We’re super stoked to hear that “Team Scanada” led by Dirt photographer Mattias Fredriksson won the prestigious Saint Deep photo challenge at Whistler. Hopefully we’ll get to see some of the winning shots soon.

Here’s the official word:

“TEAM SCANADA” LED BY SWEDE MATTIAS FREDRIKSSON TAKES TOP PRIZE AT INAUGURAL SAINT DEEP SUMMER PHOTO CHALLENGE

Dan Barham and Harookz win second and third place respectively

WHISTLER, BC, August 13, 2009 – Last night Kokanee Crankworx took over the Fairmont Chateau Whistler as more than 1,000 people poured into their largest ballroom, some with bikes in tow, to take in the inaugural Saint Deep Summer Photo Challenge.

In front of the capacity crowd, six of the world’s best mountain bike photographers bared it all with their five minute show shot entirely over three days in the Whistler Mountain Bike Park, and around Whistler’s valley trails and jump parks. The multi-national “Team Scanada,” led by Swede Mattias Fredriksson took the top prize with a show that showcased his team’s freeride expertise, and inspired editing by Dave Mossop of the Rocky Mountain Sherpas. On top of his awe-inspiring images, cameos from a Viking, Spiderman and a bear sent the audience over the edge.

“It was a great honour to even be considered for this event,” says Fredriksson. “I am known for my ski photography but I love to shoot bike riding. To share this experience with people like John Gibson means a lot to me since he is one of the reasons I was inspired to get into mountain bike photography. Dave Mossop and I worked so hard to edit the photos, we really worked as a team. I learned a lot from this and I owe so much to Team Scanada for helping me take first place against these amazing photographers.”

Team Scanada represented all styles of riding and was comprised of Canadian downhill racer Stevie Smith; Norwegian freerider Trond G Hansen; Swedish freerider Jenny Liljegren, the only girl participating in Deep Summer as an athlete; and Swedish freestyle rider Martin Söderström, a young upstart with his eye on this Saturday’s Monster Energy Slopestyle prize purse. Local Seb Kemp acted as a location manager for this worldly team, getting them to the right spots and at the right time, and Mossop stitched it all together with Fredriksson to create a slideshow that exceeded everyone’s expectations.

Local North Shore Vancouverite Dan Barham took home second place, and Harookz, also of Vancouver, was awarded third. Bryan Ralph of Nelson, BC; Yorick Carroux of Vancouver; and John Gibson of Canmore, AB were also contenders in the Saint Deep Summer Photo Challenge.

“Each and every team did an incredible job of shooting and producing widely varied and extremely entertaining shows in such a tight time frame,” says head judge Paul Morrison. “In the end Mattias took top spot, but each team should be very proud of what they accomplished. I believe every person in the huge audience was pretty much blown away by what they saw.”

Judge Jonathan Hayward, staff photographer for the Canadian Press, echoed Morrison’s sentiments. “The Deep Summer Photo Challenge totally blew me away. The quality of photographs from this high energy sport truly captured the vibe and feeling of riding. With over 1,000 people coming out, it proved still photography is alive and well. People love to view quality images and it showed as the crowd cheered, laughed and reacted as the pictures were shown.”

At the end of the slideshows the judges immersed themselves in heated deliberation to award the top three photographers while the audience was treated to a special viewing of Jordan Manley’s winning slideshow from the Arc’Teryx Deep Winter Photo Challenge, the annual January event Deep Summer was modeled after. Freeriding pioneer Brett Tippie also jumped on stage to roast the photographers and officiate a Portobello cupcake eating contest that rapidly deteriorated into an out and out food fight on stage between Tippie and professional mountain biker Brian Lopes. Through it all hosts Mike Douglas, legendary freeskier and host of Deep Winter and Darcy Turenne, freerider and host of The Ride Guide, kept the show rolling.

Dirt photographer Mattias Fredriksson and team won the prestigious Saint Deep photo challenge at Crankworx, Whistler.