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King of the Rail kicks off with a crowd

There was a full field of skiers and snowboarders on the slopes for the opening King of the Rail jam on Dec. 29, with a few hundred spectators surrounding the course to take it all in.
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There was a full field of skiers and snowboarders on the slopes for the opening King of the Rail jam on Dec. 29, with a few hundred spectators surrounding the course to take it all in. The highlight was the unveiling of a new "quad-kinked" down-flat-down-flat-down rail that was moved into the Blackcomb terrain park after the contest, and a new box with a kink/lip on the bottom that was moved into the Whistler park.

The athletes themselves cast ballots for the winners in each category while judges looked on to ensure that the voting is fair. The athletes who finished with the most votes got a share of the prize purse based on the number of people taking part.

In the competitive Ski Male 17 and Over group, Jordan Innes got the most votes plus $80. In Ski Male 16 and Under, Cooper Bathgate earned $20. In Snowboard Male 17 and Over it was Marc Tremblay who stood out the most to win $100. Zakk Harman won Snowboard 16 and Under and $15.

Vonique Doerosien won $15 in Snowboard Female 17 and Over.

The King and Queen of the Rails were Kyle Stainton and Jessy Porier, as determined by the judges.

As well as cash prizes, all participants were eligible to win draw prizes. Frances Bell came away with a pair of Atomic skis, while Ben Fortran won the Burton snowboard.

The next event in the series is this Saturday, Jan. 5. See below for details.

Park Rider Sessions continue with Under 13 event

Typically the biggest categories for ski and snowboard competitions around Whistler are those for kids, with big numbers taking part from local clubs like the Whistler Blackcomb Freestyle Ski Club, Whistler Valley Snowboard Club, and programs hosted by the mountains. As a result, organizers of the Park Rider Ski and Snowboard Event series hosted a 13 and under slopestyle contest last year that was very well attended, prompting them to do the same this year. The event took place on Sunday, Dec. 30 in the Nintendo Terrain Park on Blackcomb on a mix of rails and jumps.

In Male Snowboard 11-13, Quinn Dubois placed first, followed by Willem Stroud and Devon Stroud. In 10 and Under the winner was Finn Finestone, followed by Jadyn Chomlack and Brendan Keuling. In the Female Snowboard 13 and Under contest it was Jennifer Lafreniere in first, followed by Samantha Deally and Irie Smith.

For the skiers, Anders Uejski placed first in the 11 to 13 age group, followed by Chase Ujejski and Max Edwards. For the girls, it was Teagan Bruns, followed by Sofiane Gagnon. 

The next Park Rider event is on Jan. 6. More information below.

Will Routley joins Belgium pro team

With Team SpiderTech powered by C10 on hiatus, all of its riders were left at loose ends to sign up with other pro teams for the coming season. This week it was confirmed that Whistler's Will Routley, 29, has found a spot with Accent.jobs-Wanyt, a Belgian Pro Continental team with the same status as Spidertech.

The new kit will debut at a cyclo-cross race on Jan. 1, while Routley's blog suggests that he will be heading to Europe in early 2013 to start training for the coming season.

Sports Calendar

What: King of the Rail

When: Saturday, Jan. 5 at 6 p.m.

Where: Base of Whistler Mountain

Registration for this after-hours, athlete-jedged rail jam gets underway at 6 p.m. at Showcase, followed by a quick competitor meeting. After that, a selection of rails and boxes will open to participating skiers and snowboarders from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., with the athletes themselves casting votes for the winners in each category, and the winner of each category winning a cash prize based on the number of entries. Registration is just $15. Helmets are mandatory, and minors need waivers signed by a parent or guardian.

What: Park Rider Ski and Snowboard Event

When: Sunday, Jan. 6 at 10 a.m.

Where: Whistler Mountain terrain park

This is the only event in the Park Rider series that takes place on Whistler this season, with a slopestyle format. Early registration at Whistler Blackcomb Guest Relations is $29 and day-of-event registration is available until 9:45 a.m. in the Roundhouse Lodge. There are valuable prizes for the top riders in each category, and all participants are eligible to win draw prizes as well. Helmets and waivers are mandatory, and mouth guards and other protective gear aren't a bad idea either.

What: Kokanee Valley Race Series

When: Thursday, Jan. 10

Where: Blackcomb

All skiers, boarders and telemarkers are welcome to come out and make two runs of a giant slalom course on Blackcomb, as the very social KVRS continues. Early registration is $29 and race day registration is available at the Rendezvous Lodge until 9:45 a.m. Helmets are mandatory, you must be 19 or older to take part and all of the participants are eligible for draw prizes.

What: North Face Park and Pipe Open

When: Jan. 14-17

Where: Blackcomb

The North Face Park and Pipe Open Series is returning to Whistler with $55,000 in prize money to be handed out after slopestyle, halfpipe, big air and rail jam events. Registration is open, giving amateurs a chance to compete against top pros looking for points on the AFP World Tour. The North Face PPOS is a Silver level AFP event.

For more, visit http://thenorthfaceppos.com.

What: Coast Cup #2

When: Saturday, Jan. 19

Where: Whistler Olympic Park

The Whistler Nordics are hosting the second event in the Coast Cup cross-country race series, inviting all skinny skiers to come out and have some fun. The Whistler Nordics will be battling Hollyburn for the Teck Coast Cup banner this year, and at least six other clubs will be taking part — although anybody can participate, whether they're affiliated with a club or not. For more on the event or registration, visi the Whistler Nordics at www.whistlernordics.com.

Due to space we were not able to include results from alpine, freestyle, ski cross and cross-country World Cup races. Stories from the past week of racing are available online at www.piquenewsmagazine.com in the Sports section.