London Ski & Snowboard Show Review
The Ski & Snowboard Show, London Olympia, Friday 22nd October 2010
The British Snow Tour Invitational Championships was a definite highlight of Friday's action at the Ski & Snowboard Show, London Olympia. With 20 of the UK's top Snowboarders and Freeskiers charging the 50ft indoor big air kicker and displaying their technical and varied bag of tricks including stylish rodeo 540's and huge 720's in front of a crowd of thousands.
Snowboard Invitational Championships
With Scott McMorris and Will Hughes comfortably in their judging seats and a line-up of top UK riders including, Billy Morgan, Andy Nudds, Colum Mytton, Sparrow Knox, Danny McCormick, Simon Cudlip, Cody Hierons and Samantha Rogers ready to drop in on the 50ft kicker, the British Snow Tour Snowboard Invitational Championships got underway.
The knock-out out format witnessed riders going head-to-head and getting one chance to impress the judges and progress on into the next rounds. Andy Nudds and 2010 Giro British Big Air Champion, Billy Morgan impressed the most and made it through to the one run final. Billy dropped in first and landed a super stylish 540 nosegrab but Nuddsy answered back with a huge textbook 720 and was crowned the 2010 British Snow Tour Invitational Champ.
Andy Nudds commented: "I really enjoyed the competition, the knock out format made it a lot more exciting, although I nearly got knocked out in the first round by Samantha Rodgers frontflip! I'm off to Tahoe for the season so my winnings will definitely help towards that.
Freeski Invitational Championships
The evening made way for the UK's top Freeskiers including, Paddy Graham, Murray Buchan, James Woods, James Webb, Katie Summerhayes, Charlie Richards, Josh Birch, Tyler-Jay Harding, Tom Coe, Joe Tomlinson, Julian Ball and Nathan Connelly, who hit the kicker and showcased just how high the standard of freeskiing is in the UK.
The youngest and only female freeski competitor of the day, Katie Summerhayes, impressed all with a selection of stylish 540's and 720's to impressively make it as far as the semi finals. Impressing judges, Joe Murrell and Eddie Thelwell the most to make it through to the one run knock-out final was Paddy Graham, James Woods and James Webb. James Webb dropped in first with a big backflip followed by Paddy Graham who stomped a stylish and tweaked rodeo 540. But Woodsy's huge 720 was absolutely on the money and James Woods walked away with the 2010 British Snow Tour Invitational Championship title for the second year in a row.
James Woods Commented: "I love riding in the British Invitational and at the Ski Show, this is my 7th year now and I really enjoy riding in front of all the crowds, it spurs me on. Call me a show off I guess ha!"
For images and videos from the British Snow Tour Invitational and for any information about the upcoming 2011 BRITS Snow and Music Festival, which will be held in LAAX Switzerland from 20th - 27th March 2011 go to: www.the-brits.com
The British Snow Tour, which is part of the Swatch TTR World Snowboard Tour, would not be possible without its highly supportive sponsors: Giro, Protest, Trespass, SNO!zone, Cushe and Snow+Rock. Demo partners: K2 & Ride snowboards and Line, Volkl and K2 skis. Media partners: Whitelines, Huck, Flipside, Extreme Sports Channel, Downdays.eu, Skiclub.co.uk, Natives.co.uk, Metrosnow.co.uk and Snowboardclub.co.uk.
