We were driving back from a session at SNO!zone Milton Keynes on Friday night and The Boyf and I were talking about how much we were looking forward to heading to the mountains again next year, and planning where we should go. We were almost ready to head home and book up the Eurostar to head to Tignes for 2 weeks, when we got to chatting about competitions and The Boyf said I should give the Burton European Open (BEO) a go. I think he was half kidding but it’s something that over the last few years I’ve always had in the back of my mind as a “want to do”. Now don’t get me wrong this is a HUGE competition in comparison to all the others I’ve done. Even the British Snowboard Championships that are based on the same course in the same resort are rated as a 3 Star Ticket to Ride Event in comparison to the BEOs 6 Star rating. They are however, an Open competition, which basically means you register and if you make the draw then you’re in.
So in a moment of madness we decided to go for it. I’m going to try and enter and if we can sort The Boyf out with a press pass then he’s going to take pictures….well he’s actually planning on taking pictures of the good riders, but he might take a couple of me too if I’m lucky.
So step one in the fulfillment of this madness was getting the time off work, because let’s face it, it’s going to be pointless me rocking up on the first day of the comp and hoping to do anything other than make a complete idiot of myself, so we both went in this morning and asked to book a month off! Well The Boyf did, I used smoke and mirrors and requested it off in three blocks (not taking into account the Bank Holidays for Christmas & New Year!) and we both got the OK.
So there you have it, the leave is booked and even if I don’t manage to get an official qualification slot I shall be in Laax for 4 weeks and will at the very least be watching the Burton European Open as it happens!
In the meantime I need to get fit and learn how to snowboard a lot better than I do now, wish me luck because I have a feeling I’m going to need it!
Thumbs up!!! Sure you’ll be great!
Yayyyyyyy! x
I’m so proud of you!!
Life is short, go for it! Can’t wait to follow your preparations online. When is the competition itself?
Thanks both of you :o)
Philip, the comp’s 9th – 16th Jan 2009 but I don’t know what days I’ll get to ride, the normally have the qualifications on the first couple of days I think.
I’ll have an progress post up today or tomorrow once t’other half’s finished getting the pics rfom last night’s session sorted