Air Time 14.05.08
Bring it on - BRITS '08
Laax, Switzerland recently played host to the British Freestyle
Team as they descended upon the 'Swiss national treasure',
displaying an array of glittering talent, for the eagerly
anticipated BRITS '08. Held from 29 March - 5 April, hundreds
of spectators watched on as the best in British freestyle
skiing competed in some of the fastest and most exciting events
in recent history.
Murray Buchan and Emma Lonsdale Take Top Honours
in the SNO!zone British Halfpipe Championships
The SNO!zone British Halfpipe Championships kicked off the
BRITS 08 Freeski Championships in style on Monday 31st March,
with Murray Buchan and Emma Lonsdale taking top honours and
the 2008 SNO!zone British Halfpipe Championship Titles.
Over 45 skiers dropped into Laax's freshly cut and shaped
Super pipe with the hopes of making it through to the top
eight men and top four women final. Murray Buchan was on top
form and linked together a super stylish run including a 900,
to 1080 and reverse mute alley-oop to take home the gold and
the 2008 SNO!zone British Halfpipe title. Second place went
to James Machon, who threw down a run full of spins including
an unnatural 540, 900 and 720. Third place went to Paddy Graham
who was going huge and pulled out a super stylish alley-oop
540 and big d-spin 900.
In the women's final, it was Emma Londsdale who scooped the
gold with a selection of big stylish grabs and an alley-oop
540. Second place went to Becky Hammond who linked together
huge alley-oops and stylish grabs. Claire Hughes finished
in third place with a run including smooth back to back alley-oops.
After the competition had finished all 45 competitors headed
up to the top of the pipe for a Chinese downhill train through
the pipe in true camaraderie style, which was a great finish
to an epic first day of competition.
James Webb and Emma Lonsdale Showcase Serious Style
in the Animal British Freeski Slopestyle
The second day of the British Freeski Championships saw stylish,
skilful and solid runs as the best of British freeskiers attacked
the course for the Animal British Slopestyle Championships,
with James Webb and Emma Lonsdale taking home the gold and
the glory.
Due to bad weather delaying the start of the contest, it
was decided that there wouldn't be a final and that the skiers
would have two chances to put together a winning run. The
women's competition was dominated by reigning Animal British
Slopestyle Champion, Emma Lonsdale, who was also fresh from
gaining gold in the previous days Halfpipe Championships and
was eager to add a second medal of the week to her impressive
collection. With a winning run including a lipside unnatural
onto the box followed by a switch 180, 360 and 180 over the
kickers, she was destined to take the top spot. Teri Spencer
scooped the silver with her smooth rail riding finishing her
run with solid 360's over the kickers whilst third place went
to Becky Hammond with a selection of solid 360's.
In the men's contest, competitiveness was high and everyone
was pulling out all the stops in the hope of winning the coveted
title. It was regular competitor and winner on the British
Snow Tour, James Webb, who was crowned the king of the Animal
British Slopestyle Championships, after his impressive run
consisting of a 270 on 270 off on the rails followed by a
switch 900, 540 and switch 720 mute off of the kickers, much
to the delight of the crowd and judges. A very deserving second
spot went to youngster James Woods after pulling out a 270
on 270 off and 450 on the rails before finishing off his run
with a 720, unnatural rodeo and switch 720 over the kickers.
Joe Murrell took the final podium position with a 270 on the
rail followed by a switch bio 720, a very impressive switch
bio 900 finished off with a rodeo 720.
British Freestyle Ski Team Triumph in Trespass Skiercross
It was a snowy third day for the skiers as they went head
to head in the battle for the sought after skiercross title.
British Freestyle Ski Team members Angus Morison and Emily
Sarsfield, here at the BRITS specially to compete in the Trespass
British Skiercross Championships, were on form and flying
the flag for British skiing both taking gold for the second
year running.
