Powder Report
Photo: Cath Howard, Sugar Bowl

Silver Belt Banzai
Top freeride skiers and riders from around the world will head to Sugar Bowl on March 13 and 14 for the running of the Silver Belt Banzai, a unique race blending the excitement of ski-cross/boarder-x action with the tradition of a downhill race. Starting atop Sugar Bowl’s famed Silver Belt Gully, skiers and riders will race out of the gate in four- and six-person heats with the simple rules of staying on course and finishing fast enough to beat the other racers and advance to the next round.

Up to 100 skiers and riders ages 16 and up, in both men’s and women’s divisions, will compete in the race. Qualifying heats will be run on March 13, with winners earning a spot in Sunday’s final races and a chance for cash prizes. Entry fees are $100 per racer, which includes a lift ticket valid for the first day of racing, and both days of racing should the competitor advance to Sunday’s finals. Entry is $50 without a lift ticket. For details, call (530) 426-9000 or visit www.sugarbowl.com.

Passo wins Tram Face
Local Squaw Valley skier and Freeride World Tour wild card Jaclyn Paaso was without a doubt the biggest crowd pleaser during the Nissan Tram Face on March 1 at Squaw Valley USA. She took a massive cliff jump at the bottom of the face, faster and higher than most of the men, challenging them for the second heat and winning the Women’s Ski competition. Olympic Valley’s Ingrid Backstrom finished in 3rd.

Paaso is one of the four winners that have scored enough points to climb to the top of the overall Freeride World Tour Ranking 2010, before the final stage Nissan Xtreme by Swatch in Verbier, Switzerland, on March 20.

Olympic Valley’s Tim Dutton finished in 6th place, followed by Cody Townsend in 7th and J.T. Holmes in 19th, both also of Olympic Valley, in the Men’s Ski competition.

In the Men’s Snowboard, Olympic Valley’s Ryland Bell finished in 3rd, followed by Jeremy Jones in 9th, also of Olympic Valley.

Ganong clinches downhill title
Olympic Valley’s Travis Ganong clinched the U.S. Alpine Championships downhill title on Feb. 27 in Aspen. Ganong topped an impressive field of U.S. Ski Team members and Olympians.

“The weather was great, a little overcast but good visibility,” said Ganong. “The track was amazing. It was super smooth, really good conditions.”

In the women’s competition, Truckee’s Stacey Cook finished in 2nd, just missing the top position by three-tenths of a second behind first-place finisher Leanne Smith of New Hampshire.
North Face Masters

The final stop of The North Face Masters of Snowboard was held at Kirkwood on Feb. 28 with many locals making an impressive showing led by The North Face team rider Ralph Backstrom of Olympic Valley, who finished third place with a strong and powerful run.

Squaw Valley team member Christy Deysher finished in 6th in the women’s competition followed by teammate Iris Lazzareschi in 14th and Northstar’s Anna Weber in 16th.

For the men, Ross Baker of the Squaw Valley team placed 7th, followed by Tyler Douglas in 9th (Squaw), Andy Finch in 12th (Northstar), Dylan Thompson in 15th (Alpine Meadows), Christopher Galvin in 23rd (Squaw), Brian Bozack in 40th (Sugar Bowl) and Grant Bowen in 28th (Squaw).

Diamond Peak hosts Jiblet
Diamond Peak hosts the third in the Burton Jiblet series on March 13. Skiers and snowboarders can showcase their best trick on a feature in a jam-style format. Win cash and other great prizes for the best skiers and snowboarders in the open division. This is a competition for intermediate to advanced freestyle skiers and snowboarders of all ages. Registration is $10. All registration money goes to cash prizes in six divisions. Register in the Base Lodge from 9 to 11 a.m., competition begins at noon and awards are at 4 p.m. Open to freestyle skiers and snowboarders. The Burton Jiblet Invitational is April 3 and 4, for qualifiers from the previous competitions.

Diamond Peak hosts the Go Lil’ or Go Home Festival on March 20 for children 10 and under to catch big air off a lil’ jump. Visit www.diamondpeak.com.

Mini slopestyle
Homewood Mountain Resort hosts the Second Annual Mini Slopestyle on March 13 with an 11 a.m. race from Lower Rainbow Ridge at the top of Madden Chair. Open to children ages 12 and under.

Entry is $25 per competitor and includes lift ticket. Register the day of the event upstairs at the Homewood North Lodge at 9 a.m. Parent or legal guardian must be present for signature of liability release form. Helmets are required.

Red Bull Schlittentag
Alpine Meadows hosts the Red Bull Schlittentag (German for sledding day) on March 13. This event is designed for daredevils willing to propel themselves down a snow-covered hill and over a jump on a sled they built themselves.

Three-person teams will compete to be the fastest sledders this side of the Alps. One will be the pilot and the two others will help give their sled the push it needs to win the race and the fame and fortune that follows. Racers must build their own sled; no prefabricated sleds are allowed. The sled has to be built on a base of a saucer, toboggan, ski deck and snowboard deck, and must have a stopping device. Judging will be based on fastest time and creativity of craft. For detailed race criteria, visit www.skialpine.com.

