OK, first off apologies for the crap level of updates on whitelines.com recently. This is due to our web guy being off sick and the rest of us about as good with computers as Michael Parkinson. Anyway, for those who haven’t found out elsewhere already, here is a run down of what happened last weekend when the 2008 British Snow Tour headed ‘Eastside’ to Chatham 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”.

Men’s under 16’s
1st – Jamie Nicholls – Bradford
2nd – Cody Hierons – Chatham
3rd – Ryan Lewis – Chatham

Men’s over 16’s
1st – Callum Wikin – Maidstone
2nd – Josh Law – London
3rd – Alex Spence – Chatham

Women
1st – Samantha Rogers – Bracknell
2nd – Katie Ormerod – Bradford
3rd – Rebecca Richardson – Middlesex

Men
1st – Jamie Nicholls – Bradford
2nd – Callum Wilkin – Maidstone
3rd – Cody Hierons – Chatham

Women
1st – Samantha Rogers – Reading
2nd – Katie Ormerod – Bradford
3rd – Rebecca Richardson – Middlesex