All photos by Stevie McKenna
It was a big day for Cairngorm Mountain on Saturday as they hosted the first halfpipe contest to be held on British snow.
Having acquired a pipe dragon last year, the resort got their stunt-ditch going early in the season. However, the crazy levels of snowfall that followed soon make it impossible to keep a pipe operational. They did have it back up and running in time for us to get a few laps in during the recent Vans Hi Standard event, and has had pride of place above the Ptarmigan T-bar ever since. All that was left to do was to arrange a dedicated comp, and so Bag The Pipe was born.
The snow was softening up quickly in the blistering heat, but it was a small price to pay for the kind of weather that really makes a Cairngorm contest. Among those hiking for laps on the day was Ben Kilner, last seen in Sochi. As both a halfpipe specialist and a Scot, this was definitely his bag. Team GB coach Lesley McKenna took a few runs too, despite giving birth just two weeks previously. And yes, there was even a piper.
Lewis Courtier-Jones, fresh from taking the UK crown in Tignes, was the overall male winner on the day, while Claire Frost picked up the prize for best female. Both receive a season pass for the resort, so hopefully they’ll be bagging more pipe runs next year.
Once again Cairngorm had knocked it out of the park, capping a terrific events calendar that will take some beating. There’s still a chance to get some days in before they finally call time on the season, so keep an eye on the conditions and get a spring mission planned.
See below for more of Stevie McKenna’s photos:
