LouieVito.com News

Mountain High signs Louie to 1st Pro Team

2009-08-12T09:59:00.002-04:00

Louie Preparing for the Olympics

2009-08-01T21:50:00.004-04:00

"With his newly learned double cork frontside 1080, Louie Vito stands a good chance for making one of the coveted US spots."
By: Alyssa Roenigk EXPN

The U.S. Snowboard team has just finished a two-and-a-half week summer halfpipe camp at Timberline Resort on Oregon's Mount Hood. Most of the riders will now head to their respective homes to take a month off and spend time working on strength coach Brad Jones' summer conditioning program.

That is not the plan for Louie Vito and Danny Kass. They have already set off to New Zealand to continue the momentum and take advantage of the early winter training before the rest of the crew joins them.

"New Zealand is not the place to progress," says halfpipe coach Ricky Bower. "It was a zoo down there before the last Olympics. This year will be even worse." The New Zealand session will be used to perfect tricks learned in Hood and lock in the contest runs riders will use during the Grand Prix qualifying season, which begins Dec. 11 at Copper Mountain, Colo. But the time in Hood was all about progression.

But with all the progression at this session, the trick generating the most excitement this week was Louie Vito's double cork frontside 1080. At a camp in Aspen, Colo., earlier this year, Vito studied his friend Luke Mitrani's version of the trick (he throws a double cork cab 10) and felt confident he could land the trick frontside. Before heading to Hood, Vito stopped at the U.S. Ski and Snowboard team's new Center of Excellence in Park City, Utah, and spent trampoline time with the U.S. Ski Team's aerials coach Matt Christensen.

Once in Hood, Vito spent a few days working the trick over a straight jump into an airbag, which was set up specifically for the camp. "Then we had four days off and Louie had time to think about the trick," Bower says. First day back, he told Bower he was ready to go for it in the pipe. "First try, he came around to his feet," Bower says. "Second try, he landed. It was amazing."

By mid-week, Vito was landing the trick with 70 percent success and was able to ride out of the trick and throw a cab 1080 on his next hit. "He has a ton of control and can do a nice, big hit afterwards," Bower says. "It's like a 720 for him now." Since Vito landed the trick, youngster Matt Ladley joined in the fun, and landed the trick a couple times on Wednesday afternoon. The next few months are going to be a lot of fun—for us spectators, anyway.

MOUNTAIN HIGH SIGNS LOUIE VITO AND MARC FRANK MONTOYA

2009-07-30T21:27:00.003-04:00

Wrightwood, CA – July 27, 2009: Mountain High, CA, announced this week it has signed Mark Frank Montoya (MFM) and Louie Vito to its pro team, and promoted hometown rider Cory Cronk. In addition the resort has added close to 25 new features to its park program including signature jibs from MFM and Cronk.

Says John McColly, Director of Marketing, “I’m stoked to have these guys as part of our family. It’s something we’ve been working on for a while and I’m glad to see it finally come to fruition. This season you’ll not only see their exploits in both photo and video, but you’ll also be able to ride with them via several text-to-win campaigns.”

Marc Frank Montoya is the real deal. Born and raised on the streets of Denver, he has been touted as one of the smoothest and strongest riders in the world with a heavy skateboarding influence. Besides his impressive contest spreadsheet and numerous video parts, MFM was named Transworld Snowboarding’s “Rockstar Of The Year” in 2004 & 2005, and is one of Snowboarder Magazine’s “Top Ten Riders in the World.” Now this legendary icon has come to Southern California with hopes of giving back to the sport that has given so much to him.

Louie Vito is the new wave of snowboarding. In 2005, he exploded onto the scene with big superpipe finishes at both the Burton New Zealand (4th) and Burton Australian (1st) Opens. Now he is competing for a spot on the American team and a chance at the 2010 Olympics. Trained on the East Coast, Louie is known for his technical style and back-to-back 1080s. He excels in all aspects of the sport from pipe to rails to back-country kickers and it is the combination of this diversity and his charismatic personality that makes him one of the most sought after riders today.

Says Vito, “I’m super stoked to ride for Mountain High. The resort is all about snowboarding and I can’t wait to show up, sign some autographs, and hopefully make a lot of new friends. I’ve also got my sights on the Olympics so, of all the years, this is the year to be pushing it.”

