Ryan Oakden signs with 4FRNT

Salt Lake City, Utah – November 3, 2005. 4FRNT skis announced today that big mountain skier Ryan Oakden has joined the 4FRNT team. Oakden made the switch from long time ski sponsor, Rossignol. Ryan resides in Whistler, BC and is sponsored by Sessions, Smith Optics, Dakine, Whistler Blackcomb, CFR and now, 4FRNT.

“Having Ryan on our products starting this season further enforces our commitment to support the new generation of big mountain skiers. Ryan has been a pioneer in the sport in combining freestyle with his big mountain skills, something for which a lot of us have looked up to him for years,” said Matt Sterbenz, founder and team manager for 4FRNT. “Ryan has been a good friend of ours in the past and now to have him as part of the 4FRNT family is only going to make everyone on the team ski harder and stronger.”

“I am so excited to get at it this season as part of the 4FRNT family. This company and the skiers involved are world-class” said Oakden. “Our sport is growing fast and companies like 4FRNT are out there leading the way. My goal in life has been to have fun in skiing and now that I have full support from a great team and company there is nothing but good times ahead.”

With the addition of Oakden, 4FRNT strengthens it support of the Canadian freeride community with fellow Canadian powerhouses Eric Hjorleifson of Alberta and Vincent Dorion of Quebec already on board. Oakden is featured in Teton Gravity Research’s film, The Tangerine Dream. Hjorleifson leads off Matchstick Productions’ The Hit List and Dorion appears in Poor Boyz Productions’ WAR.

4FRNT Skis (pronounced “fore front”) is a rider-owned and operated company that designs and produces skis, bindings and other accessories for the fast growing freeride segment of skiing. 4FRNT’s team of rider-owners includes Matt Sterbenz, Steele Spence, Vincent Dorion and Niklas Karlström. 4FRNT distributes its products in 20 countries worldwide including Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, France, the UK, Spain, Japan and Korea.