Excellent, I have just taken part in my first snowboarding comp abroad and survived!

TTR hosted an open entry comp in the Snowpark de la Chapelle, in Avoriaz on Sat 31st Jan. It was a slopestyle comp with a $1000, prize money up for grabs. The comp had an strong turnout of 150 competitors with everyone rocking up at 9ish to get in their practice runs.
I was excited as a lot of effort had gone into recreating the park; making the jumps bigger and better, putting in more rails and boxes and making it sure it was packed with obstacles.

At 11.30am everyone was called to the top to line up for their 1st marked run. It was one at a time, so with a 150 competitors it was a long wait. The wait was so long that I actually lost all nervousness and was just desperate to go before my feet went completely numb! Everyone had just one marked run and then it was lunch, after lunch everyone was back up at the top queuing for their 2nd and final marked run.

I was thrilled with my 2nd run as I managed indie grabs off the big kickers and an ollie on and 50:50 over the up/down box. I know this sounds pretty basic and I can do all grabs at ease over small and medium kickers but it suddenly becomes harder when you have to go full speed, cover a big distance to make sure you land pass the flat and knuckle of the jump. You have to remain so much stronger in the air – it makes you realise how talented those are that are pulling 360s etc over the big kickers.
It was great to enter the comp as it has motivated my riding – I want to get back on it so I can do better in next week’s comp.

Everyone then had 15 minutes as a jam sess to show off their best trick – best trick must have gone to the double backflip?

Then the finals were called and the select few got 45 minutes to show what they were made of. Gilly Seagrave, co-founder of Our Camp (sponsored by Atomic, Protest and Adidas) got 2nd place; this was secured with her melon grab over the first red kicker (8 metres), then a smooth frontside 360, followed by a half cab indie. Pretty brave as these kickers were massive!
Sabrina, sponsored by Rude Chalets, Nikita, and Rome won the comp with her gnarly tricks on the rails got to take away $500 for her days work.

The Facts;
TTR is a non profit organisation and is registered as TTR Pro Snowboarding under the Swiss Law. It holds regular amateur to world standard comps all around the world, from 1 star (safe) events to 6 star (most gnarly) events.

Written by Catherine Peck, sponsored by Salomon, Ruroc and Animal.