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UK FREESKI AWARDS 2006[Check out the photographs of the UK Freeski Awards 2006 by clicking here.]
Dry ice, futuristic lighting and thumping tunes added to the highly charged atmosphere around the Motorola Stage in the Brand Arena as an audience comprising hundreds of spectators, Professional skiers, media and industry representatives waited to see who would climb the stage to receive the first ever UK Freeski Awards.
As it turns out... LINE Skis did very well and we would like to thank everyone who voted for LINE Pro riders. The team comprise some very dedicated and talented riders who work hard to progress their own riding and the sport of freestyle and freeride skiing in the UK, but also find time to support and encourage others, especially younger skiers. We have sponsored some of the LINE Skis Pro Team for over 5 years and we have been very proud of their achievements over that time. We would like to thank each of them for sharing their passion, enthusiasm, energy and success with us, it's been a blast and we look forward to the next 5 years!
Three years ago when the AIM Series first introduced skiing alongside snowboarding in the UK artificial competition series our team out numbered the number of public skiers taking part in the first event at High Wycombe. At the last of the AIM Series competitions at Warmwell this year the number of skiers participating overtook the number of snowboarders for the first time, and 90% of them were under 18 years old... the future looks good!
Our Comment: The renewed interest a large number of manufacturers and the media are now taking in UK skiers is fantastic. Getting sponsorship is not easy, it requires hard work, ability and the right attitude, but for those with the talent there is a lot more opportunity today than there was even a few years ago. Soon we expect to see some UK riders break through on the international scene in freestyle and freeride skiing and ride alongside the best riders in Europe and North America... who would have predicted that 5 years ago?!!
The Runners-Up: Adidas Eyewear - Jamie Cameron, Andy Collin, Shelley Jones, Nick Southwell, Andy Topping, Joe Tyler, Dave Young, Zack Wragg. Animal - Ben "Bungle" Hawker, Becky Hammond. Head - Jamie Cameron, Chris Fecher, Becky Hammond. Helly Hansen - Naomi Edmondson, Nick Southwell. Nike ACG - Murray Buchan, Paddy Graham, Noddy Gowans, Mark (Pocket) Harris, Tom Last. Oakley - Andy Bennett, Naomi Edmondson, Josh Fawcett, Pat Sharples, Warren Smith, Eddie Thelwell, Mike Wakefield. Salomon - Ross Daniels, Josh Fawcett, Pat Sharples, Joe Tyler, Mark Watson, Kate Williams, James Woods. Sheffield Ski Village - Andy Bennett, Andy Longley, Richard Martin, Michael Nur, Tom Ross, James Woods.
Our Comment: It is our priviledge to know most of the top UK freestyle and freeride skiers and to sponsor some of them, it is also our priviledge to see and hear from the young riders emerging from all over the UK hard on their heels, wanting to achieve the same success and more. It is a fantastically positive sport to be involved in, with everyone encouraging each other. Individuals compete to the best of their ability, but afterwards rejoin the community to share their love for what they do. To choose one skier over the others is difficult but we believe the voters got it right. The Winner: Paddy Graham When we first met Paddy he was a 13 year old skiboarding grom with great spirit and a fantastic sense of humour. His first claims to fame with the LINE Skis Pro Team were an appearance on Blue Peter and as stunt double to the reindeer presenter on Nickleodeon! Having got a taste for the media and made the switch to skis Paddy has since appeared on Rad TV (Five) and Snow Patrol (Discovery Channel), had sections in films, won British competition titles, been profiled in magazines and featured in photo shoots. Most recently he held his own this Summer in the New Zealand Freeski Half-pipe Open, coming 9th in a strong international field, before returning to the UK to participate in the Snowlife Schools Tour. He will be returning to Laax this season with Gaute Haaker (LINE's Norwegian rider) and Chris Asquith (Regime Change Productions) to continue his training and take part in competitions around Europe. Paddy has what it takes, and he deserves his success to date. Watch him fly. The Runners-Up: Andy Bennett, Murray Buchan, Jason Schutt, Nick Southwell, Eddie “Slavemonkey” Thelwell, Joe Tyler, Mike Wakefield, James Webb.
Dark Summer Comment: "I believe the children are our future. Teach them well and let them lead the way." We don't think Whitney Houston was an avid skier, but her words hold true for the youth of freeskiing. Every week there seems to be a new grom who bursts onto the scene and shows amazing promise. These future champions bring with them a youthful drive and a feeling that anything can be achieved, and are faces to be watched over the coming years." Our Comment: Dark Summer are right, there are a wealth of talented freestyle and freeride skiers emerging around the UK and the future looks very positive. Given our lack of snow-covered mountains a great deal of the credit must go to the artificial slopes that are recognising the trend and investing in freestyle facilities and special pricing for regular users, and the coaches and ambassadors around the UK who are inspiring and encouraging young riders. Of course we shouldn't forget the unsung heroes either - the parents who find the time and money to enable their children to participate. The Winner: Murray Buchan
The Runners-Up: Amber Connors, Josh Fawcett, Harry Hancock, Tyler Harding, Michael Nur, Jake Terry, James Woods.
