 OFF (20%)
Competition is now fierce in this headphone category, but the quick pairing and native integration with Apple devices still make the AirPods Pro tough to beat.
READ OUR REVIEW OF AIRPODS PRO
<a class="clickable-image-link clickable-image-embed-item clickable-image-product-link" href="https://go.skimresources.com?id=31959X896062&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.toddsnyder.com%2Fproducts%2Ftodd-snyder-x-timex-bullseye-watch-with-green-acce-olive&xcust=deal-gallery" target="_blank" data-vars-ga-product-sem3-brand="Timex" data-vars-ga-product-sem3-category="" data-vars-ga-product-brand="Timex" data-desturl="https://go.skimresources.com?id=31959X896062&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.toddsnyder.com%2Fproducts%2Ftodd-snyder-x-timex-bullseye-watch-with-green-acce-olive&xcust=deal-gallery" data-id="" data-order="3" data-vars-ga-product-price="$79.00" data-vars-ga-product-id="ba93dbe9-9a3e-41b3-ba7f-a2ef0baa4c43" data-vars-ga-media-role="" data-vars-ga-gallery-id="6f0732a3-ecdd-4f8a-bfe9-f92e8deb398a" data-vars-ga-product-sem3-id="" data-vars-ga-outbound-link="https://go.skimresources.com?id=31959X896062&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.toddsnyder.com%2Fproducts%2Ftodd-snyder-x-timex-bullseye-watch-with-green-acce-olive&xcust=deal-gallery" aria-label="$79
$138 Timex + Todd Snyder Mod Watch in Olive 40mm”>
Timex + Todd Snyder Mod Watch in Olive 40mm
Timex skimresources.com
<a class="clickable-image-link clickable-image-embed-item clickable-image-product-link" href="https://shop.threesbrewing.com/collections/hoppy-american-ale/products/logical-conclusion-4-pack" target="_blank" data-vars-ga-product-sem3-brand="" data-vars-ga-product-sem3-category="" data-vars-ga-product-brand="" data-desturl="https://shop.threesbrewing.com/collections/hoppy-american-ale/products/logical-conclusion-4-pack" data-id="" data-order="4" data-vars-ga-product-price="$17.00" data-vars-ga-product-id="a502a345-f061-450c-96b4-841ac739db17" data-vars-ga-media-role="" data-vars-ga-gallery-id="6f0732a3-ecdd-4f8a-bfe9-f92e8deb398a" data-vars-ga-product-sem3-id="" data-vars-ga-outbound-link="https://shop.threesbrewing.com/collections/hoppy-american-ale/products/logical-conclusion-4-pack" aria-label="$15
$17 Threes Brewing Logical Conclusion 4-Pack (Hazy IPA)”>
Threes Brewing Logical Conclusion 4-Pack (Hazy IPA)
threesbrewing.com
$2 OFF W/ CODE GEARPATROL (10%)
We landed an exclusive deal with one of our favorite, and one of the best, breweries in the country, New York-based Threes Brewing. Try a pack of its award-winning Logical Conclusion IPA or opt for any number of other exclusive brews.
READ MORE ABOUT THE THREES DEAL
<a class="clickable-image-link clickable-image-embed-item clickable-image-product-link" href="https://go.skimresources.com?id=31959X896062&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Felectronics.woot.com%2Foffers%2Fjabra-elite-active-65t-true-wireless-earbuds&xcust=deal-gallery" target="_blank" data-vars-ga-product-sem3-brand="Jabra" data-vars-ga-product-sem3-category="" data-vars-ga-product-brand="Jabra" data-desturl="https://go.skimresources.com?id=31959X896062&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Felectronics.woot.com%2Foffers%2Fjabra-elite-active-65t-true-wireless-earbuds&xcust=deal-gallery" data-id="" data-order="5" data-vars-ga-product-price="$49.99" data-vars-ga-product-id="6756fa8e-ac66-4491-aa59-301fc5ba0d51" data-vars-ga-media-role="" data-vars-ga-gallery-id="6f0732a3-ecdd-4f8a-bfe9-f92e8deb398a" data-vars-ga-product-sem3-id="" data-vars-ga-outbound-link="https://go.skimresources.com?id=31959X896062&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Felectronics.woot.com%2Foffers%2Fjabra-elite-active-65t-true-wireless-earbuds&xcust=deal-gallery" aria-label="$50
$100 Jabra Elite Active 65t Wireless Earbuds”>
Jabra Elite Active 65t Wireless Earbuds
Jabra skimresources.com
$50 OFF (50%)
The Jabra Elite Active 65t are sports-focused headphones (IP56) with better great sound quality for listening to music and taking calls. Also compatible with Siri, Alexa or Google Assistant, this is one of our top picks for sports-focused earbuds.
