Sports

Photos: Hermosa Blends Surf, Snow

The second annual Snowfest turns downtown into Mount Hermosa as 60 tons of snow is dumped on Pier Avenue.

Beach culture met snow culture Saturday as 60 tons of snow was dumped on lower Pier Avenue in Hermosa Beach for the second annual .

Known in snowboarding lingo as an "urban rail jam," the event created a snowboarding terrain park at sea level and brought competitive snowboarding to the otherwise snowless streets of Hermosa Beach.

"We thought it was a unique event that the city needed," said Jani Lange, a promotions officer with AMI Productions and one of the event’s organizers. "I couldn’t tell you of a beach town that can truck in 60 tons of snow and pull off an event like this."

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Throughout the morning, 300-pound ice blocks were unloaded from large tractor trailers into a giant ice-shaving machine normally reserved for making snow on large Hollywood movie sets. 

As the snow was spread around the street, crews sculpted ramps, worked in railings, and even added an old Mercedes-Benz car for riders to jump over and perform tricks on.

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This year’s track, in comparison to last year’s event, was almost double the size, riders said. In addition, the slope where riders drop into the track was almost three times the height.

"It is going to be pretty interesting," said rider Brett Lopinsky as he watched the track come to life Saturday morning.  

As Lopinsky also pointed out, many surfers in Hermosa Beach also snowboard, but only get a few chances a year to visit the mountain ski resorts.

"To actually get the snowboarding and surfing community together in one spot is pretty cool," Lopinsky said about the Snowfest.

As the afternoon temperature hovered close to 70 degrees in Hermosa, a pool of 60 competitors began riding what could be considered the only ski slope with a sweeping ocean view. 

In front of hundreds of spectators lining the edges of the track, riders performed tricks for the judges as they vied for just 15 spots in the final round. 

Standing along the barrier, watching the competition with a friend was Hermosa Beach resident Russell Hamlon who said he wished Snowfest stayed around longer. 

"I think snow on the Pier is a fantastic idea," Hamlon said. "I would like two months of this."

Event organizers also said they hope the event will stick around longer. 

"Our goal is to be recognized as one of the top three urban rail jams on the West Coast," said Lange, who hopes that the event’s unique setting will help achieve that goal.

"Where else can you have 60 tons of snow with world class features at the beach," Lange said. "You have palm trees, snow, and a sunset in the ocean."


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