Brighton Ski Resort is the epicenter of all
things new, hip and ridiculous in snow
culture today. The resort was also the first
stop of the 2009 SLUG Games. The Candy
Land Candy Jam was held on Jan. 10, 2009
on a brisk, sunny day at Brighton.

All of Brighton’s characters made an
appearance that day. There was the kid
wearing the gangster gold flake Obama
tall T that nearly hung down to his ankles
and young gypsies-in-training dangling
everything from shark’s teeth to dream
catchers from their necks right under
their prepubescent mustaches. There is
something about teenage boys emulating
the style of turn of the century eastern
European women that just makes me cringe.
Ridiculous fashion statements aside, the
Brighton park crew built a delicious course
for the day to let riders jib up their wildest
candy coated dreams. There was gumdrop
pops, iced up Gingerbread house slides,
licorice rails and of course everyone’s
favorite piece of candy –
a giant Natty Light
beer can to jib – but only for those that were
21+.

The riders ate up the course like a fat kids in
a candy store. The big gingerbread house
saw the most exciting action. I witnessed
people clearing over the monstrous house
with some stylish shifties, 450 pretzels out
and even the occasional skier nut slide
across the top of the roof. Liam Wentworth,
of the open skiers division, wooed the
judges with serious style when he threw out
a royal with cheese grind across the flat box.
Those fancy fast food moves earned
Wentworth first place in the open
skiers division. Jason Heckle took
first place in the men’s snowboarding
open division with his stylish twisted
pretzels off the gingerbread house.
Elise Barelli stole the women’s
snowboarding open podium while
looking good in green head to toe.
In the young gun (or seventeen and
under divisions) there was a plethora
of talent. Chris Romney took the
first place spot for the seventeen and
under skier category and Chadwick
Fion for the men’s snowboarding
seventeen and under. Instead of
popping champagne bottles on the
podium the winners were given giant
lollipops to carry with pride through
Candy Land.

SLUG would like to thank everyone
who came to check out the event and
especially thank our sponsors: Natty
Light, Ski Utah, KAB Rails, Armada,
Lib Tech, Discrete, Odeus, Gnu,
Sound, The North Face, Blindside
Company, DVLP Clothing, Salty
Peaks, MILO Sport, FICE, One Love,
The Truth, CELTEK, Oakley, Fun Hat,
Lake of Salt, Dakine, Autumn Garage,
Lenitech, Roxy and The Sunnyside
Company.

If you missed The Candy Land Jam,
make sure you check out the second
and final installment of the SLUG
Games when we host Beat the Pro at
the Canyons on Feb. 21. For more info
visit thesluggames.com.

Photographers:
1. Adam Dorobiala
2. Chris Swainston
3. kcshillingphotography.com
4. davebrewerphoto.com
5. Jesse Anderson