for 3rd Year
Bluebird skies could not have been brighter Sunday afternoon as we watched the Big Air Finals, and Rail Jam warm-up and match of this annual snowboard and ski contest. Hunter Mountain had the rails set up for easy viewing from their sun deck, so you could enjoy a cold brew along with the warm rays and exciting action all from your comfy seated position in an Adirondack chair or at a picnic table after finishing a great day of sniing. The music by DJ Soul Atomic caused uncontrollable grooving in the crowd.On the mic at the rail jam was Chris Karas of Hunter, adding color and style. A good announcer really jazzes up a jam, and he did! Rail Jam Props go out to Juan Morri for his stylish tweak on the rail and red shirt, Mike DiStasio who brought his trademark one-footer to Hunter and always looks smart, Tom Weiss, (one of our faves) who has won this rail jam for the last 3 years straight, and Brian Pendergast for style and enthusiasm. And our friends from USASA events in the Catskill Mountain Series that we compete in personally. These CMS-ers were all on the podium this weekend: Tyler Yager, Becky Popiel, and Katie Teague. Bob Basil our CMS fearless leader, and his trusty assistant (and sister) Marie Ianelli kept the Lat 42 event on course all weekend
Also props to Tess Hobbs, skier, and captain/coach of the UVM ski rail team who won and brought her team down to compete. She won the rail jam and QP here this year and last, as she has been winning all season, including at Rails to Riches at Killington. She is unstoppable!
A top notch team of snowboard judges officiated, including Jeremiah Dixon of Hunter. (He gave me my first lesson in the halfpipe many years ago, and enough encouragement that I stayed with it, and now finally find it relaxing to ride the pipe instead of the equivalent of jumping out of a plane, as it used to feel to me!). Also judges judge Rick Bauer, and the rest of the team.
Hey, why does the warm-up before rail jams have to be so long? The competitors have practiced plenty to get here and are sometimes wilted by the time the event finally begins.
We were very pleased to see our friends Justin Maury and Luke Love (yes, that's his REAL name!) of Mountain Creek and every party this season set up with a great gig, running the Signal/Scion booth where they get to drive the Scion from mountain to mountain, then give out raffle tickets and do an award ceremony. Justin and Luke love the megaphone and have a gift for amplified gab. Just hope you don't have to hear the pirate joke.
In the afternoon we took a run with our new friends Dave Schupp, Dave Callahan, who threw down later in the jam finals, and 14-year old Matt Kozuch from the dirty and Hunter, who likes to practice his pick-up lines on girls, yelling down from the chair lift. Cute!
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The Latitude 42 North freestyle competition featured Big Air, Rail Jam and Quarterpipe competitions, live entertainment and a grand prize giveaway of a trip for two to Catedral Alta Patagonia, Argentina. Winners of each competition and discipline are as follows:
| QUARTERPIPE | |
| SNOWBOARDERS | |
| Male | Female |
| (1st) Tyler Yager | (1st) Marisa McKellar |
| (2nd) Jordan Saccoccie | (2nd) Katie Teague |
| (3rd) Pablo Dawybida | (3rd) Meghan Hughes |
| SKIERS | |
| Male | Female |
| (1st) Corey Roberts | (1st) Krista Hughes |
| (2nd) Erik Olson | (2nd) Jessa Suhner |
| (3rd) Anthony Cigna | (3rd) Jenna Gotthelf |
| BIG AIR | |
| SNOWBOARDERS | |
| Male | Female |
| (1st) Mark Bondi | (1st) Meghan Hughes |
| ( 2nd) Colin Shoemaker | (2nd) Marisa McKellar |
| (3rd) Matt Briggs | (3rd) Becky Popiel |
| SKIERS | |
| Male | Female |
| (1st) Graham Derby | (1st) Tess Hobbs |
| (2nd) Corey Roberts | (2nd) Julia Luebs |
| (3rd) Anthony Cigna | (3rd) Jessa Suhner |
| RAIL JAM | |
| SNOWBOARDERS | |
| Male | Female |
| (1st ) Thomas Weiss | (1st) Chelsea Camarata |
| (2nd) Mike Callaghan | (2nd) Katie Teague |
| (3rd) Colin Shoemaker | (3rd) Becky Popiel |
| SKIERS | |
| Male | Female |
| (1st) Will Wesson | (1st) Tess Hobbs |
| (2nd) Andy Parry | (2nd) Jenna Gotthelf |
| (3rd) Matt Marks | (3rd) Jessa Suhner |
More than $25,000 in cash and prizes were distributed to the winners. Please continue to the website for further information, photos, and more!
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