The British Snowboard and Freeski Tour made its first indoor stop of the series this weekend, Saturday 6th October at Castleford SNO!zone, for the Animal British Indoor Slopestyle Championships. SNO!zones excellent course layout set the stage for over 150 of the UK’s top freeskiers and snowboarders, who put on an impressive display with tight technical rail tricks being witnessed. Over at the Animal ski and snowboard learner academy 100 beginners strapped in for the first time after being visited and inspired by the Schools Tour Team, headed up by Animal pro rider, Sonia Shaw.

With entertainment all round, including FREE coaching from Method Snow School and product testing from Ride, K2, Salomon and Faction Skis and running commentary from James Thorne, the Animal Slopestyle Championships established a great start and set the standard for the indoor and TTR TWO(2) STAR British Snow Tour events.

Animal British Indoor Snowboard Slopestyle Championships

In the snowboard competition, standards and competitor numbers were high, with new names and talent along with several old faces making it through to the finals, including GB’s Freestyle Coach Hamish McKnight. In the Women’s competition Laura Berry set the standard and came away with the Animal British Slopestyle Championship title with a smooth and technical run including, a frontside boardslide on the top rail, a big gap to boardslide to fakie on the kinked rail and a technical switch nosepress to 180 out on the box. Second place went to Leeds local Laura Hill who was the only girl to clean the wall ride all day and third place with a selection of solid boardslides went to Gemma Marshall.

Regarded as the jewel in the freestyle crown, the men’s competition was hotly contested, with only decimal points separating the top podium spots. Johnny Russell, who thanks to Jeremy Sladen was able to cut his afternoon shift at the TSA shop short, was throwing down some 90’s pop star inspired manoeuvres a “Jackson” (50-50 on your toe edge) to frontside boardslide on the kinked rail and a huge 50-50 on the top of the wall ride, which literally was “off the wall” to take the 2007 Animal Slopestyle Championship title. Jamie Nicholls who was riding super strong all day, came in a very close second after a textbook run including, a 270 on 450 off on the top box, a smooth 270 onto the wall ride and 270 on 270 off along the C box. Third place went to Steve Revill who impressed all with a wrong way 270 onto the top rail, gap to frontside boardslide on the kinked rail and a big stylish frontside wallride to 180 out, finishing off with a switch noseslide to boardslide on the bottom rail.

Men
1st – Johnny Russell, Sheffield
2nd – Jamie Nicholls, Bradford
3rd – Steve Revill, Milton Keynes

Women
1st – Laura Berry, Milton Keynes
2nd – Laura Hill, Leeds
3rd – Gemma Marshall, Sheffield

Salomon “Best Un-sponsored” Awards went to, Lynsey Ashdown from Cheshire and Andy Nudds from Halifax, both winning a brand new Salomon set up.