MK goes Big?

Published on: 22nd June, 2010

We don’t get decent big air comps often in the UK, as most of the time, we seemingly don’t have the space or time to set on up. They take quite a bit of planning, and time especially on the day.

As a nation, we’ve got some really hot big air riders, Ben Kilner is pretty tasty off a decent sized wedge as is Scotty McMorris, Sam Cullum and Nelson Pratt, just to name a few of our GB’s finer talents.

Here at FoTP, we’d like to think that when we get a kicker of the size and quality that we witnessed at MK the other week, you would kind of expect to see shredders turning up to make the most of the opportunity.

Unfortunately, only a few turned up, despite the decent prize fund of £600.

While it wasn’t the best of nights to hold a big air, with the world cup was kicking off on the TV, you might have expected a few less faces, but then they were giving away a tidy sum of cold hard cash at the countries most accessible freezer.

So what was it? Bad planning? Lack of publicity? Or is riding big air in a freezer uncool?
Perhaps as a nation of dome jibbers, big air just isn’t popular? But we know that there are many riders who can throw some shapes so why the poor show?

The turn out was a big shame considering the effort and quality of the booter that had been superbly crafted on the hill.

One whole MK slope of drop in, 16m booter followed by a big, steep landing.

Those that did show up, dropped in regardless, enjoying the rare chance to get a bit of real air time, indoor style.

Local Reece Gould rode strongly at his home slope, hitting up the bigger kicker early on, before the speed of the softening drop restricted him to the smaller, second hit.

Jordy Gee was also enjoying the size of the beast, busting out some graceful 7’s, not quite holding onto that steep landing.

But that big knuckle and solid transition proved to be perfect for the three that took the podium.

Rowan Coultas claimed third place, landing just about every trick he threw all night. Smooth 3’s over the smaller hit grabbed him third place, as another local, Matt “Bacon” Jones and Sparrow Knox Battled it out for king of the hill.

Bacon was threw down some neat back ones, and a stylish no grab in the final was enough for him to claim second place. Smooth and effortless during his 2 seconds of flight time.

But there was no stopping Sparrow Knox. Dropping the hit for fun, he stomped a book of tricks including a sick 9 in the final.

No contest really, as he continued to drop in between the freeskiers final runs with style and huge props from the on looking few.

It was a fine demonstration of what is possible in our UK freezers. Next time, a few more riders would certainly help the evening go off with a bang.

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