Words by Brandon Lonstein
Photos by Matt Stauble, Chris Degrace & Andrew Bablo/Steez minimag
Video by Alex Knuuttunen/Epic TV 382
The last weekend in March at Loon Mountain is slowly becoming tradition. The temps warm up, the sun shines, friends straight chill and the park gets wild. The 28th and 29th of March was the third year 382 has taken over Loon’s park to offer something everyone has been looking for. Two good contests, a ridiculous park set up and an atmosphere like no other.
Perfect weather, a stacked field and a sick set up would make for a nasty day of March Mayhem competition. This is a slopestyle contest where skiers are randomly seated in a bracket and compete head to head in single elimination format.
The Loon park staff blew our minds as usual building a 15-foot wedge step down that transitioned right into a lofty volcano style jump, followed by a handful of rail options including a 30-foot down rail, wood goal posts, and a mellow roller coaster. Riders then had the choice of the infamous wall ride, or stair-set. Once Peter Kukesh outlawed gang signs and unnatural afterbang a good old-fashioned game of rock-paper-scissors would start each match up. Then. It went off.
The park was shut down with a talented group of skiers from Carrabassett Valley Academy, Sean Jordan, Nick Miles, Jon Brogan, Alex Bueller, Dale Talkington, Ted Porter, Chris Logan, Jimmy Greenleaf and home town homie, Max Harris all throwing down.
Jimmy Greenleaf, stiff dub nose 3
Rodeos, front flips, liu kangs, switch tens, double shiftys, laid out back flips, effortless 3's 5's 7's and niners were put down every way possible and a tandem double front thrown right next to a double back was just casually tossed by Nick Miles and Chris Logan. You might have even caught a glimpse of Ian Compton, Jack Borland and Evan Williams cruising through and kickin it all day, as well as Matt Benedetto from EC headwear rodeoing with ease.
Trick of the day had to be Jimmy Greenleaf's zero (see video below). Jimbo was killing it with some of the most complete runs, consistently getting wicked on the wall ride as well.
As the contest rolled on and the field was narrowed down to two it was Parker White and Nick Martini still standing.
Martini eliminating with Scofield
From a judging perspective, this was pretty much bullshit. Tough decision, you can check out the final round in the video but in the end it was Parker taking home a well-deserved G in cash plus plenty of gear from EC Headwear, Orage and Line.
We ended the day enjoying the NH landscape, then mobbed down the mountain with a crew of about 15.
Parker and Martini with Pete and Brandon, props all around.
The masses began to arrive at Woodwards resort, who graciously hosted the group of about 50+ and some parking lot pimpin commenced with everything from skateboarding, basket ball and of course, balcony climbing.
Evening set in and the funky sounds of SSB began thumping in the lounge. Two drummers, saxophone, guitar, keyboard and bass guitar kept the crew busting moves until midnight, and then things pretty much went awry. It’s an unspoken rule now, what happens at Woodwards, stays at Woodwards.
Oh Sunday morning, usually reminds you of warm sunshine, sleeping in and just relaxing. Instead we awoke with pouring rain, wind and splitting headaches.
Stept, Montage, SMC and The New Kids on the Block didn't seem to care and Battle the Monsoon 3 went down. Since the weather was not cool and we were missing a couple crews, we left the format open. Crews sessioned the park for a couple hours, then two were selected for the finals jam on the stair set.
SMC killed it
382 in the luxurious judges tent.
SMC represented, all getting down on both the jumps rails as well as the New Kids who are no strangers to this contest, also bringing a hype man, complete with a bullhorn. Stept had some ridiculous jump runs, and the Montage crew successfully tackled the huge "aggro-crag" which consisted of transitions, channels and a huge flat box on top. As the rain continued, Stept and the Montage crew (fully decked in Denim by the way) would face off for the finals.
Jon Brogan on the tails in the finals.
What can we really say? Sean Jordan, Nick Martini, Jon Brogan and Matt Pothier on Stept vs. Nick Miles, Parker White, Jimmy Greenleaf and Chris Logan for Montage. Pretzels, 360 switch ups, 270/450 disasters, switch lips, cork sevens and rodeos off the pole jam. Just absurd.
The Stept Crew would walk away with the first repeat championship in BMC history (without having a single member from the previous year), $1000 cash and an invite for next year. Montage would take $500 and definitely the steelo award for the denim (Nick Miles even had the over sized wallet in the faded back pocket). Battle My Crew was dope despite the weather, everyone made the most of it and had some fun in the rain.
The weekend with 382...If you were here then you know, if you weren't you need to be next year. What up to ALL the riders who came out, we do this for you, hope you had fun.
Huge thanks to Orage (what up Mike), Matty B at EC Headwear keeping everybody cool with shades and gear galore, Steez Minimag (check these dudes out) Line skis, and of course newschoolers.com.
Special thanks to Loon Mountain, pretty much the only place to be on the east, and Woodwards resort.
Same place, same time next year.
Comments