READ MORE ABOUT WIRELESS EARBUDS
<a class="clickable-image-link clickable-image-embed-item clickable-image-product-link" href="https://go.skimresources.com?id=31959X896062&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.toddsnyder.com%2Fcollections%2Fsale%2Fproducts%2Fboucle-zip-jacket-blue&xcust=deal-gallery" target="_blank" data-vars-ga-product-sem3-brand="Todd Snyder" data-vars-ga-product-sem3-category="" data-vars-ga-product-brand="Todd Snyder" data-desturl="https://go.skimresources.com?id=31959X896062&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.toddsnyder.com%2Fcollections%2Fsale%2Fproducts%2Fboucle-zip-jacket-blue&xcust=deal-gallery" data-id="" data-order="6" data-vars-ga-product-price="$248.00" data-vars-ga-product-id="7b6bb9e0-3d0a-485a-b103-a3812ba43e3c" data-vars-ga-media-role="" data-vars-ga-gallery-id="6f0732a3-ecdd-4f8a-bfe9-f92e8deb398a" data-vars-ga-product-sem3-id="" data-vars-ga-outbound-link="https://go.skimresources.com?id=31959X896062&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.toddsnyder.com%2Fcollections%2Fsale%2Fproducts%2Fboucle-zip-jacket-blue&xcust=deal-gallery" aria-label="$248
$498 Todd Snyder Italian Boucle Zip Guide Jacket”>
Todd Snyder Italian Boucle Zip Guide Jacket
Todd Snyder skimresources.com
$250 OFF (50%)
This jacket from New York-based Todd Snyder follows the silhouette of vintage guide jackets and is upgraded with an Italian cotton/rayon viscose material that has an ultra-soft hand feel.
READ ABOUT THE BEST SPRING FRAGRANCES
<a class="clickable-image-link clickable-image-embed-item clickable-image-product-link" href="https://go.skimresources.com?id=31959X896062&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nike.com%2Ft%2Fkillshot-2-leather-mens-shoe-zrq1wk&xcust=deal-gallery" target="_blank" data-vars-ga-product-sem3-brand="nike" data-vars-ga-product-sem3-category="" data-vars-ga-product-brand="nike" data-desturl="https://go.skimresources.com?id=31959X896062&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nike.com%2Ft%2Fkillshot-2-leather-mens-shoe-zrq1wk&xcust=deal-gallery" data-id="" data-order="7" data-vars-ga-product-price="$81.00" data-vars-ga-product-id="b1c099fd-9efd-4d3a-a770-196f4f4fed68" data-vars-ga-media-role="" data-vars-ga-gallery-id="6f0732a3-ecdd-4f8a-bfe9-f92e8deb398a" data-vars-ga-product-sem3-id="" data-vars-ga-outbound-link="https://go.skimresources.com?id=31959X896062&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nike.com%2Ft%2Fkillshot-2-leather-mens-shoe-zrq1wk&xcust=deal-gallery" aria-label="$81
$90 Nike Killshot 2″>
Nike Killshot 2
nike
$9 OFF (10%)
Originally a tennis shoe in the 80s, the Killshot 2 has become one of Nike’s most coveted kicks. They sell out almost every time they go on sale, so act fast to get yourself a pair.
