On Saturday, March 8, the village stroll was the site of the Stunt n’ Stroll rail jam, bringing in hoards of spectators, eagerly watching local athletes stunt their way down the main drag.
This isn’t the first village rail jam brought to Sun Peaks, events coordinator for Sun Peaks Resort LLP (SPR) Carly Irrgang told SPIN, but it is the first year SPR has taken it on as an event.
The Stunt n’ Stroll was hard to ignore and brought the energy right to the centre of town, creating a spectacle tough to peel your eyes away from.
“It’s just a completely different vibe when it’s in the village,” Irrgang said, separating it from other rail jams such as the Stoke Series, held at the base terrain park.
Creating the Stunt n’ Stroll
Previously, 5forty ran the village rail jam, and Irrgang and SPR events and partnerships manager Liz Wilkinson said it was a big hit in the past.
Setting up the village took a few days of hard work and planning, Wilkinson said about this recent rendition, including relying on volunteers to control the guest flow and access through the village during the event.
The rail jam was set up from the upper village by 5forty to finish at the lower village outside the Sun Peaks Grand Hotel and the clock tower.
Part of the setup included pushing the snow in, bringing in rails and building jumps, then the park features were given time to sit before they could be ridden.
Sidewalks on either side remained open and pedestrians were led by volunteers, though many people wanted to stop and watch the action anyway, with spectators at every angle including from above on hotel balconies.
“The biggest takeaway from spectators was the opportunity to see the action so close,” Irrgang said, recapping the event. “With the DJ spinning, and athletes lapping, it really created a vibe.”
The competition and results
An open format rail jam, the 28 participants were meshed into one category, though with a minimum age of 12 because of the more intermediate to advanced level features.
Proceeds from entry fees for the Stunt n’ Stroll went towards the Sun Peaks Skate Park Foundation.
Irrgang pointed out that entrants consisted of more men than women and more skiers than snowboarders, as is common for similar park events.
Marigold Campbell and Soneva Lott were the only two women in the competition, though that didn’t stop Lott from throwing down the first trick in her heat.
Jackson Atkinson won overall in ski at 15 years old and Liam Coglan, 30 years old, won overall snowboard.
With sponsorships from McSporties, Elevation and Jardines, prizes included soft and hard goods such as goggles, poles, helmets, hats, sweaters and gloves as well as a pair of Faction skis won by Atley Oneil during a bib toss.
Beyond the winners, other prizes were granted to those who impressed the judges with creativity, tame-dogs and perseverance, as well as everyone else who stuck around for awards.
“Anything left over was thrown into the crowd giving anyone a chance to go home with a prize,” Irrgang said.
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