Blog

You are here: Home / Blog

Rahlves' Banzai Tour Launches Smartphone App

Rahlves’ Banzai Tour presented by Bank of the West launches free interactive smartphone app

Truckee, Calif. (January 14, 2013) –Rahlves’ Banzai Tour presented by Bank of the West is excited to announce the launch of its free, interactive smartphone app. The app, created by GenZPlay Interactive Outdoor Apps., based out of Sonoma, California not only keeps tour participants up to speed on starting times and tour results, but keeps the public informed on all things Banzai.

Whether you are a spectator, participant, family member, or friend, the app is your go-to place for the schedule and results of each tour stop. The schedule is constantly updated with registration dates, locations and start times, so that you won’t be late for your chance to compete against Daron Rahlves, or watch your loved one compete against some of the areas best athletes. Rahlves’ Banzai Tour app also provides the results and times from the 2012 tour, and will update with this years results as they come in.

Get psyched on this year’s tour by checking out the app for Banzai videos and teasers, action shots, the Banzai blog, Tahoe weather updates, sponsor information and the Rahlves’ Banzai Tour twitter feed, which is constantly updated with fun and exciting tour info.

To download the free app on your smartphone, visit banzai.genzplay.com, or scan the QR code featured on all Rahlves’ Banzai Tour posters and flyers. The app will work on all smartphones and tablets that use an internet browser.

Make plans to catch the high-speed action at each tour stop including:

Kirkwood Mountain Resort Feb. 2-3, 2013

Red Cliffs Après party Feb. 2

Alpine Meadows Feb. 9-10, 2013

Last Chair Après party Feb. 9

Squaw Valley Mar. 2-3, 2013

Le Chamois Après party Mar. 2

Sugar Bowl Resort Mar. 9-10, 2013

Sierra Vista Bar Après party Mar. 9

Start Haus Ski Shop Truckee, CA teaming up with 2013 Rahlves' Banzai Tour

RBT is excited to announce, The Start Haus as the official ski shop partner for 2013.

and meet RBT's most diehard fan who's home she calls The Start Haus!

Why create the Banzai Tour?

Kyle Smaine leading Johnny "Banzai" Bochenek & Marcus Caston - Men Ski Semi Final 2012 Squaw KT-22 Banzai

Why create the Banzai Tour?
The first I ever saw anything like it was an event that Red Bull put on in Austria called White Rush, just an all-mountain charge, head-to-head. I started looking at traditional races over in Europe, and they do a lot of that top-to-bottom, head-to-head racing like it used to be. Then looking at how downhill racing was in the ‘60s and ‘70s, how rough and nasty it was, kind of out of control.

That head-to-head element is cool, and being involved in ski cross the last couple of years, I thought it would be cool to put an event together like this. One that allows a top skier to shine, not just a racer. It’s about who can negotiate the terrain and rough conditions the best and who has that mental toughness to attack the mountain against other competitors.

Actually, Red Bull did it in 2004 at Sugar Bowl, but I was racing at the time and wasn’t around to do the event. Back in ’09 I had Sugar Bowl bring it back, and we did it again in 2010. It was so fun, but it was one event during the season and it was over. I went to Sugar Bowl and told them I wanted to take it to a tour format. They helped me make it happen.

It takes a ton of time to make sure things go well, but the reward is when you see people all fired up. The best moment for me is seeing people who haven’t competed before, and they’re good skiers, good snowboarders, but when there’s something on the line and three other people who want it, they’re pulling things out, they haven’t pushed themselves that hard before. To see that happen, to see people at the bottom all fired up and stoked about the feeling they have, that’s great.