Mud, rain and lack of snow couldn’t keep riders at the fourth annual Carleton University Ski and Snowboard club’s “Jib Test” away from ripping it up Fri., March 27 at Mackenzie field.
Warm weather and a few rainy days last week threw this year’s Jib Test a curve ball. Not only was weather not on their side but also Carleton administration was making things hard on organizers.
Administration did not want Jib Test to be held on Mackenzie Field due to construction of a new Engineering building, said organizer Dave Bonham-Carter, but with help from Carleton’s director of student affairs Ryan Flannagan, jib test was given the go ahead for one last show on Mackenzie Field.
The event this year was much smaller, and with a lot less snow thanks to warmer temperatures but spectators and participants alike still had a good time.
“Even with the smaller setup, the new rail and box setup looks sweet,” second-time competitor Tyrell McElhinney said, who finished fifth in this year’s snowboarding division.
Carlo Mion, a four-time competitor, was feeling the pain that came with less snow.
In his first round set, Mion took a hard fall off the box setup.
“This year is definitely a challenge and less snow has made the box and rail slower . . . everything is more technical,” Mion said. “You have to be worried about how slow you go and catching your edges during tricks.”
Organizers Bonham-Carter and Joel Smith said while the snow posed challenges, it still made for a fun event.
“It doesn’t matter how much snow is on the ground, people from all around the Ottawa area know that Jib Test is a sick competition,” Smith said.
Bonham-Carter and Smith had to find snow from other places on campus to make the event happen.
“I don’t know what things would have been like if it weren’t for the guys at Physical Plant that brought us in all this snow,” Bonham-Carter said.
But struggles were made worthwhile as bigger and better prizes were given out this year.
In the ski category, Chris Honeywell took home the grand prize and Martin Theoret came first in the snowboarding category – both went home with $500.
Second- and third-place finishers took home gear donated by sponsors, including Joe Mamma sports shop in the Glebe.
Jib Test organizers said they are unsure about the location of next year’s competition due to construction of Mackenzie field, but are optimistic that it will remain on Carleton’s campus for years to come.