Air Wars

On	Sunday 25th August 2002 (2240 days ago)
Location	Alpine Snowsports Aldershot , United Kingdom

Aldershot Charity Big Air Comp & Slope Style Competition.

Details

Review

Results

Gallery

By Richard McCardle

Upon arriving everyone was greeted by the beast of military scaffolding that is the Aldershot dryslope, as it was 10am on a Sunday everyone appeared to be a little jaded from the night before. The most sobering thing that confronted us was the "Deathrail" - so deadly it could destroy an entire planet! I suddenly decided I wasn't going to ride in the slopestyle event due to the fact the force seriously wasn't with me that day and perhaps a trip in an ambulance wasn't my cup of tea!

The weather started of dismal and cloudy (perfect for a dryslope comp) then as the riders started warming up for the slopestyle the sun popped out and then proceeded to bake the us all (snowboarding in the summer on plastic? We Brits are weird aren't we). The format was a slopestyle jam which then went on to a big air comp later in the afternoon. Around 40 riders competed with a distinct lack of representation from the lady riders (3) it was 4 until one of the locals managed a free ride to the hospital with a dislocated knee after her third warm up run.

The slopestyle Jam started after an hour of warming up and we started to see some real talent/guts emerging on the slope. One of the first noticeable talents was Chris Schultz who hit that scary rail with zero fear and 100% "dope lazy skate" style. Another was the spinning local hero Gary Martin whose 540's and attempted 720's were a real crowd pleaser. Very solid, big and stylish performances from both James Murray and Stuart Clowser but the man with the technical abilities and sheer lack of regard for his health was Luke Paul who managed pull off a couple of front flips and various other winning manouvers such as a totally tweeked Japan Air. The judges picked the best 4 un-sponsored and sponsored riders and we then saw the Jam lift into a real close battle between the alrounders such as Sam Cullem, Neil Hutchins, Luke Paul, Chris Woods, Stuart Clowser, Neil Hutchings the airbourne specialists such as James Murray, Gary Martin and the jib master
Chris Schultz (who in my opinion is the Jib king). The slopestyle finished with people unsure with who really styled the slope and we had to wait until the end to see who came where.

After an hour or so the organisers took down the rails and moved the kickers over to a learner slope, turn on the sprinklers and sprayed the entire slope with a silicon spray. Eveyone decided even after 200 gallons of Back to Black liquid stuff it was still too dry/slow and moved the kickers back on to main slope which was running better. Before you know it the big air had started and saw all competetors having 2 shots at the kicker and again the best 4 of each go through to the next heat. Everyone was going for straight airs. Chris Woods started spinning which then saw Gary Martin going for another 720. Highlights were "11 months snowboarding 14 year old newly sponsored that day gifted and Bracknell local" Sam Cullem pull an effortless and smooth switch 360. Luke Paul the man that seems to get better by the minute pulled what I think was a smooth backside 360 melon and Chris Woods B/S 3 indy. For the ladies we saw Liz Osbourne floating in the air closely followed by Helen (from Wycombe whose surname escapes me) and Kat from Bracknell (who got cheated out of the 3rd place even though there were only 3 women in the comp!)

At the end of the day, after many burgers were eaten the beer started flowing, a feeling of a great competition and fun day out for all the family was in the air. Well done Aldershot!

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     20 May, 2004