READ ABOUT OUR FAVORITE STYLE DEALS RIGHT NOW
<a class="clickable-image-link clickable-image-embed-item clickable-image-product-link" href="https://go.skimresources.com?id=31959X896062&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.macys.com%2Fshop%2Fproduct%2Fseiko-mens-automatic-stainless-steel-bracelet-watch-40mm%3FID%3D11437098&xcust=deal-gallery" target="_blank" data-vars-ga-product-sem3-brand="Seiko" data-vars-ga-product-sem3-category="" data-vars-ga-product-brand="Seiko" data-desturl="https://go.skimresources.com?id=31959X896062&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.macys.com%2Fshop%2Fproduct%2Fseiko-mens-automatic-stainless-steel-bracelet-watch-40mm%3FID%3D11437098&xcust=deal-gallery" data-id="" data-order="8" data-vars-ga-product-price="$199.00" data-vars-ga-product-id="3dfdd79e-8b59-44e5-a79e-120bccb1aaa1" data-vars-ga-media-role="" data-vars-ga-gallery-id="6f0732a3-ecdd-4f8a-bfe9-f92e8deb398a" data-vars-ga-product-sem3-id="" data-vars-ga-outbound-link="https://go.skimresources.com?id=31959X896062&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.macys.com%2Fshop%2Fproduct%2Fseiko-mens-automatic-stainless-steel-bracelet-watch-40mm%3FID%3D11437098&xcust=deal-gallery" aria-label="$199
$295 Seiko Automatic Stainless Steel Bracelet Watch 40mm”>
Seiko Automatic Stainless Steel Bracelet Watch 40mm
Seiko
$96 OFF W/ CODE VIP (33%)
A bright orange dial is the perfect dive watch addition to your wrist for summer. This automatic 40mm Seiko comes on a stainless steel bracelet, offers 100 meters of water resistance and features a day/date window.
READ ABOUT THE 20 WATCH BRANDS TO KNOW
<a class="clickable-image-link clickable-image-embed-item clickable-image-product-link" href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07R3WY95C?linkCode=ogi" target="_blank" data-vars-ga-product-sem3-brand="eufy" data-vars-ga-product-sem3-category="" data-vars-ga-product-brand="eufy" data-desturl="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07R3WY95C?linkCode=ogi" data-id="" data-order="9" data-vars-ga-product-price="$119.99" data-vars-ga-product-id="1ee31a96-7ea3-44ab-a059-0661db74b156" data-vars-ga-media-role="" data-vars-ga-gallery-id="6f0732a3-ecdd-4f8a-bfe9-f92e8deb398a" data-vars-ga-product-sem3-id="" data-vars-ga-outbound-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07R3WY95C" aria-label="$120
$160 Eufy Security Wi-Fi Video Doorbell” data-affiliate=”true”>
Eufy Security Wi-Fi Video Doorbell
eufy amazon.com
$40 OFF (25%)
This wireless doorbell system from Eufy comes with a 1080p camera that can detect human presence, ensuring that you’re only notified when it matters. It also has two-way audio so you can chat with whoever is at the door.
READ ABOUT THE BEST EMAIL APPS TO USE WITH GMAIL
<a class="clickable-image-link clickable-image-embed-item clickable-image-product-link" href="https://go.skimresources.com?id=31959X896062&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nordstrom.com%2Fs%2Fbarbour-ashby-wax-jacket%2F5946538&xcust=deal-gallery" target="_blank" data-vars-ga-product-sem3-brand="BARBOUR" data-vars-ga-product-sem3-category="" data-vars-ga-product-brand="BARBOUR" data-desturl="https://go.skimresources.com?id=31959X896062&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nordstrom.com%2Fs%2Fbarbour-ashby-wax-jacket%2F5946538&xcust=deal-gallery" data-id="" data-order="10" data-vars-ga-product-price="$291.00" data-vars-ga-product-id="df63dabf-9497-41ba-93b8-e1ef2da4421b" data-vars-ga-media-role="" data-vars-ga-gallery-id="6f0732a3-ecdd-4f8a-bfe9-f92e8deb398a" data-vars-ga-product-sem3-id="" data-vars-ga-outbound-link="https://go.skimresources.com?id=31959X896062&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nordstrom.com%2Fs%2Fbarbour-ashby-wax-jacket%2F5946538&xcust=deal-gallery" aria-label="$291
$415 Barbour Ashby Wax Jacket”>
Barbour Ashby Wax Jacket
BARBOUR
$124 OFF (30%)
Few brands in the world of outdoor gear are as recognizable as Barbour. Odds are, you can picture Prince Philip rocking one of these waterproof waxed jackets right now, whether it’s him or his character in the Crown.
READ MORE ABOUT WAXED JACKETS
<a class="clickable-image-link clickable-image-embed-item clickable-image-product-link" href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07R5QD598?linkCode=ogi" target="_blank" data-vars-ga-product-sem3-brand="Beats" data-vars-ga-product-sem3-category="" data-vars-ga-product-brand="Beats" data-desturl="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07R5QD598?linkCode=ogi" data-id="" data-order="11" data-vars-ga-product-price="$169.99" data-vars-ga-product-id="872f3e2f-3ff2-4a54-bcf8-e5ef95226540" data-vars-ga-media-role="" data-vars-ga-gallery-id="6f0732a3-ecdd-4f8a-bfe9-f92e8deb398a" data-vars-ga-product-sem3-id="" data-vars-ga-outbound-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07R5QD598" aria-label="$170
$200 Powerbeats Pro Wireless Earphones” data-affiliate=”true”>
Powerbeats Pro Wireless Earphones
Beats amazon.com
$30 OFF (15%)
Powerbeats are still some of the best workout headphones you can get. They are secure thanks to ear hooks and can last for up to nine hours, which is enough to get through any workout you can dream up.
READ ABOUT THE BEST EARBUDS
<a class="clickable-image-link clickable-image-embed-item clickable-image-product-link" href="https://go.skimresources.com?id=31959X896062&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fhuckberry.com%2Fstore%2Fluminox%2Fcategory%2Fp%2F60716-modern-mariner&xcust=deal-gallery" target="_blank" data-vars-ga-product-sem3-brand="Luminox" data-vars-ga-product-sem3-category="" data-vars-ga-product-brand="Luminox" data-desturl="https://go.skimresources.com?id=31959X896062&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fhuckberry.com%2Fstore%2Fluminox%2Fcategory%2Fp%2F60716-modern-mariner&xcust=deal-gallery" data-id="" data-order="12" data-vars-ga-product-price="$630.00" data-vars-ga-product-id="f17ecbe6-22dc-4313-a001-fa58414adb7e" data-vars-ga-media-role="" data-vars-ga-gallery-id="6f0732a3-ecdd-4f8a-bfe9-f92e8deb398a" data-vars-ga-product-sem3-id="" data-vars-ga-outbound-link="https://go.skimresources.com?id=31959X896062&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fhuckberry.com%2Fstore%2Fluminox%2Fcategory%2Fp%2F60716-modern-mariner&xcust=deal-gallery" aria-label="$630
$900 Luminox Modern Mariner”>
Luminox Modern Mariner
Luminox
$270 OFF (30%)
This Swiss-made Luminox is tough-as-nails and ready for anything you can throw at it. Its unassisted lume will work for 25 years and quartz movement requires little attention and is deadly accurate.
READ ABOUT THE COOLEST RECENT WATCH RELEASES
<a class="clickable-image-link clickable-image-embed-item clickable-image-product-link" href="https://go.skimresources.com?id=31959X896062&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fbyloftie.com%2F&xcust=deal-gallery" target="_blank" data-vars-ga-product-sem3-brand="" data-vars-ga-product-sem3-category="" data-vars-ga-product-brand="" data-desturl="https://go.skimresources.com?id=31959X896062&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fbyloftie.com%2F&xcust=deal-gallery" data-id="" data-order="13" data-vars-ga-product-price="$165.00" data-vars-ga-product-id="c535a0e4-f2a3-4436-8ce2-4c7eebba4ff6" data-vars-ga-media-role="" data-vars-ga-gallery-id="6f0732a3-ecdd-4f8a-bfe9-f92e8deb398a" data-vars-ga-product-sem3-id="" data-vars-ga-outbound-link="https://go.skimresources.com?id=31959X896062&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fbyloftie.com%2F&xcust=deal-gallery" aria-label="$129
$165 Loftie Smart Alarm Clock”>
Loftie Smart Alarm Clock
skimresources.com
$36 OFF (22%)
This new alarm clock is equipped with many of the things we love about having our phone close by in bed — white noise, meditation, and, of course, an alarm — but gives us the opportunity to leave it out of sight and out of mind while we sleep.
READ ABOUT OUR FAVORITE HOME RELEASES
This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io