DAY 6: WEDNESDAY Sun burnt, tired and exhausted from having way too much fun the retailers rallied one last day to the Carlsbad Lagoon where we all piled onto the Liquid Force boat for another day of sunshine and shredding. SPY’s Jimmy LaRiche and Melissa Marquardt were putting on a show for us as everyone oooh and ahhhs could be heard around the boat. Thanks to Christopher for sending over Monster Energy truckers to keep the retailers from being completely burnt to a crisp. Another special thanks to TW Wakeboarding and Alliance Wakeboarding bringing out the long lens for helping shoot photos from jetskiis. And yeah, filmer Mauricio hanging on for dear life up top of the boat as he was filming for our yet to be released badass SPY Boot Camp 8/VAS Entertainment video!
After sun burnt lips and melted sunscreen, we dove into bags of In & Out then headed over to the SPY office for a tour of our global headquarters in Carlsbad. To end an absolute insane of a week at the beachfront mansion, SPY held an award ceremony dinner at Fidels, each receiving an engraved SPY Boot Camp 8 I-pod shuffle and a rad pair of Aerial 7 headphones for their flights back home. The final final send off party home was at the SPY night Wet Wednesday at Zenbu in Cardiff-By-The-Sea.
SPY Boot Camp 8 was an epic week…the Second Annual Winter Boot Camp is creeping up–stay tuned for more details!
Aboard the Liquid Force boat.
Alliance Wakeboard’s Bill McCaffray and SPY’s Steve B.
Sean showing off his captain hat wearing the Tron.
SPY’s Melissa Marquardt in the Eliza and Jimmy LaRiche in the Murena.
Melissa and Jimmy about to put a show on for us
Setting up the next maneuver
Boot Campers Sara and Kenneth chillin’ on the Liquid Force boat
VAS filmer Mauricio holding on as he’s getting the money shots up top!
Justin shredding!
Lauren’s not sure how Stevie B got carried away with the Watermans Applied Science sunscreen
Melissa shows Sara how to “sit in a chair” when learning to wakeboard
Online winner Sean crushing it again!!!
Stevie B on melted ice!
Jimmy and SPY’s Wake TM Aaron Grace at the wheel
SPY’s hard working gals Jessie and Arlene take a wild ride
Boot Camp 8 final awards dinner ceremony at Fidels
The SPY Boot Camp crew with Justin, yeah we know he wanted to hang with Hendo and the ladies…
After party at Zenbu for SPY’s Wet Wednesday
Hey yo Sean and Brett
Kenneth show SPY a good bye
A HUGE thanks goes out to our SPY staff, SPY athletes (especially snowboard sensation Stevie B), Mauricio and everyone at VAS, Transworld Surf’s rad crew, Kevin at Wakeboarding, Bill and Rusty at Alliance Wakeboard, sponsors Landshark, Monster Energy, DC Shoes, Liquid Force, Pala Raceway, Matix, Zero Motorcycles, No Fear, Aerial 7, INT Surfboards, Electra Bikes, Watermans Applied Science, Sanuk and Ogio. Also thanks to Harney Sushi for crushin’ it for us with your tasty eats and Nick at Creatures of Leisure for the leashes. STAY tuned for our SPY/VAS Entertainment DVD to be hitting retail shops nationwide…once you see the video for yourself, you’ll be begging to get aboard Boot Camp 9!!!
Check out the links below for more Boot Camp media coverage:
DAY 4: MONDAY rise and shine from the partying from the previous night, the campers grabbed their SPY Klutch moto goggles, personalized jerseys from No Fear and hopped in the van to Pala Raceway. The 80 something degree weather with a slight breeze made the moto ride day a perfect day to learn. SPY’s recent X Games 16 gold medalist Mike Schulz and current AMA fast guys Grant Langston and Tommy Searle were on site to ride, hang out and autograph posters. Special thanks to Brian and crew at DC Shoes for providing 250s and 450s, the retailers were throwin’ full throttle in no time! TJ and crew from Zero Motorcycles brought a slew of Zero bikes and christened the inaugural SPY + Zero Cup race. Speed demons Brett Scheidl from Canada and SPY’s very own snowboarder Stevie Bell made it to the finals and it was a close race, but Stevie took the cup. There are no losers at SPY Boot Camp, as both Stevie and Brett drank a victory ‘cold one’ straight from the Zero Cup trophy to celebrate!
The need for speed wasn’t over after our full day of riding at Pala…back in the van that night we went to K-1 go kart racing for the Grand Prix Championship. Three races to win the K-1 trophy cup, as the SPY marketing team and the retailers battled it out for first, congrats to 1st place Boot Camp Canadian winner Brett taking the gold!
