Volcom’s PB and Rail Jam (After)

The Peanut Butter and Rail Jam is Volcom’s amateur snowboard contest series. The goal of the series is to give something back to the kids. Deviating from the normal way snowboard contests are run, Volcom came up with a fresh format. Instead of having three rails in a row, the rails are side by side to create a rail zone. This boosts the energy level and fun nature of the contest because everyone is together, riding, hiking, and watching in a big group. There are four divisions; 15 and under, 16 and over, Girls and Open (pro-am). The contest runs in a jam format so there are no scheduled runs. You can hit each of the rails as many times as you want during your 20 minute heat. The judges only care about tricks you pull, so you don’t need to worry about falling. The event is absolutely free, on a first come first serve basis, and boasts tons of free prizes and PB&J sandwiches. Everyone who enters walks away with a t-shirt and stickers.

Stop number 9 on the 2009 Peanut Butter Rail Jam was at the Summit at Snoqualmie. Features for 2009 included a pole-jam to down box (zone 1), a corrugated down pipe (zone 2), and a gapped flat box to down box (zone 3). This provided each division a playground to throw down a plethora of tricks.

More than 185 eager competitors registered for the event. Then everyone made their way out to the contest area to get some hits in before the contest began. The 15 and  Under Division was first to go. Shortly after, it was the 16 and over divisions turn to make good things happen. Some of their crowd pleasers were gapping 270 over the flat-box to the down-box, and smeary 180 tail presses 180 outs on the corrugated pipe. The girls division was next. The crowd watched on as these girls threw down switch front boards on the flat-down, and gapped off the pole-jam to nose press on the down box, and tail slide 270’s out.

The event was a blast for participants and spectators. I hope to make it to Snoqualmie for the PB and Rail Jam this year which will be