The women's skiercross was seriously fast paced and from
the starting gates, the podium was set. 2007 Trespass British
Skiercross Champion, Emily Sarsfield led from the start and
had the race under control right through to the end, ensuring
she held onto the title for another year. Second spot went
to Danielle Freeze, third to Becky Hammond and in fourth was
Elspeth Rogers.
In the men's competition, Angus Morison, fresh from a recent
3rd place in a FIS Europa Cup competition, lead the pack from
the start gates, and despite persistence from the other competitors,
Andrew Matthew, Edward Cozzi and Steve Trotter, who stepped
up the pace in the hope of closing the gap on Angus and taking
the title from him. There was no stopping Angus as he had
the finish line in his midst, cruising through to claim first
place and the title for another year. Andrew Matthew took
the silver, third and fourth place went to Edward and Steve
respectively.
Both Angus and Emily were delighted to defend their titles
against some of the up and coming British talent. The tricky
weather conditions made life difficult for all the competitiors
and a special shout out goes to 15 year old Martin Trotter
who produced the 5th fastest qualifying time which would have
been good enough for a place in the men's semi final!
Joe Murrell and Teri Spencer Take Title at the Quicksilver
Big Air
Following the postponement of the Big Air on Thursday 3rd
April due to severe weather and the high standard of kicker
riding from the Slopestyle Championships earlier in the week,
everyone was excited and anticipation was high to see what
the freeskiers would pull out of the bag for the final day
of competition, the Quiksilver British Freeski Big Air Championships.
In the women's competition, after a two run elimination qualification
round in which the best run counted, four girls went head
to head in the semi finals until only two remained for the
adrenalin fuelled final. Teri Spencer took the title after
landing a massive and stylish 360 reverse mute grab off of
the big kicker whilst Katie Summerhayes came in second place
opting for a 720 off of the medium kicker. The bronze medal
was awarded to Claire Hughes who pulled a solid 360 off the
big kicker.
Following the same format as the women's competition, it
was now time for eight of Britain's finest freeskiers to go
through to the final, going head to head in the hope of winning
the title. The finalists had been saving something special,
and certainly stepped it up a notch with all final scores
being extremely close and hard to determine who'd be victorious.
Joe Murrell took the men's comp in hand winning with a perfectly
executed switch bio 900, adding more medals to his growing
collection. On fine form throughout the whole week's competition,
youngster James Woods added some more silverware to his collection
after stomping a switch 1080 mute grab with the third spot
going to 2008 British Slopestyle Champion, James Webb who
impressed with a switch 900 mute grab.
The British Ski Cross Series
This summer will see skiing's most exciting new event hit
the indoor slopes of the UK. Skier Cross has been a popular
mid point between racing and freestyle for professional skiers
everywhere for years, but with the sport being declared as
an Olympic discipline for the upcoming 2010 Vancouver Games,
the sport will become more and more prominent to those not
directly involved. At present the only opportunity that British
Athletes, freestyle or alpine, get to try the sport is once
a winter at the national freestyle championships and once
a summer at the national artificial championships.
Following discussions with members of the Snowsport GB Ski
Cross Team, Hype Events will be responsible for running the
first ever British Series, in partnership with SNO!zone, the
UK's premier indoor snow slope facility. The idea is to attract
more athletes from both alpine and freestyle backgrounds to
compete together. This will allow those looking to progress
in the sport the opportunity to compete and learn from their
peers on a regular basis in the UK. The 3 SNO!zone centres
will host 5 events across the summer, with one running per
month from May to September.
Also in attendance will be members of the British Ski Cross
Team and the one of the Team Selectors, who will be hoping
to source the up and coming talent. British Ski Cross Team
Manager Ian Findlay was pleased to see the growing exposure
his sport is getting. "It's great for the sport of Ski
Cross in the UK to have a series running this summer. It will
give skiers the chance to try the sport of Ski Cross and it
can only help to move the sport forward towards the 2010 Winter
Olympics."
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