2008 Animal British Slopestyle Championships and Big Air Jam.

The 2008 British Snow Tour headed ‘Eastside’ to Chatham this weekend, 12th & 13th July for the Animal Slopestyle Championships and Big Air Jam. Chatham’s impressive slopestyle course, which included a monster 60ft rail, set the stage for over 80 of the UK’s best freestylers who linked together an amazing assortment of technical rail and kicker combo’s. Inspired by the Schools Tour Team and local ripper Cody Hierons over 200 beginners headed to the event to check out the action and take part in the FREE lessons up for grabs courtesy of the Animal Lesson Academies.


The Animal Big Air Jam opened up Saturday’s competition with local riders, Callum Wilkin, Cody Hierons, Ryan Lewis and Alex Spence leading the way and taking the top spots with a variety of huge backside 540’s and switch 360’s. Fresh from his Big Air win in Halifax, Jamie Nicholls continued his top form to take the men’s under 16’s big air title with a textbook 720 and cab underflip. In the women’s competition, Samantha Rogers front-flipped her way into first place, with Katie Ormerod who was attempting 720’s in a close second.

The sun finally started to shine as the afternoon’s Animal Slopestyle Championships got underway with the top eight male and top four female riders making it through to the two run final. In the women’s final, Samantha Rogers linked together a smooth and technical run to take home first place and the women’s Animal Slopestyle title. Her choice of tricks included a switch 180 to frontside 360, backside 180 and 50-50 on the monster 60ft down-flat-down box. Katie Ormerod finished in second place after an impressive run including a backside 360, cab 180 and grind on the C-box, whilst Becca Richardson secured her spot in third place with a tidy collection of 180’s and 50-50’s on the rails. In the men’s final, Jamie Nicholls stomped a technical run which included, a backside 720, 50-50 to 180 out on the rocket rail and a noseslide to 270 out on the 40ft rail, securing him first place and his second British Championship Title in as many weeks. Local Chatham boys Callum Wilkin and Cody Hierons were charging the course all day, with Callum finishing in second place after pulling off a huge frontflip nosegrab on the big kicker and a stylish tailslide to noseslide on the 60ft box. Cody finished in third place with a selection of stylish 360 truckdrivers and a solid frontside boardslide on the 40ft “Animal rail”.

Animal Big Air Jam Results
Men’s under 16’s
1st – Callum Wikin – Maidstone
2nd – Josh Law – London
3rd – Alex Spence – Chatham
Men’s over 16’s
3rd – Ryan Lewis – Chatham
1st – Jamie Nicholls – Bradford
2nd – Cody Hierons – Chatham
Women
1st – Samantha Rogers – Bracknell
2nd – Katie Ormerod – Bradford
3rd – Rebecca Richardson – Middlesex

Animal British Slopestyle Championships Results
Men
1st – Jamie Nicholls - Bradford
2nd – Katie Ormerod - Bradford
3rd – Becca Richardson - Middlesex
Women
1st – Samantha Rogers - Reading
2nd – Callum Wilkin – Maidstone
3rd – Cody Hierons – Chatham


Day two of the Animal Slopestyle Championship event made way for the UK’s top freeskiers, who were out in force and ready to impress, throwing down switch spins and inverts in the Big Air Jam. Kelly O’Donnell perfectly landed a frontflip and 540 to beat off stiff competition and take first place in the women’s Jam. In the men’s Big Air Jam, Tyler Harding nailed a huge backflip to take the under 16’s title, whilst James Machon’s stylish 720 secured him top spot in the over 16’s men’s category.


In the Afternoon the highly anticipated Animal Slopestyle Championships got underway and the standard of skiing was extremely high. Flips and switch tricks were being thrown down with the hopes of making it through to the final. In the women’s final Katie Summerhayes linked together a fluid and technical run, which included a 270 off on the top rail, smooth 540 over the kicker and a grind on the bottom rail to take the women’s Animal Slopestyle title. Second place went to Kelly O’Donnell with a technical 270 off on the rail, whilst Rowan Cheshire claimed third with a selection of grinds on the rails. In the men’s final it was a close call for a podium spot, but it was Charlie Smith who pulled it out of the bag with an impressive switch grind to 270 out on the top rail, 270 on onto the kick rail, Lincoln Loop over the kicker and a 270 on onto the bottom 40ft “Animal rail” to take first place and the 2008 Animal Slopestyle Title. Chris Mavin finished in second place with a grind to 270 out on the up-rail before lining up to front flip the middle kicker. Harry Hancock opted for the kicker line and landed a textbook 720 to take third.

Animal Big Air Jam Results
Men’s under 16’s
1st – Tyler Harding - Halifax
2nd – Jordan Bailey - Barnsley
3rd – Harry Hancock - Stoke-on-Trent
Men’s over 16’s
1st – James Machon - Sheffield
2nd – Charlie Smith – Stoke-on-Trent
3rd – Chris Mavin – Bracknell
Women
1st – Kelly O’Donnell - Stoke-on-Trent
2nd – Katie Summerhayes - Sheffield
3rd – Rowan Cheshire - Stoke-on-Trent

Animal British Slopestyle Championships Results
Men
1st – Charlie Smith – Stoke-on-Trent
2nd – Chris Mavin – Bracknell
3rd – Harry Hancock - Stoke-on-Trent
Women
1st – Katie Summerhayes - Sheffield
2nd – Kelly O’Donnell - Stoke-on-Trent
3rd – Rowan Cheshire - Stoke-on-Trent

To check out the pictures and video footage from the Animal British Slopestyle Championships, where you’ll also be able to get timings for the next event on the British Snow Tour calendar, the Trespass British Snowboardcross and Slopestyle Championships, 19th & 20th July in Norfolk, go to www.britishsnowtour.com

The British Snow Tour and Schools Tour programme would not be possible without its highly supportive sponsors: Animal, Quiksilver, Trespass, SNO!zone, Cushe, SUSO, TSA and Ellis Brigham. Demo partners: DC, Ride, K2, Line and Clifbar. Media partners: Whitelines, Skiclub.co.uk, Metrosnow.co.uk, Extreme.com and Snowboardclub.co.uk.