Chris “Cookie” Colbourn Wins Dough in Boost Mobile Switch Jam at Dew Tour Long Beach 2019

Bringing back the Boost Mobile Switch Jam for its second iteration became a clear crowd favorite at Dew Tour Long Beach 2019. Despite being the only non-Olympic qualifying event, the Switch Jam will be remembered as a highlight for the entire event.

With stacks of cash in hand, TransWorld SKATEboarding’s Blair Alley was on the course and rewarding switch tricks on the spot, as they were landed. In the end one winner of the 10 switch skating participants was determined by the best overall trick of the 30-minute jam.

For this year’s Switch Jam athletes were ordered to skate the Boost Mobile 8-stair and handrail plus two Boost Mobile Light Switch Ledges with pole jams were placed onto the course before the stairs. Though the focus of the event was certainly seen on the handrail, it was actually the Light Switch Ledges that provided the winner a route to victory.

On the rail, though, fans were truly treated. Last year’s defending Switch Jam champ, Carlos Ribeiro started things off strong with a switch kickflip to switch back lip slide on the 8-stair rail. TJ Rogers hit the rail hard with a switch bigspin kickflip to switch front boardslide and then took to the stairs to float a switch frontside heelflip and a switch backside kickflip with absolute perfection.

Nick Merlino nailed a switch backside heelflip down the set in addition to a switch frontside kickflip and a switch backside 360. However the gnarliest trick of the event was actually landed after time by Micky Papa. Early on Papa put down a switch kickflip to switch front boardslide on the handrail before putting most of the session into a switch laser heelflip to switch backside lipslide. Though he didn’t land it during event time, he had everyone’s attention on every approach to the rail.

The winner of the event was Chris “Cookie” Colbourn taking home the largest stack of dough. Cookie landed a switch frontside bigspin to boardslide on the handrail, a switch varial flip down the set before stomping a switch 360 flip. However, it was when Cookie landed a line on the Light Switch Ledges beginning with a switch pole jam before doing a switch pole jam to late shuvit down the set to win an additional $5,000 and the overall title.

“Skating the [Boost Mobile] Switch Jam at the Mountain Dew, Dew Tour was really fun because I wasn’t competing against hunters of people. I only skated against 10 guys, and I know them all. It felt more like a session at a street spot, with money involved,” laughed Cookie after he was handed a huge wad of cash. He guessed he had probably pocketed about $500 before the additional $5,000.

When asked if there were any tricks he was extra stoked on he responded with, “yeah, that one right there!” Papa pulled off the switch laser heelflip to switch backside lipslide right behind Cookie as he answered questions for Dew Tour. Cookie also gave a major shout out to Nick Merlino’s switch backside heelflip. “That trick is really pleasing on the eyes, and he did it super well. Nick is a Long Beach legend!”