Cricket Wireless Campus Rail Jam Tour

Cricket Campus Rail Jam Tour - Finals

CampusRailJamTour — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 00:46:48 +0000

It was a packed house at Portland’s Pioneer Courthouse Square for the finals of the Cricket Campus Rail Jam Tour. The Rose City was definitely feeling the excitement as the top riders from seven western states battled it out for bragging rights and their share of the $5000 in prize money. Everyone from businessmen sipping cappuccinos to the local Hawthorne hipsters was on site to witness the nations best college snow sliders.

Photos Courtesy of Drew Diehl & Kaite McNally

With a snow base of over ten feet, Mt. Hood was more than prepared to hook up our set-up crew with the five dump trucks of snow required for the grand finale. Anticipation built as the dump trucks roared into downtown, and the crowd continued to swell as the tricked-out Scion tC and xB’s showed up on the scene. Local shops, US Outdoor Store and Hillcrest were both on-site, providing a serious amount of free loot to shower over the crowd. Both shops were immediately swarmed with groms with the hopes of getting their paws on the mounds of product, possibly snagging autographs from Darrell Mathes & Bret Butcher, snow legends who were holding down the US Outdoor Store tent.

At 2pm, Galvanic’s own DJ Wiky began spinning, riders checked in to receive the last of the Cricket Wireless jerseys, and the park crew put the finishing touches on the course for the final competition of the 13 stop tour. With kick-off time right around the corner, judges Tim Windell and Logan Serassi took their places in the Red Bull judge towers as Nick Dirks, Jarad Hadi and Sammy Carlson climbed the FUEL TV DJ tower to get a solid view of the competition.

The riders were poised on top of the scaffolding setup, sizing up the competition, slapping high-fives, and trying not to look nervous as they awaited the drop signal from the DJ tower. The FUEL TV cameras hit the switch as MC Chimpy T called the first competitors with an Active Culture Frozen Yogurt in hand. After four months of anticipation, the Cricket Campus Rail Jam Tour finals were finally under way.

The college shreds were going all out, throwing down ridiculous combos and supplying the crowd with some serious carnage. Big-ups went out to Giro, who provided helmets at qualifying events, saving riders’ craniums from the 80-foot monster of snow and steel they attempted to conquer.

For some, the sacrifice paid off, like Jaime Wabschall who laid down super clean 50-50s through the kink, landing her in third for the females. Becky Bruce was also able to put together solid combos on the kink with a 50-50 to front board, to hold it down in second. Tahoe shred Joanna Dzierzawski struck gold with the Best Overall Female performance and Best Female Trick with a textbook boardslide through the kink rail.

Scott Pullman and John Ware put together top performances in the ski category, but the Best Overall Skier performance went to Collin Wright with a very solid showing on all three features. Wright also landed the Best Skier Trick with his buttery 270 switch-up 270 out on the kink. His performance bagged him $1000 in cash as well as a full setup from next season’s Spyder Venom line.

The male snowboarders showed up for the finals ready for action, with a combination of post qualifier practice, tougher competition, and adrenaline pulsing through their veins. The finalists were a mix of the sickest collegiate riders in the country, making it a true battle of the best in the west. Civil Apparel’s John Adkins dropped jaws by acclaiming clean tail-presses through the kink followed by a 50-50 to backside 360 out of the kink.

Collin Spencer was on fire all day with a 50-50 to frontside 360 out on the kink, coupled with a tail press to backside feeble with a 270 out.

The Best Overall Men’s Snowboard Performance went to none other then Dylan Alito, making the 22-hour drive from Denver to stuff his wallet with close to 2k in cash. Dylan had more tricks than could fit on the judge sheet, taking Best Trick with a 50-50 to method to front board through the kink. Soon after, he dropped bombs on Portland with a 270 on to 270 off of the box, coupled with a moonwalk on the Windell’s stall feature.

Post-event, the top riders got their 15 minutes of fame interviews with FUEL TV and various local news stations, giving these athletes the well-deserved attention from their top tier performances. As with the end of every event, it was time to put on a fresh Mt. Theory hoody and hit the legendary Red Bull after-party. Drinks flowed, bar tabs were maxed, and karaoke was sung. Some celebrated victory while some nursed battle wounds with tequila shots, and all toasted to a great tour and an even greater anticipated tour next year. An epic night in Portland was had by all, to say the least. A special thanks to the Campus Rail Jam Tour supporters, you have believed in the vision:

“In college: a football player has a field, a basketball player has a gym, and snow-sports athletes need a venue to showcase their talents to their peers.” -Dan Genco, Galvanic Design founder

CHECK OUT ALL THE PHOTOS HERE!

This could not have gone off without the support of these companies: A big thank you to Cricket Wireless, Red Bull, Clif Bar, Scion, Spyder, Giro, Civil Apparel’s, FUEL TV, Snowboarder Magazine, Snowboard Magazine and Galvanic Design.

