Aramda Summer Heat Rail Battle ReviewLast week, with grey skies overhead and blustery conditions, Britain’s top freeskiers headed to North Yorkshire to kick start the summer
Luckily it was not the sun they were after, but the snow. The Armada Summer Heat Railbattle, still in only its second year, is now the biggest core freeski competition in the UK and is just the start of the UK's summer ski season.
50 riders from the length and breadth of the British Isles rocked up to SNO!zone Castleford, to hit one of teh toughest courses ever seen in a UK comp.
The set-up was action-packed, with big technical features that would be at home in any of Europe's top parks.
With the jam format and big features, the riders were forced to raise their game and once again British freeskiing was pushed to new heights.
In the end it came down to a 30-minute jam session with hot laps from the days top 20 riders.
In the top section of the course technical tricks reigned supreme with a combination of 270s and 450s on to the down rails. But it was the raised rainbow bos that seemed destined to be the feature of the day.
Notable tricks included Andy Bennett's 450 transfers, Jamie Lawson's surface switch ups and George Walton's cork 3 hand drag, which eventually won him the prize for the day's best trick.
In the kids category it was all a bout the jump and it was of course 13-year-old, Tyler Harding who came out on top with some super smooth cork 7s.
In the womens, Katie Summerhayes showed why she is now one of the world's best with 450s on and off the rails.
In the mens, Joe Tomlinson came home in third with some super smooth cab 2s and front 4s on to the down rail, James Machon took second with 4s on and off all over the course, but once again, it was James Woods who was crowned champion. Woodsy put on a master class in rail skiing all day long, stomping every trick he could think of, some of the best moments included his 2 on to pretzel 2 out of teh down-flat rail and both frontside and blindside 360 switch ups on the rainbow.
The Armada Summer Heat Rail Battle is back in September for it's second intallment at SNO!zone Milton Keynes and is another event not to be missed.
Words: Rob Embling / Photo: Joe Webster
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Posted by Online Editor - Thu, 17/06/2010 - 12:42pm
Last week, with grey skies overhead and blustery conditions, Britain’s top freeskiers headed to North Yorkshire to kick start the summer
Luckily it was not the sun they were after, but the snow. The Armada Summer Heat Railbattle, still in only its second year, is now the biggest core freeski competition in the UK and is just the start of the UK's summer ski season.
50 riders from the length and breadth of the British Isles rocked up to SNO!zone Castleford, to hit one of teh toughest courses ever seen in a UK comp.
The set-up was action-packed, with big technical features that would be at home in any of Europe's top parks.
With the jam format and big features, the riders were forced to raise their game and once again British freeskiing was pushed to new heights.
In the end it came down to a 30-minute jam session with hot laps from the days top 20 riders.
In the top section of the course technical tricks reigned supreme with a combination of 270s and 450s on to the down rails. But it was the raised rainbow bos that seemed destined to be the feature of the day.
Notable tricks included Andy Bennett's 450 transfers, Jamie Lawson's surface switch ups and George Walton's cork 3 hand drag, which eventually won him the prize for the day's best trick.
In the kids category it was all a bout the jump and it was of course 13-year-old, Tyler Harding who came out on top with some super smooth cork 7s.
In the womens, Katie Summerhayes showed why she is now one of the world's best with 450s on and off the rails.
In the mens, Joe Tomlinson came home in third with some super smooth cab 2s and front 4s on to the down rail, James Machon took second with 4s on and off all over the course, but once again, it was James Woods who was crowned champion. Woodsy put on a master class in rail skiing all day long, stomping every trick he could think of, some of the best moments included his 2 on to pretzel 2 out of teh down-flat rail and both frontside and blindside 360 switch ups on the rainbow.
The Armada Summer Heat Rail Battle is back in September for it's second intallment at SNO!zone Milton Keynes and is another event not to be missed.
Words: Rob Embling / Photo: Joe Webster
Related stories: