By Ruth Addicott
A magazine about extreme sports launches on news-stands in March, hoping to cash in on the growing popularity of all terrain boarding.
All Terrain Boarding Magazine: fast-growing sport
Also known as mountain boarding, all terrain boarding combines the skills of skateboarding, surfing and snowboarding.
Independently owned All Terrain Boarding Magazine made its debut as a subscription-based title in March 2002 and has extended its distribution to cater for growing demand. According to founding editor Jonathan Bisson, all 10 issues sold out within four days and the magazine’s subscriber base has grown from 2,000 to more than 6,000.
Targeting men aged 16 to 34, it will relaunch with a nationwide print run of 20,000 and cover price of £2.65. The 100-page title will be perfect bound and have a slightly wider size than before. The relaunch coincides with a new television series, ATBmag TV, a fortnightly 30-minute round-up of news, reviews and events on satellite channel Extreme TV.
Bisson became involved with the sport three years ago and decided to set up the magazine company, Disengage Partners, following an injury in the Alps. “I broke my back and the only way I could stay involved in the sport was to do a magazine. The demand is unprecedented,” he told Press Gazette. “At the top end, the sport has the glamour and excitement of snowboarding, and at grass-roots level it’s as easy to get into as skateboarding or cycling. Surfers need sea; skate-boarders need flat terrain; snow-boarders need snow. All you need for this is a hill. It’s very accessible.”
Bisson is producing the magazine from a farm house in Devon with his wife Annika, who is responsible for the design. Former Archant newspaper photographer Paul Taylor is also involved. Bisson said it would take a slightly more mature approach than some of the existing extreme sport titles. It is believed 90,000 people participate in all terrain boarding in the UK and one million worldwide.
Bisson said the magazine’s success had been driven by the internet where fans had spread the word and distribute copies abroad. Copies will be exported to 20 countries and the title relies on a string of international contributors.
He has arranged for the magazine to be handed out with the 300,000 new boards that are due to be sold worldwide this year.
Ruth Addicott
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