Hometown hero Cory Cronk was raised at Mountain High on a diet of picks and shovels. Now a 12 year veteran, he has the swagger of a jibber but the experience of a big mountain rider. He is a fixture in the Southern California snowboarding community and has several features named after him including the Cronk Bonk, new for 09/10.

In addition to print ads, interviews and web videos, Mountain High will be hosting text-to-win campaigns to give visitors a chance to ride with the pros. A Louie Vito Celebrity Rail Jam will hit the event calendar in 2010, and the resort is assisting MFM with the development of a new foundation to get underprivileged youth involved in snowboarding.

Louie's Latest Olympic Commercial

2009-06-24T15:31:00.002-04:00

This 30-second commercial has been airing on several different sporting events - most recently on the U.S. Open Golf Tournament on NBC. This commercial features different athletes (including Louie) expressing what it takes to be an Olympian.

Birthday Barn Bash

2009-04-06T20:30:00.004-04:00

Louie Vito is finally 21
By: Tim Brodhagen, ESPN.com,

photo by Tracy Anderson

After all these underage years, Vito is finally of legal status.

So what if he didn't win the halfpipe? Louie Vito had by far the best weekend of anyone who came to Stratton this weekend.

Friday was his 21st birthday and on Saturday he celebrated his newly legal status by toasting his first sip of alcohol with a few hundred of his best friends. Anyone who was anyone skipped the official party over at Grizzly's and did it up wildstyle in a huge barn in woods.

There was rafter diving, rampant makeout sessioning, at least five "we're out of booze" false alarms, and no cops anywhere in sight. Here's the boldface rundown: The Dingo gave Louie an iced out Monster medallion, Danny Kass celebrated his fifth Open halfpipe win, Mikkel Bang storked around on crutches, Kevin Pearce captivated out-of-town girls with his luxurious mane, Danny Davis pillaged beer stash spots until 6 am, Keir Dillon was lucky there wasn't an air hockey table in sight, Shayne Pospisil was the champ of another type of hockey—the tonsil variety, and the Mitrani brothers just kept it crunk while Luis Calderin of Okay! Okay! DJ'd it up.

Happy Birfday Louie!

Latest Vestal Watch ad

2009-03-31T21:42:00.004-04:00

Epic Weekend for Louie Vito

2009-03-22T10:12:00.004-04:00

Louie Vito made noise in two snowboarding events over the weekend. He actually participated in just one event: the World Cup in Spain. Louie originally planned to compete in Vermont for the final leg of the U.S. Grand Prix Series. Vito won the Grand Prix title last winter and was tied for the lead of this year's event going into the third and final stop.

However, Vito instead chose to represent the U.S. Snowboarding Team at the World Cup in La Molina, Spain.

Vito began the day by qualifying for the finals in a tremendously competitive heat with the likes of Danny Kass, Steve Fisher, Scotty Lago, Antti Autti, Gary Zebrowski, just to name a few. The finals turned out to be a battle.

It was a fight to the very end as Markus Keller of Switzerland nudged out Vito to win the World Cup competition in this epic international clash. Vito's teammate, Steven Fisher, took third.

"We're super proud of everyone," U.S. Snowboarding Halfpipe Head Coach Mike Jankowski said. "They put everything they had into this contest and we got the results." Vito, who led the way for the U.S., landed a run of back-to-back 1080s, air, back five, front nine and back nine to finish second.

"World Cups have not really been my thing and this is one of my first finals. It was nice to finally land a run," Vito said. "It was cool. Everyone rode well."

Meanwhile in Killington, Vermont, the 2009 Grand Prix series came to a successful close. The only thing missing at Killington was the presence of U.S. Snowboarding's Vito and Fisher who were tied going into the weekend for the lead in the Grand Prix overall standings. What happened next was somewhat unpredictable. Because both were in Spain, neither could compete, and none of the other leaders were able to secure enough points to overtake Vito's and Fisher's first place standing, so the tie remains intact.

This was Vito's second consecutive Grand Prix overall title.

World Cup Top 7 Results:
1. Markus Keller, Switzerland
2. Louie Vito, USA
3. Steven Fisher, Breckenridge, USA
4. Greg Bretz, Mammoth Lakes, USA
5. Roger Kleivdal, Norway
6. Gary Zebrowski, France
7. Justin Lamoureux, Canada

by Kirk Graham & Matt Hammnond

Vito will be on NBC-TV Sunday Februry 22nd at 3pm Eastern Time

2009-02-22T08:20:00.001-05:00

Vito will Compete in Final stop of Dew Tour

2009-02-19T22:39:00.002-05:00

By Sylas Wright

Network cameras will be rolling, competitive juices flowing, uncanny ability on display.

