Calshot Gnar Chicken and Tea Jib Jam review

Just got this review of the latest Gnar Chicken and Tea Jib Jam event at Calshot at the weekend. It’s written by a visiting Canadian rider Bronwen Foster-Butler – who also got to experience the joys of dryslope riding during her visit to the event…

Rebecca Cullum pic: Rachel Brier

On Saturday the May 21st, shredders from all over the country piled into the indoor snowflex slope of Calshot Activities Centre for the second Gnar Chicken and Tea jib jam. Organised by the sensational Alexa Hohenberg, the jam is a fundraiser for the upcoming Gnar Chicken & Tea DVD, which will be released in October. Meant as a source of motivation for the female shredding population, Lexa is quickly creating a legendary event, and this one was no different.

More than 35 competitors made it out to the end of the Calshot spit to try their hand at the crazy English invention: dry slope. Not only was I the only dryslope virgin, I was the only Canadian in the roster.

Having heard Lexa gab endlessly about her fantastic "indoor snowboard slopes" I thought I would come over and see if it was all true. How random. Nevertheless, once the music started pumping and energy rose, I was thoroughly stoked to be out "riding" on the dryslope. Now I know why all the Brits who come to Whistler rock on the rails!

The event was a two-and-a-half hour jam with judged by three guys from React Snowboards and the lovely local shred-head Guy Rodgers. A different format from the last jam which was rider-judged, this freedom allowed everyone to concentrate on their riding and pushing their limits. Not afraid to throw out challenges to the competitors, the judges kept the level of riding high and the evening exciting, with plenty of prizes being dished out all over the place.

The rails even progressed with the level of tricks being thrown down with the straight

Sherman pic: Rachel Brier

rail being put up to the rainbow for a unique combination of creativity. Ben McHugh was 270-ing off the straight rail onto the down of the rainbow and the local Calshot rippers like Kieron Howard, Alex Spence and Sherman (Andy Mills) were also throwing busting out some impressive moves. Special mention goes out to rad little Danielle Russell, who at only seven-years-old was showing up all of us old cats on her skis.

Rupert Voremberg got a helmet from Trespass for the best slam of the evening.

Special mentions also went out to Andy Mills, Billy Morgan, Cody Hierons, Chris Golton, Samantha Rogers and Jo Chastney for their exceptional riding.

Winner Bronwen Foster-Butler pic: Rachel Brier

The final results for the men had Alex Spence in third, Ben McHugh in second and Dan "Dynamite" Mayo grabbing first for his skills off both the rails and the kicker.

The women finished with shocked late-comer Helen Taggart in third, super consistent Rebecca Callum (we know who she gets it from eh?) in second, and the Crazy Canadian getting her first dryslope win (Alexa adds name!) Bronwen Foster-Butler.

The evening was only made better by being given a React snowboard to take back to Canada and try out on the wet-slope.

Overall, the evening was another major success for everyone who showed up. Some crazy tricks were pulled out and everyone had a blast.

Thanks to all our sponsors: React Snowboards, Chorus, Nikwax, Protest, Bonfire, Nikita, Animal, Bula, Habanero, Sessions, Buff headwear, Trespass, Snowboard.com, Burton, Anon, Red, Whistler-Blackcomb, Sapient, Ignite, M6, KIK Clothing, Jail Clothing, Landing Headwear and Westbeach.

Keep your eyes on the website www.gnarchickenandtea.co.United Kingdom for the next Gnar Chicken and Tea jib jam which will take place sometime in August.

Who knows, I might even extend my visit in order to get some more mileage on the legendary dryslope!