Words and photos by Charlotte Rayner-Brown
The Farmer’s Jam 2006 went off last weekend at Norfolk Ski Club under glorious clear blue skies. It was September in East Anglia, and it felt more like April in Mammoth. Closing your eyes, it was easy to imagine yourself out on a glacier somewhere… except the rasping sound of snowboards turning was a little more aggressive than usual, and every “OUCH!” a little more vehement.
The heat may have sucked for the riders, but it brought out the crowds. While the skiers and snowboarders were getting sweaty on the slopestyle course in their long sleeves and snowpants, hordes of people chilled out on the grassy banks of the slope, soaking up the vibe in the afternoon sunshine.
Competitors were evidently enjoying the well-planned course which included a rainbow box, hefty kicker, 15-foot-long box and permanent snowflex quarterpipe!
There aren’t too many places where you can session a set-up like this in the UK. Chris Sturgess, event organiser and owner of local shop Revolutionz, says, “You get all kinds of people coming along, some who are maybe not involved in the sport and it attracts a lot of new people to it. People can get an idea of what the lifestyle is like and they can try out free lessons. It’s the most chilled out, fun comp there is. The AIM series is great, but it’s a little too serious.”
Sturgess’s plan came off a treat: old and young folks from all over the country attended and had a blast. “Everyone had a crack at winning something. It was good to see some of the kids from Scotland doing tricks we can only dream about,” says Norwich local Gus Farnes.
But even dryslope snowboarders were showcasing their talents: “It amazes me how much progression you get on dryslope,” says Sturgess. “A couple of guys did backflips and backside 7s. I remember when if you could do a backside 3, you’d pretty much win the comp. Every year I see these guys out on snow and think there’s no way they would do it on dryslope, but they do. They don’t care if they get hurt; they’re prepared to huck themselves. I look at it and wince. I taught a lot of the kids competing, and less than two years ago they couldn’t even snowboard. Now here they are, winning things – it’s amazing.”
Spot prizes were up for grabs on the day, providing an incentive to land harder tricks to the otherwise laid-back jam format. The spot prize for the best train got the best crowd reaction when almost all the riders of the day scaled the summit and tailed one another down the slopestyle course, tricking the whole way. It’s testament to the skill level of the riders that 20 people could form a train, doing switch-ups, nosepresses and spins and not end up as human dominoes.
Thank you Norwich, for temporarily easing the pain of knowing winter is still four long months away.
www.revolutionz.co.uk
www.norfolkskiclub.co.uk
Winners Results
Big Air
Youth board: Will Nagle
Men board: Zach Culshaw
Girls board: Sam Rogers
Youth ski: Tom Coe
Men ski: Lee Gibling
Burton Rail Jam
Youth
1. Tom Coe
2. Jake Terry
3. Simon Beckett
U16
1. Will Nagle
2. Cody Heirons
3. Lunnig Canu
16-19
1. Kyle Wise
2. Laurie Majoram
3. Callum Wilkin
Girls
1. Becca Richardson
2. Sam Rogers
3. Emily Spicer
Men
1. Craig Scrivner
2. Chris Woods
3. Ian Bowles
Ski Rail Jam
Men
1. Robbie Debbage
2. Chris Benner
3. Ludo Canu
Snowboard Slopestyle
Youth
1. Cody Heirons
2. Will Nagle
3. Lunnig Canu
Girls
1. Sam Rogers
2. Becca Richardson
3. Emily Spicer
Men
1. Callum Wilkin
2. Kyle Wise
3. Craig Scrivner
Ski Slopestyle
1. Chris Benner
2. Tom Coe
3. Lee Gibling
Boardercross
Kids
1. Cody Heirons
2. Will Nagle
Youth
1. Kyle Wise
2. Laurie Majoram
Girls
1. Sam Rogers
2. Louise Turner
Men
1. Ian Bowles
2. Chris Woods
Skiercross
Youth
1. Ed Akister
2. Simon Beckett
Men
1. Justin Mesut
2. Stuart Richies
Most Improved
Jordan Southgate, Poppy, Milo and Ludo.
