More than 4,000 people packed on the lawn outside the Bean Housing Complex Thursday to watch about 60 riders tear up four dumptrucks worth of snow in the first UO Rail Jam.
University freshman Elliot Nathan took home $550 and a golden ghetto-blaster as his first place prize in the UO Rail Jam .
Nathan, who beat out several professional and semi-professional competitors, said he hadn’t boarded since March 10.
“I snowboard for fun, not money,” he said. “I was really in it for the ghetto-blaster,” he joked. A ghetto-blaster is a large boombox meant to be carried on one’s shoulder.
Five of the 15 UO Snowboard Club competitors made it to the final round. The contest was run in three 45-minute heats with 20 riders in each heat. Judges chose the top 20 riders to go on to the finals.
Judge Nic Kierce said he was looking for creativity and lots of style.
“I want to see people hitting everything,” he said.
The course was built on scaffolding the night before with the help of McKenzie Scaffolding, said Dan Genco of Galvanic Design, the company responsible for bringing the rail jam to the University.
Snow was added to the ramps, and the course was made up of two flat to down box rails over 20 feet long, a double-barrel shotgun rail that measures about 25 feet, and a mailbox for stalls.
Competitor Hanna Switzer said the course was much different than riding on the mountain.
Switzer called the course “scary” and “intimidating.” She said the competition was one of the largest she had participated in, but that she had fun.
“That’s what snowboarding is about,” she said. “As long as you have a good time, it doesn’t matter how good you do.”
UO Snowboard Club rider Liam Grist, who made it to the finals, said he hopes the competition is held every year.
“This is the most fun I’ve had in so long,” he said. “This is what college should be about.”
UO Snowboard Club President Austin DeKoning said there was a single injury. One rider suffered a dislocated arm, but continued to hang out at the competition.
DeKoning said organizers had invited 102 riders and he had several more asking him for a place in the competition.
“It’s tough because a lot of people wanted to get in this,” he said.
The event was emceed by Scotty “the Body” Conerly, who needed a cane because of a knee injury from snowboarding.
“I love coming to Eugene and seeing all my friends at a snowboard contest where my dad happens to live,” he said.
Judge Cory Eisele said he has been to all the stops along the Galvanic Design tour, and that the UO Rail Jam had a lot of good talent. An Oregon State University student, Eisele said although the OSU had a better turn out, Eugene brought a better emcee, which kept the crowd pumped.
The UO Snowboard Club worked with the University’s chapter of the American Marketing Association to promote and organize the event. AMA President Alex Kniess said he thought the turnout was good.
“I was worried it would have gotten boring,” he said. He credited Conerly with keeping the contest interesting and said the best riders were in it until the end.
Many students, extreme sports enthusiasts and families turned out to sit in the sun and watch competitors attempt to show each other up on the rails.
University student Matt Casey won one of $8,000 in prizes given away in a raffle. He took home a new helmet, which he said he is going to take up to the mountain next season.
“This is tight,” he said. “We should definitely do this again next year.”
Several sponsors were on hand to give out free merchandise and promote their products, including Red Bull and Cricket wireless, as well as several local snowboarding shops.
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