HIGHMOUNT, New York ??” One hundred twenty-two competitors congregated under the lights at Belleayre Mountain on Saturday night for the first ever Belleayre Mountain Rail Jam, presented by WDST 100.1 Radio Woodstock. Jibbers eager to jump start the competitive season came from all areas of New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania to hit the rails. Spectators lined the rail park to take in the action after the lifts closed. A two-hour jam session impressed the judges, who were excited about the level of competition they witnessed so early in the season. Dead Rose, a teen band out of Syracuse, NY, provided the live music to an enthusiastic group in the Overlook Lodge during breaks from the action in the Rail Park.

Ninety-nine snowboarders, seven of them female, and 23 skiers competed for a $500 cash purse and gear provided by Belleayre Ski Shop, Highmount, NY, WDST 100.1 of Woodstock, Ski Barn of Paramus, NJ, TSX and Potter Brothers Ski Shop of Kingston, Rossignol skis, Sun Tzu Energy Drink and Slide, Inc. Entrants were judged on difficulty of tricks, originality and audience response.

Top honors were as follows:

Snowboarders:
1st Place – Erich Knubbe, 24, Greenport, NY
2nd Place – John Chamberlin, 18, Stockholm, NJ
3rd Place – Rich Guagliardo, 19, Windham, NY
Best Trick – Tom Weiss, 18, Newton, NJ with a front roll
Best Fall – Dylan McNamara, 12, Woodstock, NY
Best Effort – Emile Boyd, 10, Upper Nyack

Skiers:
1st Place – Will Wesson, 19, Victor, NY
2nd Place – Collin Carey, 17, Mt Tremper, NY
3rd Place – Chris McGinnis, 17, Newton, NJ
Best Trick – Collin Carey, 17, Mt Tremper, NY with a switch on and nose press on the battleship box
Best Fall – Rick Haydn, 18, Broadalbin, NY
Best Effort – Ian O’Brien, 10, Roxbury, NY

Superintendent Tony Lanza stated, “This is a great way to get the season rolling and we plan to start each year with the same enthusiasm.”