Who was the Monster ?

Published on: 17th June, 2010

Related News

• Look out! It’s a Monster!
• It’s going to be a Monster!
• Dorset Summer Jam 2010.

It made a pleasant change to arrive at this year’s Dorset Summer Jam in the feverish heat of a Saturday afternoon.

For the past few years, FoTP has visited the wee Snowflex hill that’s tucked away amongst the happy campers in deepest Dorset, accompanied by plenty of rain. Great for the riders on the hill, not so cool for spectators or the technology.

So it was good to get bit of sunshine for a change. The only worry was whether the cosmic rays that were beating down on Warmwell’s bristled banks would affect the Warmwell Monster?

We were about to find out.

The Monster was spawned from the brain of Kev Mills, Warmwell local and rad ripper, who wanted to put on an event that added a bit of KAPOW to the usual offering of big air and rails.

No better place then, than the Dorset Summer Jam 2010. Mix in £100 to tempt a few riders, and some late but great support from Big Dreams Snowboard Shop, and the Monster was set to rock and roll. The kitty for the top popper was looking good at £150.

That’s a lot of loot for boosting an ollie, but as the riders realised what they were up against, the look of determination started to enter the eyes of the 25 entrants, as did the look of uncertainty.

A brutal format meant that if you knocked the bar off, you were out. No second chances. The pressure was on, as were the sprinklers – laden with washing up liquid for that extra slickness.

Encouraged by Kev on the megaphone, the Monster was on and about to get serious.

Starting at a lowly 60cm, Jake Terry dropped in as the guinea pig, knocking the bar off and leaving the contest. The Monster’s brutality had begun and riders at the top of the hill looked on, tentatively dropping in one by one.

Billy Morgan, riding a broken stick, stepped up second to soar over the 60 like a bird. Others followed to get their challenge underway.

There were some audacious attempts at clearing the bar early on. Goaded by the crowd, Lon Canu front flipped 90cm, Danny Highams tweaked grabs at 110, and Sabrina Burnham – the only female riding for the money – challenged well until crashing out at 130 cm.

Above 150cm the Monster started to show it’s teeth, claiming a host of victims. Local favourite Elliot Smith topped out – leaving his tail too low, and clattering the bar. Little did he know his previous record of 170cm was about to be smashed.

Brian Wright, who had casually soared over the previous heights with style, also mistimed his technique at 160cm despite much encouragement from the crowd. Riders were dropping like flies, and that hopeful look back up to the landing to see the bar falling to the ground was becoming a familiar sight.

3 riders remained at 165cm.

Andy Webb suffered a cruel exit; his tail kissed the bar, only to see it teeter and fall in super slo-mo, as Lewis Sonvico and Billy Morgan cleared.

No problems at 170 for these two, so up to 180cm. We were in record territory now, and anticipation buzzed all over the hill.

Billy cleared it with ease. Silence fell as Lewis composed, but with all eyes on him the pressure told.

The Monster wasn’t done there. Mr Morgan cleared 180cm with plenty of room to spare, so returning to the top of the hill to big shouts from the onlookers, he stepped up for a 190cm victory lap.

The bar wobbled a bit, but held on, and the landings was ridden away smooth. Totally insane.

190cm or 6 foot 2.9 inches of Monster, claimed at the Dorset Summer Jam, 2010 by Billy Morgan.

The applause was all his on a radical, sunny Saturday afternoon.

Readers Comments