Westbound Boarder

Halloween always symbolizes one thing for most people… costume’s, candy, and an excuse to get your drink on. Although for snowboarders in the great northwest, it means that the upcoming shred season is almost here. For me, that is all that it symbolizes. I know that once Halloween is here, I will be playing in powder in a couple of weeks or less…

On this glorious Halloween of 2009, the third annual Backyard Bang Rail Jam took place in front of the Art Institute of Portland in Portland’s premier Pearl District. The rosters were predominantly made up of high school kids as well as a few older contestants who were competing at the AM level. Being one of the first rail jams of the season for us Oregonians, there’s really no better way to get stoked on the best sport than enjoying this “jam style” competition complete with quarter pipes and a sizable down box being ripped by plenty of young shredding hopefuls. In a  rail jam style contest riders are given as many runs as they can fit into their 15 minute heat, which takes the pressure off a bit and made it easier for the riders to land their tricks.

Among the thirty plus amateur competitors there were only five women competing. Although the ladies had the skills and costumes to keep the crowd entertained - these girls were complete with costumes such as a lion, cat, a baby backpack ensemble and then there was tall Sarah. She wasn’t robed like the other girls, but she didn’t really need it. Sarah was sticking 50/50’s and getting more air than the other girls, but didn’t make the final cut. The robed lion, Celeste Rhoads had a great arsenal of tricks, including (but of course not limited too) a cab to 50/50, 180 to 50/50, and the front board slide nose grab  were what really stood out to the crowd and resulted in the comp. win for Ms. Rhoads. Megan Middleton (a.ka. the kitten) took second place throwing a nice 360 over the smaller jump and some solid 50/50’s on the rail. Third place went to Kumara Kelly, who had a plastic baby doll strapped to her like a back pack. Kelley was the least consistent, but probably had the best hustle and the most runs out there.

During the entire three hour event, it only rained for 15 minutes. What? on Halloween in P-town? No rain? Yes ma’am. This made the snow more than cooperative and when you add some Liquid Aloha to the equation…this event was four sure a win for everyone.