There is so much talent oozing in every corner of this community, it’s hard to celebrate it all. Sometimes we even take it for granted.
Just down the alley from the Nelson Star office is Freeride Entertainment. The film/television/commercial production company is in a nondescript location in the downtown, but always bustling with activity. Pass through Herridge Lane on any given afternoon and you’ll see the crew packing camera gear in and out of their offices.
Freeride was started by Derek Westerlund in 1997 and has been written about in local media many times over the years. Westerlund and his talented team have been documenting the action sports scene long before it arrived to primetime television.
In Nelson, the company has become part of the everyday scenery. Outside our borders the team at Freeride are industry leaders. Freeride works with the biggest companies and the brightest stars in the action sports world. They travel the planet and represent our community in a dynamic way.
In this story you can read about Freeride’s latest offering — Where the Trail Ends. A mountain biking film that’s being touted as something unique and trendsetting in the genre.
What makes the story more intriguing for locals is the main players who helped bring it to life. Director Jeremy Grant and one of the film’s star athletes, Kurt Sorge, were raised on the trails that surround Nelson. Young mountain bikers equipped with that oozing talent who had a dream.
Their story is Nelson’s story. Why do people flock here? Why do people stay despite the challenges? What makes this place so special? Grant credits the community: the people and the place. Small enough to care, bold enough to empower its people to excel.
We deliver the stories of people doing great things on a weekly basis. Their achievements are something we can all celebrate and take pride in. Whether it’s music, art, education, business or sport, the people of this community continue to make great things happen.