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I have to admit that my first BUDS experience was only during my last year at Uni, however, the 450 mile journey up from Southampton wasn’t exactly a burning incentive to get up to Edinburgh. Besides, if you saw me race on dryslope you’d realise that it’s not worth taking my talent down to the local slope, let alone Hillend.
Anyway, it was a lamentable attitude on my part, and sure enough BUDS blew me away. Having swiftly (note the irony) condemned myself to the bottom of the slalom times on the Friday afternoon it was time to turn my attention to the on-slope beats and beer tents. Result. It’s quite a feat that a November weekend up in Scotland can generate such an awesome atmosphere against all the elements. With MCs abusing the competitors, the tunes pumping and the crowd kicking back and soaking up the weather as well as the BUSC vibe you can’t help but get involved…
The Friday night seems to be spent, according to tradition, in Gaia- not the grandest venue you recall but full of BUSC faithful and the stage for further antics and socialising between rival clubs.. perhaps allowing a few relationships to blossom from the captains’ trip the fortnight before?
The alarm goes at some horrible time on Saturday morning to get you up to the slope for the GS and all sorts of other events (big air, slopestyle, team parallels etc). You’re not sure where you got your new room-mates from, but they seem happy enough having slept with your socks on the floor last night. In fact, this isn’t your hostel at all- never mind, we’re all friends here.
There are a few more familiar faces on the slope today. You avoid the one with the 6ft 5’ boyfriend when he’s near and try and piece together what happened after you did those flaming Drambruies (you proudly display the scars they have left and hope she’ll do the same)... Back at the big air, the tricks are getting bigger, as is the crowd, as the super final competitors try and out-whit each other to get their hands on the cash prize. The MC is ranting about some sick trick and everyone’s loving it. Again.
The action on the slope winds down at about 7: you rush back to the Hostel to get your glad rags on in time to catch the bus to the ball. As per usual, there are about 4 cufflinks to go round 6 blokes and the ladies are looking ravishing. The euphoria from the slope has been bottled and opened again, the bands lift the roof and the dance floor is on fire. This is what BUSC is all about: if you can compete, good job, if you can compete and play hard you’ve cracked it.
BUDS, the BUSC dryslope championships is coming… don’t make the same mistake I did and neglect it, wherever you’re coming from. 14th-15th November, Hillend, Edinburgh.
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