The First

UK Freeski Awards Winners Announced

24

October 2006 – Thursday 19th October saw the first UK Freeski

Awards ceremony take place at the Metro Ski & Snowboard Show in

London. A large crowd swarmed around the stage, eager to hear who the

winners of the highly anticipated awards would be.

Ed Leigh oversaw the proceedings and

introduced each guest presenter who, in turn, announced the nominees

for each award and the eventual the winner. The field of nominees boasted

the cream of home-grown talent and showcased the great improvements

that have been made in UK Freeskiing.

Rapturous applause greeted each winner

as they took to the stage for their acceptance speech. Arguably the

two most coveted awards – the Salomon Award for the Best UK Female

Freeskier and the Ski Club of Great Britain Award for the Best

UK Male Freeskier – held the crowd in suspense before the winners,

Naomi Edmondson and Paddy Graham, were announced.

The undisputed star of the ceremony was

Paddy Graham who picked up no less than 3 awards: the Ski Club of

Great Britain Award for the Best UK Male Freeskier, the Disciple

Gloves Award for Best Rider Segment in a Film and the Freeski

Britain Award for Best UK Freeski Team

as part of the Line team.

The final award of the night was a special

one: The Natives.co.uk Rich Taylor Memorial Award. The award

itself acts as a ‘services to UK Freeskiing’ but also stands as

a tribute to the memory of Richard Taylor, the British Big Air champion

who tragically died in a training accident two years ago, aged just

23 years.

Richard’s Mother, Gaynor Taylor, was

on hand to present the award and gave a heart-felt speech that left

no dry eye in the room. Warren Smith was announced the winner and upon

accepting the award was quick to pull fellow nominee Pat Sharples up

on the stage to jointly share the award and highlight the hard work

they have both put into skiing. The gesture was met with huge applause

and reaffirmed the spirit and camaraderie of the UK Freeski Awards.

With the first UK Freeski Awards ceremony

over, the action moved to the Shepherd’s Bar for the Dark Summer Ski

Show Party and the premiere of the Ellis Brigham movie, Aggressive Alpine

Skiing.

Over 5,000 votes were cast on the UK

Freeski Awards website (http://www.ukfreeskiawards.co.uk) to decide the winners,

and we would like to take this opportunity to thank every person who

took the time to vote.

The UK Freeski Awards would not be possible

without the help of our sponsors: K2 Skis, Salomon, Adidas Eyewear,

Ski Club of Great Britain, Oakley, Natives.co.uk, Da Kine, Zag Skis,

Freeski Britain, and Disciple Gloves.

All photos © Rick Hutchings (http://www.rickhutchings.com)

Naomi accepts her Best Female award from Eric Davies of Salomon.

Rob Taylor salutes his brother, Rich Taylor, who helped him

get into skiing.

Paddy makes his Best Male speech with Ed Leigh, Fiona Sweetman (Ski

Club of Great Britain) and Betony Garner (Ski Club of Great Britain).

Warren pulls Pat Sharples onto the stage to share the award (joined

by Gaynor Taylor and Ed Leigh).

Winners of the UK Freeski Awards

2006

Freeski Britain Award for the Best

UK Freeski Team

Line Skis

Adidas Eyewear Award for the Best

UK Freeski Event

Verbier Ride 2005

Da Kine Award for the Best UK Ski

Film

try.fail.try (Regime Change Productions)

Disciple Gloves Award for the Best

UK Rider Segment in a Film

Paddy Graham in try.fail.try

Zag Skis Awards for the Best UK Freeski

Photographer

Melody Sky

Oakley Award for the Best UK Under

16 Freeskier

Murray Buchan

K2 Skis Award for the Best UK Unsponsored

Freeskier

Rob Taylor

Salomon Award for the Best UK Female

Freeskier

Naomi Edmondson

Ski Club of Great Britain Award for

the Best UK Male Freeskier

Paddy Graham

Natives.co.uk Rich Taylor Memorial

Award

Warren Smith