2008 US OPEN JUNIOR JAM

It was another sunny spring day at Stratton Mountain, Vermont as well over 100 of the world’s best mini shredders competed in the US Open Junior Jam. Hailing from across North America, and as far away as Finland, Australia and Switzerland, the riders battled not for a big check or new car, but the chance to ride with the pros in next year’s US Open halfpipe semi-finals.

Riding the exact same 22-foot tall monster halfpipe that guys like Shaun White rode on Saturday, these kids, ages 13-years old and younger, proved that size has nothing to do with skill when it comes to slaying the dragon.
To give you an idea of the talent pool that this event taps into, consider that past Junior Jam winners include big name pros like Shayne Pospisil, Pat Moore, Jake Blauvelt, Luke Mitrani and Ellery Hollingsworth (two-time winner).

In the girl’s finals, it was a showdown between Madeline Schaffrick and Arielle Gold, both of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, and Kirby Kelly. All three rippers held it down with a solid mix of 360s, 540s, alley oops, grabs and straight airs. Judging was no easy task but once the smoke settled, it was Kirby in third and Arielle in second, with Madeline snagging the coveted top spot and an invite to next year’s semi-finals.

In the boy’s finals, Ben Ferguson snagged third with a huge run that included a frontside 5 into a backside 5, poked out nose grab, McTwist into a frontside 7. Second went to Switzerland’s Jan Sherrer who came into the finals as the top scoring qualifier and went for broke with a backside 9 to backside 5, backside air, frontside 7, and finishing with a backside 9. However, no one could even compete with Australia’s Scotty James who melted faces with a huge and tech run that featured a backside 9 into a frontside 7, backside 7, frontside 5, backside 5, finishing with an alley oop crippler. Seriously, dudes twice his age who think they’re pro better recognize when he drops in at next year’s semi-finals.

Gotta throw props to the youngest shredder in the field, Eric Burbank, who at five years-old and two feet tall, manhandled the icy u-ditch with the confidence of true shred-I master.

Big thanks to all the riders, judges, volunteers, fans, sponsors, and Stratton Mountain for making this year’s US Open the sickest in the event’s 26 year history.

Over and out.

NEWS