Pat Campanaro

Words: Matty V. / Photos: Paul Bangasser

Cold doesn’t do it justice, freezing is a better attempt, but freezing is anything below thirty-two degrees, so what word would I use to describe the weather in Minneapolis Minnesota in the late December? Well the only word that comes to mind is frightening! The most common question I get now that I have left that mid-western tundra for the beautiful mountains of the Pacific Northwest, is how can there be so many amazing snowboarders coming out of Minnesota with the closest mountain range being two states away? The answer is sheer will and determination. You see it takes someone special (and not in the wearing a helmet type of way,) to want to set up lights and shovel off stairs when its zero degrees with a negative fifteen wind-chill, and then to throw your body down a triple kink handrail and slam into the cement like snow, is equal parts bravado and heart. I guess the reason I’m explaining this to you is that when Scott at Cal Surf started talking to me about having a rail jam right smack dab in the middle of Downtown, I was hyped but a little afraid at the same time.

Tarah Michilot

The set-up was romantic as shit, right in front of Orchestra Hall, you could imagine the babes in attendance staring at their favorite ripper as he floated down the rail with an imaginary symphony providing the soundtrack, or flip that scenario because there where plenty of ladies killing it too. The weather was just what most of us expected, about five degrees, but there was no bitter wind, and clear skies helped keep it bearable. Some of us opted to wear Vans and plain white socks, not knowing that the riders would be landing on an ice skating rink covered with a light dusting of snow, ice cube feet where in full affect.

The Rush

This was the first time trying to have an event like this in Minneapolis, so the powers that be decided to change the format from a contest to just a demo/jam type of thing, which ended up being a fine fit for the evening, and kids of all types showed up to try and give themselves concussions. The thing about snowboarders in Minnesota is that even the kids who aren’t set up with high profile sponsors and don’t appear in magazines every month, can still out jib your favorite pro, it’s freaking crazy. There were so many stupid fresh moves going down, that I would have to be an expert in some snowboard video game to give you a full run down. Lets juts leave it at this, Minneapolis will soon have one of the premier rail events in the country (next year will be a pro invitational contest,) it will be cold as shit, and everyone in the Minnesota snowboard scene will be there to either ride, support, or party. The people involved in this event would like to thank Cal Surf (www.cal-surf.com) Theodore Wirth, Artic Cat, Red Bull, The Alt, Periscope, and PRBphotos.com

Sam Orosz

Cody Beiersdorf