Charles Reid wins Stylewars Rail Jam

lgallagher

• August 28 2008
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STYLEWARS 2008
CANADIAN CHARLES REID WINS THE 28 STAIR RAIL JAM presented by VOLVO

Stylewars 2008 presented by Oakley.
August 24-28, 2008
Falls Creek Resort, Australia.

French Canadian snowboarders continue their monopoly of the Stylewars event by this time taking out the 28 Stairs street rail comp that was held under lights in the Falls Creek village last night.

After an hour-long jam session, the chosen six finalists had 30 minutes to prove who deserved the win, the $5000 and some gold and silver Stylewars jewels. The set up is a gnarly 28 wooden stair set with two outer round bar rails (on kinked) and one flat bar kink in the middle.

Rail jam winner Charles Reid. Gap to back lip. PHOTO:Alex Roberts

Quebec rider Charles Reid rode like a shredder possessed in the icy final with a number of gap and combination tricks on the middle kinker. Starting with a huge backlip gap he went into a 50-50 to 270 over the kink to front board, a frontside 270 gap, an inward 270 gap (that looked like he was nearly corked in mid air) and he finished with a crazy nollie backside 270 lipslide gap on that heavy middle rail that had all the dingo’s frothing. That last trick also won him the best trick, a clean sweep and $1500.

““It was a pretty sick set up, the biggest rail set-up I have ever seen for a rail contest.” Charles said after the event and also giving props to the other riders in the final throwing down, “Everyone was riding so well especially Robbie Walker from Australia he front boarded through that kink middle rail, that’s such a gnarly kink.”

Charles Reid collecting his spoils. PHOTO:Alex Roberts

Robbie Walker wasn’t holding back in the final either charging with some huge gapping combinations and combos through the middle kink. “The level of riding was ridiculous. I was trying as hard as I could not to look ridiculous riding with those guys. Those two are the best two riders around at the moment.” Robbie said.

The other shredder Robbie was referring to was Iceland’s Eiki Helgason who was throwing down trick combinations on the flat bar that had all the riders and crowd freaking out, including some of these hammers; a backside 180 to switch nosepress, front board to tail press to 270 out and finally a backside 180 to cab 270 to boardslide combo. “It was fun but cold tonight and it was a crazy level of riding.” Eiki said after the event.

Eiki Helgason from Iceland was there getting crazy tech. PHOTO: Alex Roberts.

Canadian shred hound Andrew Geeves also deserves some serious props after he spun a heavy switch backside 270 over the round bar gap rail before taking some heavy slams, “I feel like I’ve been run over by a semi!” Geeves told us this morning.

The Stylewars freestyle marathon continues today with the last day of park riding after which the Grand Master of the overall event will be declared. Currently, Canadian Matts Kulisek also of Quebec, Canada leads the rankings with fellow countrymen and tonight’s 28 stair champion Charles Reid running a close second place. Torstein Horgmo last year’s winner is currently in third, which means an exciting last day of hammer throwing is guaranteed at the wars.

After today’s final day the TTR World Tour ranking is set to change with Chas Guldemond now in striking distance to move in to the number one ranked position and Charles Reid also sniffing around the top. Stylewars is a 4-star TTR World Tour stop.

The Bledisnow Cup (Australia v NZ) will also conclude today with Australia taking the lead after destroying the Kiwi’s in the 28-stair rail event.

RESULTS:
Stylewars 28 Stair Rail jam presented by Volvo.

Overall winner: Charles Reid (Quebec, Canada) $5000
Best Trick: Charles Reid (Quebec, Canada) $1500

The 2008 Stylewars is presented by Oakley and is supported by Falls Creek Resort, SilverSki Lodge, Corona, Red Bull, Volvo and New Era.