Mt. Rose big air, vertical drop
Mt. Rose hosts the Big Air Beach Party on March 13 at noon at Winters Creek Lodge. Competition is the best of two runs at Slide Bowl. Entry is free, but competitors must have a lift ticket or season pass. Register from 8:30 to 11 a.m. at Winters Creek Lodge. Open to skiers and riders ages 13 and older.

On March 19, Mt. Rose hosts the Second Annual Vertical Drop competition to benefit the Silver State IHC and Wildland Fire Fighter Foundation. The competition is from 10 a.m. to noon; must have a lift ticket to participate. Teams of five may compete for the Tips Up trophy. Registration is $75 in advance and $85 the day of the event. There will be prizes for the top male and female finishers. Register at www.skirose.com.

Arctic Stand up Paddle Race
Ta-Hoe Nalu Arctic Stand up Paddle Race is March 13 at 11 a.m. in Kings Beach. Come on out and get your chill on for the second annual event, new to SnowFest! A 1-mile Stand-Up Paddle Sprint Race on Lake Tahoe, and yes, in March. Make sure to stick around afterwards for the festivities including music by the Truckee Tribe. Open to participants ages 18 and older. Visit www.ta-hoenalu.com for details or to register.

Ultimate Boarder
The Ultimate Boarder Championship, the board sport triathlon, comes to Northstar on March 18 and 19. This is a one-week competition focused on showcasing the talent of athletes who can conquer the arts of snowboarding, surfing and skateboarding.

Designed for participants of all ages, Ultimate Boarder encourages professional and amateur athletes from around the world to compete for the Ultimate Boarder title and a prize purse of almost $60,000. The event is open to male and female solo competitors, as well as teams of three, with each participant competing in one of the three disciplines. And, new this year, the event will include a youth division that will crown the first Ultimate Boarder in surf, skate and snow under the age of 16.

The snowboarding competition is at Northstar on March 18 and 19, followed by the skate portion at Grand Sierra Resort in Reno on March 20. The surf portion will be in San Diego from March 13 to 16. There also will be live music, an action sports film festival, live television coverage and a surf, skate and snow consumer expo following the competition. Visit www.ultimateboarder.com.

The Stash Gathering
Northstar invites riders to grab a snowboard and take advantage of the natural terrain and creative elements in The Stash during the 2010 Stash Gathering on March 20.

All riders will begin in the smallest Stash Zone and from there competitors will be dwindled down to the top riders. There will be three Stash Zones: small, medium and large. Riders will be judged on style, creativity and line choice and we’ll have three winners from each division.

Divisions are Men’s, Women’s and Grom for 16 and under. Registration is $15 and participants must pre-register by calling (530) 562-3322 or at www.northstarattahoe.com. Discounted lift tickets are available for participants for $57 for adults and $46 for young adult.

10th Mountain Division Biathlon
The 10th Mountain Division Biathlon will be held March 21 at Northstar’s new Biathlon Range. A pre-competition clinic will be offered March 20.

The 10th Mountain Division Biathlon will feature a 5km course and a 9km course, which involves more advanced terrain. There will be no race day registration; all registration needs to take place in advance at www.active.com or www.auburnskiclub.org.

On March 20, Auburn Ski Club and Northstar Cross-Country will offer a pre-competition clinic and range practice. During the clinic participants will learn rifle safety, practice prone and standing positions on the snow, do some live firing, ski some small loops and practice dry firing with an elevated pulse and then ski some loops with live firing.

The clinic and race are each $50 for adults and $30 for juniors; ASC members and Northstar passholders are $30 adults and $20 junior. Fees include trail pass, instruction, range use, rifle use and ammunition. For both the clinic and the race, the entry is $80 adults and $40 juniors. ASC members pay $50 adults and $30 juniors, while Northstar passholders pay $70 adults or $40 juniors. Interested participants can sign up at www.active.com.

Take the Lake competition
Skiers and riders will find seven days of spring break glory at Alpine Meadows Ski Resort from March 22 to 28. Take the Lake is a first-of-a-kind, weeklong spring getaway centered on a premier ski and snowboard slope-style competition, complete with discounted lift tickets, activities, prizes and much more.

The festivities include the A.M. Open slopestyle competition with a $20,000 cash purse on March 27. Alpine Meadows will host some of skiing and snowboarding’s top-shelf athletes with qualifying rounds on March 25, featuring The Shreadows world-famous jumps and rail lines as competitors vie for a place in the championship round on March 27.

Snowboard legend Marc Frank Montoya will scratch the turntable for the DJ house party at the Alpine Meadows base lodge on March 26, and he’ll be back on the mic to emcee the A.M. Open slopestyle finals. The judges will include Dew Tour and Winter X Game veteran judges Shawn Carney and Tom Zikas, and former Winter X Games skier Evan Raps.

