Dragon Soop x AfterJam Freestyle Camp 2.0

Here it is! The one you’ve been waiting for since the last time it happened. The AfterJam X Dragon Soop freestyle camp recap. The re-Soopening, if you will. This year’s trip marks the second pilgrimage the AJ team has made to Les Deux Alpes for summer skiing, biking, skating and general mountainous summertime send. The second iteration of the freestyle camp turned out to be bigger and better than we could have ever imagined! Dragon Soop and AfterJam is a daring duo if ever there was one. The two embody the saying “he who dares, wins”, and with everything going a bit pear-shaped in the world this year, AfterJam and Dragon Soop took some leaps to get this camp off the ground and… well, you know the rest.

And if you don’t, you’re gonna hear it here!

Tripling in size from 2019, travelling in smaller cohorts, sanitizing hands, and wrapping up noses and mouths - this trip painted a very different picture to the last one we covered. The increase in numbers makes the AfterJam freestyle camp the largest in Europe. Cans of Dragon Soop were plentiful, although this time round they were not to be shared and the distance was kept social. The all-round effort that went into getting this week off the ground amidst a global pandemic shows true determination from all involved. Alongside a bit of luck with last minute lifting of travel restrictions. It was always going to be awesome.

Whilst Dragon Soop and action sports don’t mix, it is of course to be savored for when the last turns have been made. Ideal for a post-shred pick-me-up and après fuel. The post-shred options for campers were plentiful. The beautiful lake provides ample opportunity to soak up the sun with a Soop and nurse those aching limbs back to health. Other options for recuperation included in the lift pass were; swimming pool access, luge passes and the driving range. The resort also has plenty more to offer, although at an extra cost, could enjoy bowling, arcades, paragliding, bungee jumping, trampoline, airbag kicker, private pool and spa, and horse riding. Truly endless prospects!

This is all very well and good, it’s almost too much to squeeze into 6 days alone. Even harder when you add in the 6-day ski and bike passes, which is what the majority of the 100+ campers attended for. Add in the epic skatepark that is ridable from sunrise to lights off at 11:30pm and you’ve got a non-stop week of sun, stunts, and Soop.

The main attraction on-hill is the epic ski and snowboard coaching. Each and every day saw coaching clinics from Europe’s best skiers and boarders. Something for everyone was on offer from Freestyle 101 to Advanced Sessions. The coaching list was beefed up from last year and was truly something special. Skiers were treated to; the Swedish wizardry of Samuel Ålander (his season edit premiered in resort on his birthday, mind melters everywhere), GB Park & Pipe riders Justin Taylor-Tipton and Mason Ferebee, additionally - Laax local Luca Wasser and ex-Graystone Action Sports coach Jack Foreman imparted their wisdom for a second year. Snowboarders were not left behind, with the Tamworth Snowdome Crew and Burton riders Harry Winnard and Max Wittrick providing a deep well of knowledge for the snowboarders. Zero excuses not to be dialling new tricks. We had an insane contingent of campers here with the mountain bike trails on their mind as much as the sunny slush. 91km of tracks all over 2480m of ridable vert this was not to be sniffed at.

When the lifts stop turning and the send wound down for the evening. The après inevitably cranked up. Dragon Soop lifted heads out of the midafternoon lull and into full swing into the nights. Soop can provide a kickstart to any party and this week was no different. The AfterJam lads managed to keep the spirit of après alive despite the COVID restrictions in place. Everyone worked hard and cooperated to make sure we could all enjoy ourselves in a responsibly coronavirus minded fashion. Resident AfterJam DJs kept the tracks spinning all night, whilst also providing frequent opportunities for campers to showcase some skills on the 1’s and 2’s.  

As with last year, the highlight of the week is the Jibworx competition. The Jibworx park crew pulled out a huge effort to shape a creative set up for a send fest at 3200m. This went alongside an opportunity for campers to learn some of the dark arts of the shaping world as well. This whole trip is a chance to dial everything send related. Riders from all over the world rolled in on Thursday morning to put down their tricks against campers and AJ riders alike. With new tricks dialed and bodies warmed up, the vibes were off the chain. Dragon Soop and the on-hill DJ booth kept the spectators bouncing.

This year’s freestyle camp was bigger and better than the last, and every other freestyle camp in Europe. I can tell you it’s only going to grow. Taking place in the new world order of a pandemic didn’t stop the AfterJam crew putting on an absolute corker of a week. It’s gonna grow, have the formula finessed and the send dial increased past 11. Keep an eye on the AfterJam Instagram and Facebook for all their upcoming events and clothing drops for the season. Their website has everything you could possibly need to know about these giants of the UK scene; it’s also where you can cop all their fresh steeze. The only way is up. I’ll cheers a can of Dragon Soop to that!

Photo credits: Max Allcock
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