Yugoslavian Snowboarding: Introducing the Yu-Go First Crew

I spent quite some time thinking about how I should approach to this feature here. The groundbreaking thought was to introduce a new crew that is about to throw out their first film and with which we work together and support each other; but then again their story has got lots of potential to actually tell something that goes beyond the usual introducing features of new character’s in snowboarding. The following feature however, gives you a story about a brand new and upcoming snowboarding scene, for which this crew here is taking the first steps to bring it to bigger display. We’re working now since quite a time together with the Yu-Go First crew and for this here I asked Vid Barić -producer next to Matic Zavodnik- to pass me some notes to help me out a bit. What Vid came up with, was a shitload of information that I didn’t want to space out on at all and so the idea was born, to give you sort of a deeper going feature talking about a new up coming snowboarding scene and crew of course, from South-East Europe. 

..still too young to realize or even know that he will be travelling some snowy spots around Europe with a bunch of homies and pull something like this Yu-Go movement off.. | Matic Zavodnik

Background.

Since Urban Snowboarding became over the last decade what is today the #1 content on the web, it also had a huge impact on a different aspect of snowboarding, which is the actual access to the sport. Riders didn’t need to go anymore to a resort, pay necessarily for accommodation, traveling and passes. People understood when urban edits got more and more hyped coming from the pro side, that they could walk out of the door and have the urban playground in front of their house basically. That impact reached also more Eastern countries in Europe, so as what is today known as former Yugoslavia. Yugoslavia, once been a strong and big alliance between different Balkan countries that represented a world wide acknowledged federation, was strong in science, had a good economy and was doing very well at sports on an international level. However the war is to be blamed as plenty of times, and after some countries declared their independence a long war screwed up all countries involved basically, what lead to tremendous economical and social downswings that the people still feel and suffer.

Mad supporter, real hustler and ill Dachstein addict . . . Vid Baric in the lift.

The situation today in many of these countries still is like having been thrown back in time for a bunch of years, since technological and social trends and standards reach these countries much later than here in central Europe for example. Everything finds itself in a continuous process of progression and recuperation and comes back to normal bit by bit. So do sports too throughout the Balkan countries. Sadly it must been said, aren’t sport collectives really working on a social level and are pretty messed up due to negative and brutal war related vibes, that still make their way through the former Yugo society. But not in Snowboarding.

From scratch on.

Since two years approx. now, I am following a snowboard crew that made its way through the Social Media on a bigger display today. The name Yu-Go First already reveals that the crew behind must be of South-East European or Yugoslavian origin probably. Vid Barić, Žiga Rakovec, Aljoša Krivec, Dejan Hodžić, Nejc Pucko, Žiga Erlač, Mitja Kodrič, Erik Harc, Peter Podlogar, Luka Podlogar, Palermo, Matic Zavodnik, Marko Grilc, Ana Rumiha, Urška Pribošić, Matevž Pristavec, Andrej Marinčić, Luka Jeromel and some more friends, is who stands behind the Yu-Go name.

The snowboarding scene in the Balkan countries like Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Mecedonia  and Bosnia -to name a few- is as mentioned pretty messed up and unfortunately  damn small. One thing leads to another and where a strong will and potential is, there is a way. Sounds like cliché shit, but that’s how it is.

Lipstick Productions and Yu-Go First filmer ::: Rene Gallo

Knowing each other from different contests with national teams from earlier back then, from working as shapers at resorts, or simply for being more inside that small scene, a bunch of riders connected and built up a new crew. Three heads from Croatia and the rest from Slovenia basically, connected pretty fast and started to join sessions, film some good snowboarding and do a bunch of trips to some Slovenian resorts, but also not to forget the infamous Dachstein glacier, which is relatively close for them and became sort of a second homebase.

The Yu-Go First heads don’t just want to enjoy good snowboarding together, but also want to make a point for the rest of the Yugo shred scene out there and motivate others to do likewise. If you read the Yugo’s lineup before closely, you might have noticed that it features also some bigger names from the pro side, like Pirate member Marko Grilc and Lipstick girl Ana Rumiha. The locals stay together strong and have each other’s backs straight. Pretty useful too when the own filmer of the crew Rene Gallo, is also the main filmer for the ladies crew of Lipstick Productions, which scored big in this year’s movie season with their film debut Eurotic. The network and support is there.

