Nidecker Snowboards has welcomed Canada’s Craig McMorris to its roster of riders. McMorris joins a list of heavy-hitting recent recruits including Mons Røisland and Eric Jackson as the Swiss brand doubles down on its athlete program.
Craig McMorris. Photo by Chris Corbett Photo
“It was a no brainer,” McMorris says of his decision. “Nidecker actually listens to the riders and makes the best product. I’ve been testing out the new Sensor Pro with Kaon bindings and the Rift boots, and since day one I’ve been blown away by how comfy and easy to ride it all is.”
The signing bucks a wider industry trend for team cutbacks and builds on the current momentum Nidecker is enjoying courtesy of their bestselling Supermatic binding and a rapidly growing board and boot line. Brand Lead Thierry Kunz explains:
“Team riders are central to everything we do. Nidecker has always prided itself on creating innovative products that move the sport forward, and it’s really the athletes that enable that to happen. They’re the ones pushing the envelope every day and driving us to create better and better gear that will help them raise the bar.
“On the global level, we’ve had a solid crew of freeriders for many years – including Mat Crepel, former FWT champions Tiphanie Perrotin and Emilien Badoux, and big mountain legends Mike Basich and Shin Biyajima. That’s been reflected in products like the Ultralight and Snow.Surf Quiver, which are right up there at the pinnacle in terms of pure turning performance. As we expand our freestyle line, it makes sense to build out the team with some creative rippers that know how to turn but aren’t afraid to send it. Craig is a perfect example and we’re stoked to welcome him to the family. His infectious personality, filmmaking experience and pure riding energy will really help take the brand forward.”
Hailing from Regina, Saskatchewan, Craig is the definition of multi-talented. Equally comfortable sending it in Alaska or filming creative urban parts, the 32-year-old is a veteran of X Games Real Snow, a regular Olympic broadcaster and a skilled filmmaker in his own right. His all-round snowboard game has seen him gain over 150k Instagram followers and a spot on the influential Shredbots film crew – where he’s jumped behind the lens to direct and star in recent projects like Fixin and Tennis.
“It feels like there’s a gap for my style of riding,” he says. “The rest of the team is rad and Nidecker’s got some sick momentum in the North American market right now which I can hopefully help build on. Since I joined I’ve been putting all I’ve got into my ‘welcome to the team’ edit. Nidecker always provide their riders with support for their movies and events, so once this edit’s done, I’m looking forward to getting stuck into some more creative projects. And I’m excited to link up with Mons soon and ride some pow!”
Aside from recruiting athletes, Nidecker is in the middle of a strong content push across video, print and social media. Its new ‘Studio’ division includes filmer and creative director Sam McMahon, former Whitelines editor Ed Blomfield and social media manager Dave Crozier. The addition of Craig McMorris to the athlete team brings vast shooting experience that will add more fuel to the brand’s marketing strategy.
“A lot of our social media output is about relatable, snackable clips that get people fired up to shred,” says Marketing Manager Tom Wilson-North. “On the flipside, elite-level riders are still super important for aspiration. They show how far snowboarding – and our equipment – can be pushed. We’re really stoked to sign Craig because he hits the sweet spot between the two. His mix of backcountry freestyle and urban rails is super progressive, and he’s got a positive attitude that shines through every clip and chimes with riders everywhere. As a Red Bull and Oakley rider we also look forward to exploring cross-channel collab opportunities.”
