The organisers of the British Snow Tour have hit us up to let us know how the first stage of this year’s series, held in Norfolk, went. It appears the answer was well. Check out this post-match report…

“It was a glorious start to the 2009 British Snow Tour at the weekend as blue skies welcomed over 100 of the UK’s best riders from across the land to Norfolk for the Mini BRITS weekender. The BBQ, MC and music got rocking as riders hit the slope and showcased their big bag of tricks in the British Big Air, Trespass Snowboardcross and Animal Slopestyle Championships!

Trespass Snowboardcross Championships
The Trespass Snowboardcross Championships kicked off the snowboard action on Saturday morning with possibly one of the closest UK snowboardcross events ever! In the men’s final all four riders charged out of the start gates and over the rollers at the same time with Edward Castle-Henry feeling the squeeze. With lightning quick reactions, Castle-Henry who had been forced into an awkward 90 position in mid-air continued the rotation and amazingly landed a clean 360 to continue down the course. Wayne Taylor, maintained his dominating form from the quarterfinals to cross the line in first, followed by a very pleased Edward Castle-Henry, with Jordan Southgate and Tom Moriarty finishing in third and fourth respectively.

In the women’s final Gemma Marshall was first out of the start gates with Vicky Pullin and Alice Blake hot on her heels. Gemma held onto her lead with the gap closing quickly behind her as she crossed the line in first place with Vicky and Alice finishing in second and third.

Trespass Snowboardcross Championship Results
Men Women
1st – Wayne Taylor – Halifax 1st – Gemma Marshall – Sheffield
2nd – Edward Castle-Henry – Hertfordshire 2nd – Vicky Pullin – Gloucestershire
3rd – Jordan Southgate – Norwich 3rd – Alice Blake – Hertfordshire
4th – Tom Moriarty – Norfolk

British Snowboard Big Air Championships
The sun continued to shine as the Big Air Championships got underway on Saturday afternoon. The top four women and eight men from the qualification round went through to the final with the more experienced riders stepping it up and setting the standard. Wayne Taylor, fresh from his Snowboardcross victory made it a double win for the day taking the overall men’s title with a very stylish corked backside 720. Second place went to Chatham local Cody Hierons who stomped a smooth backside 540, whilst Ben Knox finished in third place with a huge backside 540.

In the women’s final it was also experienced rider Liz Osbourn who showed the younger riders how it was done with a big stylish backside 360 tail grab, which secured her the gold. Second place went to Katie Ormerod, who landed another big backside 360 with Lynsey Ashdown taking third with a frontside 360.

British Snowboard Big Air Championship Results
Men Women
1st – Wayne Taylor – Halifax 1st – Liz Osbourn – Cambridge
2nd – Cody Hierons – Chatham 2nd – Katie Ormerod – Halifax
3rd – Ben Knox – London 3rd – Lynsey Ashdown – Manchester

British Slopestyle Championships
After an eventful Saturday night when team ‘Ben’s Bandits’ downed 10 pickled onions in under a minute to win the ‘Big Ride Quiz’, Sunday afternoon welcomed in the final event of the weekend, The Animal Slopestyle Championships. Halifax local rider, Andy Nudds, who had travelled down to Norfolk just for this event, soon set the standard and qualified in first place through to the final.

Nudds maintained his top form throughout both runs during the final to take the 2009 Animal British Slopestyle Championship Title. His textbook run included a switch backside 180 to boardslide and fakie off on the top rail followed by a very controlled and stylish half cab nose press on the middle box and a 270 on 270 off on the flat up and along box. Winning his second silver medal over the weekend was Cody Hierons, with a smooth cab 270 on the top box, to 180 on, 270 off on the middle box and the judge’s favourite trick of the day, a gap 270 to boardslide on the bottom shark fin rail. Ben Knox finished in third place after throwing down a 270 on 270 off on the top box and a 180 boardslide on the shark fin.

In the women’s final 12 year old Katie Ormerod won the overall Animal British Slopestyle Championship title, cementing the fact that the future of British snowboarding looks very strong. Katie’s technical and faultless run included a cab 180 to regular on the top box, a boardslide to fakie over the double box and a switch-up 50-50 over the bottom shark fin rail. Sophie Nicholls who had been riding very strong all day and qualified into the finals in top spot, demonstrated that it’s not just the boy’s in the Nicholls family with all the talent by finishing in second place overall. Sophie’s run included a cab boardslide to tail tap on the top box and an impressive 270 on 270 off on the double box. Third place went to Lynsey Ashdown with a combination of tidy boardslides over the shark fin rail.

Animal British Slopestyle Championship Results:
Men Women
1st – Andy Nudds – Halifax 1st – Katie Ormerod – Halifax
2nd – Cody Hierons – Chatham 2nd – Sophie Nicholls – Halifax
3rd – Ben Knox – London 3rd – Lynsey Ashdown – Manchester

Over 200 local youngsters that the Schools Tour Team had visited came along to the event to take part in the FREE lessons, watch the UK’s best in action and cheer on local freeskier Tom Coe, who had proved to be a big hit at the schools. Let’s hope we see some of them continue to learn how to shred and hopefully competing next year. To check out the images and video footage from Norfolk’s Mini BRITS or to pre register for the Big Air next week go to www.britishsnowtour.com”

The next stop on the British Snow Tour is the Big Air Championships in Milton Keynes, taking place this Friday, September 19th. Check out the details here.