Cody Matechuk Sets a 450-Foot Snowbike World Record in Golden, British Columbia
GOLDEN, B.C.
How this event was produced and what it means for the partners involved.
- Cody Matechuk broke his own world record on a snowbike this month, launching 450 feet off a mountainside near Golden, British Columbia, at nearly 50 miles per hour -- and rode the moment straight into WAKE Alphatropics' entry to the U.S. market.
- The jump surpassed Matechuk's own previous mark of 320 feet. He executed the descent and the landing at once, piloting a parachute system that carried both him and the snowbike down to the ground.
- WAKE, a non-nicotine energy pouch brand from WPG Brands Inc., built its U.S. launch around the stunt rather than a conventional media buy. The activation was produced through a partnership with Thrill Sports, the action-sports company behind Nitro Circus, Street League Skateboarding, and Power Slap, and the resulting content moved through that network rather than paid advertising.
- The bet is a familiar one for WPG Brands: earn attention through a real, verifiable moment before spending on advertising. It is the same model the company is now running a second and third time, with Pulse's retail collaboration and ALRT's launch to first responders.
How WAKE and Thrill Sports produced a world-record snowbike jump as the centerpiece of a content-first U.S. market launch.
This activation was built as a named, credited partnership rather than a sponsorship placement -- each side's contribution is disclosed below, not folded into a single "brand-sponsored" claim. WPG runs this same governed-partnership model across its brand portfolio.
"WAKE is a natural partner given their commitment to performance and their ambition to support athletes and communities built around progression and achievement," said Frank Lamicella, CEO of Thrill Sports.
WAKE is one of three brands WPG Brands Inc. runs on a shared commercial engine -- a governed relationship model, verified sourcing, and cross-brand distribution reach, not a one-off campaign budget.
WAKE Alphatropics is a non-nicotine energy pouch brand from WPG Brands Inc.
Cody Matechuk: Cody Matechuk is a Canadian professional freestyle motocross athlete. He has competed in FMX disciplines across North America and is known for technical execution and progressive riding. He was the performance athlete featured in the WAKE x Thrill Sports activation; his wider athletic career is his own and is not WPG-owned.
Thrill Sports: Thrill Sports is an action sports production company. Thrill Sports selected and produced the athlete activation that connected WAKE to the action-sports performance ecosystem; WAKE benefited from and participated in the activation as the named brand partner and does not own Thrill Sports' broader operations.
Nitro Circus: Nitro Circus is the world's largest action sports entertainment company. Co-founded by Travis Pastrana, Nitro Circus produces global live tours, original content, and athlete development programs across freestyle motocross, BMX, skateboarding, and other disciplines.