Yes, you did read that correctly. There is no need to cross the waters to find a decent mountain half-pipe anymore – Scotland has just adopted the UK’s first ever half-pipe on CairnGorm Mountain!
The half-pipe is currently sitting at the Ptarmigan T-Bar and has already attracted a massive number of uber-keen boards, including TSA riders, Jamie and Angus Trinder. They’ve already posted some pretty sweet pictures on their blog.
This beastly looking piece of equipment, the Pipe Magician, has now dug out the pipe and is coincidentally the same type that was used at the Salt Lake Winter Olympics in 2002. After it set up camp in the mountain resort at the end of last summer, it sparked rumours of a potential half-pipe development.
CairnGorm Mountain Limited (CML) are now organising a half-pipe competition on April 19th, where they will be putting the 18ft cutter “to the test”. Details on this competition will be dropping soon.
Ross Coulter, digital marketing executive at CairnGorm Mountain said: “It is something I think we recognised has been in demand over recent years and it is a privilege to be the first place in the UK to have a half-pipe.”
He added: “After the Vans competition last year was such a success, we decided we really wanted to attract more freestylers to CairnGorm so the pipe will be a great asset.
“We are hoping this [the half-pipe] will provide a grand finale to the exciting run of freestyle events at CairnGorm Mountain.”
These current events include the Scottish Freestyle Championships, Banked Slalom, VANS Hi-Standard Series and Ptarmigan Slopestyle Jam.
The pipe-cutter was a big investment so CML are hoping to bring the pipe back every year but it will be weather dependent. This year, CairnGorm Mountain’s conditions were good enough to get the half-pipe carved so let’s hope next year follows.
The half-pipe has the potential to become home to the UK athletes as a training ground in the future, if weather allows next year and the “Pipe Magician” can get to work again. As long as the wind stays down, we reckon this new addition to the park will do for some decent shredding.
