1st Stop of the Transworld TransAm goes Bonkers at Waterville Valley

Waterville Valley, NH, January 11, 2010- (Words by Adam Kisiel from High Cascade Snowboard Camp) Being the first to go in anything is hard especially when everyone is watching.  You set the tone for others to follow. You make the standard that everyone will look at and use to compare their own work.  It is a daunting task, but has been a challenge that Waterville Valley has stepped up to every year for the Transworld Snowboarding TransAm Tour. This year was no different; Luke Mathison and the Waterville Valley Park Crew were poised and ready to make a big statement with their park design and building skills.  

The TransAm is not a cookie cutter rail jam or slopestyle build with a few jumps and some rails thrown in the snow kind of event.  It is a test of creativity and snow sculpting skill to build features that are out of the ordinary and extra fun.  One hundred competitors strapped in at the top of a mini park that was the true essence of the TransAm, completely awesome and different.  One of the most ridden features was the Ride Snowboards Wedgie to LowRise Box set up.  Made purely from snow it was set up like a rhythm section that had riders doing back flips, rodeos, spins, and a plethora of tricks with style.  

The Zumiez Log Jam was a major feature as well with a real log to gap over the orange couch.  Mother Nature set the stage with blue skies and with a fun well designed set up the riding couldn't help, but to be at an all time high.
    
Mathison and Crew set up a volcano jump that would make Mt. Hood jealous and riders were doing any requested trick even fast plants all in the name of High Cascade Snowboard Camp.  Oakley used their ever-popular Hubba and riders had tons of options to jib or hold their speed and gap the stairs.  If that wasn't enough riders could jib to their hearts content on the Dakine down flat down  box and down rail or the Giro tank.  Smiles, high fives, hugs, and overall fun was served up heavy as all one hundred riders rode for an hour long session in the mini park.  The judges picked forty riders to be in the Ultimate Final and those final forty riders proved why so many good snowboarders come from Waterville Valley.  Finish off the day with a pizza party, awards ceremony, giveaway, and chocolate chip cookies and you have a perfect day of snowboarding, the caliber day that happens at Waterville Valley on the regular. 

Check the photos and video.

Guys
1st Shaun Murphy
2nd Nate Powers
3rd Zack Normadin

Gals 
1st Lauren Tamposi
2nd Emma Graham
3rd Olivia Wiggins

Pint Sized Ripper Award
Myles Underwood