Boot Camper Audrey wears the Clarice while listening to Stevie B’s tunes.
Guys lined up and ready to ride Pala.
SPY, DC Shoes, No Fear and Zero Motorcyles thanks to Pala Raceway had the track private just for Boot Camp.
Stevie B stays hydrated before he hits the dirt.
Preparing strategy for the inaugural SPY + Zero Cup moto race.
Kevin and Brett go head to head.
TJ from Zero prepares Brett as he’s about to battle Stevie Bell for the SPY + Zero Cup Championship.
Whoops
Stevie hugs a corner as Brett is about it throw it into full throttle.
The Zero crew awards the trophy to winner Stevie B.
Stevie B and Boot Camper Brett share the Zero Cup trophy by celebrating…
a taste of the glory…
a taste of the good life at Boot Camp 8!
The need for speed continued…campers Brett, Justin and Sean get ready to race at K-1.
SPY guys ready to go kart…ninja moves and all!
Audrey shows off her K-1 fancy facemask
Lined up
The score
In hot pursuit
Trini’s aka Canadian ’son’ Brett takes 1st, Justin takes 2nd and Kenny grabs 3rd place in the SPY Boot Camp K-1 Grand Prix.
DAY 3: SUNDAY “fun day” entailed kickin’ it poolside at the Boot Camp mansion, shreddin’ on bright colored INT Surfboards, cruisin’ on Electra beach cruisers, thrillin’ and grillin’ chefs Kevin and Trini during the daytime launched off into the official SPY Welcome Luau for SPY athletes, media and sponsors. Delicious grinds from Dakines, grass skirts and plenty of tasty cold ones from Landshark lead to one epic pool party! Be sure to check out more coverage from Transworld Business here.
SPY Boot Camp mansion.
The backyard.
INT Surfboards getting prepped to be shredded on!
SPY tanning lounge.
Trini grillin’ up a storm.
Got chicken?
The setup.
Enjoying the luau atmosphere— complete with leis!
A gorgeous So Cal sunset in Carlsbad.
Trini and Brent chillin’ barside.
Live thru our lens…
Jam packed.
Boot Camper online winner Sean takes a dip in the spa wearing the TRON.
Haney, Boot Camp consumer winner Sean Strickland, Hendo and Transworld Surf’s Checkwood kickin’ it in the glass spa.
The Landshark Margarillas out in full force at the luau!
The vibe.
DaKines Hawaiian grinds…mmmm good.
Kevin takes the lead and
SPY’s Lauren, TJ and Richard from Zero Motorcycles.
SPY’s Keith hangin’ with the ladies of SPY.
SPY’s Surf TM John draws a ‘hang loose’ on the Boot Camp 8 canvas.
We caught SPY’s Torrey Meister, Parker Coffin, John and Ryan diving into the treats.
Beer pong…Stevie B claiming he just made the shot!
Boot Campers Kenneth and Brett think otherwise…
DJ Episode kept the jams crankin’.
Bianca, Davin and Rob from VAS, Val, Boot Camper Audrey and Justin, Trini and Stevie…all smiles.
Kirk from Pala Raceway, Hendo and Josh saying hi.
Boot Campers Colin, Sara and Amanda C. smile for the camera.
Boot Camper Audrey, SPY’s Stevie B and Amanda C. pose with their leis.
These lucky few have won an all expense paid 6-day, 5-night trip to SPY Boot Camp in sunny San Diego. They will surf, moto, wake and party with the SPY Crew and our pros, live in a beach front mansion and get VIP access to X Games 16!
Thank you to everyone who participated… be on the look out for Spy’s Winter Boot Camp coming soon.
Win an all expense paid 6-day, 5-night trip to Spy Boot Camp in sunny San Diego. Surf, moto, wake and party with our pros. Live in a mansion on the beach and get VIP access to X Games 16!
Live it up like the pros do … you won’t want to miss this!
Despite the threat of rain and cooler temperatures, hundreds of die-hard Supercross fans came out to Pala Raceway and had a blast at the first-ever SPY/No Fear/North County House of Motorcycles fan appreciation ride day. All tracks were open and the sporadic rain kept the dirt near-perfect for the entire day. While the fans and industry folks turned laps, chugged No Fear drinks, rocked out to the live bands and chowed on amazing street tacos, some of the top dogs like Tommy Searle, Jason Lawrence, Josh Hansen and the Hostility SX Team came out and showed everyone in attendance what it means to go REALLY FAST. See you all next time!
Spy would like to thank: No Fear, North County’s House of Motorcycles, Toyota of Escondido, ZERO Motorcycles and Tacos el Unico
Looking for your chance to ride with out having to cough up any dough? Join SPY at Pala Raceway on March 8th at 12pm for Fan Rider Appreciation Day! All riders with a bike, helmet and boots are welcome to ride for FREE! There will be free prize giveaways all day and two live bands. You never know which one of your favorite pros might show up!