These all-stars of snowboarding have much to gain, with a $1.5 million total prize purse for the taking, and professional pride on the line.

It’s all just around the corner, as the third and final stop of the Winter Dew Tour — the Toyota Championship — takes flight in Northstar-at-Tahoe.

“The top halfpipe athletes will be there. It’s kinda like X Games coming to your hometown,” Squaw Valley skier Michelle Parker said last Thursday. “There is a lot of progression that goes on in these competitions as well. It’s the final stop of the Dew Tour, so people aren’t just trying to win the contest, but the overall title.

“There’s a lot of cash on the line. Things are going to get exciting.”

Louie Vito is among nearly two dozen of the world’s best riders on the snowboard superpipe roster that includes Andy Finch, as well as Shaun White, Steve Fisher, Scotty Lago, Danny Kass, Elijah Teter and others.

Vito missed the last Dew Tour due to an ankle injury but is really looking forward to his return this weekend.

The event will be broadcast live this Sunday on NBC-TV from 3pm – 6pm Eastern Time.

Louie will be on NBC-TV Saturday February 14th at 3pm Eastern Time

2009-02-11T21:23:00.003-05:00

Louie Boosts at the X Games Finals

2009-02-11T21:17:00.003-05:00

Although Louie had a bum ankle and was questionable whether he would even compete in this year's X Games he still BOOSTED high into the stratosphere. This shot was taken at the X Games finals by Zach Hooper.

Vito Wins Silver at Grand Prix Stop #2

2009-02-01T20:49:00.004-05:00

Louie Vito was at the top of the pipe putting on his game face, which for him is easy. He is one of the hardest workers and most deeply dedicated snowboarders on the circuit, and you can tell this by the way he practices before each event.

With the highest score from all the preliminary heats Louie came into the finals with a tremendous amount of confidence. Everything started out great on his first of two runs. He threw back-to-back super stylie 900’s with perfect landings. On his last hit he clipped the deck, which resulted in a low first run score. The good news was it didn’t look like he did any further damage to his already injured ankle. On the Grand Prix tour riders only get two runs in the finals. Because Louie won the qualifiers he was the last rider to compete for both runs (reverse order from the qualifiers’ results.) As a result Vito knew exactly what he had to do. In fact, Vito was the only rider in practice to throw back-to-back 1080’s, and the crowd was anticipating a huge second run from him.

Two-time X Game champion, Steve Fisher’s second run put him in first place, which made things exciting for Louie’s second and final attempt. Not to be outdone by Fisher's run, Vito turned up the volume on his iPod and exploded into the pipe for his last run. His first hit had huge amplitude. Louie, being the crowd pleaser that he is, gave them exactly what they were looking for and landed back-to-back 1080’s. But he wasn't satisfied -- on his next hit he landed a huge 900 and then another on the opposite wall. The pipe was a little slower than during the qualifiers and because of this the riders moved down the pipe faster than normal. Louie, looking for one final hit, unfortunately ran out of pipe. Fisher said that he was super nervous and was biting his nails after his run because he knew Louie had the repertoire and degree of difficulty to win the competition.

Vito said, “I was happy considering I landed my second run when I had to, but yet I was pretty bummed because when I bobbled going into the frontside 9 it killed my speed for my last two hits which cost me the win.” Vito went on to say, "I am really looking forward to Killington [season finale in March]. I had good luck there last year so I hope it will carry over."

Louie Vito did what he had to do, even under the immense pressure. His style and spirit are his trademark -- and his is youthful age is a guarantee that he will be around for a long time.

Vito’s next competition is a World Cup Olympic qualifier on February 6th & 7th in Bardonecchia, Italy. After that Louie travels to Cypress Mountain, British Columbia, Canada where he will experience a preview of the 2010 Olympic site with yet another World Cup Olympic qualifier on Feb 13th – 15th. (By Kirk Graham)

Sailing Through Qualifiers Despite Injured Ankle

2009-01-30T23:06:00.014-05:00

It is Friday morning in Tahoe, CA where the next stop of the Snowboarding Grand Prix is underway. The qualifiers for halfpipe were delayed an hour but Louie Vito proved himself ready to compete following last week’s 2009 Winter X Games where he was boarding on a torn up ankle.

This week Vito is up against many of the same riders from last week’s X Games, along with a long list of other pro riders from all around the world. But don’t think for a moment that Louie is the underdog - He won the Grand Prix title last year and also won the 1st Grand Prix stop at Copper Mountain just a few weeks ago. And though he is dealing with some physical pain, Vito is on the hunt for another win.

Louie’s first run today was solid, proof that he is excited to brush off last week’s finals runs at the X Games and compete strong this weekend. With his signature style, Louie has tons of amplitude on every hit, and is definitely at the top of his game. The judges score his first run at 44.4 which clinched the lead for his heat. In fact, this score will place him in the finals, but Louie isn’t satisfied with just making the finals. His goal is to have two stellar runs and have the highest score of all the heats. This will give him the advantage of being the last rider to drop in the finals (reverse order is used in the finals.)

Louie is a rider that is always working on advancing his skills, knowing that his big air and stylistic execution can always and will always improve. His quest for constant improvement was observed in Louie’s second run where he landed every hit perfectly with ease – and again this is Louie’s style – to make everything look easy. Perhaps this weekend’s competition will be sweet redemption. With a 46.3 in his second run and obtaining his goal of the highest score in the qualifiers, Vito is stoked going into Saturday’s finals. When asked about how his ankle felt after the first two runs, he said, “It’s all sore now.” But, as everyone who knows Louie, come finals time he won’t hold anything back. For Louie Vito, it’s all or nothing – that is why he is currently on top. (By Kirk Graham)

Injured Vito Rides to Finals at X Games

2009-01-27T12:32:00.005-05:00

Louie Vito competed in his fourth consecutive X Games over the weekend.

The X Games features "the best of the best" in extreme sports, including snowboarding. Only 16 riders from across the world were invited to compete in the high-flying halfpipe.

Vito was not at full strength because of an injury he suffered three weeks ago while filming a jump in Utah. He suffered a high ankle sprain and a bone bruise. The U.S. Snowboarding Team led an aggressive rehab program that enabled Louie to return much quicker than expected. Vito couldn't even walk ten days ago.

Louie crashed on his first run Saturday night and appeared to be in excruciating pain. Under the pressure of his second and final run Vito put it all together and secured the 8th and final spot for Sunday night's final. The top eight qualified for the finals.

Louie rode through considerable pain last night, but was unable to "stick" any of his three runs. As a result Vito placed 8th and will evaluate whether he will compete in next week's Grand Prix stop number 2 on a day-to-day basis.

Louie opened the '08-'09 season by winning the first leg of the Grand Prix at Copper Mountain, Colorado. (By Bill Tipple)

Vito Defies Odds, Moves Into X Games Finals

2009-01-25T09:42:00.007-05:00

It came down to his last try but Louie Vito did what he had  to do and qualified for the Superpipe finals at Winter X Games 13.

Vito, who has been nursing an injured ankle for the past three weeks, was not expected to heal in time to compete in X Games this year. The U.S. Team orchestrated an incredible rehab program that permitted Vito to not only participate but also excel after not being able to walk just 10 days ago.

It wasn't until Saturday's practice right before the actual event that Louie was able to put together his contest run.

Louie crashed on his first run, appearing to be in excruciating pain.

Under the pressure of his second and final run Vito put it all together and secured the 8th and final spot in Sunday night's final. The top eight qualified for the finals.

Vito is considered the ultimate wild card to challenge favorite Shaun White; capable of winning despite his 8th place spot, but not knowing how he will hold up with the injury.

ESPN will broadcast the event live beginning at 9pm tonight. (By Scott Stockdale)

Pro Rider Vito Hosts X Game Party

2009-01-22T22:53:00.003-05:00

Record Crowd at the Louie Vito Rail Jam

2009-01-03T12:38:00.002-05:00

As morning broke over the newly constructed terrain park setup at Louie Vito's former training grounds Mad River Mountain, in Bellefontaine, Ohio the temperature peaked at a balmy 68 degrees. With clouds in the sky and rain in the forecast, the question arose, would contestants show up on a day better fit for flip flops? The answer came loud and clear midway through registration when the first hundred pack of bibs were gone and the line was still out the door. The 2008 Louie Rail Jam eclipsed last year's record number of contestants by over 20%.

