Boarding for Breast Cancer slopestyle at Crystal Mountain, MI

By Andrew Berwald

The sun was shining ,and temperatures around 45 degrees made for an excellent day of skiing at Crystal Mountain, MI. Saturday, February 28th, 2004 marked the fourth annual Boarding For Breast Cancer slopestyle competition, and I gotta say, it was pretty sick.

The Rider Zone was in top condition after two days of closed park work by the bad-ass muthas in the Crystal park crew. For their biggest comp of the year, they busted out an entirely new park that's twice the size of their old one. The new hits included a triple take-off table, a table/transfer gap/trap rail combo package, a disaster rail, and a 17-foot slant down rail.

Elliot Rymal put together a couple nice runs to take first in the 12 and under divsion. In the 13-15 division, Mike Knape tore it up with a couple smooth 3s, and Colin O'Brien layed down some nice spins and rail slides. Young up-and-comer Jim Knape threw a couple cork 9s and some nice rail slides, and Connor Pelton threw down with some nice airs and rail slides also. Connor and Jim placed 1st and 2nd respectively.

Then it was time for guys with hair on their chest. Lane Karczewski was killing the park all day long with switch on 270 offs of the slant down, a smooth 9 and some nice switch 270s onto the disaster rail. John Fahey was also going off on with some sick 180s and 540s over the transfer gap, and cork 7s on the last table. With a switch rodeo 5, cork 7, and some smooth rail sliding Tyler Barnes also laid down solid runs. Tucker Vantol killed the rails, and kicked out a 540 and a few switch 3s. Luke Waldo graced the crowd with some nice spread
eagles (even a butter spread on his 3rd run), and also landed some sick 360s. Ryan Basset stomped a couple cork 5s and 7s and killed the disaster rail. Chad
Khodl had some smooth runs with rail slides and 540s. Spencer Trippe had probably the smoothest steeze on the rails out of anyone, and also threw down a couple nice 3s and 5s.

After all was said and done, Tyler Barnes got third, John Fahey picked up second place, and Lane Karczewski rocked out first place. Lane won a season pass for next
season at Crystal, and a certificate for next year's Salomon TenEighties. The day was cash money.

For full results, go to www.ridecrystalmountain.com, and click on the Events & Results link on the left side.

Thanks to the filmers, Mike, and the rest of the Crystal park crew.

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Edited by Andrew Berwald