If you can’t bring the people to the snow, you just bring the snow to the people.
The Playhouse Café in Mapua held its second Jib Jam snowboarding competition on Friday with an estimated crowd of 90 spectators warming to the wintry event. Seven of the region’s top snowboarders had an hour freestyle period to thrill the judges on the purpose-built rail constructed by Cheapskates Nelson.
Reuben Kerr and Ben Godwin-Mathieson tied for first place, and Josh Godwin finished runner up.
Playhouse owner Nic Roland is a “skier-snowboarder from way back” and came up with the idea for the event when he first took ownership of the site. “I thought we had quite a bit of space and that we should put on a snowboarding event like in Queenstown,” he says. “So we just did it.”
He was impressed with the talent on display. “Some of them are really, really good. I don’t think any of them are over 20 years old so they’re really good for their age.”
One tonne of crushed ice was donated by Sealords for the event while Placemakers donated material for the three metre drop ramp.
