Montreal's St-Denis Street turned into ski and snowboard hill

In Montreal, a winter and sporting event is transforming the city. The famous Saint-Denis Street, a commercial artery downtown, has been for the first time transformed into a ski and snowboard slope.

Riders took part in a competition. The slope will remain free and open to the public until March 5.

Montreal’s Quartier Latin is turning into an urban snowpark for the APIK snowboarding and skiing competition.

A section of St-Denis Street between Ontario and Sherbrooke streets has been taken over by the obstacle course filled with jumps, boxes and rails.

More than 100 riders are set to square off in the weekend event, competing for a grand prize of $20,000.

Organiser Micha Desforges promises the show will entertain with rail riding and plenty of aerial stunts.

Desforges says this snow-filled spectacle will be one of the biggest urban snowboarding and skiing contests in North America.

“The purpose of this event is really to inspire everyone about the winter activities in an urban environment,” Desforges said.

The event, free to the public, will feature “apres ski’ activities with local merchants serving up the nightlife.

Organisers say the intimating park will be scaled down and experienced monitors will be available to help participants.

In line with the city’s March break festivities, the structure will remain on Saint-Denis until March 5, giving the public the chance to shred the snow.