The Toe Jam isn’t just fun for the riders and esteemed members of the wakeskate media– it has its fans too. This year we decided to get their take on the event, in words and pictures. Thanks to every one who submitted their stuff from the Toe Jam 2008 Rail Jam!– BG

By David Lollar

When I left work on Wednesday evening to haul ass to Toe Jam registration and the Volume 7 Premier, I knew that this was going to be the best weekend in a while. I showed up to the Aloma Bar and Grill a little late, but luckily I made it just in time to help my wife and friend Charlie finish off the first pitcher. Luckily for me, anything wakeskating related never starts on time. The room was filled with rippers registering for the next day’s event. Everyone was there taking pictures, laughing, and having just a plain old good time. The mood was as mellow and relaxed just like all wakeskating events. There was no yelling or urgency at all to get anything done.

As the lights finally dimmed as I was floored with what was going on on the screen. There is no reason you should not by Volume 7. So far what I have seen its going to be the most epic Volume to date. So many bangers and everyone was killing it, especially Danny and George; plus the soundtrack was on point 100%. Do not pass this one up.

We woke up a bit late, so we tried to get out to the Projects as fast as possible to see the first round. There are about 48 entries this year at the first stop, so there are about 7 heats. Drinking Yeungling and sittng on the grass, we got to see some most impressive wakeskating. There were several new faces who stood out. Nick Dauzat with his huge popped tricks — getting 4 feet off the water in the flats should say it all. Andrew Pastura with his infinite amount of switch tech tricks. And Blake Steele with all around steeze throughout his run. Nick Taylor of course destroyed it, as well as Clint T. Gib Gibbons nailed a Varial Heelflip that had the whole crowd in awe.

Day 2 of the Toe Jam was the boat day. Since most of us didn’t get to ride the day before we decided to take some sets behinds Dauzat’s Lemonscraft on Lake of the Woods. After we were finished we hauled ass out to the Projects just in time to see the quarter finals begin. All I have to say about that is: Finger Flip! During the intermission there was a push up contest. I destroyed the competition and won a pair of LTD Nike 6.0 Air Mogans!!!! In the finals it was Nick T vs. Reed Hansen, a matchup we have never seen before (YEAH RIGHT!). They both threw it down hard but in the end Reed took it home with a W2W Finger Flip. Epic.

After partying the night away at Spy Bar with the likes of Chase Gregory and Thomas Horrell, we arrived at the final day of the Toe Jam on Saturday. The crowd was double the size of the last two days and paryting like it was 1999! Everyone brought out their A Game and the hammers came down all over those magical waters. In the end the final 4 was Andrew Pastura, Nick Taylor, Clint Tompkins, and Reed Hansen. They all went out and killed it but in the end it was all Nicky T grabbing his first ever Toe Jam victory.

When it was all said and done, we headed down to Spy Bar again, which is a tradition for partying after Orlando events. Dancing the night away with Lemons, Horan, A. Reed, Josh Letchworth, and Thomas Horrell was a highlight of the weekend for sure. If you missed the Toe Jam you can check out all the highlights on Alliance Wakeskate and if I were you I would not miss the next one.

0421225936IMG_3127

Image 1 of 31