HOOD RIVER, Ore. (December 11, 2007) - DAKINE announces the addition of Austin Smith, Phil Damianakes, Wille Yli-Luoma, and Annie Boulanger to its 2009 International Snowboard Team.

"DAKINE is honored to have the opportunity to work closely with some of the strongest names in snowboarding," said Randy Torcom, Snow Marketing Manager.

Austin Smith Photo credit: John Laptad

Fresh out of high school, Austin Smith joins the DAKINE team as one of the best up-and-coming snowboarders in the industry. Smith's stand-out segment in MDPeople Films' "We're People Too," has him being debated as the number one pick for the Transworld "Rookie of the Year" award. An Oregon native, Smith has graced the pages of all the top magazines including Transworld Snowboarding, Future Snowboarding, Snowboard, Snowboarder, and Frequency. In addition to DAKINE, his sponsors include Quiksilver and Nitro.

Phil Damianakes Photo credit: Stan Evans

Phil Damianakes, a standout rookie from Salt Lake City, Utah, has spent the last year filming with Absinthe Films which most recently earned him a part in the snowboard film "Optimistic?" This year, he has been personally invited by Mike Hatchett to film with Standard films. Sponsored by Gnu, Bent Metal, Milosport and Oakley, Damianakes is definitely one to watch in '08.

Wille Yli-Luoma Photo credit: Scott Sullivan

Hailing from Sipoo, Finland, Wille Yli-Luoma is another solid addition to the DAKINE family. Sponsored by Volcom, K2, Etnies, ThirtyTwo and Iris, Yli-Luoma is hands down one of the most recognized names in snowboarding. He was a part of the original Forum 8 and is still frequently featured in just about every snowboarding magazine in the industry. Recent film credits include "Picture This" by MDP.

Annie Boulanger Photo credit: Oli Gagnon

DAKINE also welcomes Annie Boulanger, 27, to its International
Snowboard Team. Boulanger grew up in Quebec, Canada and is the only female rider to star in “Optimistic?” Boulanger is currently working with Absinthe on their upcoming project and in addition to DAKINE, her sponsors include Salomon and Nike.

The 2009 DAKINE International Snowboard Team:

* Juuso Laivisto
* Leanne Pelosi
* Drew Fuller
* Bryan Fox
* Markku Koski
* Erik Christensen
* Wolle Nyvelt
* Annie Boulanger
* Philip Damianakes
* Josh Dirksen
* Chris Coulter
* Janna Meyen
* Antti Autti
* Wille Yli-Luoma
* Austin Smith

Backed by a pro team roster that includes some of the world's top action sports athletes, DAKINE has been an industry leader in action sports accessories for over a quarter of a century. Founded in Hawaii and based in Hood River, Oregon, DAKINE offers a complete range of innovative products, including sport-specific to street-savvy backpacks, bags, travel gear and accessories. To see the full line of winter '08 DAKINE products, log on to www.dakine.com.