35 elite riders from across several nations were showcased. Amongst the crew were riders such as Romain De Marchi, JP Solberg, Gigi Ruff, Nataza Zurek, DCP, Gian Simmen, James Beach, Marcus Wherle, Tim and Will Jackways, Dylan Butt, Amanda Mourant, Leanne Pelosi and a host of New Zealand rippers.
The competition was jam format on each of the selected features. Competitors battled it out for cash prizes on a 32ft wall-ride, 24ft quarter-pipe, kinky rails and a massive kicker. The contest was divided into 4 sections: Rails, Jumps, Wall Ride and Quarterpipe, all rider judged. DJ Zindawg was on the turntable, with rider Amanda Mourant stepping it up to GoGo dance on the 2-story DJ booth. Conditions were perfect for the event, bluebird sunny skies, perfect for the hundreds of spectators that showed up to see the jam go down.
Big ups to Kristian Phillips of New Zealand, who was the first rider to take down the new 40ft pink S-box. Dwayne Wiebe’s smooth style and technical prowess on the flat down rail made him champion of the rail section with a gap to f/s 450 to 270 off and butter switch frontside on the down 40 footer. Canada’s Leanne Pelosi won the rail section with a gap to f/s 270 on the flat down rail, 270 off, and a boardslide on the 40 footer down rail. Tim Jackways conquered the jump with some sick cab 7’s, but it was Dylan Butt who took the jump section of the contest. He unleashed a full bag of tricks with smooth-like-butter steeze, even bringing tricks back from Olly Brunton’ s day.
On the girls side of things, Nataza Zurek cruised through the contest mid-day to pull some big lofty f/s 360’s and New Zealand’s Haidee Mayen won the jump section with a huge f/s 360. On Snow Park’s infamous wall ride, Dominic Pelosi and Logan Holt continued their standing rivalry, and once again Logan took the title, although it could have been either of them. Canadian Amanda Mourant showed all the boys how to properly execute a f/s lipslide to 180 out on the top of the wall ride. She’s so hot right now. Leanne Pelosi is even hotter. She won the wall ride section with an air to tailslide to fakie off. Gian Simmen, Will Jackways, and Okeden all threw down on the quarterpipe, but it was Canadian Dwayne Wiebe’s huge Japan airs and Marcus Wherle’s massive 15ft + inverts that saw the boys share the victory that bought them and everyone else more than a ‘few’ beers later at the bar. Abby Lockhart pulled an array of tricks on the QP, with tons of steeze. She won the QP. Overall titles went to Canadians Dwayne Wiebe and Leanne Pelosi.
"We’re stoked on the fact that we had perfect conditions, sunny skies, soft snow, perfectly shaped transitions, good music, sick riding, lots of people, and smiles all round,” says Snow Park’s Terrain Park & Event Supervisor, Zinny Sinclair. “This was Snow Park’s best day of the season. It will be even bigger next year.” The 2003 SPI invite results:
Rails: Dwayne Wiebe, Leanne Pelosi
Jumps: Dylan Butt, Haidee Mayen
Quarterpipe: Marcus Wherle, Dwayne Wiebe, Abby Lockhart
Wall Ride: Logan Holt, Leanne Pelosi
Men’s Overall Winner: Dwayne Wiebe
Women’s Overall Winner: Leanne Pelosi