Leading up to the Garden Party Rail Jam on March 30, the events team at Sun Peaks Resort LLP (SPR) have been lighting things up with session one and two of the Stoke Series now complete.
“Every single session we’ve just seen it grow and grow in popularity,” said events coordinator for SPR and idea person behind the Stoke Series, Carly Irrgang.
Having a background as a freestyle ski instructor, Irrgang said when she moved into events, she noticed a lack of unsanctioned terrain park events for locals.
All about supporting terrain park culture in Sun Parks, the Stoke Series is a low-stakes way for local skiers and snowboarders to show off their skills in an uplifting and fun environment.
About the Stoke Series
In the Stoke Series, each of the three competitions lead up to a large-scale rail jam.
Sponsorships for the events include Elevation Bike Ski and Board, The Truth in Kamloops, One Boardshop and Yuki Threads, bringing soft goods such as toques, hats, mitts, sweaters and T-shirts as prizes.
“Everyone can get prizes, whether you win or lose,” Irrgang said about the Stoke Series. “It just really supports the scene, and really helps shine light on what an amazing job that park crew and our operations team do too.”
Not only supporting skiers and snowboarders who want to dip their toe into a competition setting or sharpen their skills as seasoned competitors, the events support local organizations as well.
During both winter and summer runs of the program, Sun Peaks Skate Park Foundation (SPSP) receives funds from entry fees, minus a few expenses SPR uses to build the event atmosphere.
Summer Stoke Series events support Sun Peaks Recreational Trail Association as well as SPSP.
Stoke Series: session two
On a fairly frigid night, a crowd of bundled-up spectators made their way to the village base with mugs of warm tea and lots of cheers ready to be let loose.
Many lined up on the rope line, with phone cameras trained on competitors from this ideal vantage point.
Stoke Series Session Two began at 5 p.m. with the grom/junior category of skiers and snowboarders riding one after the other up the platter and down the terrain park, pulling whatever tricks they could out of their arsenal.
Announcers kept the audience entertained, chatting throughout the event and shouting out the names of familiar local athletes and their skills.
At 6 p.m., the event switched gears with the open category, for riders 13 and over.
These seasoned athletes pulled out all the stops and didn’t hold back. Spectators saw some impressive tricks landed, as well as a fair share of wipeouts.
Everyone gathered at the bottom of the park for awards at around 7 p.m.
As a memento of their achievement, each winner received a plaque as they stand on a small podium in front of the gathered crowd, pose for pictures and then head over to the prize tables for first picks before honourable mentions for things like best crash, best cheerleader and more, as well as giveaways.
This session was split into female and male winners of each category.
Ski grom winners were Elise Mallinson and Carter Klassen and snowboard grom winners were Emma Witzaney and Josh Burton.
As for the open category mainly made up of skiers, Liam Coghlan took the cake for the snowboard category while Marigold Campbell and Olson Advocaat were titled the winning skiers.
Wren Grunling, Atley O’Neil, Kaden MacGowen, Jackson Atkinson, Tristan Strokon, Brody Furniss Cameron Heimstra, Jaden Bouch, Azalea MacGowen and Norah Witzaney all received special mentions as well.
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