RAGE rail jam rocks Bend

Who cares about Tim Durtschi? GWAR is coming!!!.

Words and photos by Pete Alport (RAGE Films)

RAGE Films' Rail Festival was held in Bend, OR at Skjersaas Ski & Board shop on Nov. 13, 2004. The event was set up to showcase both skiers' and snowboarders' rail abilities.

RAGE Films began construction on Thursday by putting up three stories of scaffolding and six stacks to make the forty-ft flat bottom. The rail was eight feet high at the start, 31 feet long, and four feet tall at the end. By Saturday the structure was complete and it was time to bring in the dump trucks full of snow. In total, there were four truckloads of snow and the Bobcat made it easy to move it around. Salt was added to the ramp, flatbottom, lip, and landing; it was time to start jibbing.

There were 64 competitors ranging from the local Joe to Sammy Carlson and Tim Durtschi. The event started with the "first wave" totaling 30 competitors which were split into two teams. Each team of snowboarders and skiers were given 45 minutes to make the most of the rail. From these teams, one rider was voted by the team to advance to the second wave of "more progressive riders".

Sammy Carlson drops in.

The second wave totaled thirty-four competitors, and again it was split in half. Each team competed for 45 minutes in a jam format, but this time three snowboarders and two skiers would advance to the finals. Riders threw down in order to make it to the finals. Tim Durtschi dropped a blindside switch up 270 out while snowboarder Skylar Thornton threw a 270 tail press to 270 out. The crowd of 400 drank and roared as the riders kept progressing.


The finals began with six snowboarders and five skiers (Chris Jordan, Mark Devorak, Tim Durtschi, Sammy Carlson, and Kevin Healy) jibbing for 45 minutes. The rider voted winners were Skylar Thornton and Sammy Carlson. Sammy's winning trick was a 270 to switch up to 270 out. BAM, the RAGE Films Rail Festival was a success.

Finalist Mark Devorak eyes the landing.