Beyond slopestyle competition, skiers and riders can expect seven days of après-ski and ride bashes, poker and gaming tournaments, live on-mountain concerts, complimentary meals, gear demos and giveaways. For additional information about Take the Lake as well slopestyle registration, visit www.takethelakealpine.com.

Phil Bocks Memorial race
The Phil Bocks Memorial Ability Challenge ski race on March 19 will team donors, sponsors and disabled skiers for a fun day of ski racing and on-hill activities at Alpine Meadows. An après ski party and awards presentation follows in the Alpine Meadows Base Lodge. The race is a tribute to Bocks, a resident of Truckee and sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps that was killed while serving in Afghanistan in 2007. To register, call (530) 581-4161.

Big Air competition
SnowBomb’s Sick ‘n’ Twisted Series continues with the Big Air competition at Alpine Meadows on March 20. This is the final stop in the series.

Huge air will take place on Dancefloor located in the Shreadows Terrain Park, and spectators are welcome. Cash prizes and gear will be awarded to winning male and female contestants in amateur and open classes. Competition tickets are $39 for young adults (ages 15 to 22) and $55 for adults (ages 23 to 61). Registration will start at 9:30 a.m. in the main lodge, practice will begin at 10:30 a.m., and the competition will begin at noon. Helmets are required. For more information, visit www.snowbomb.com or e-mail info@snowbomb.com.

Moto Mondays
Alpine Meadows concludes its Moto Mondays series with the final Slalom race on March 22, and the last Giant Slalom on March 15. The competition is open to team or individual racing. Après ski parties and specials follow the races.

Entry is $20 per person per race; does not include lift ticket. Discounted lift tickets are available for racers. Register by noon on or before race day at the Ski School. Races start at 1 p.m. The best of two runs counts. For details, call (530) 581-8234.

U.S. Freestyle Nationals
Squaw Valley will host the U.S. Freestyle Nationals with Halfpipe and Mogul competitions from March 23 to 28. As well, they will host the U.S. Ski Team and U.S. Snowboarding Olympic Homecoming Celebration.

The Homecoming Celebration is a post-Olympic event for the 2010 Olympic Skiers and Snowboarders to visit Squaw Valley and celebrate their success. Keep your eyes peeled for Olympians in the Village at Squaw Valley during this week as many athletes will be here to meet with sponsors, donors and the public.

Billy Dutton Uphill
The Billy Dutton Uphill is Squaw Valley’s original “run what ya brung” uphill race – an answer to the famous Chinese Downhill of the 70s.

The course climbs 2,000’ and more than 3.2 miles from the base of KT-22 to High Camp on April 11. This fun annual event is a memorial race for Billy Dutton, a longtime friend of North Lake Tahoe and Squaw Valley, and a former employee of Squaw Valley Ski Corp.

Registration begins at 7 a.m. outside of Dave’s Deli or pre-register with the Auburn Ski Club. The $20 entry fee includes t-shirt and goodies. The race begins at 8 a.m. at the Funitel. There will be prizes for all age categories – skating. diagonal stride and snowshoe divisions. Visit www.squaw.com.

Calif. Gold Rush, supercross
Royal Gorge hosts the 30th Annual California Gold Rush on March 28, presented by Far West Nordic and the Auburn Ski Club. The event features the 45km Gold Rush, 30km Silver Rush and 15km Bronze Rush. The event benefits the Far West and Auburn Ski Club junior ski programs. To register, call (530) 426-3871 or visit www.goldrushskirace.com.

Royal Gorge hosts the Fischer SuperCross on March 27 with jumps, bumps and obstacles for children ages 6 to 17 with prizes for everyone. There is a $5 entry fee and participants must be registered before the event. Call (530) 426-3871.

Quicksilver Tahoe SUP race
The Lake Tahoe Paddleboard Association and Ta-Hoe Nalu, both nonprofit organizations, combined their stand-up and prone paddleboard events to create the 2010 Quicksilver Tahoe Stand-Up Paddleboard Race Series.

The series features a series of five races between May 29 and Sept. 26, with two of the five being elite races and offering a combined purse of $40,000 in cash and merchandise.

The 2nd Annual Donner Lake Memorial kicks off on May 29, with the Thunderbird Run Lake Tahoe on June 5, the 3rd Annual Jam to the Dam on July 10, the Ta-Hoe Nalu Stand-Up Festival on Aug. 21 and 22, and the Tahoe Fall Classic on Sept. 26. Visit www.laketahoepaddleboardassociaiton.com or www.ta-hoenalu.com.

Northstar hosts Sunchaser Challenge
The North Lake Tahoe Visitors Bureaus and Chamber of Commerce recently secured the Sunchaser Challenge, a multi-discipline adventure challenge set for May 22 at Northstar-at-Tahoe.

The Sunchaser Challenge is a sporting event from sunrise to sunset that features orienteering, running, mountain biking, road biking and kayaking. About 1,000 competitors are expected for the challenge. For more information, visit www.sunchaserchallenge.com.