2008 BRITS Results
Nate Kern and Claire Frost Take Slopestyle Titles and Dom Harington and Kate Foster Take Podium Spots at the Halfpipe Competition
Animal British Snowboard Slopestyle Championships 2008
The final event of the BRITS 2008, the Animal British Slopestyle Championships opened up to fresh snow and blue skies on Friday 4th April after being rescheduled from the day before due to poor weather conditions. A record number of 106 riders competed and an amazingly high standard of rail and kicker riding combinations were thrown down.
The younger generation of shredders set the standard during the qualification rounds with 14 year old Jamie Nicholls and 16 year old Amiee Fuller qualifying in top spot through to the finals. Youngster Matt Macwhirter also made it through to the top eight men final, progressing through the ranks after being introduced to snowboarding through the AIM Series Schools Tour three years ago.
In the men’s final Nate Kern utilised the slopestyle course to the full and threw down a stylish and technical run which included a frontside boardslide, 270 off on the top box, a backside disaster on the wall ride and a 50-50 frontside noseslide on the up down kinked rail. On the kickers Nate perfectly landed a back to back frontside and backside 900 and cab 720 to take the gold and the 2008 Animal British Slopestyle Championship Title. Second Place went to the youngest competitor in the final, 14 year old Jamie Nicholls who put down one of the most technical rail runs of the day; switch backside to frontside boardslide to backside boardslide, 270 out on the top box, frontside 540 on the wall ride and switch boardslide on the kinked rail. His kicker line included a backside 720, 540 and a cab 540. Jack Shackleton finished off the podium spots to take third place after he put together and landed a technical run including a frontside tailslide 270, blunt tail stall on the wall ride, noseslide and big frontside 360, 540 and cab 540 over the kickers.
Claire Frost, who won the previous days Big Air competition, continued to be on top form in the women’s final and added the Animal British Slopestyle Championship title and another gold medal to her already impressive BRITS collection. Frost linked together a stylish run including a noseslide 270 out on the top box, 360 tailslide on the wall ride, 50-50 noseslide on the kinked rail and a frontside and backside 180 over the medium kickers, finishing off with a big backside 540 over the last kicker. Second place went to Lucy Passmore with a switch boardslide, 50-50 noseslide, backside 180 and frontside 180 straight into a stylish cab 360. Laura Berry who was riding with an injured shoulder didn’t let that stop her throwing down some technical grinds and jumps including a 270 on, onto the top box, a big blunt stall on the wall ride and a frontside 180 and 360 over the kickers.
Results:
Men
1st – Nate Kern, Sussex
2nd – Jamie Nicholls, Bradford
3rd – Jack Shackleton, Newbury
Women
1st – Claire Frost, Edinburgh
2nd – Lucy Passmore, Milton Keynes
3rd – Laura Berry, Milton Keynes
SNO!zone British Halfpipe Championships
It was a snowy start for day three at the BRITS, Wednesday 3rd April for the highly anticipated SNO!zone British Halfpipe Championships but the weather didn’t dampen rider’s spirits with a selection of World Class Halfpipe runs being thrown down.
Dan Wakeham set the standard during the qualification rounds after putting together a super technical run which included huge back to back inverts, putting him through to the eight men final in top spot. It was a British Snowboard Team showdown during the final with 2007 British Champion Angus Leith, Dom Harington, Sam Cullum, Ben Kilner, Dan Wakeham, Jack Shackleton, James Foster and Ben Knox fighting it out for the top three podium spots.
Dom Harington, who has recently been crowned the Europa Cup Halfpipe Champion took gold and the 2008 SNO!zone British Halfpipe title with a clean run including a big frontside 720, to haakon flip 720, massive frontside air, to Mctwist and alley-oop 540 to finish. Ben Kilner picked up his second silver in as many days to take second place with a textbook run consisting of a frontside 720, haakon flip 720, frontside 540, to a huge and stylish backside melon. The final spot went to Sam Cullum with a smooth run including, a big frontside air, backside melon and cab 720.
Kate Foster demonstrated her well practised halfpipe skills to take gold in the women’s final and the 2008 SNO!zone British Halfpipe title after cleanly landing a solid run including, a backside melon, alley-oop, backside air, frontside 360 to cab 360 on her final hit. British World Cup Halfpipe team member and 2006 Olympian, Lesley McKenna qualified through to the final in top spot but lost a little speed during her final run to take second place overall. Third place went to Laura Hill, who linked together a combination of smooth frontside and cab 360’s.
A special mention goes out to the younger riders pushing up through the ranks including, 15 year old British Junior Team rider Lee Tarran, who just missed out on a spot into the final and fellow team member 16 year old Amiee Fuller who was the youngest rider to make it through to the women’s final. James Foster also gets a shout out for bringing back some old school style with some long forgotten stylish Japan airs.
Results:
Men
1st – Dom Harington, Leeds
2nd – Ben Kilner, Edinburgh
3rd – Sam Cullum
Women
1st – Kate Foster, East Sussex
2nd – Lesley McKenna, Aviemore
3rd – Laura Hill, Leeds
Quiksilver British Big Air Championships
The Quiksilver British Big Air Championships opened day two of competition at the BRITS 2008, Laax Switzerland with over 100 riders attacking the 7, 14 and 20 metre kickers. New comers to the BRITS, Richard Hookes and Claire Frost stepped it up to take the overall 2008 Quiksilver Big Air Championship titles.
It was a close competition during the eight men final with only one point separating the top six placings. New to the BRITS and unsponsored rider Richard Hookes, threw down a huge cab 900, switch tail, to walk away with the overall men’s title, not bad for his first BRITS appearance! Second place went to British Snowboard Team member, Ben Kilner, who was riding super strong all day and perfectly landed a text book corked backside 720. Nelson Pratt took third place after he pulled out a stylish cab 900.
A relative newcomer on the scene, Claire Frost made her mark in the women’s final when she landed two textbook backside 540’s to take the 2008 Quiksilver Big Air title. Samantha Rogers, who had been riding strong all day, pulled a big frontflip out of the bag on her final jump, and received a mighty cheer from the crowd and second place. Third place went to Lynsey Ashdown after she landed a clean frontside 540.
Results:
Men
1st – Richard Hookes, Nottingham
2nd – Ben Kilner, Aviemore
3rd – Nelson Pratt, Hampshire
Women
1st – Claire Frost, Edinburgh
2nd – Sam Rogers, Reading
3rd – Lynsey Ashdown, Cheshire
Don’t forget to check out brits08.com.
The BRITS 08 would not be possible without its highly supportive sponsors: Animal, Quiksilver, Trespass, SNO!zone, Salomon, Ride, K2 and Faction Ski’s.Official footwear partner Cushe. Official retail partners TSA and Ellis Brigham. Media partners Whitelines, Dark Summer, Extreme.com, Snowboardclub.co.uk and Skiclub.co.uk and Official Destination Partners, Laax.
Tuesday, April 08th 2008 @ 11:42 AM.
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