The fourth annual Louie Vito Rail Jam went down this past weekend with tropical temperatures, plenty to eat and drink and a huge crowd of all ages either competing or spectating at Ohio's largest snowboarding event of the season at Mad River Mountain, in Ohio.

What a great event with no entry fee, except for a donation of a nonperishable food item or paper product. All donations went to the St Vincent DePaul Food Pantry, an agency that serves those in need in Logan County. The over 200 competitors came from as far away as California.

With over 300 curious Louie Vito fanatics in attendance the awards ceremony had the feel of a huge party instead of a competition. Music was provided by Skratchmatik from Dayton. Winners were awarded outerwear, headsets, and boards as well as the grand giveaway, an all expenses paid trip including airfare to Windell's Snowboard Camp for the coming summer.

At the very height of the excitement Louie decided to raffle off a Kicker digital stereo system and a Louie Vito signature snowboard. Raising over two thousand dollars and enough food to feed several families for months to come the Bellefontaine St. Vincent DePaul Society was again thrilled to be a part of what is turning out to be their biggest fund raiser.

It was obvious to all who attended this wonderful event why it has become even more successful each year. Louie is an example to hundreds of kids of what can happen with hard work, dedication, God-given ability and a community support system that rivals none! As dozens of kids flocked around this charismatic young man, it was clear they had chosen a great role model. Louie posed for pictures, signed the latest Snowboarder Magazine, gave riding tips and appeared to know each individual -- although highly unlikely given the great number of people who clamored for his time. He looked like the Pied Piper, although his entourage consisted of kids as well as moms and dads! Cameras flashed, prizes were given away in excess and a charity was thrilled beyond words. This event will continue to grow, thanks to Louie and his generous sponsors. This was an example of a 20-year old young man, wise for his years, showing us all how to give back and remember where we came from. [More pix here]

By Brian Papworth

Louie Vito Rail Jam 12/27/08

2008-12-18T08:08:00.001-05:00

Win a FREE session at Windell's Snowboard & Ski Camp at Mt. Hood Oregon for one week in August. This includes roundtrip airfare, meals, lodging, transfers & coaching. It's the Louie Vito Rail Jam on Saturday, December 27th. This is open to everybody, at any age - you don't even have to be good because all prizes will be picked from a random drawing of all the rail jam participants. This way everyone has an equal chance of winning the drawing. All you need to do is enter is bring any non-perishable item, canned good, boxed good or paper products like toilet paper, paper towels, or similar items in their original packaging with you when you sign-up like free autographed O-Matoic Snowboards, 686 Clothing, Nike shoes, Skull CandyHeadsets and much more! Monetary donations are also welcome!

All donations go to St. Patrick Church's St. Vincent DePaul Food Pantry.

The Louie Vito Rail Jam Saturday, December 27, 2008 at Mad River Mt. Over $20,000 in prizes to be given away compliments of Louie Vito and Mad River Mt., Bellefontain, OH (a short drive from Columbus, Dayton or Toledo.)

Watch Louie on TV

2008-12-18T08:04:00.002-05:00

Click here to check out Louie's THE FIVE interview and his two winning runs at the first Grand Prix of the season at Copper Mt., Colorado.

Vito Wins Grand Prix at Copper

2008-12-14T11:13:00.000-05:00

COPPER MOUNTAIN, CO - Reigning overall champion Louie Vito (Sandy, UT) boosted the best runs of the day to win his third Grand Prix halfpipe competition in a row as the U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix, presented by Sprint, opened for the season Saturday at Copper Mountain, CO.

"The last two years I haven't made the finals at the first Grand Prix and that's kinda been a bummer. But, It's nice going into the rest of the season with the win and knowing that you have that accomplishment," Vito said. "Hopefully, the rest of the season follows in the right direction like this."

Vito landed two identical runs of back-to-back 1080's, back-to-back 900's and a straight air, but it was his amplitude in the second run that got him the top men's spot.

"Louie stomped both of his runs and they were super clean," said U.S. Snowboarding Halfpipe Head Coach Mike Jankowski. "After his first run he said, 'coach, I want to get a better score.' So he didn't change anything, but he went bigger and better."