Seven winners.
Six days and six nights of Spy fun.
X Games 15. Party with Rob Dyrdek at his Fantasy Factory in Los Angeles.
Ride motocross with seven-time Supercross champion Jeremy McGrath.
Learn to surf at Surf Diva with Mike Losness, Luke Davis and Kanoa Igarashi.
Wakeboard with Melissa Marquardt.
Award ceremony at Transworld Media and K1 Speedway.
And plenty of good times in between…
The famous Spy van graced the LAX airport with its presence and welcomed the 2009 Spy Boot Campers for an action packed week. To kick things off they were taken to Encounter, a swanky cocktail lounge in Los Angeles then to the downtown Kyoto Grand Hotel to lounge and relax before the premiere kickoff night of partying would begin.
Into the night and wee hours of the morning they would soon discover each other’s party personas at Monster Energy’s X Games party at Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory. Plenty of celebrities and pros were mixin’ it up that night. A Carl’s Jr. food truck was rad enough to supply unlimited free food for all as well. Even the Canadian boot camper, Drew, had such a good time he woke up the next morning in the hallway of the hotel with a shiner underneath his left eye. We still don’t know how it happened!
At X Games 15, Home Depot Center in Carson, CA, the Spy Boot Campers were taken behind-the-scenes with ESPN’s Will from Marketing for an exclusive tour of X Games. They watched the street skate finals at the top of the tower to watch P-Rod battle it out for gold, just feet away from announcer Sal Masekela and skate icon Tony Hawk. After watching BMX, arms loaded with hot dogs, nachos and $12 beers, everyone was amped to watch the Super X-Men Moto finals and Freestyle Moto at the stadium.
After being in fast-paced LA, a chill beach day was in order, just north of Tamarack. Smashball, tan lines and local downtown Carlsbad shopping ensued after two long days of being in the sun and partying. A laid-back BBQ of kabobs and beer that night turned into a good old fashion pool party. Let’s just say some were thrown into the pool, clothes and all…
All geared up with their Spy moto goggles and personalized moto jerseys compliments of No Fear, the campers got to meet and ride motocross with seven-time supercross champion Jeremy McGrath at the new Pala Raceway. The Fuel TV film crew came to meet everyone and even took a few laps. Spy brought out 88cc and 110cc bikes for them to ride at the even different tracks offered at Pala. Despite the hot 90 something degree heat and wearing all dark gear head to toe, everyone had a huge grin on their faces riding and hanging with Jeremy and Spy crew. Later that night after plenty of pizza, beer buddies and more beer, they got to experience the local hangout in Encinitas for a dance party with the featured Monday night DJ spinning catchy beats.
With full sunshine and warm 70 degree water, the campers learned to surf with Surf Diva in La Jolla for a two hour private lesson. Spy’s surf team manager John Oda brought surfers Luke Davis, Kanoa Igarashi and Mike Losness to teach and surf with everyone. The small one foot to occasional two foot surf made it the perfect day for learning and trying 360s on foam longboards. Kailee Bradstreet from Transworld Business came out to take photos and surf some waves with us. It was a beautiful day for shredding!
For the final day of boot camp, everyone visited the local Carlsbad Lagoon to wakeboard. Spy’s wake team manager Aaron Grace brought wakeboarder Melissa Marquardt to help teach and hang out for the day. Everyone rode really well and had a blast hanging out on the Liquid Force boat. Editor-in-Chief of Alliance Wakeboard, Bill McCaffray, came out to meet the campers. After an afternoon of shredding the liquid gnar, they met the entire crew at Spy headquarters in Carlsbad.
Thanks to Transworld Media, for hosting the Spy Boot Camp award ceremony with a BBQ and Kona beer fest at their headquarters. Each camper was presented with a framed Transworld cover by Spy local rep Mikey Haney. To top it all off Billy from Transworld treated the campers to one last hoorah round of K1 go-kart racing.
DAY 7
The action packed week had commended and it was back to the daily grind. With nothing but huge grins on their faces they will remember the trip from the thousands of photos that were taken.
John Bennett, 29, Online Consumer Winner, Manchester, NH
“It’s amazing Spy gave me this opportunity. I wouldn’t have access to any of this. This truly is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Pretty rad. And thanks for the California sunburn they provided for me! I was super excited to have met Alliance Wakeboard’s Editor-in-chief, Bill McCaffray. It was really cool meeting him.”
