NS Skiers Dominate Slopestyle, Again

By Ethan Stone for Newschoolers.com

THOMPSONVILLE, MI– At Modern Skate & Surf’s second slopestyle competition of the year Februrary 1 at Crystal Mountain, Michigan, Newschoolers.com members once again dominated the event.

Crystal employees and Newschoolers.com members worked long into the night before the comp to perfect the hits, and Saturday dawned on a sick new Rider Zone: a 20-foot flat rail flanked by a 90-degree C rail, followed by Crystal’s rainbow rail. Riders had three choices for the bottom hits: the massive 35 ft. disaster rail (complete with snow steps), a decent tabletop, or a trapezoid rail leading into a down-kink double-rail combo. There was also a quarterpipe hit with a stall bar on the lip.

Skiers and boarders alike promptly devoured the course- but we only talk about the skiers here. Luke Waldo of Cadillac took the flat rail switch, and although he had some difficulty handling the rainbow, threw down solid 360 grabs and a 720 over the table, securing third place. Grand Rapids native Teddy Knape put together three consistent runs, greasing the rails and picking up second place, while Lane Karczewski dominated on rails and in the air, easily taking first. All three are NS members.

There was some controversy regarding the judging; NS member Tyler Barnes attacked the rails with skill equal to Lane’s, taking the C-rail switch and switching up over the rail combo, but failed to place. Karczewski said, “Since those judges were dumbasses, we all have to give Tyler the respect he deserves, because no doubt in anyone's mind... he won that comp.�

The next competition at Crystal Mountain will be Boarding for Breast Cancer on March 1. For more information, check out crystalmountain.com.

For info on more Midwestern comps, and to talk to all of the above-named characters, check out NS’s Midwest regional forum, or go to www.midwestskier.com.