Ever since last season's inaugural post, I have been looking forward to sifting through this year's heap of web theater. Last night I cracked a cold one and started watching videos. After scanning 60 pages of posts, I came up with a list of the best 40 vids of 2011. I watched and rewatched, had another cold one, debated, and then assembled the 2011 7YWeb Snow Porn Awards.

The categories for this year are:

Best Series of Videos
Best Full Length Video
Best Teaser
Best POV
What the, did you just see that?
Damn, now I want to ride
Why the hell is this on a snowboarding site?
Best Russian Extreme Carving Video

The only real criteria for inclusion is that we posted it at some point during the year. Of course, as a result there are no categories for best park or best rail video, because we don't really post that sort of stuff.

So grab a couple cold ones, throw a log on the fire, and enjoy the best videos posted to sevenyearswinter.com in 2011 and one about Russian Extreme Carving.

Best Series of Videos

This was a tough call, both YES. and the Provo Bros. put out a solid catalog of videos last season. It is pretty rare to be thoroughly impressed with every piece that someone throws up on Vimeo. Bucking the norm, these guys put out quality edits time after time. In the end, I feel the combination of the caliber of riders, the locations, and the diverse styles pushes YES. to the win.

BEST - YES.

A lot of times videos that feature high end riding come off distant and rigid. As Robot Food proved, the truly great snowboard videos are engaging, loose, and fun while at the same time showcasing top level riding. YES. pulls off that rare feat consistently. Check out how they lead the below video with some relatively simple pow riding, the sort of stuff that we can imagine ourselves doing and then end with a series hefty pillow drops. The YES. boys keep each vid heavy with pow and freeriding, always a win with 7YW.

More from YES.
YES. Quick and Dirty Whistler
Benji Ritchie from YES. It's a movie
YES. Norway

RUNNER-UP - Provo Bros

The Provo videos are some of the only "long" videos that I will even click on. They have done a fine job of stitching together a solid storyline, serious riding/skiing, with decent tunes. It so well done, I can tolerate the skiing. In addition, they work so damn hard that you are shamed/inspired to roll off the couch and get into the backcountry.

More from the Provo Bros
Provo Bros. Choking to death in Retallack
Provo Bros- Uinta summer solstice 2011
Provo Bros | Pfeifferhorn

HONORABLE MENTION

Polar Opps
2.28.2011 - Polar Opposites Webisode #1
Polar Opposites Ep. 2
Polar Ops Episode 3
Arbor
Arbor's Scotty Vine
Arbor Pillow Lines
Getting Some with Arbor
Splitting the Baker Backcountry with Arbor

bjarnesahlen
Props to bjarnesahlen for posting some amazing videos this year. The lack of snowboarding made it difficult for me to include them on this list. However everyone should check them out. As a sidenote, I finally decided to give him the option to put France as a location, that says a lot.
Adventure through the Andes. Episode # 4, Argentina - Mercedario
Adventure through the Andes. Bolivia - episode # 3.
Adventure through the Andes. PerAdventure through the Andes. Ecuador - episode 1.u - episode # 2.

Full Movie Online

This was the first year that we saw some pretty heavy full length videos get released free on the interwebs. Yes the DVD industry is dead.

BEST - Antiout

This video has that certain feel that sets it above the rest - fun, well edited, perfect music selection, and rad riding. I have watched this vid around 10 times and it stokes me up to ride every time. Serious props to Antti for going after it and putting out a rock solid mini theatrical release. Here is a quote from John's review -
This perfectly timed film (just under thirty minutes) captures all aspects of riding with different film stock that really helps set-up different moods to some sick riding, if you will. From Scandinavia to Japan and beyond there is a symbiotic relationship with the music selection in AntiOut, as all the tunes go very well to the riding parts.

RUNNER-UP - Xavier de la Rue - This is My Winter

Perhaps our obsession with Antiout has left "This is My Winter" without ample coverage. This is the best big mountain rider of all time tackling some of the most serious terrain, ever. The Alaska stuff looks tame compared to the nutball stuff in the Alps. The ice couloir is one of those rare instant classic moments.The fact that XDLR loses it on the first attempt and then heads straight back up like he just missed a trick in the park. Seriously, it is a enormous shear ice wall, something that really no one else in the world would think about hitting.

HONORABLE MENTION

At Equilibrium - the full movie
Peddie Files Full Movie
The Rascals

Teaser

To be perfectly honest, I didn't watch many teasers this year. The level of the selected is certainly high but other than Art of Flight, I wasn't overly blown away by any of them.

BEST - Brainfarm - Art of Flight

This really wasn't even close. Here's what a teaser is supposed to be, start to finish bad-ass, and in this case, no expense spared. You would expect nothing less from the Brain Farm crew. Extra points for the bear dominating that pitch and the method at 1:52.

RUNNER-UP - Absinthe - Twelve

Executing the tried and true teaser formula, fast edit, lots of action, very few landings. I love the pillow drop at 1:16 that is followed by the transfer straight air.

HONORABLE MENTION - YES.

YES Its a Movie Trailer
This has everything that we love - travel, powder, pillows, sick riding, and powder. I really wanted to put this as my runner-up but just couldn't with a minute plus intro before you see any riding at all.
TB20

POV

Last year I said we were going to not post as many POV vids. We failed. 4 out of every 5 snow vids is POV, making it nearly impossible to avoid. The good news is that there were a lot of decent ones this year.

BEST - Travis Rice

Pretty tough to compete with this, a rare opportunity to see just how fast Trice attacks terrain and still manages to bust out smooth. Added bonus, it may be the only clip of film from Art of Flight that doesn't include at least one gratuitous slow mo shot.

RUNNER-UP-Tim Humphreys

Last year Humprheys laid down the blueprint for a sick freestyle POV. Amazingly no one seemed to follow up on this, well except Humphreys himself. This video is more complete than last years, mixing the insane airs with some pillows, and backcountry. If it wasn't the legend in first, Humphrey's dominates.

HONORABLE MENTION

Dave Short Destroying Spines and Lines
Backcountry with Ralph
Shin Campos 2011 POV Edit
Forrest Shearer in AK

What the, did you just see that?

BEST - Xavier de la Rue

We really just included this category because of Xavier. There are at least three of those moments in this video. However, the ice ride is one of the top of all time.

RUNNER-UP - Kazu

You are right, this isn't really true to the category in the same way as Xavier. It does warrant multiple watches to fully appreciate Kazu's style. In my opinion, he, more than anyone, is the heir apparent to the Craig-Terje lineage. Hopefully the flying carrot top keeps skipping the Open and allows real style and passion to shine through. The first hit is so damn big and smooth that it almost seems fake. I watched that alley more than other section of any video last year.

HONORABLE MENTION

King's Crown Chuck Down - 0:16 BS3
Filet Mignon - 0:23 high speed transfer - Curtis Ciszek

Damn, now I want to ride

BEST - Provo Bros

Oddly, the video that most got me stoked to ride wasn't even traditional snowboarding. Something about the simplicity and the process around bindingless riding is infectious. After watching, I just wanted to ride something, I think I ended up straight bombing my neighbor's hill on my snow skate.

RUNNER-UP TIE - Terje and MFM

Terje - In spite of a really kooky edit from Burton, this video is solid. Haakon justs looks like he is having fun while doing things that Haakon does. Seriously, if that doesn't inspire you to go ride, I hear there are some sweet new interior decorating lines at Target.

Very similar deal to Terje. MFM, the legend, just cruising the mountain. Just typing that makes me want to go nollie cat tracks.

HONORABLE MENTION

Boring, Bland, overdone-hold that thought.
Head - Japan Love
HeliGoPro Park Runs
One Of The Best From JPN

Why the hell is this on a snowboarding site?

BEST - Macaskill

We started posting more and more non-snowboarding videos (always with the disclaimer - "this is not a snowboarding video but..." It is pretty tough to pick the best, but on shear views this one dominates. It got us a link on the Daily Beast and brought in a ton of likes. And for good reason, the imagery is breathtaking and the riding is awe inspiring.

RUNNER-UP - Baffin Island

I have longed for a serious Baffin Island video and this was it. Now if we get one that is snowboarding, well that would be real nice.

Baffin Island

HONORABLE MENTION

Oxelo Skateboards: India
Nightsurf
The Aussies know beer commercials
Altered Focus: Burma
Monster Cloudbreak
Vinyl drops another sick POV, this time in PA
Todd Falcon: potential murder, possible welder and listener to slayer...
5Boro - Fall 11

Best Russian Extreme Carving Video

It is Russian Extreme Carving, why the hell would you not love it?