Vito was joined on the podium by fellow U.S. Snowboarding and X Games gold medalist Steve Fisher (Breckenridge, CO).

"Once you get that first taste of a win it's hard to settle for anything less than that," Vito said. "With how many good riders there are in the first contest it's nice to start my season that way."

OFFICIAL RESULTS 2009 U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix
Men's Halfpipe Top 5
1. Louie Vito, (USA), 47.20
2. Steve Fisher, (USA), 44.00
3. Antti Autti, (Finland), 43.60
4. Daniel Friberg (Switzerland), 43.40
5. Dustin Craven, (Canada), 42.00

686 Signs Louie Vito to Global Pro Team

2008-12-07T20:39:00.000-05:00

Irvine, CA, November 24, 2008 — Westlife Distribution is pleased to announce the addition of Louie Vito to the 686 Global Pro Team.

Louie is a 20-year old Ohio-native who currently resides in Sandy, Utah. Louie is known for his technical riding style . He excels in all aspects of the sport - pipe, slopestyle, rails and back-country. This past year, Louie was crowned the overall Chevy U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix series title champion. He found himself on top of the podium again two days later at The Jeep King of the Mountain Superpipe Championships in Squaw Valley, California. At the Vans Cup Vito took second place behind Danny Kass.

Louie hasn’t forgotten where he came from; he still finds time to give back to his roots, hosting a very successful charitable rail jam every year in Ohio.

Vito says about riding for 686, “I am stoked to join the 686 family. Their outerwear is tech and is perfect for riding icy pipes to sledding in the backcountry. It is cool to be a part of a company that was started by a snowboarder and snowboarding has been the main focus since day one.”

“686 has never really had a top name rider on our roster before,” says Kristin Cusic, VP of Marketing at 686, “When we first started talking to LV, I was blown away by his charismatic personality. His track record speaks volumes for his riding ability, but his personality is what really brings him up to that next level. We couldn’t be happier and think it’s a perfect fit.”

Vito’s other sponsors are O-Matic snowboards, Monster Energy, Nike, Vestal, Kicker, Capix Helmets, Spy Optic, Skullcandy,, Boost Mobile, Grenade, Utility and Neff.

Rider owned and operated, Westlife™ Distribution USA LLC is the parent company of 686®. Since 1992, Westlife has provided the riding community with innovative, progressive, and technical apparel and outerwear found in specialty retail locations throughout the world. Log on to www.686.com for more information.

Rumor Control

2008-09-05T11:18:00.000-04:00

Louie is a Finalist on the ABC-TV show “Dancing With the Stars”
Yes, this is TRUE. When he was first asked to interview for the show Louie had no idea what the show was even about. After Googling the show he said “No Way!” After some coaxing he went to Los Angeles for the interview and had a fantastic showing (at least according to “Louie’s People.”) He was one of the final choices until Misty May won the gold medal for Beach Volleyball. The agents involved told me that he definitely will be considered for a future “Dancing With the Stars” show or anything else that may arise.

Louie Travels to New Zealand with Lil Jon
Yes, this is also TRUE. I am not sure of the details on why Louie went to New Zealand with the musician but Louie chummed around the Kiwi country with his BME Click pal Dingo for several days. He traveled with the entourage and experienced what actually goes on with life behind the seen with some really crazy people.

Louie Will Try to Win His Third Australian Open
This is NOT true. Louie is currently in Argentina with the Nike Team and is enjoying the South American winter with some of the best riders in the U.S.

Check this out!
- Check this YouTube video out- turn up the volume because the music is great. It was created by Echo Entertainment and was played when Louie spoke to many of the USSA corporate sponsors last month. Here is the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bst2UQJhwg

- There are several new videos of Louie’s epic season on YouTube but one video that stood out was his winning run at the Jeep King of the Mountain. Here is the YouTube link for that run:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EX6TROZNrGo

- Louie debuts in his first music video. Lil Jon’s newest recording is called “Dat Baby Don’t Look Like Me” and has several shots of Louie, Danny Kass and The Dingo. If you can’t wait for it on MTV then check it out here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-Oc3Aq_3As

- Look for Omatic’s new board “The Celebrity” by Louie Vito. It will be out in your favorite snowboard shop soon.

