Quiksilver Snowboard Big Air Championships
The Quiksilver Rail Jam kicked off Saturdays competition with the local snowboarding contingency AKA, the "AKA crew" out in force and setting the standards. Local's Matt Macwhirter and Jamie Nicholls bagged the top spots during the men's rail jam, spinning 450's onto the box. In the women's rail jam Lynsey Ashdown cleaned the kink rail with a stylish boardslide to fakie to take the women's title, whilst a special shout out goes to the younger riders including Will Smith and Tom Hunt for some creative Jackson's and frontflips onto the box.
In the afternoon's Quiksilver Big Air Championships the top eight men and four women went through to the head to head two run finals. Andy Nudds was riding super strong all day and threw down a massive frontside 900, which was easily the biggest trick of the day. Nudds crashed out on a huge 720 during the semi finals, leaving Danny McCormick's stylish backside 900 to take him through to the final round. Jamie Nicholls stomped a textbook 900 and cab underflip 720 to knock Ben Knox out of the semi finals, making it a McCormick and Nicholls final. McCormick dropped in first and over rotated on a 900, scuffing the landing, leaving local ripper Jamie Nicholls to clean up and take the Quiksilver Big Air title with a 900 and perfectly landed backside 720. In the women's final youngster Katie Ormerod firmly secured her spot as the 'one to watch' taking the women's 2008 Quiksilver Big Air Championship title after she nailed a smooth 540, whilst Liz Osborn and Lynsey Ashdown finished in second and third respectively.
Quiksilver Rail Jam Results
Men's over 16's
1st - Matt MacWhirter - Halifax
2nd - Andy Nudds - Halifax
3rd - Wayne Taylor - Halifax Men's under 16's 1st - Jamie Nicholls - Bradford
2nd - Lannig Canu - Barnet
3rd - Will Smith - Bradford Women
1st - Lynsey Ashdown - Manchester
2nd - Rhianna Nuttall - Rossendale
3rd - Katie Ormerod - Bradford Quiksilver Big Air Results
Men
1st - Jamie Nicholls - Bradford
2nd - Danny McCormick - Glasgow
3rd - Ben Knox - Crouch End Women 1st - Katie Ormerod - Bradford
2nd - Liz Osborne - Cambridge
3rd - Lynsey Ashdown - Manchester Quiksilver Freeski Big Air Championships
Day two of the Quiksilver Big Air Championships made way for the UK's finest freeskiers, with the Rail Jam kick starting the day's competition. In the men's final it was Andy Bennett's Switch 450 on the box that secured him the gold in the men's over 16's age category, whilst local ripper Tyler Harding cleaned up in the under 16's age category with a sweet 450 on, 270 off on the box.
In the afternoons Quiksilver Big Air Championships it was all about style, amplitude and clean landings as the top eight men and four women went head to head through the eliminating rounds. In the men's final Andrew Longley was victorious and landed a technical D-spin 720 to take the 2008 Quiksilver Big Air Tile. Switch 720's where the trick of choice for the Machon brothers, Robert and James who finished in second and third respectively after an amazing day of skiing. In the women's competition Kelly O'Donnell finished in third place with a 540, whilst Becky Hammond and Rowan Cheshire, newcomer to the tour battled it out during the final round for first place. Becky pulled out a stylish 540 and managed to ski away with one ski taking second, whilst Rowan stomped a clean 540 to take the women's title, not bad for her first appearance on the tour hey! Rail Jam Results
Men's over 16's
1st - Andy Bennett - Sheffield
2nd - Joe Tomlinson - Rossendale
3rd - Jack Nicholson - N/A Men's under 16's 1st - Tyler Harding - Halifax
2nd - Harry Hancock - Stoke-on-Trent
3rd - Joe Hides -Sheffield Women
1st - Kelly O'Donnell - Stoke-on-Trent
2nd - Molly Summerhayes - Sheffield
3rd - Becky Hammond - Sheffield Quiksilver Freeski Big Air Results
Men
1st - Andrew Longley - Sheffield
2nd - Robert Machon - Sheffield
3rd - James Machon - Sheffield Women 1st - Rowan Cheshire - Stoke-on-Trent
2nd - Becky Hammond - Sheffield
3rd - Kelly O'Donnell - Stoke-on-Trent
To check out the pictures and video footage from the Quiksilver Big Air Championships, where you'll also be able to get timings for the next event on the British Snow Tour calendar, the Animal British Slopestyle Championships, 12th & 13th July in Chatham Kent 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.