The British Snowboard and Freeski Tour made its first indoor stop of the series this weekend, Saturday 6th October at Castleford SNO!zone, for the Animal British Indoor Slopestyle Championships. SNO!zones excellent course layout set the stage for over 150 of the UK’s top freeskiers and snowboarders, who put on an impressive display with tight technical rail tricks being witnessed. Over at the Animal ski and snowboard learner academy 100 beginners strapped in for the first time after being visited and inspired by the Schools Tour Team, headed up by Animal pro rider, Sonia Shaw.
With entertainment all round, including FREE coaching from Method Snow School and product testing from Ride, K2, Salomon and Faction Skis and running commentary from James Thorne, the Animal Slopestyle Championships established a great start and set the standard for the indoor and TTR TWO(2) STAR British Snow Tour events.
The Animal British Freeski Slopestyle Championships jump-started the day’s competition, with over 65 competitors taking to the slope with hopes of making it through to the top 8 men and 5 women final. 2007 British Slopestyle Champion Paddy Graham, raised the bar, with a 630 attempt onto the rail in his final run, but it was Edinburgh’s Murray Buchan who clinched the title with a lipslide to 270 out on the top rail to switch on the C rail to 450 out, to switch 450 on 270 off the box and a switch 270 on 450 out on the bottom C rail. Paddy Graham came in second with a 270 on to switch off on the top rail, switch to 450 off on the middle rail, and a grind to 270 out on the kinked bottom rail. Third place went to Charlie Smith, with a 270 on to the top rail, to switch on the C box to 450 out, to 270 on 270 off on the box, finishing with a disaster 270 on the kinked rail.
In the women’s competition Castleford local and new comer to the series, Kerry Daines linked together a smooth and technical run including, grind to 270 out on the top rail, to switch grind to 270 out on the middle rail, 270 on 270 off on the box and a clean grind on the bottom kinked rail. Second place went to Shelly Jones with a grind on the top rail and switch 270 on onto the box. Youngster Katie Summerhayes came in third with a combination of smooth 90 grinds and a switch to 90 grind along the box.
| Men | Women |
| 1st – Murray Buchan, Edinburgh | 1st – Kerry Daines, Castleford |
| 2nd – Paddy Graham, Sheffield | 2nd – Shelly Jones, Stoke-on-Trent |
| 3rd – Charlie Smith, Stoke-on-Trent | 3rd – Katie Summerhayes, Sheffield |
Faction Ski’s ‘Step-up’ award was presented to Rob Hackney from Stoke-on-Trent, winning himself a pair of handmade ski’s and entry into the grand prize draw to win a year’s contract.
In the snowboard competition, standards and competitor numbers were high, with new names and talent along with several old faces making it through to the finals, including GB’s Freestyle Coach Hamish McKnight. In the Women’s competition Laura Berry set the standard and came away with the Animal British Slopestyle Championship title with a smooth and technical run including, a frontside boardslide on the top rail, a big gap to boardslide to fakie on the kinked rail and a technical switch nosepress to 180 out on the box. Second place went to Leeds local Laura Hill who was the only girl to clean the wall ride all day and third place with a selection of solid boardslides went to Gemma Marshall.
Regarded as the jewel in the freestyle crown, the men’s competition was hotly contested, with only decimal points separating the top podium spots. Johnny Russell, who thanks to Jeremy Sladen was able to cut his afternoon shift at the TSA shop short, was throwing down some 90’s pop star inspired manoeuvres a “Jackson” (50-50 on your toe edge) to frontside boardslide on the kinked rail and a huge 50-50 on the top of the wall ride, which literally was “off the wall” to take the 2007 Animal Slopestyle Championship title. Jamie Nicholls who was riding super strong all day, came in a very close second after a textbook run including, a 270 on 450 off on the top box, a smooth 270 onto the wall ride and 270 on 270 off along the C box. Third place went to Steve Revill who impressed all with a wrong way 270 onto the top rail, gap to frontside boardslide on the kinked rail and a big stylish frontside wallride to 180 out, finishing off with a switch noseslide to boardslide on the bottom rail.
| Men | Women |
| 1st – Johnny Russell, Sheffield | 1st – Laura Berry, Milton Keynes |
| 2nd – Jamie Nicholls – Bradford | 2nd – Laura Hill, Leeds |
| 3rd – Steve Revill, Milton Keynes | 3rd – Gemma Marshall, Sheffield |
Salomon “Best Un-sponsored” Awards went to, Lynsey Ashdown from Cheshire and Andy Nudds from Halifax, both winning a brand new Salomon set up.
The next event on the British Snow Tour calendar will be the Trespass British Indoor Snowboard / Skiercross Championships and Slopestyle Jam at Milton Keynes SNO!zone, Xscape on Saturday 13th October (please note that competitors must pre register online to compete) for event timings and info please go to www.britishsnowtour.com
The British Snowboard and Freeski Tour would not be possible without its highly supportive sponsors: Animal, Quiksilver, Trespass, SNO!zone, Salomon, Ride, K2 and Faction Ski’s. Official retail partners TSA and Ellis Brigham. Media partners Whitelines, Dark Summer, Extreme.com, Snowboardclub.co.uk and Skiclub.co.uk.
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