The first weekend of April held the finals of Ride snowboards slopestyle and rail jam, better known as the Shakedown, on Mount Saint-Sauveur in Quebec.

The rail jam was held Friday with qualifiers in the morning and finals at night.

Forest Bailey of Vermont took home $5,000.00 for his Lipslide switch-up frontboard on the down-flat-down rail. Maire-Helene Tremblay (Quebec) and Jessica Kimura (Vernon, BC) split the $3,000.00 purse for the women.

The afterparty, epic vibes provided by DJ New Money & DJ Cosmo (Montreal), Friday night was held at the Burbon Street North. After a day of chugging back Tallcan after Tallcan (courtesy of Coors Light), the merry crowd was ready to take back some real drinks and hit the dancefloor. New Money and Cosmo kept the dancefloor in a healthy sway and swagger. Those not privy to the way the French do found an extra hour of partytime with 3am last calls in Quebec, the place was packed until the uglylights came on. Although the cab situation was hectic to get back to the hotel, the friendly French stepped up and gave me and my buddies a ride. Merci!

Saturday, the big day. With weather reflecting that of a sport held on a sand covered beach rather than a snow covered mountain, the hot weather brought more american apparel clad spectators than snowpant sporting shredders. Even taking some laps around the river baring mountain, I saw more skiers in shorts and fanny packs than I would in Wasaga beach.
Needless to say, the success of the event was witnessed by over 25,000 spectators to witness the best riders in North America. The results:
Marc McMorris (16 years old) of Regina Saskatchewan took home $12,000.00 for his maniacal Big-Air Back Double-Cork 1080 and Front-Blunt 450-off on the front-bar-rail.
Fellow teammate, Sebastien Toutant of L’Assomption Quebec took home $3,000.00 and Eric Willet of Frisco Colorado took home a purse of $2,000.00 for third.

In the women’s, 22 year old Megan Ginter (Carnation, Washington) rode away $5,000.00 richer after throwing down a serious Big-Air 720 to 50/50 Frontside boardslide 180 out on the flat-bar-rail. Lynn Neil of Salt Lake City, Utah, in second, took home $3,000.00 and Alexandra Duckworth of Kingsburgh California won $2,000.00 for third.

Between qualifiers and finals, the Shakedown halftime was a bonkers skateboard comp on the down-flat-down rail. Thomas Parent dominated it with a 50/50 backside 180 out worth $2,000.00.

The event was setup to be the ultimate party zone. Between the Coors Light VIP beer tent located right on the landing pad of the Big Air and a-top of the rails, the VIP Ride Bleachers and the two-story Oakley trailer, vantage was prime and cans never empty.

Check the gallery for your viewing pleasure. Sorry, no footage of me falling down the Ride Bleachers or out of the Oakley trailer, there is some of the best game ever, creditcard roulette.