Vito Wins Big at Grand Prix Final

2008-03-18T20:43:00.000-04:00

KILLINGTON, Vermont (March 16) - U.S. Snowboarding's Louie Vito rocked the pipe hard to win the halfpipe competition as well as the overall season title at the Killington stop of the Chevy U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix Sunday.

The Killington Grand Prix event is a Five-Star rated World Tour event attracting the world's best snowboarders, including Olympians and World Champions battling for cash and prizes including a brand new Chevy truck. But in the end it was Louie Vito who took home his second straight Grand Prix victory and drove home with the cash and the Chevy truck.

The battle for the truck and the overall title was between Louie Vito, U.S. Snowboarding teammate Elijah Teter, last year’s Grand Prix title holder and Olympian Tommy Czeschin, and 2-time X Game Champion, Steve Fisher. Also in the mix were the two superstars from Finland Janne Korpi and Petee Piiroinen.

On his first run, Vito threw down an ultra sick frontside 10 into a cab 10, then a frontside 9, backside 9 and then a frontside corked 720. As he finished the flawless run, the crowd seemed to agree they had just witnessed the winning run.

As it turned out – they did because Vito’s run sealed the deal on the day’s victory as well as a Chevy Avalanche, which is the sweet ride awarded to the overall tour champions.

"I'm stoked on the truck. I got beat out of the tie breaker last year so I guess I had to wait a year to get it but now I have a fresh looking Avalanche and it feels good to get it," Vito said. "I just wanted to handle it on my first run. I'm happy. It was a good tour and a good season and now I can chill and enjoy the rest of the winter."

This event closed the curtains on a season of epic halfpipe competition at the Chevy U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix, with Shaun White winning the first Grand Prix and Louie Vito winning the final two and the overall title.

This Chevrolet U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix Halfpipe event will be broadcast on Saturday, March 29th at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time on NBC television.

OFFICIAL RESULTS
Chevy U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix, Killington, VT
Men’s Halfpipe Top 6
1. Louie Vito (USA)
2. Greg Bretz (USA)
3. Peetu Piiroinen (Finland)
4. Janne Korpi (Finland)
5. Steve Fisher (USA)
6. Nathan Johnstone (AUS)

- end -

Louie Vito is on Fire!

2008-03-05T17:27:00.000-05:00

(Truckee, CA) – Louie Vito and Olympian Danny Kass once again battled it out in the men’s superpipe finals at the Vans Cup in Lake Tahoe in what many said was too close to call. After some deliberation the judges determined that Kass’ run edged out Vito’s and the crown went to Kass for the second year in a row. Had Kass sketched a bit, Vito was right there for the gold.

To get his second place in a field stacked with talent, Vito linked back-to-back 1080s, to back-to-back 900s, and a 720. The ten man international final included six Olympians.
Vito’s been on top of the snowboard world as of late and it showed at Tahoe. His 2nd was well-deserved.

"It was all really big and really smooth," Olympic Head Coach Mike Jankowski said. "Louie is obviously on fire and he wanted to beat Danny. He was going for it. But second place in a field like this is really huge.”

Vito is fresh off his 1st place finishes at the last Chevy Truck Grand Prix, Jeep King of the Mountain and the Etnies GVR.

The entire Vans Cup Superpipe contest will be seen on Fuel TV sometime in April.

OFFICIAL RESULTS
2008 Vans Cup
Superpipe Finals

1. Danny Kass (USA)
2. Louie Vito (USA)
3. Iouri Podlatchkov (Switzerland)
4. Andy Finch (USA)
5. Mason Aguirre (USA)

- end -

Louie Vito Is Goofiest @ Bear Mtn.!

2008-03-01T14:10:00.000-05:00

CORONA, Calif., (Feb. 25, 2008) – Monster Energy-backed Louie Vito has his foot on the gas as of late, scoring back-to-back-to-back wins a the Chevy Truck Grand Prix at Tamarack, Jeep King of the Mountain at Squaw Valley (Calif.) and, this past weekend, leading the Goofy team at the annual Etnies Goofy vs. Regular Snowboard Contest at Bear Mountain, Calif. Vito was the top scorer for the Goofy team in the slopestyle format contest; unfortunately they bowed out to the Regular team. The pain of the team loss was lessened a bit by the $1,750 Vito pocketed for his effort from Etnies.“I had a blast,” said Vito. “And made sure everybody around me was hot-wired on Monsters!”