Our Comment: Without ski movies most people wouldn't have a clue about the talent in the UK scene. In the past it was difficult, if not impossible, for UK riders to break into film because most of the established film companies were based in the USA and probably couldn't have found the UK on a map.
The US film makers have also discovered the UK scene too. Film making takes a great deal of passion, patience and commitment. It doesn't pay well. It requires standing in the cold for long periods and then sitting infront of a computer for endless hours. Fortunately there are a few talented film makers bull-headed enough to stick with it! They too deserve credit for helping the UK freestyle and freeride scene to grow. (Buy their films for yourself, friends and family, show them love... and help them to help us.) Good riders know how important it is to ensure that film makers have decent footage of them and no one knows this better than Paddy Graham. He takes time to work with film makers, particularly Chris Asquith of Regime Change Productions, to get thrilling sequences on film. The Winner: Paddy Graham.
Many congratulations to the winners and runners-up of the other categories in the UK Freeski Awards 2006:
[Check out the photographs of the UK Freeski Awards 2006 by clicking here.] |
After thousands of votes had been cast the night finally arrived for the UK Freeski Award presentations at the London Ski & Snowboard Show on Thursday 19 October 2006.
Organised by Daniel and Zack and the team at Dark Summer magazine, the Freeski Awards were supported by a raft of manufacturers and snowsports organisations and hosted by Extreme Sports presenter Ed Leigh in a slick ceremony.
There is no question that the UK freeskiing scene has taken off in recent years and is the future of skiing.
Dark Summer Comment: "Companies in the ski industry invest a lot of time and money to create their teams of riders. This effort and investment helps British freeskiers to train and compete in the UK, Europe and the rest of the World. Teams are carefully picked so as to find a mesh between the skier, the brand and the rest of the team. With such effort taken over freeski teams we felt they were worthy of an award."
The Winners: the LINE Skis UK Pro Team comprising Andy Bennett, Murray Buchan, Paddy Graham, Jo Guest, Tom Last, Mike Wakefield.
Dark Summer Comment: "The progression of British freeskiing in recent years has been incredible. A few years ago it was strange to see a British name on the podium of an international freeski competition, but now it is happening with alarming regularity. The Best Male category contains the creme-de-la-creme of British freeskiers, all of whom have made their mark on the freeskiing world."
Murray ("Muzza") began skiing at 8 years thanks to his family's shared passion for snow. By 12 he was spinning 1080s at his home slope in Edinburgh. First supported locally by Freeze Scotland and Head, Murray become a LINE sponsored rider after writing to us to ask if he could join the LINE Ski Pro Team. We have a policy of not approaching riders supported or sponsored by other manufacturers but having received his letter and been following his progress over a few years we were happy to bring him on board and the rest of the team have been coaching and encouraging him ever since. Very approachable with a great sense of humour, Murray is one of those guys who makes friends of all ages easily. He copes well with pressure and is able to focus totally on the job in hand. Now a teenager, Murray is growing into an accomplished freestyle skier and fulfilling the potential he showed before, taking on and beating people almost twice his age. In the Orange British Championships in Laax, Switzerland he claimed 3rd place in the Slopestyle and Big Air events. He has a section in the new Regime Change Productions movie, "try.fail.try". With the help of his parents and sponsors (especially Nike ACG) Murray has been heading out to Europe more regularly and pushing himself to get better and better. We believe the voters got this one right too. Murray is one to watch, he is a very talented rugby player but we hope he will continue to concentrate on skiing, with the help of sponsors. Scotland may soon have an international freestyle skier to boast about, alongside an improving rugby team!
Dark Summer Comment: "Ski movies are nothing without the skiers who star in the them. Each segment of a ski film is a fusion of the skiers riding and the filmmakers interpretation into an audio and visual treat."
The Salomon Award for the Best UK Female Freeskier
The K2 Skis Awards for the Best UK Unsponsored Freeskier
The Da Kine Award for the Best UK Ski Film
Dark Summer Comment: "With few real mountains of our own, the majority of freeski progression in the UK is done on the artificial and indoor slopes.
The Zag Skis Awards for the Best UK Ski Photographer
Dark Summer Comment: "In his short time on the UK freeski scene, Rich Taylor had an incredible effect. Not only his skiing, personality and his outlook on life inspired so many people. Freeskiing in the UK is all the better for Rich having been a part of it.
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