Matty O’Connell, 23, SpareParts, Regina, SK, Canada
“Push ups can be a dance move too! This solidifies the fact that this is the industry I want to be in. I’m making the right choice working at a shop. You don’t have to wear a suit everyday to make a buck.”
“After this experience I want to push Spy even harder. They went out of their way and set this all up. You gain the respect on their end. I want to work just as hard to get the product into consumers hands. This trip also reminds me how much I love Socal. I want to move here!”
Drew Milliken, 24, Island Snow Board Shop, Kelowna, B.C. Canada
“Going into the trip, I had no real expectations. Spy, I can definitely relate. It’s like a big family. Good times and good company. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity that everyone needs to win because it is so much fun!”
Steph Shedek, 21, McGrath Power Sports, Cedar Rapids, IO
“The boot camp experience was amazing. I’ve done a lot on this trip that I’ve never been able to do. Spy is amazing. It is an awesome opportunity they put together. It’s way better than I thought it would be.”
Ryan Cameron, 24, Jacks Surfboards, Corona Del Mar, CA
“Boot camp exceeded my expectations. I was surprised how Spy is so involved with their athletes. They have a very hands on approach. All of the athletes have a level of respect for the Spy brand. McGrath seemed so relaxed to be there at moto day and Losness was cool to meet on surf day. I got the real behind-the-scenes experience. It’s cool to see a face behind the brand. It’s very much an inclusive family.
This experience now makes the shop kids want to make consumer feel a part of the brand. Even six months from now, it’s more than just a sunglass brand. It’s a family, a lifestyle.”
Cassie Hudson, 23, Mainland Skate & Surf, Concord, CA
“It’s pure motivation. All the hard work at the shop does pay off. Boot camp has inspired me to have more ideas to improve the shop, especially with the economy and all. My shop is all about customer service. We have a small shop and Spy’s a smaller company. It’s good to know companies like Spy can reward accounts like this. Even with this economy, its awesome this can still happen.
It exceeded my expectations. Being actually a part of this entire week has been out of this world. When I landed in Los Angeles, I thought Ashton was going to jump out and I was about to be Punk’d. I felt very VIP at the X Games. When I thought the behind-the-scenes tour was VIP, Will, our personal guide brought us to an even better view. I was 15 feet from Ryan Sheckler and stood two feet from Tony Hawk and Sal Masakela!
It was all the little things. It made a huge impact on me. I’m so honored to have won.”
Jennifer Zdeb, 28, Brave New World, Point Pleasant Beach, NJ
“Boot Camp was amazing. It was a once in a lifetime experience. I was chosen out seven winners. It was unreal! One of the most exciting parts of the trip for me was being able to ride motocross bikes with Jeremy McGrath. We had great seats at the X Games and received VIP treatment at the stadium.
The Spy team themselves were by far the best people ever! The trip would not have been the same if it wasn’t for them. Partying with them at the Fantasy Factory or having them teach me how to surf was awesome. Spy is by far the most “rad” company out there! (rad was one of the California lingo words I picked up out there!) Thanks for an amazing experience Spy! You’re the best!”
For more photos be sure to check out our Spy Boot Camp Facebook page.
A huge thanks to everyone involved for making this year’s Spy Boot Camp 7 another memorable experience for all.
Thanks to our partners Fuel TV, Monster Energy, X Games 15, Ogio, KTM, Plan B, Vestal, Silver, Surf Diva, Liquid Force, Transworld Media and Kona Brewing Co. Thanks to the Spy crew for showing up and providing pure entertainment for all and also Alliance Wakeboard for the support!
The Pala Raceway Launch Party is a Guest Appreciation Day that will include open practice on our existing tracks (the Main Motocross, the Vet Motocross, the Mini, and the Peewee Tracks), with the addition of the New ATV-SidexSide track, Amateur Motocross Track, a Trials Riding area built with the help of the Southern California Trials Association, and Pala Raceway will allow free dry camping on Saturday July 11th for Pala Raceway Members. The Stock Membership is required to ride at Pala Raceway and Gate fees are still $20 to ride on July 11th.
Also for the Launch Party, there will be a vendor’s row of industry products and food that already includes Komatsu Equipment with Utility Equipment demos, North County’s House of Motorcycles, Spy Optic, Wireless Works, 1onWon and Ronnie Renner and Motul.
The Launch Party will also have live bands, Leo Rising and Planet Jack playing on stage in the late afternoon, kids zone with bouncy rooms, rides, and games, and the Mini Moto Supercross Race on a specially designed Mini Supercross track. For more information check out www.palaraceway.com.
ANTICIPATED EVENT SCHEDULE:
Sat - 7/11/09
7:30am - 11:00pm
7:30am gates open
9:00am - 4:00pm
All tracks open to the public for riding. (Except Mini Moto Supercross Track)
