What a Feeling – The Pre-season Stoke is Alive

By: Pippin  Lee

Ski The East Contributor/Photographer

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 Editor's Note: Pippin has requested all readers play this music video while reading this article.

     It happens annually, around this time of the year. I was awoken by the harsh melody of an alarm clock. Brain activity was still slightly unaware of why the alarm clock had gone off and not a hint of light had hit the sky outside. Gears started moving, the brain started to process thoughts from its dreary state and a very sweet thought came running up behind me and slapped me in the back of the head. Blurry eyed I squinted at my e-calendar as it read “Jib-Fest”. What a great feeling it was, because yes folks it’s that time of the year again.
    Pre-season jib contests mean one thing here in Ontario - that the season is less than a month away, and I think everyone held that same feeling of excitement, because the smell of snow is just around the corner. After grabbing all my gear I ran for the bus that headed to Barrie Ontario.

    Upon arriving at Georgian College in Barrie, where things were setup in the college parking lot, quite an amazing sight was seen. It could be equated to Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory - kids left, right, and centre, buzzing with excitement. Eastern Canada may be one of the few places that has yet to receive any substantial snow, but everyone of those skiers was beyond stoked to get their first hits of the season. As the young jibbers stood around waiting for the final touches to be added to the down box, and down rail, the kind of anticipation that can only be fueled through 7 wet, warm and snowless months was clearly ready to be skied away.

    Before long, the kids in an excited craze, like in the Willy Wonka factory, were running up the scaffolding getting as many hits as possible on the jib-tastic features, while trying to bring the top-notch goods to impress the judges enough to get a spot in the finals. One usually expects some shaky first hits, but there was none to be had. The two plankers got down to business with pretzels so salty they would have George Costanza yelling: “These pretzels are making me F#@%ng thirsty!”

    After 20 or so minutes of hip-hopping to the DJ’s sounds on the rails, and one or two spectacular hay-barrel dives, the finalists were confirmed. As soon as the finals started, the skiers knew their objective – and it was simple. Get as many hits in and get technical – because hey, snowboarders were judging and they like us long thinned stick wearing people to do as many perpendicular-gravitational spins as possible. All kidding aside, the judges knew what they were doing, even giving motivation to the skiers by yelling out tricks for the skiers along with the name of a prize that would be up for the takings for nailing the trick. This led to switch-hits, 270’s on with 450’s out, and enough change-ups to leave even Hideki Matsui swinging in the dark.

        The finals ended, with every single skier grinning with stoke and claiming their new tricks of the first event of the season. Judges had to practically bang their heads together to figure out a winner, and decided Owen Lajeunesse should take top spot. The crowd definitely made their voice in agreement be heard as Owen picked up a nice bag of gear for claiming first as well as a grand cheer. Running a very close second was the Barrie local and young go-getter Jamieson Irvine who showed nothing but ease and style that would have put top ballet dancers to shame. 3rd spot went to Mark Hunt who kept things easy on the eyes all day with his flawless rail trickery. And to not mention the skills of the young and super talented Evan McEachran, as well as the thrashing Jordan Innes bestowed on the jibs would be an utter travesty as they sweated it out and put it all out there for everyone to see.

        With the first of many events in the books, to look forward, is to bring that excitement and stoke to the rest of the long season ahead. And one must remember to rub that wooden snow god beside your bed every morning or say those few words to reach the snow heavens every night before the covers come up to ensure we get our fair share of the white stuff only dreams can be made of right now.