Continuing in its steady world domination, Billabong has acquired Southern Californian skateboard company Sector 9. Billabong already owns other labels Nixon, Von Zipper and Element. You can read more about the sale here.

Next stop, Street Luge - to the Extreme.

Transworld is reporting P-Rods steady rise to Hollywood stardom. Perhaps following in the footsteps of other skateboard legends, Jason Lee and Tony Hawk, ‘Vicious Circle‘ will see P Rod in the lead role which will be his second major role in a feature film along with the still in production Rob Dyrdek produced ‘Street Dreams‘. Hopefully for Paul, he can maintain his cred and continue skateboarding. As much as we love Jason Lee here at POP, I definitely think his last effort was a step backwards.

Mt Buller is certainly going hard on the contest front this month. As well as the Cattlemans Rail Jam and Burton Amateur Series next weekend (12th July). The following weekend (19th July), Buller is hosting Volcom’s famous Peanut Butter Rail Jam. As far as I know this is the first time a PBRJ has been held in Australia and it should be awesome. So, unless you suffer from acute systemic and severe Type I Hypersensitivity allergic reactions to peanuts, you have no excuse not to be there.

Flyer after the cut.

More »

After a fresh round of snowfall today, and with more forecast the rest of the week, the season appears to finally be on us. Along with the next round of demo days, Burton is hosting an amateur series contest at Falls Creek on Saturday 5th of July. The event is free and is open to anyone born between 1988 and 2000. After this weekend the event moves to Mt Buller next weekend when the Cattlemans Rail Jam will also take place. Word on the street is Burton is looking for a new Shaun White, someone at HQ decided red hair isn’t cool after all.

Just to rub some salt in an open wound, HCSC have just finished their first summer snowboard session at Mt. Hood. So before we have a chance to get a proper shred in on home soil, we have to see whats still going on stateside. Don’t despair, this year HCSC are running a camp in spring at Snowpark NZ . There is a video up of all the action over here , and if you look carefully you can see a Volcom snowboard towards the end. Why not? DC did.

Above is a neat little mock up of the proposed $US2 million skatepark to be built at the famed Venice Beach, CA. You can read and see a little more about it here and here. It’s definitely looking pretty good, and although I know nothing about size, 16,000 square feet sounds massive. Either way, it will be interesting to see if there are many of these guys swapping barbels for bowls. Someone should tell the guys and girls over at the city of Port Phillip, because they are lagging.

Despite the lack of snow that is severely halting the start of the 2008 snow season. Burton, Anon and Forum will be set up for the first leg of their 2008 Demo tours this weekend (28th and 29th June) at Perisher Blue. Despite the official Australian New Zealand Snowboarding Magazine Demo weekend being cancelled, Burton and Forum’s entire 2008 ranges will be available for Demo, and for the first time Anon will be set up lending out eye protection for when you hit up some sweet fly bys down front Valley, just don’t get them muddy.

Earlier this month, we reported about Future Snowboading Magazine getting the chop. Much like the breaking of the news itself, I have been informed by a reliable source that the magazine may not be six feet deep just yet. FSM was dumped by its parent company for reasons cited as financial. After viewing some of the stats, FSM is rumored to have some keen suitors having a good look at reviving the fledgling magazine. The messages being left over at Transworld Business are getting pretty heated, so don’t be surprised if it’s not the last time you hear of FSM. Stay tuned.