Video of the event, filmed and edited by Jonathan Couillard :

http://partage.1880n.com/d_jam_orford.mov

Last Saturday there was the second stop of the D-Jam tour at Mont-Orford. This event was a choice over 2 options that I had to fill my weekend. The other option was to do some computer programming for my employer. But during the week, I have to do almost the same kind of job for school. So, I was daring a lot to move myself a bit and do something different. I then figured out something that would arrange my employer and myself.

Which was motivating me the most is that the D-Jam evens are the reference in Quebec to have a very nice ski day with friends and other people who are passionated by freeskiing. Plus, they allow to be surrounded by high level skiers, and that, in a fun and without pressure environment. Personally, I am at my third one since I am interested about freeskiing and every time it's the same, the ambiance is good, skiers on place throw crazy tricks and the sponsors give away a lot of prizes.

But before leaving my region, I had to find a way to materialize the trip. Which it means, find a place to sleep and also a way to go there. And it's with Cedric (quebecfreestyler) which it worked out. He was also looking forward to this event. Especially because it's not very far from his home. Plus, we told our-self that we would take some urban pictures during the weekend.

Cedric is driving to Orford between two dice game.

It's after 4 hours of bus, at the Trois-Rivieres terminal, which Ced went to pick me up. A bit later during the evening, we decided to go out and take some pictures of a bomb drop near where we were. After a bunch of tries and an hour later, we were done. But, at the exact time we started to walk on the street, police came. They got a complain from a old lady who told them that we were trying to blind car drivers on with our camera flashes. After a few good laughs and got our ID check, we went to the favorite local bar of the Pirate. After some some time and a chat, we told our-self that this women very lacked of culture and good judgment to deposit a complain like that.

The day after, after a caffeine and food fill, we took the road to Orford. A small touristic town which is superb and quiet. Once arrived, we went to the ticketing. It's where we met the firs freeskiers of the day. Because all non local skiers had to get their park pass. So, there was a lot of frustration in the air at that moment. Everybody on place were asking why the mountain federation of the province still doesn't have a universal pass. Because at the moment, all the park skiers must spend more money every time they ride a new mountain. Plus, it's even worst by considering the fact that everybody paid 55$ for hiking during almost the whole day.

Cedric is warming up before cooking the pretzels.

Once arrived in the park, around 11 o'clock, we went down to the tents to speak a bit and take it easy with the other people already on place. The event was already started and the featured setup at the moment was a little sex change. The MC Phil Belanger asked to the crowd to land a 270 in pretzel out to win a pair of Skullcandy headphones. It's Cedric who got them. Otherwise, JD Zicat did a 450 in 270 out for the pleasure of the spectators.

Tweaked like : YAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRR!

The second setup was the medium jump. People got pretty crazy on it. Some tricks like fakie 720, rodeo 720 and cork 720 was thrown often. And even if the jumps was not very big. On a negative side, Antoine Paquette got injured at his knee during the session. It's unfortunate for him because everything was going well for him. He did some nice trick until then.

Phil Belanger was one the the MCs during the event.

Then, there has been a small break where people there got free drinks and snack food. After, the challenges started back on the flat down setup. At the beginning it was smooth but Iannick started to do a bunch of crazy disasters and heated up the place. So, the skiers started to do bigger tricks like switch ups and pretzel outs. But at the end to close the session like it should, Iannick and the young Ben Morissette did 450 in disasters. Even if almost all skiers started to be a bit tired at that time they continued to go big in tricks and distance.

Some very stylish Skullcandy headphones.

During the day I had the occasion to speak and ski with Mathieux Ledoux. He's an open minded and motivated guy. He came there to discover and start skiing. For those who don't know him, he's a stuntman for Fast Motion and a good rollerblader who were riding for the D-Team. For the rest, I let you discover that guy by yourself.

Some girls were at the event and Stephanie Gauthier was one of them.

So, to sums up, a lot of good skiers were there (Cedric Tremblay-Fournier,  Dom Legare, JD Zicat, Guillaume St-Cyr, Iannick Brouillette, Phil Belanger). Those guys were accessible to speak with and they also gave their best when they were riding their planks. Plus, the mood up there has been amazing, as it always is for a D-Jam. And a lot of prices has been given on place. Even more, it was also possible to try all the latest twin tip skis from the brand K2, Liberty and Samomon. Otherwise, many amateurs were skiing very well. And at the end of the day a special prize was given to the one who impress the most the judges. The guy who won the price is Vincent Levesque for skiing well on everything and during the whole D-Jam.

Meeting at the tents where the prizes were given away.

Our return has been done under a dumping snow, for our great pleasure of skiers. But at the same time, it has been more stress and hassle for Cedric because he was driving. Anyway, we just took it easy once we arrived at his home. We watched showed to our-self some sport videos and I started to write that text. We did that because we were going to shoot some urban the tomorrow. It went well, we got an original spot and an other one with a nice surrounding tree environment. Then at the end of the afternoon, Cedric left me to the bus terminal. I had to go back at home.

Cedric chopped some wood around Trois-Riviere. Probably for his next boat.

It has been a so nice weekend. And I think many people who went there felt the same. To myself, a trip like that, it reminds me how fun it is to move out and meet new persons during an event. Traveling is so fun, even if it's not a huge trip. Plus, the D-Jam or events like those one are the best occasions to evolve the skiing skills. Being surrounded by so many good skiers in a non competitive environment is the best.