Words by Jeff Schmuck
Photos by Felix Rioux & Jeff Schmuck

The smoke had settled and the dust had cleared from IF3. The hundreds of satisfied fans were on their way home after 18 world premieres and three outrageous parties. But for a group of athletes, filmmakers, photographers, team managers and other industry types, IF3 was not over. There was still one more event to partake in, and for some it ended up being the most fun of them all…the JF Cusson Golf Invitational.

After a painful morning following the absolute debauchery at the previous night’s NS Awards, JF’s invited guests congregated at the Montreal Hilton where they were whisked away in the IF3 Volkswagens to Club de Golf de l'ile du Montreal, which is a beautiful course just outside of the city that we at NS regularly play at.

NS' Chris O'Connell, Jason Mousseau and JD May with Mystic Land Productions' LP Sansfaçon

Biglines' Anthony Bonello with NS' Doug Bishop, Tom Dolozel and Salomon's Allison Thompson

Theory-3 Media's Jeff Thomas, Matt Margetts and Mike Riddle

IF3/Bula's JF DuRocher, Scott Hibbert, John Symms, Corey Vanular, contest winner Mike Strand, Bula's Greg Bardin, Mike Douglas and Cusson's friend Simon.

The cloudy skies that had been threatening Montreal throughout the festival were still hanging around, causing many to wonder if the tournament would even happen. But as the participants began to arrive, the sun fought its hardest to appear from behind the gloom, making for a somewhat chilly (and extremely windy) but rainless day.

JF Cusson

Waiting to greet us was a smiling and extremely organized JF Cusson, who handed out custom JF Cusson Golf Invitational golf shirts and gloves courtesy of Sun Ice while picking the foursomes for the day. The tournament was going to be Vegas-style best ball where (for those of you who don’t golf) whoever from the team of four had the best shot is where the next shot would be played from (so one score for each team). And in addition to the match itself, there would be a closest to the pin challenge on hole #9 and a long drive contest on #15.

Mischevious Matt Margetts

John Symms would have a clever caption for this

nice shaft Douglas!

Once everyone had their teams, swag and a nice breakfast, characters like Matt Margetts, Scott Hibbert, John Symms and Doug Bishop began filling their carts up with beer and screeched off towards the 1st tee, at which point anyone with half a brain could see that it was going to be a wild day of golf.

BEERS!

Hibbert & Symms

Riddle & Margetts

A wonderful and antic-filled day of golf with friends then ensued, where many a beers and hot dogs were consumed, numerous donuts and fish tails in golf carts were performed, more than few body parts were bared and some damn good golf was played.

Thomas, Riddle, Schmuck & Margetts

the Red Bull girls pay a visit to Vanular and his team

Tom Dolozel drains a big one

On the 9th hole, Mystic Land Productions’ LP Sansfaçon blew the competition away in the closest to the pin challenge by sticking an approach shot within three feet of the hole.

JF presents LP Sansfaçon with a new club for winning the closest to the pin challenge

On the 15th, the long drive competition was getting heated, with LP initially taking the lead until the golfing machine that is Theory-3 Media’s Jeff Thomas stepped up to the tee and crushed a 270-yard drive, which by Jeff’s standards is fairly mediocre. Thomas held the lead until the very last group went through, at which point Mike Strand (who won the contest on NS to compete in the invitational) outdrove him, taking home the victory and a brand new driver for his efforts.

long drive champion Mike Strand with Cusson

As the foursomes began to roll into the clubhouse, the team of Matt Margetts, Mike Riddle, Jeff Thomas and myself had the early lead at -4, until the team of Frank Raymond, Alexis Godbout, Charles Bedard and Frank’s friend Max came in at -6. The lead held for a while until it was briefly threatened by the news that the team of Mike Strand, Cusson's friend Simon, Mike Douglas and golf pimp Corey Vanular were at -4 with three holes to go. As the Frenchies waited nervously in the clubhouse, the boys arrived from the 18th green, giving Frank Raymond, Alexis Godbout, Charles Bedard and Max the win at the first ever JF Cusson Golf Invitational.

the winning team (Charles Bedard, Alexis Godbout, Frank Raymond and his friend Max).....

JF then congratulated the winners and handed out prizes over more beers and lunch, and the entire crew got together for a group shot, marking the official end of the International Freeskiing Film Festival.

On behalf of everyone at NS, we’d like to give a great big, huge, massive thanks to everyone who came out to the event, including the athletes, filmmakers, photographers, writers, team managers, reps and most importantly…you, the fans. Without you guys this event wouldn’t have been possible or nearly as successful, fun and truly amazing as it was.

And an even bigger thanks is in order to the two guys that put it all together with their crew of hard-working staff. So big props to JF DuRocher and IF3 President Felix Rioux for making it all happen and putting on what many people have already called the best ski event they’ve ever been to and the best weekend of their lives.

See you next year at IF3 2009, September 17th-21st.