Animal Slopestyle Championships, Castleford 3rd October 2009
The Animal Slopestyle Championships at Castleford SNO!zone wrapped up the 2009 British Snow Tour in style on Saturday 3rd October. The creative slopestyle course, which included a selection of rails, boxes, kickers and elevated pipe jibs set the stage as over 160 of the UK’s top freestylers battled it out in one of the closest and highest levels of competitions seen on UK snow!
Animal Slopestyle Championships
The Animal Snowboard Slopestyle Championships kicked off the day’s competition and the standard of riding was immense. Over 85 riders, 25 of them impressively coming from the women’s category hit the slope and linked together impressive and super technical runs making it a tough call to narrow the field for the finals for the judges.
It was extremely tight during the women’s qualification round, with the top four spots through to the final being increased to six after fourth place was tied between three riders. Lynsey Ashdown, who had been riding consistently well all day and qualified in first place, was victorious and walked away with the 2009 Animal Slopestyle Championship title. Lynsey’s winning run included a 50-50 180 out on the top rail, to switch boardslide on the middle rail, followed by a smooth frontside 360 over the kicker and cab 270 on the bottom box. Second place went to Helen Fox who charged the course and linked together a frontside lipslide on the top rail, a switch frontside boardslide on the middle rail and big method over the kicker. Sophie Nicholls, who has really stepped it up during this year’s British Snow Tour events, finished in third place with a smooth frontside lipslide on the top rail, to switch boardslide on the middle rail and an impressive 270 on the box.
In the men’s final Andy Nudds, Stu Edwards and Jack Shackleton where amongst the riders pushing the limits and raising the bar with incredibly tech rail tricks, big 540’s and cab 720’s being thrown down. Younger rider and Castleford local Tom Hunt, who had been killing it all day and impressed all with his consistent riding was crowned the 2009 Men’s Animal Slopestyle Champion. Tom’s impressive run included a 50–50 backside pivot cab 180 out on the top rail, to gap switch noseslide 180 out on the middle rail, to cab 720 mute over the kicker and a cab 180 to front blunt on the bottom gas pipe. A very close second place went to fellow Castleford rider, Jamie Nicholls who nailed a clean and stylish run that included a frontside blunt pivot 270, tap cab 180 out on the top rail, to 50-50 frontside 180 on the middle rail, to cab 720 melon over the kicker, to frontside blunt cab 360 out on the bottom gas pipe. John Weatherly finished in third place with a frontside blunt 270 out on the top rail, a gap frontside boardslide on the middle rail, to cab 270 off on the elevated pipe and a 180 on cab 360 off on the bottom gas pipe.
Animal Slopestyle Championships
Animal Snowboard Slopestyle Championship Results:
Men
1st – Tom Hunt - Leeds
2nd – Jamie Nicholls - Bradford
3rd - John Weatherly - Chester
Women
1st – Lynsey Ashdown - Manchester
2nd – Helen Fox - London
3rd – Sophie Nicholls - Bradford
Animal Freeski Slopestyle Championships
In the afternoon over 70 freeskiers hit the slope and the Animal Slopestyle Course and linked together some stylish and technical rail and kicker combinations. Competition was fierce with all riders keen to impress the judges and make it through to the top four women and top eight men finals.
Animal Slopestyle Championships
During the women’s final Katie Summerhayes continued to impress all and stepped it up on home turf to take the overall 2009 Animal Slopestyle Championship title. Katie’s run included a frontside 270 off on the top rail, to switch on the middle rail, followed by a 450 off on the elevated pipe and a frontside switch up, blind 270 out on the bottom gas pipe. Second place went to Servanne Herant who did a 270 onto the box, to 270 on the long rail, to frontside 270 out on gas pipe. Third place went to Kelly O’Donnell with a smooth run which included a 270 out on the elevated gas pipe and 270 on 270 off on the bottom box.
The standard of skiing in the men’s final was extremely high with all ages including experienced freeskiers Andy Bennett, Charlie Smith and younger ripper Cal Sandieson leading the way. Cal has impressively made it through to three British Snow Tour men’s overall finals now and at only 11 he’s definitely one to watch out for.
Josh Birch cemented his place as one of the UK’s top slopestyle riders by adding the Animal Indoor Slopestyle Championship title to his recent artificial slopestyle win in Norfolk. Josh’s run included a 270 on the down rail, to disaster 270 on the flat down rail, a 450 out on the elevator pipe followed by a switch lip 270 pretzel 450 out on the bottom gas pipe. James Wood’s finished in a close second place with a switch on, pretzel 270 out on the top down rail, a disaster 270 on the middle rail, followed by a 630 out on the elevator gas pipe and a 270 on 270 off on bottom gas pipe. Third place went to Josh Fawcett with a frontside 450 off the street rail and 450 off the elevated gas pipe.
Animal Ski Slopestyle Championships
Animal Freeski Slopestyle Championship Results:
Men
1st – Josh Birch - London
2nd – James Woods - Sheffield
3rd – Josh Fawcett – Stoke-on-Trent
Women
1st – Katie Summerhayes – Sheffield
2nd – Servanne Herant – Stoke-on-Trent
3rd – Kelly O’Donnell – Stoke-on-Trent
The inspirational schools tour team also ended their quest in Castleford after inspiring a further 100 beginners to come along to the event and have a lesson. The team will be hanging up their lunch boxes and letting the high fives hang loose until next year after successfully spreading the word to over 6,000 school pupils this summer and introducing over 500 kids to try skiing or snowboarding for the first time courtesy of the Animal and Trespass Learner Academies.
To check out the photos and video footage from the Animal Slopestyle Championships in Castleford or any of the previous events and to keep up to date with the British Snow Tour Invitational Championships, which is taking place on Friday 23rd October at the Metro Ski & Snowboard Show in London go to:www.britishsnowtour.com
The British Snow Tour and Schools Tour programme would not be possible without its highly supportive sponsors:Animal, Trespass, SNO!zone, Cushe, Snow+Rock Demo partners: DC, Ride, K2, Line, and Volkl skis. Media partners Whitelines,Dark Summer, Spiked, Extreme Sports Channel, Metrosnow.co.uk,Snowboardclub.co.uk, Skiclub.co.uk,and Natives.co.uk
British Snowboard Tour – Castleford Picture Gallery
British Freeski Tour – Castleford Picture Gallery
