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BoardZ Checks Out the NorCal Nevada Region of the USASA 97/98 Season

If you want it to snow, just plan a contest. At least that is the way it has been this year in Northern California. The NorCal Nevada region of the USASA started with a GS at Donner Ski Ranch on December 20, 1997 on a day that started with icy snow and blue skies. Half way through the 1st run some storm clouds were looming. By the second run, some light snow was flying. The next day was a snowy one, even though Mother Nature only provided a few inches of fluff on top very hard ice for the brave ones that showed for the experimental free-ride event.

Cameron Beck and Risley Sams

It snowed 12 to 18 inches on Thursday and Friday January 1st and 2nd; so the Boreal halfpipe dragon crew had to deal with a lot of fresh wet snow and warm over night temperatures to get ready for the weekend contest. I heard they also had mechanical problems; so the halfpipe was not as good as the usually almost perfect Boreal pipe. Of course everyone had to deal with the same conditions as all the other competitors. It was nice to see Shawn White from San Diego show up while his family was vacationing in the Tahoe area. He managed to win his division even with a couple of falls on his second run while spinning some difficult tricks. It is lucky that Boreal has night skiing, because the new format that the NorCal Nevada region is using and the big turnout made the event last until well past 5:30pm. The new format divides all the age groups into heats. Each heat has a scheduled time to practice as well as when to run the contest heats. This was supposed to save time and let the competitors know when to hang around for their 2 runs. The heats ran at least an hour late. We did have an idea of when our runs would be, but the new format did not save any time. It took more time because the practice runs went over their allotted time. Time got so short that the 3rd and final heat did not get a practice session. The next day's slopestyle event had to be canceled because 80 was closed due to 2 feet of new snow.

Shawn White

Cameron Beck and Dax Marchimi

Unidentified Competitors at the Boreal Halfpipe

The next weekend at Sugar Bowl was very snowy again with 6 - 12 inches of wet and crusty snow. It was nice to have a well designed and maintained slopestyle park for the event. The problems with the new format continued. The 3rd heat did not get a practice session and had only had time for one run. There were a lot of unhappy, wet, and cold kids and coaches at the top of the coarse at almost 4pm as the lifts were closing. Sugar Bowl was nice enough to provide a bus for the USASA to use because there is not any indoor facilities over at the Mt. Juda base. The bus was OK for registration, but was very inconvenient for the results and raffle with the every present weekend snowy weather. This situation contributed to the loss of some product that I had won in the raffle. Some snake raised their hand when it was not their number being called. The person (won't mention his name because he already felt bad enough) that was tossing out the goods could not see me raising my hands through the bus door. Tom Collins almost lost his voice trying to announce the results from inside the bus to the wet crowd standing outside in the falling snow. Sunday, snowy weather continued for the slalom race. I did not make it because it was a B+ powder day. Priorities!

Unidentified Competitors at the Sugar Bowl Slopestyle Event

Will it snow every weekend that the NorCal Nevada region of the USASA plans a contest or race? That is fine with me a thousands of other powder hounds out there, but it could make it hard to finish the season in time for the nationals to be held at Telluride Colorado on April 7 -12 1998.

Check out the USASA Web Site. For complete Northern California / Nevada results check the NorCal/Nevada Page.

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