..some crowd that is. the Yu-Go First bunch and friends representing Dachstein.

The skills of the Yu-Go First crew are varying through different levels, respective the riders you’re talking about, due to having different conditions and access to go really shred and progress. Some can already look down at some solid sponsor deals on AM teams and guest appearances on other crew’s films, team vids, good contest appearances and several other edits besides the own ones of course that you people peep on the web.

Filming.

The Yu-Go First crew is filming since this past season more intense than before and focuses right now on one particular project: Their first ever and as such of course low-budget flick, which goes by the crew’s name Yu-Go First. Everybody in that crew was supposed to shoot as much as they can and want to, so that in the end they’ve got enough footage to put together one hell of a movie. The online- / crew- and general movie scene gets a new crew to watch out for now and as such also the first one to come from Yugoslavia. Voilá ::: Yu-Go First.

The full project can be seen on January 2013, due to other bigger productions and sponsors having a prior-claim already for certain shots for their own projects.

The idea behind that film is of course to bring themselves to a bigger display too, for the overall scene since there isn’t probably a better timing than now and as the first Yugo crew to come out really. All of them do it for the fun and for the sport ..the joy. Plenty of them still will have the goal or dream to turn pro probably and who knows, despite the fact that there is more up coming jib headz popping out now than hell don’t know, some of them are doing it just right so far as it looks now. Time will tell ..fact is, no matter if there is a pro deal at some point or not, the very first source of motivation is the same and main aspect why the Yu-Go edits rock. The fun these heads have when going to shred. Random bullshit, party bloopers, serious tricks and creative tries to mini jib anything they want. Perfect combo that makes you want to go shred A.S.A.P.

The second source of motivation is different.

“We want to gather together all possible snowboarders from the Ex-Yugoslavian scene and make a movie that will have an impact on the overall snowboarding conditions in Ex-Yugoslavian countries, their riders, more crews, the resorts and more parks. Things are bad here, Croatia, especially Serbia and Bosnia -all these countries have fucking lots of potential with beautiful mountains, good heaps of snow, but nothing to shred really. No parks. No scene. Nothing. With this movie we would love to wake up all relevant people involved out there and point out that we want to ride here, not always travel around to ride parks. Of course we want to show to the rest of Europe that we do have some badass shredders too.” Vid explains.

When looking at their Yugo lineup that features only two different countries so far, they definitely can need some more riders to join their crew, that’s for sure.

“That’s why we hope with the movie we could give another push to contribute maybe having new parks there soon somewhen, as well in Croatia and maybe have a bigger overall Balkan scene in a few years.” he finishes.

when keeping up that hard work and steezy 5-0’s like that one here by Andrej Marincic, we don’t really doubt that there will be more Balkan headz popping out in the future, who get pumped on snowboarding. Andrej Marincic 5-0

So what is next?

The first flick is basically done, we could say. Next step is to pull off a real Production company for them, keep progressing, raise their trick level, win new riders for their crew throughout friendships, contests and shootings and keep on snowboarding, trying to find their spot in the game to build up something serious and later maybe even widely recognized behind their own lines, always with the personal struggle to step it up and become more professional as best as they can.

don’t ask me why I picked this shot of the crew. guess it’s because I already told Vid now for the second or third time 30 minutes ago that this post would be online in a few. it doesn’t even look that good, i ripped it of Andrej’s Facebook (..supposed it was OK in that moment dude) and simply put it in b/w plus some contrast.

I guess we’re all in a working process somehow, such as ShredOn is, our Yu-Go’s are and many others out there as well, but we keep on doing what we do. not for the fame or some cash, but simply for the love of it and the things we actually owe snowboarding for the people we get to know, places we visit and the things we simply do because of it. at least as long it is possible to us to do so..

We’re supporting the Yu-Go First bunch, being totally behind their idea of snowboarding and back their output 100%. Hopefully these headz succeed on their path, we’re not doubting on them and wish them for the up coming seasons all the best in snowboarding, hoping to see them growing fast and reaching out far more quickly on that hard way they still have to walk down. You know how we say ..Yu-Go First, or you go home!

| Yu-Go First |