Board-X, London, November 2002
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ITime flys doesn't it, it doesn't seem two
minutes ago I was sitting here writing the
Board X 2001 review, a year later a mini disc
player lighter (that'll be the one we gave
away in a comp for board x last year but I
infact kept it and subsequently some pikee
fuck nicked! karma eh) and in a much better
position to obtain press passes (well that's
for you to work out) here we are again.
However in one year a lot's changed in the
Board-X camp, Mark Adams left the crew, Susan
went freelance and the venue changed, quite
substantial changes when you've only got a
few months to put on what you could describe
as Britain's only ever world class snowboarding
event (well there's NASS but lets face it,
anyone can get a few shit riders to pop indy's
off a load of wet door matts can't they, and
although the board x management may be tossers
at least they have a great deal of passion
for the sport and their comp).
Anyway with all the preverbal hitting the
fan at Board X HQ I personally had doubts
about there even being a board X this year,
as well as its popularity with both the public
and riders being so far out of London!
I entered board X on the friday after a minging
train journey and a couple of hours sleep
due to the RISE TV promo we had been filming
the previous morning at 5.30 am. I was to
be greeted by the mad architecture of ally
pally and unfortunately the might of a force
10 gale and freezing cold rain, arse. Personally
I have to say the change in venue although
a slag to get to from south London is a breath
of fresh air, the old skool architecture of
the building really harks back to the old
European big air jams in Venice and even the
one in covent garden which compliments board
x's reputation as one of the serious comps.
jonas steals from children
The retail arena although quiet looked good,
a few of the usual were there as well as a
couple of additions such as MBL and Mammoth
Mountain, surprisingly Ellis Bringham were
absent but that's no great loss at the best
of times.
Navigating my way through the arena past the
badass Vertical Vert ramp where Ali Cairn's
was warming and the fearless mini ramp I entered
the street arena. As with most Board X events
the course was fucking Sick loads of banks
rails and big transitions maybe a little to
big, one cant help feel that the BMX bandits
get a bit more wood to play with in these
events!
From the street course I moved on out of the
building and over to the big air jump that
was looking like a sorry sack of shit, due
to the rain however give them there dues a
lot of the riders were still sessioning as
best they could.
With the bad weather and low turnout I feared
the worst for the weekend and as the homosexual
community headed down to the Union Awards
I headed back to the crib for some well needed
shut eye!
christian stevensen caught dealing on camera
Sat morning was a whole different ball game,
the sun was doing its best to shine and the
die hard masses had haul assed up to ally
pally to see the badness and badness it was
going to be! Rumour had it that Malmi, although
not registered, had been spotted in the area
as well as Daniel Frank and Paavo Tiikanen.
Saturday went off like a tonne of C4 at baggage
control, although sparse with snow the riders
were busting all sorts of crazy shit both
snow and skate, a big well done goes out to
all the hung over union refugees as well for
performance under pressure!
Sunday Morning, and a vague recollection of
a document party in islington followed by
a 4 hour walk back to south london.....it
cant be true must have been a bad dream I
think while putting on my soaked evisu jeans
and wondering why I have suddenly acquired
loads of blisters! The weather was gash on
Sunday however this didn't stop the Malmi
stomping a fully tweaked underflip while wearing
a giant eastpak bag and this was to set the
standard of sundays finals, the riding was
amazing with brit Scott McMorris going huge
and damaging the rail. It also saw some fucking
near misses and a couple of nasty slams i.e.
Scott Southfield smashing his face into the
gap and nearly breaking his neck! and a couple
of boys nearly going off the edge of the ramp
platform (phew says gumby).
The standard of Sundays riding well in fact
the whole weekend was as usual high, although
it did seem to take a little while for everybody
to get wamed up, not surprising though really
judging by the state of the weather. After
the big air finals there was a best of British
comp (for fucks sake i thought!) however they
totally fucking had it, personally I don't
think there was any need to segregate the
comps as the Brits were riding really well
especially jib master S McMorris and Madame
Wheeler who was stomping the 900's!
What was kind of disappointing though were
the board x stewards who were a little eager
to take the sponsor banners down and started
doing so during the Brits session, they may
have had a long weekend but that's their job
so they should wait until the fucking event's
finished, I just feel it's a bit of an insult
to those who were riding.
With Sunday evening completed there goes yet
another year of Board X, overall there was
hic ups with the change in venue and bad weather
but I thought it was one of the best ones
I'd been to, and probably due to the reduction
in trade exhibitors felt more like a snowboard
comp and less like a trade show which I think
it was in danger of becoming.
The atmosphere was great at ally pally and
if they can keep their heads above the water
which I'm sure they can next year will be
even better (maybe they could put the jump
inside?) anyway well done to all involved
(apart from the stewards) and cheers for another
years quality snowboarding.
London Big Air Results:
Saturday November 9th
1/ Hampus Mosseson (SWE / Quiksilver)
2/ Markku Koski (FIN / Quiksilver)
3/ Martin Cernik (CZECH / Lib Tech)
4/ Scotty Arnold (USA /Vans)
5/ Eero Ettala (FIN / Oakley)
6/ Darius Heristchian (SUI / Quiksilver)
7/ Paavo Tikkanen (FIN / Endeavor Boards)
8/ Mathieu Crepel (FR / Quiksilver)
9/ Curtis Wood (USA / Santa Cruz)
10/ Iikka Backstrom (FIN / Quiksilver)London
Big Air Jam
Sunday November 10th
1/ Eero Ettala (FIN / Oakley)
2/ Heikki Sorsa (FIN)
3/ Mathieu Crepel (FR / Quiksilver)
=/ Anton Holland (SUI / Vans)
=/ Jakob Wilhelmson (SWE / Lib Tech)
=/ Tapio Kuusakoski (FIN / Vans)
=/ Hampus Mosesson (SWE / Quiksilver)
=/ Jonas Emery (SUI / Vans / Rossignol)
=/ Eric Leines (USA / Vans)
=/ Scotty Arnold (USA / Vans)
Power Puff Girls Big Air
Saturday November 9th
1/ Jenny Jones (GB / Salomon)
2/ Stine Brun Kjeeldaas (NOR / Roxy)
3/ Vicci Miller (GB / Oakley)
Words / Photos : A De la Haye
    
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