Over 70 girls young and old showed up to compete for a chance at winning the 1-year Nikita Sponsorship (am) and $1000 (pro.)

The park crew at Mammoth made sure the park was in top shape for the girls, who enjoyed the mellow jumps that really let them show their stuff. “The set up was really sweet. South Park is always built to cruise and have a wicked good flow,” Nikita rider and best trick winner Colleen Quigley said. “It was really fun and people definitely were digging it. A lot of times girls show up to contests and complain about the jumps, but the set up was perfect at this event.” Colleen’s perfect laid out backflip on the 3rd jump earned her a cool $300.

The event saw an unprecedented, nearly even split, between pro and amateur competitors. Nikita riders Magalie DuBois, Vera Janssen, Maribeth Swetkoff, Gabby Maiden, Femke Henriques and Madison Blackley were in attendance, as well as last year’s Nikita Sponsorship winner Alice Gong. The youngest competitor of the day checked in at 9 years old, while the eldest a mature mid-50s. The girls enjoyed the chance to ride with other ladies of all ages and abilities.

“I come back to the Nikita Chickita every year because it’s really fun to get together with a bunch of girls and get down,” Madison Blackley said. “I think it gets a lot of the younger girls really pumped up to compete against older riders. I like that there are no age groups, everyone is equal.”

South Lake Tahoe rider Joanna Dzierzawski took top honors in the pro division for her use of the course and super solid runs. She definitely upped the tech on the difficult jib section. Nikita rider Vera Janssen finished second with a run including a front 3, back 3, cab lipslide 270 out and a 270 up, 270 off of the final wallride.

But the biggest winner was Marley Colt, a 17-year-old from Eden, UT, who left Mammoth with a one-year sponsorship from Nikita clothing by winning the amateur division. Along with the year sponsorship, she won prizes from: Osiris, Seychelles and BC, Fender, Coal, Lomo, Pom Pom Wax, Flux, Omatic and Celsius. Marley pulled a stylish and clean run including a frontside 360 indy, a big nose grab and a tail grab 180.

“This was my first comp that I’ve won all year so I am pretty stoked to win,” Marley said. “It’s going to be so much fun riding for Nikita! I love Nikita Clothes a lot, so it’s going to be great!”

At the end of the day the Nikita Chickita isn’t really about winning, but about a fun time riding with the girls. Though Mother Nature didn’t provide much sunshine this year, the mood was good and the girls were stoked!

“To me the best point was to see all the girls I haven’t seen in a year. I definitely didn’t come to win, I just came to hang out and bust some moves on the dance floor!” Nikita rider Magalie Dubois said.

Awards were given out at Lakanuki Saturday night, and followed up with a performance by a rockin’ band, The Black Tales, from LA. The night ended with beats from DJ C-Lo.

The 2009 Nikita Chickita USA was brought to you by Nikita Clothing, Venus Zine, Transworld Snowboarding, Mammoth Mountain, Coal, Fender, Osiris, Coal, Flux Bindings, Omatic Snowboards, BC and Seychelles Footwear, Celsius, Luna Bar, Dakine and Pom Pom Wax..

Pro
1. Joanna Dzierzawski $1,000
2. Vera Janssen $700

Am
1. Marley Colt
2. Elle Kaylor
3. Priscilla Lee

Best Trick
1. Colleen Quigley $300