Also, thank you to University of Colorado at Boulder, Colorado State University, Denver, University of Utah, San Diego, Fresno State, Boise State University, Gonzaga, University of Nevada Reno, Chico State, University of Oregon, Oregon State University, Portland Pioneer Square.

Men’s Best Overall Snowboard
1. Dylan Alito
2. Collin Spencer
3. John Adkins

Best Trick Men’s Snowboard
Dylan Alito: 50-50 method front board down the kink

Women’s Best Overall Snowboard
1. Joanna Dzierzawski
2 Becky Bruce
3 Jamie Wabschall

Best Trick Women’s Snowboard
Joanna Dzierzawski: clean backboard through the kink

Men’s Best Overall Skier
1. Collin Wright
2. John Ware
3. Scott Pollman

Best Trick Men’s Skier:
Collin Wright: 270 switch up 270 out of the kink

Cricket Campus Rail Jam Tour: OSU

CampusRailJamTour — Sat, 31 May 2008 23:44:54 +0000

The Cricket Campus Rail Jam Tour finally returned home to Corvallis, Oregon’s Oregon State University and the birthplace of the campus rail jam tour concept. True Beaver Believers know the competition as the annual “Snow in the Quad”.

All Photos Courtesy of Drew Diehl
This year was a new experience for the Galvanic Crew, as it was the first expedition of a west-coast tour spanning seven states, and taking the crew far from their start and on a journey of nearly 4 months of great snowboarding and competitions. For the majority of the crew this was a long awaited homecoming to their Alma Mater, 6 of the 15 were affiliated with OSU and three more with connections from OSU’s event last year in the midst of an after party involving, girlfriends and knocked out teeth.

The setting could not have been more picturesque-temperatures crested 90 degrees while Corporate Clothing set up their booth between the pimped out Scion tC with the butterfly doors and the Civil Apparel van complete with a couch on the racks for the best possible seat in the house! Oregon State’s own DJ Landforce gave the crowd some rhythm while MC Chimpy T called out to many of his classmates for the start of the final qualifying event of the Cricket Campus Rail Jam Tour. Three heats of 15 riders rushed to the scaffolding to see the over 4,000 in attendance and compete for not only cash, but tons of prizes from the US Outdoor Store , Giro and Spyder, as well as a chance to earn their way into finals and be seen on FUEL TV the following week.

Sweat dripped from the riders as they ran up the setup, strapped in and charged down the rail set. It is not clear whether the riders were dropping so fast because they wanted to win or to impress the many skin showing co-ed’s in attendance. Whatever their reason, the top riders threw down.

The top five men’s finalists shined the kink rail with a back board to front board combo by Shaun Daley, a 50-50 back board 360 out by Blake Payne, a clean front board in shorts through the kink by Eric Singer and a very clean 50-50 to 360 out by Joni Burger. The top award was given to John Adkins riding for Civil Apparel when he stuck a very clean 50-50 to 270 backboard late in the finals.

The women showed up in full force on the box feature with Raelynd Tarnove nosepressing and Kendra Langston tailsliding into the top three, but the top woman performer of the day went to Randa Shahin with a solid 50-50 through the kink.

The skier contingency hashed it out with side ski combos through the kink, but at the end of the day it was Collin Wright who finished with the largest spinner award and the first place skier for his 450 on and 270 out of a side ski combo through the kink.

At the end of the competition, it was nice to stand at the top of the Cricket Campus Rail Jam Tour setup and admire the view…….of a beautiful campus, great competitors and of course the good looking female kind seen throughout the crowd. After a long day of riding, it was time to meet them and explore the nightlife of Corvallis.

With the official after-party at Tailgaters, a crewmember’s birthday and a naked slip n slide on Greek row, how could anyone forget a great time at Oregon State University? The next morning would have been impossible without the hangover cure combo of Red Bull Sugar Free and Banana Nut Clif Bar. It was finally time to focus energy on the finals in Portland, where all of the top riders from the previous stops would come and show their skill for great prizes, a stellar audience and some big money.
Check out all the photos here!

Snowboard Men
1. John Adkins
2. Joni Burger
3. Eric Singer
4. Blake Payne
5. Shaun Daley

Snowboard Ladies
1. Randa Shahin
2. Kendra Langston
3. Raelynd Tarnove

Skier Men
1. Collin Wright
2. Brian Spere
3. Joey Van Der Mere

A special thanks to all of our tour supporters, without you supporting our scene, there would be no way we could host the Cricket Campus Rail Jam Tour. Together we can grow our sport.

Cricket Campus Rail Jam Tour - UO

CampusRailJamTour — Sat, 31 May 2008 20:55:12 +0000

A shut down street created the scene for the Cricket Campus Rail Jam Tour at the University of Oregon for their 2nd annual Snowboard Club Rail Jam. The tour setup found home on Kincaid Street, the 60-foot asphalt strip separating the University of Oregon campus from the college bars, giving the U of O a strong nightlife reputation.

