Back to The BRITS

Words: Andy Collin 

As I walked down the main street of Mayrhofen towards the familiar red and white banners of the The Brits (British Freeski and Snowboard Championships) a wave of nostalgia hit. My first ever BRITS was back in 2004 in Les Deux Alpes. I was 17, cocky, self-confident and totally unaware of how much bigger the stage would be compared to the snowdome I’d learnt to grind rails in. It was the first year that skiing was incorporated into the competition and when I turned up to see the scale of the kickers I got a big surprise and promptly decided not to enter. A year later I was back for the first year of the Brits in Laax, it was amazing to compete alongside the guys who were the best of the era, but likewise the community I’ve grown up with there is what keeps bringing me back for more. Fast forward twenty years, and while my reasons for avoiding the big line have changed (think creaky knees and a healthy dose of self-preservation), that friendly and welcoming buzz of the BRITS is still alive and well.

Mayrhofen sits in the base of the wide Zillertal Valley just 1.5 hours from Innsbruck airport or 2 hours from Munich by car. It’s easy to hop on the train from Innsbruck too and then ride the Zillertalbahn up from Jenbach straight into the heart of the town. With one of the finest snow parks in Europe, fast laps, and a good variety of features for all ability levels, it’s a natural home for the BRITS. The town’s main street mixes Austrian charm with family-friendly feels, apres-ski bars and restaurants, and come early April, it was surprisingly quiet. Spring had hit hard, locals were hanging up their boots, but as we arrived winter made a dramatic comeback. A three-day storm rolled in, blanketing the mountain in a full cloak of white. After spending a fair amount of time skiing Mayrhofen in the past, the tree skiing runs were firmly stuck in my memories and we had to go grab the goods in between the comp schedule.

The BRITS has been creating a pathway for freestyle riders since its inception in 2002 and it’s always been more than just a comp. In those pre-Olympic, pre-World Cup days, it was the send-off event where UK freestyle’s finest would come together to throw down to really see who was top dog. Veterans of the scene like Paddy Graham, James Woods and notable Olympians like Murray Buchan, James Machon and Pete Speight were but a few names who didn’t shy back from the competition.

Nowadays the freestyle scene is a different kind of beast. National team riders juggle heavy travel schedules and global comps, and not everyone can make it. But The Brits remains a cornerstone of the UK freestyle calendar, an event where tomorrow’s talent gets a proper stage. Kirsty Muir, Mia Brookes, Tom Greenway, and Chris McCormick have all cut their teeth here and have gone to hold the UK up against any Alpine nation on the world stage. After Covid put a halt to proceedings in 2020 the event returned with a bang to Cairngorm Mountain in 2023 which, against all the odds, turned out to be an incredible event bolstered by a passionate Scottish ski community. In 2024, Tamworth hosted a more accessible edition for the southern riders, attracting a massive Under-12 field.

So, when the BRITS returned to Europe this season after a six-year break, Penken Park laid on a dream setup. Co-organisers Stuart Brass and Spencer Claridge, together with the park crew, worked overtime to tame the storm and craft a slopestyle course and boarder-cross track worthy of the occasion. These events are always a dance with the weather, and with stacked age groups and multiple disciplines, flexibility is everything. Safe to say, they nailed it.

Day one and two saw skiers and boarders racing in fresh snow while the families and spectators had time for some laps in the powder. Then the sun broke through on Wednesday just in time for Slopestyle, followed by Big Air on Thursday and the crowd-favourite Rail Jam on Friday. A week of proper fun, fist bumps, and the right balance of send and stoke.

As we watched the event unfold it was great to see so many young riders sending it, clearly freestyle is alive and thriving in the UK. The U16 category put on the strongest show with riders Deja Parker, Palmer Parish, and Aila Paterson standing out as ones to watch. Ella Hall in the U18 category threw down a solid performance on the rails and it was great to see seasoned pros Tom Greenway and Tyler Harding keeping the kids on their toes in the Slopestyle. Over in snowboarding, Riley Sharpe blew away the competition winning both the Slopestyle and Big Air in the overall category at just 10 years old, could he be the Uk’s next big star? Maybe, but for now, he’s 10 so let’s leave the pressure off.

Of course, the BRITS wouldn’t exist without Stu and Spence, whose vision has seen it evolve from a party-heavy end-of-season bash with the entire scene and their families, into a more junior event that’s pushing to support the grassroots of the sport. “The BRITS has changed a lot over 20 years,” said Stu. “We’re in a bit of a reset now after the six-year gap, rebuilding momentum and reconnecting with the younger generation. There’s so much talent coming through, especially from the indoor and dry slope scenes, and particularly in the under 12s age groups, but they don’t always know this event is for them too. It’s about rebuilding that pathway, getting more UK-based events feeding into the BRITS, and ultimately, helping the next Mia Brookes or Kirsty Muir find their way.”

What really makes the BRITS is how accessible it is. You don’t need to be on a team or have a coach, you can just show up, sign up, and ride. This year, I kept it grounded and entered ski cross! Stoked to win the Masters category (okay, I was in a field of one) and even nabbed second overall. Over in the snowboarding the Armed Forces filled out the masters and legends brackets alongside a few of the parents who rolled up to have a go, but it all added to the inclusive feel and helps to keep the atmosphere alive.

“It’s like anything, if you go to a skate park and there’s just a few other skaters there and you’re having a lesson, it’s all right. But if there’s a big event going on and you’re part of it, it’s like, wow, I wanna be a part that. This is my crowd,” says Stu. And he’s right. Freestyle is as much about community as it is about progression. “Fundamentally, we need to get more UK-based events to feed into the BRITS and there are already some really good ones… Hopefully, once they learn more about what’s going on here, the word will spread and we’ll get even more folks involved in the years to come.”

Fall-Line’s own Amy Casswell made her return to the comp with style, steeze and a full send mentality. From a last-place finish in boardercross to triple gold in the open category, she hit Mayrhofen with everything she had — and walked away grinning.

“I’ve been competing at The Brits for 10 years now, slowly making my way up the ranks and the age categories – with Mia Brookes next to me on the podium most years! I was stoked to see The Brits was back, and as I’d never been to Mayrhofen before, I definitely wanted to go for it, so went and entered all the categories. I had loads of fun in the boardercross and came an excellent last place. But then managed to put my best tricks down in the slopestyle, big air and the rail jam and was so stoked to take the gold in the open category, in all three events. “

So how do you get involved? Well, the best place to start is locally. Head down to your local slope. Join a freestyle night, find a crew, ride together and enter comps if you like. There’s loads happening around the UK this summer from Snow Sport England’s Futures Project, Scottish grassroots events, and dry slope jams across the country. So, why not have a go and next year it could be you standing on that podium.

Find out more about the BRITS over at britsnow.com or keep up with the latest @britsnow.