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North Shore Jam at Churchill Repo!
8th September 2004 - Dud
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The most hyped event of the year has just gone by and I have to say it was the best MTB event there ever has been just ask anyone there. Firstly everyone could ride so that makes everyone there feel equal, none of this divide between pros and regular riders that occurs at most events. Secondly it wasn't huge and although organisers like bigger, smaller is often better. Everyone is more chilled out this way and the whole atmosphere of the place is cool. Most people turned up around 12ish on the Saturday and got set up before heading down into the woods. The shore had been all sprayed and padded up with sponsors and advertisers all over the place making it feel much more official than in the past and it looked mint. This was the first weekend that the new stuff was open ('A-line' and 'Tea and Biscuit') making the competition much more intense. Riders only got in an hour or so practice before the Jam got underway. The commentators Cliff and Elbry (24Seven/Bsx-world.com) took up their positions by the wall ride and started judging riders on skill, style and anything else they felt like. The huck at the end of the wall ride saw a lot of style and carnage over the weekend with the top riders throwing down no footer's, no hander landers and a very sweet no footed can to side-saddle landing. This section proved to be pretty easy for all the riders hitting it so the jam moved on to the tea and biscuit line.
Tea, anyone?
This has got to be the meanest part of Churchill so far and only a few riders stepped up to take it on. It is actually much easier than it looks with the seesaw dropping and planting you right on the landing. The riders had got so used to riding this that many were attempting manuals down the seesaw by the end of the jam. Then you have another few feet until the step up to a 9/10ft long platform and off the end onto another landing. This saw some good action with Jim Davage (Curtis) manualling the length of the platform on his monster of a DH bike. Churchill local 'Cam' was attempting bar spins off the end but took some hard falls, his efforts gaining him first on Sunday and a nice little Norco street frame. The day carried on like this with riders moving around the 'park' and sessioning individual sections. One that has to be mentioned is the steps, they don't look too bad in the pics but the slope is steep and if taken at the wrong speed they can easily make the end of your day. Saying this, riders were annihilating them, with the full sus riders taking them at almost racing speed. The sickest moment was when Esher local 'Rob C' decided he didn't need the second step and launched off the first, tapped the third and rolled on down the hill. Second time up he went even bigger, but I can't tell you what that was because I didn't see it and don't want to bulls*it you, but the crowd went wild for it.
Dont underestimate the steps..
The riders were gaining points throughout the comp which I think must've been in Elbry's head because I couldn't see much official about it. It obviously worked though because the two best riders of the day went through to a final shootout, 'James' riding a Santa Cruz and 'Rob C' in full Bender style on a Banshee. The shootout took place on the wall ride to huck and both riders were fighting it out for a brand new Norco factory bike. James put in some solid runs with trail boss style tabletops off the huck and Rob went for the manual drop to manual down the landing but three failed attempts saw James take the win and walk away a happy man.
The famous wallride for the comp, a work of art, you might say..
Saturday night was a pretty chilled affair with Doddy and DJ Milky on the decks blasting out the Hip Hop and people generally milling about between their tents and the beer tent. Of course there was the usual nutter who was doing a bit of fire breathing for all to admire and Doddy messing around on the megaphone in the early hours of the morning. Then Sunday came round and riders went back into the woods for Sunday's Jam. The final comp was all based around the wall ride to huck with as many riders as wanted to showing their skills off to the crowd who were mainly quiet until the riders either slammed face first into the ground or the free tee shirts were thrown out. Here saw some sick tricks being attempted, many no hander landers to tree plants and more ball eating no footers. A guy who has to be mentioned is a rider on a Black RMX -Wade Simmons edition who thought the huck was a little too easy and opted to ride off the side of the ladder and drop at least 9 feet (probably more) to flat, yes flat. In my books that deserved the win because he did it of both sides and at least 4 times. The winner however was a guy on a Coyote who was trying his hardest to land no handed and took some very hard falls but managed to get up to receive his box stuffed full of saddles and tyres mainly courtesy of 24 Seven bikes.
Hucking madness!
This event was the best I've seen yet and can't wait until next years but here's hoping there be many more jams before then. Kudos goes out to all who organised it and let it go ahead, all the riders who turned up, all the companies that supported it Norco, 24Seven, DMR, Azonic and of course MBUK magazine. Last but not least respect to Cliff and Simon who have worked their asses off to make this event happen and get the shore riding. Well done guys, when's the next one?
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