FREESTYLE SUMMER OF LOVE

One of the most innovative slopes in the UK, the Sno!Zone at Castlefield (aka "CASvegas") continues to host some great events and has plenty of cool things happening for freestyle skiers over what promises to a long hot Summer.

Damian Doyle and the rest of the team at CAS seem to be constantly lining up new innovative competitions and promotions, like the recent "May The Fourth Be With You" and "STANDINGsideways Invitational". The full time park team at the Sno!Zone ensure original and varied park layouts with everything from beginner Rookie lines on the Transco gas pipes and slide box’s to technical and gnarly lines (depending what mood they're in!) with street style down rails, 30ft flat rails, and “connect-a-rail” style metal for various kinked combinations. They also have new Picnic Benches, always managing to inspire some new ride-able creation, previous uses include…podium style step up-step down and up flat down a-frames.

Just to reinforce their progressive credentials the team even update their webpage regularly with diagrams giving the latest park set-up so you can plan your lines before you get there! See the layout and all the Freestyle ski information at CASVegas on their website at: www.xscape.co.uk/snow/castleford.

The normal routine is for Freestyle sessions to run every Thursday and Friday from 7pm - 11pm. "Freestyle Friday's" run all day from 9am - 11pm. Normally they have at least 2 toys out for you to play on all day and then the full CASvegas park is out from 7pm -11pm. (The 2 hour Freestyle session pass costs £25 adults and £20 child, the 4 hour Freestyle session pass costs £35 adults and £28 child.)

The Sno!Zones at Milton Keynes and Braehead also host regular Freestyle sessions and a number of competitions and events over the year. Milton Keynes Sno!Zone have recently launched a new "Park Strife" event with the Freestyle park on the 1st Saturday of each month.

Launching soon at all three Sno!Zones is the "Ride Park" every day with SNO!zone's Summer of Love. From the beginning of June until the end of August there will be freestyle park features at all of their slopes all of the time! This means a super cool Summer of full-time freestyle features on the slopes alongside the established park nights (which will continue to run every Thursday and Friday evening). Open from 11am daily each slope will have a variety of rails and features for shredding whenever you feel like it. Watch out for more info and the launch date on the Sno!Zone Freestyle webpages.

Thursday evenings will also see a dedicated "Rookie Park" on the nursery slopes at each Sno!Zone, exclusively for the use of those attending the SNO!academies. So whatever your age if you are new to freestyle you can learn all your tricks and then take them to the main slopes where a multitude of toys will help you push your progression further with the support of the SNO!academy Freestyle coaches.

CASvegas is also hosting special Girls SNO!academies from 7pm-9pm on 8th June, 13th July, 10th August and 14th September. For girls only this is a chance for the female skiers/boarders out there to ride together during a 2 hour coaching session. The session will cover everything from Freestyle for those new to rails/kickers in the Rookie Park, to advanced riding techniques in the CASvegas park for the more experienced female rider! See the CASVegas website for details: www.xscape.co.uk/snow/castleford.