Claire: Billabong Flaunt It Finals
This past weekend, I travelled with a few friends to Bear Mountain, California. If anyone is looking for a fun and affordable mountain, Bear is the place to visit. For $56 you can shred park top to bottom, and at the end of the day you can watch other riders kill it while enjoying a cold beer with friends. The park crew is also very creative with their features and the layout, creating a perfect flow for every type of rider.
After three days of riding I had a very dark goggle tan and tired legs. Before heading back to Tahoe; Merrick Williams, Lauren Chea and photographer Dylan Warren and I headed to Huntington Beach and L.A. You can’t leave SoCal without seeing the ocean! I wish the water was warm enough to swim in, though the smell and sight of the sea water was enjoyable enough.
We arrived back in Tahoe Friday night around 9:00 pm. I had to get my rest because I had to be at Sierra at Tahoe at 8:30 am the next day to compete in the Billabong Flaunt it finals. When I woke early Saturday morning the forecast was calling for 60-100 mile hour winds and snow. Not the best conditions for a slopestyle and rail jam competition. By 9:00 am all the lifts on the mountain were on wind hold, so the director of the Billabong Flaunt it said they were going to take all competitors up to the top of the course by snow cat. The cat would have been a fun experience to, but I was not looking forward to hitting a 40ft and 60ft jump with such high winds. After a half hour, the winds had gotten worse, and they made the call to postpone the event. Billabong threw a bowling party for all the girls that night to celebrate, which gave the girls a chance to really get to know each other, making the competition more comfortable and fun.
Photo: Dustin Miller
Sunday morning: I woke to beautiful bluebird day with 18 inches of powder on the ground. I could not have asked for a better day. We got to the mountain an hour and a half before the event so we could enjoy the fluffy powder. When the slopestyle started the course was a little slow because of the new snow, but that did not stop Jessika Jenson from taking 1st place with a $5,000 check! Congrats to her for killing it all day.
Photo: Dustin Miller
Photo: Dustin Miller
After we were all treated to lunch we hit the rails. The rail jam went on for a hour, a jam format. I took a pretty hard fall, and it knocked the wind out of me. I was pretty worried that I broke a rib, but luckily I just could not breathe for a minute. Though I did not place in the Rail Jam I was honored to shred with all of these talented ladies that traveled from all over to come for the competition. I did however get a shot on the Snowboarder Magazine. Congrats to Breanna Stangeland for taking best trick at the Rail Jam. Words can’t express how much fun I had with these ladies. I hope to see you all next year.
A big thanks to my Sponsors Akinz Boardwear, Flow Snowboards, Shred Betties and Essi Eye Wear
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Posted by Kelly Vance on 04/08
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