The Animal Slopestyle Championships at Castleford SNO!zone wrapped up the 2009 British Snow Tour in style on Saturday 3rd October. The creative slopestyle course, which included a selection of rails, boxes, kickers and elevated pipe jibs set the stage as over 160 of the UK’s top freestylers battled it out in one of the closest and highest levels of competitions seen on UK snow!

In the afternoon over 70 freeskiers hit the slope and the Animal Slopestyle Course and linked together some stylish and technical rail and kicker combinations. Competition was fierce with all riders keen to impress the judges and make it through to the top four women and top eight men finals.

During the women’s final Katie Summerhayes continued to impress all and stepped it up on home turf to take the overall 2009 Animal Slopestyle Championship title. Katie’s run included a frontside 270 off on the top rail, to switch on the middle rail, followed by a 450 off on the elevated pipe and a frontside switch up, blind 270 out on the bottom gas pipe. Second place went to Servanne Herant who did a 270 onto the box, to 270 on the long rail, to frontside 270 out on gas pipe. Third place went to Kelly O’Donnell with a smooth run which included a 270 out on the elevated gas pipe and 270 on 270 off on the bottom box.

The standard of skiing in the men’s final was extremely high with all ages including experienced freeskiers Andy Bennett, Charlie Smith and younger ripper Cal Sandieson leading the way. Cal has impressively made it through to three British Snow Tour men’s overall finals now and at only 11 he’s definitely one to watch out for.

Josh Birch cemented his place as one of the UK’s top slopestyle riders by adding the Animal Indoor Slopestyle Championship title to his recent artificial slopestyle win in Norfolk. Josh’s run included a 270 on the down rail, to disaster 270 on the flat down rail, a 450 out on the elevator pipe followed by a switch lip 270 pretzel 450 out on the bottom gas pipe. James Wood’s finished in a close second place with a switch on, pretzel 270 out on the top down rail, a disaster 270 on the middle rail, followed by a 630 out on the elevator gas pipe and a 270 on 270 off on bottom gas pipe. Third place went to Josh Fawcett with a frontside 450 off the street rail and 450 off the elevated gas pipe.

The inspirational schools tour team also ended their quest in Castleford after inspiring a further 100 beginners to come along to the event and have a lesson. The team will be hanging up their lunch boxes and letting the high fives hang loose until next year after successfully spreading the word to over 6,000 school pupils this summer and introducing over 500 kids to try skiing or snowboarding for the first time courtesy of the Animal and Trespass Learner Academies.

Animal Freeski Slopestyle Championship Results:
Men                                                                               Women
1st – Josh Birch – London                                         1st – Katie Summerhayes – Sheffield
2nd – James Woods – Sheffield                               2nd – Servanne Herant – Stoke-on-Trent
3rd – Josh Fawcett – Stoke-on-Trent                    3rd – Kelly O’Donnell – Stoke-on-Trent