All Photos Courtesy of Drew Diehl

The festival feel was in full swing, Scion showing off 2008 xB’s and tC’s all pimped out, the Duck was in the house, GORE-TEX gear was put to the ultimate test by allowing anyone to see for themselves how well GORE-TEX products stand up to the gnarliest rain storm, by giving you the opportunity to step into the famous traveling storm chamber simulating over 30mph winds and a torrential down pour. We put our Spyder Venom gear on and put them to the test, and no surprise to us, they worked as good after four months on tour as they did the first day we broke them in at Eclipse Snow Park .

Civil Apparel was also on site telling stories from life on tour while peddling what was left of this year’s line of gear. Clif Bar was in full force sampling and this week this author discovered the new flavor of the week Blueberry Crisp, which is awesome.

The stage was set for a great college snowboarding event, a prime location, 60 of the northwest’s top riders, and a campus that was stoked on the tour, touting it in the school newspaper as the “party of the year” with the homecoming of DJ Wiky who is a University of Oregon student. Riders were stoked as well, for the majority of them; this was their first chance to hit the Cricket Wireless Rail Set that they had been following online for the past four months. With the Red Bull bar stall feature added to the mix riders were pumped to show the rest of the tour the style of the northwest.

It was obvious that the riders were taking notes on how to attack the setup because they threw it down. Matt Kratzer finished off fifth with a front board to 270 out on the kink followed by Jon Montana’s fourth place finish with a backboard to 270 out. Matt Gonzales locked in third place with a 50-50 to switch 50-50 on the kink.

MC Chimpy T ecstatically called out Blake Gies’s steezy nosepress through the kink landing him in second. The crowd knew who locked in first as they roared over Bataleon rider Josh Dwinal with his 50-50 to 360 off.

Raeland Tarnove topped the ladies for the second time on tour, with a 50-50 to front board on the box. Calvin Brawner and Dan Bruton earned their way into the top 3 for skiers, but Collin Wright thwarted their quest for the top with a ski slide to 450 off on the kink.

A great time was had by all and at the end of the day riders left with prizes in the form of cash and product from Giro and Spyder. The night raged on at Taylor’s the official after-party of the U of O stop and even later at DJ Wiky’s casa as he showcased the new cuts he created while on the road with the Galvanic Crew.

Check out all the photos here!

Stay tuned for the final qualifying event recap as well as the results from the Portland Finals.

Snowboard men
1st Josh Dwinal
2nd Blake Geis
3rd Matt Gonzales
4th Jon Montana
5th Matt Kratzer

Snowboard Women
1st Raelynd Tarnove
2nd Kendra Langston
3rd Jamie Walschall

Ski Men
1st Collin Wright
2nd Calvin Brawner
3rd Dan Bruton

A special thanks to all of our tour supporters, without you supporting our scene, there would be no way to have the Cricket Campus Rail Jam Tour. Together we can grow our sport.

Portland Finals. PHOTOLOG!

CampusRailJamTour — Sat, 31 May 2008 06:26:40 +0000

Photos courtesy of Drew Diehl

Photos courtesy of Kaite Mc Nally

OSU. PHOTOLOG!

CampusRailJamTour — Fri, 30 May 2008 18:49:30 +0000

Photos courtesy of Drew Diehl

UO. PHOTOLOG!

CampusRailJamTour — Fri, 30 May 2008 18:14:00 +0000

Photos courtesy of Drew Diehl

Chico! Recap!

CampusRailJamTour — Thu, 29 May 2008 22:50:26 +0000

A toast to Chico, a place where the beer flows like wine and the riders instinctively flock like the salmon of Capistrano to ride the Cricket Campus Rail Jam Tour setup. Late on Thursday afternoon the Galvanic Crew, 6 people deep piled into the Civil Apparel van headed for Chico, CA. The van, affectionately known to the crew as “Jack” boasted a top speed of 55mph and luxury just short of a stretch Hummer, which was tried and true in its devotion to transport our crew with all of the gear to the 10th stop of the tour. With huge support from the Chico Snow Club, the Galvanic Crew made quick work of the event setup working through the night until the course was constructed to perfection. Much love to Clif Bar for the energy bars that fueled the team for the Chico stop. Nice work on the Mint Chocolate flavor.

Photo courtesy of Joe Koscis

The next day, the crew met up with DJ Wiky and MC Chimpy T to load snow and add the finishing touches to the setup. And oh did the riders flock like salmon from all over the west. It was a battle of the best and brightest, with $500 and an invitation to the finals in Portland Oregon on the line.

Photo courtesy of Joe Koscis

In the 80+ degree weather, riders sweated it out dropping in and running to the stairs to get their next drop trying to impress the judges underneath the FUEL TV tent. These riders were in it to win it.