Friends of Millhouses Park

After a week of solid weather-watching, the BBC forecasted a largely dry day for 11^th June so we locked ourselves in for the 2011 Milly Jam and prepared for some great British summer showers.

The Jam was the product of some fantastic team-work by skate park regulars & their friends with the support of Friend of Millhouses Park and Sheffield City Council and Parks. It was a loose-format, free-entry, skate & bmx competition with the focus on fun for all ages. Local skate and bike shops provided prizes and funding from the SW Community Assembly covered the cost of trophies, first aiders etc.

Estimates put the total number of attendees throughout the day near to the 1,000 mark, we had over 60 entrants and raised over £100 from sales of T-shirts featuring Izaac Cruickshank’s Jam Jar design. This will be used to start a fund for further improvements to the skate park.

Forecasts proved alarmingly accurate with a thorough soaking just before the start of the comp. Locals rallied to find brushes and the standing water was soon cleared to set the stage for an awesome afternoon.

12 and under skate and bmx sessions proved what great talent we’ve got coming through. Will Lester picked up the mic duties and judging for the skate session with input from Ravenous/Slugger skater Joe Marks to find a clear winner in Oliver Appleyard.

Former-Sheffield resident and pro bmxer, Tom Blyth showed his support for the event by making the trip down from Hull to judge BMX with Joel Culf on the mic. Theo Warden picked up the trophy for 12 and under bmx.

Tom Peter’s superbly crafted high-jump poles were rolled out when another shower saw us heading for the cover of the trees. No one could touch Will Lester’s pop on the skateboard and nothing could separate Jordan Waters and Sean O’Connell at a massive 1.05m.

13-16 Skate was a hard-fought contest with Jake Wainwright winning out in the end. Jamie Shipston locked-in grinds and tricks all over the park to pick up 1^st in BMX.

Will Lester passed over skateboard judging and mic duties to the lads from The House to compete in the 17 and over category. A four-man final was needed to settle on a result which saw Will deservedly carry away the trophy.

The sound of jaws dropping around the park could be heard above James Folkes’ sound system* during the 17 and over BMX sessions

(*In the capable hands of Ed & Ash from Re-Cycle Rides). Ross Jarmen wowed the crowds, finding two alternative exits from the park to pick up 3^rd place behind Jordan Waters and Shayn Steels.

Shayn blew minds again in the bmx high hop out of the bank – floating a massive 360 over the high bar and landing with barely a sound. It was Tom Wier who took the prize though with a 1.75m banger and Will Lester cleaned up in the skate category at 1.05m.

CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE SKATE! PAGE.

Pictures from John Brighton:

1. Crowd shot 1

2. Crowd shot 2

3. Trophies

Pictures from Izaac Prados (More and a possible dvd to follow from Matt Van Elkan)

4. Joel Culf on the mic

5. Jamie Shipston on his way to 13-16 BMX 1st

6. Jake Wainwright – 13-16 Skate 1^st

7. Ross Jarman’s 2^nd exit from the park

8. Tom Peters puts his height poles to the test

Click here for a full breakdown of the results: Milly Jam results

Credits & Thanks

All the competitors & spectators

Bike Tree, Slide Boardstore, The House Skatepark, Slugger Skate Shop, J E James & Edinburgh Bikes for prizes

Izaac Cruickshank – Jam Jar design

Tom Peters – High jump Engineer

James Folkes, Ed & Ash from Re-Cycle for the sound system

Matt Van Elkan & Izaak Prados for photography & film

Rob & The House for advice, support, loan of the generator & judging

Ed & Ash for the Re-Cycle Bike Doctor clinic

Tom Blyth for judging & great support of the event

Joel Culf & Will Lester on the mic

Amie Rowland & June Burke at Sheffield City Council

Kevin Cheetham at Sheffield Parks

Tammy Barrass and SW Community Assembly for the funding

Tamsin at Ecclesall Saw Mill for the trophies

Everyone else who pitched in to make it an amazing day

See you again next year for Milly Jam 2012!

Milly Jam Saturday 11th June 2011

On the afternoon of Saturday 11th June a new event, MillJam, came to Millhouses Park – a festival for Skate Boards and BMX Bikers in the Skate Park organised by Geoff Hibberd. It was well attended with between 700 & 1000 participants and observers throughout the afternoon. Everyone was entertained by good music, celebrity riders and local businesses.

Despite a few showers the park was kept dry and safe enabling the much practiced tricks to be cutting edge and spectacular – as were some of the failures!

Huge congratulations to Geoff Hibberd and his team for the organisation before and during the day and similar praise for all those taking part. Thanks also to the Community Assembly for helping fund the event, Sheffield Events for adopting the event, First Aiders on standby and all the days sponsors!

Update

This competition is now complete – results can be found at the updated post: CLICK HERE

Milly Jam skate board and bmx contest will take place on the afternoon of the 11th June. Registration and warm up between 12-1.30pm, competition from 2 until 5pm(ish).

The focus will be on fun and free entry is encouraged for 12 and under, 13-16 and 17 and over categories in both skateboard and bmx. It’s a ‘jam’ format so skaters and riders will compete in small groups without the pressure of individual timed runs.

Winners will receive prizes supplied by local skate and bike shops and unique trophies. Recycle Rides will be holding a ‘Bike Doctor’ clinic and there’ll be music and the opportunity to buy a limited edition ‘Milly Jam 2011’ T-shirt (£10 – any proceeds go to further developments to the skate park).

If rain prevents play on the 11th, the event will be postponed to the 18th.