2010 US Snowboard World Cup

Well, I'm back from Telluride, CO and the US Snowboard World Cup and ready to get into the holidays East Coast style! But first, a little recap on this year's event. Once again the event consisted of a Parallel Giant Slalom on Thursday the 17th, a Snowboard Cross on Friday, and a Team Snowboard Cross on Saturday. All events went smoothly and thanks to the snowmakers there was plenty of snow to build the courses. Beilieve it or not, there was not a lot of the natural stuff in SW Colorado. The majority of that western snow has been settling elsewhere like in Summit County where JP and the Rev Tour athletes spent their time recently. Anyhow, the racing was great for all events with the Americans right in the thick of it. If you want to check some of the photos or videos go to my USASA Adirondack Series facebook page here or you can watch NBC this Sunday the 26th at 3pm for the TV show. You may see yours truly at the start if you look close.
USASA Adirondack Series rider Derek DiCastro was on hand again to train and forerun having just missed out on a starting spot. He ran the course well - especially since the first training day was also his first day back on snow since the Junior World Championships in New Zealand back in August! Double D will be competing this season on the Rev Tour and Hole Shot SBX events as well as the US Snowboard Cross Championships Grand Prix in Utah this February. I'll be updating his results as the season goes on and hopefully he will earn enough points to get his first World Cup start at this event next season.

So the competition season is here. This past week there have been competitions all over the country: from Grand Prix, to Rails to Riches, to Dew Tour, to Revolution Tour.

NYSEF was represented in the Revolution Tour at Copper, CO by Stephanie Lawee, John Wilkins, KC Brousseau, and myself (JP). The Revolution Tour is a place for armature freeride ski and snowboard athletes from all over the country to come together and compete for a place on the world cup circuit in the disciplines of slope style and halfpipe.

We departed from Albany on December 10^th in route to Denver. Anticipation and stoke levels were at an all time high. We were all very excited to leave the east and go ride where there was “actually” snow.

As it turned out there was plenty of it. We hopped on a shuttle at the airport in Denver that took us from the sunny weather in Denver up I 70 into a blizzard. By the time we had come out on the western side of the Loveland Tunnel it was snowing harder than it had all year so far back east.

It snowed hard all night. So hard that summit county closed the interstate between the Loveland Tunnel and Vail for about three hours. By the Way, this just so happened to be at the time that we had gone to Frisco to get groceries for the week. If you ask anyone from our crew they will tell you about how we got stranded on the bus in Frisco due to the snowstorm; but hey, it left us with lots of powder skiing the following day!

Needles to say John, Steph and I were thoroughly happy and whooped after the day.

The following day we decided to get down to business and we went to Keystone Mt to train on their terrain park features. They had so much to offer and we had a great day.

John @ Keystone: John got his head stuck for about a minutes

This is what Keystone looked like:

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On Monday we were joined by fellow teammate KC Brousseau. As the week went on the level of enthusiasm grew amongst the team. This was only magnified when the weather continued to get more and more sunny throughout the week. The halfpipe and slopestyle courses were in awesome shape. Every competitor was wanting and willing to give the competition their all.

The Half Pipe

Steph got 11th place overall in women's halfpipe

The view on the way to the slopestyle course

First two features in the Slopestyle course:
Left – up box, Right – Cannon Box

First Jump

Second Jump

Third Jump

Last Two Features:
Flat Rail

Or a Down Flat Down Rail

Although the enthusiasm was everywhere, it had no way to safe guard us from injury. KC had a bummed ankle from when he arived, John knuckled the second jump on a Back side cork 7 and hurt his knee, and Steph had severe shin bang. Also, Steph's lip and her pole got into a fight on the landing of the second jump in the slopestyle course.

Steph’s Lip

Everyone on the team felt somewhat skunked, but instead of letting it get us down it fueled a fire deep inside everyone’s competitive spirit. The consensus is that we did not represent our fullest potential at this revolution tour stop. Also there is still a long season ahead of us. We are all determined to work hard and dedicate more training time before the next revolution tour stop at Mt Hood Meadows.

Team Hardway + Santa

We all had a great time in Copper and are eagerly awaiting the Rev Tour at Mt Hood. Stay posted, and Happy Holidays.

- JP

Hey Everyone,

The First day of NYSEF Freeride kicked of with a bang. Excitement levels were high and good times were abundant throughout all of our groups.

Its crazy to think about competitions already because we only just had our first day. However, competition season is already almost upon us.

On Friday I will be traveling with John Willkins, Steph Lawee, and KC Brousseau to Copper Mt CO for the first stop of the USSA Revolution Tour. This series is a direct route for amateur athletes to move on to Pro Level Events, and to World Cup Half Pipe and soon to be Slopestyle events.

for more Rev Tour info: click here

wish all the guys and gals luck, and ill be posting more info as the week of competitions pan out.

-JP

Freeride Information Session

Hello everyone,
YES, it's finally time to get this season going! Our firt weekend program day at Whiteface is this Sunday December 5th. Before we head out onto the slopes though, the Freeride staff and I will be holding an information session for all our ski and snowboard athletes and their families starting at 8:45am in the NYSEF building. Attendance is mandatory for weekend athletes and highly encouraged for all parents and families. This will be the time to meet the coaches and get info about training schedules, competition tracks, expectations for the season, etc. and ask questions while we are all in one place. The plan will be to get through with the basics asap so everyone can hopefully get out on snow by 9:30am.
So, get your questions ready for Sunday and of course if you want to pick up a pass and ski or ride on Saturday please feel free to do so. Our staff orientation will be taking place but we will be available to assist you from 8 - 9:30am.
See you soon.

Mike

2010-11 Event Schedule

It's almost time again!! Now it's got to get cold and stay cold so we can truly be ready for the 2011 event season. We've added a new mountain and some new events for the 5th year of the USASA ADK. West Mt has joined the fold with it's first ADK Slopestyle on February 13th. Billed as either the Valentine's Day Massacre or The Teddy Bear Lovefest we hope to see some new talent from the "downstate" crew.

The Empire State Winter Games is back at Whiteface this February 25&26 with the 2nd year of SkiCross & Boardercross. Those NY residents interested in taking a shot at the State Championship will need to qualify at one of the designated qualifier events through either the ADK, Western NY, or Catskills series in January 2011. Go to http://www.usasa.org/ and check the homepage of your series for more info. You can find full USASA schedule info there too.

I'm currently working on scheduling a couple USASA railjam events to keep the urban sliders happy and those details will be posted here and on the ADK homepage as I have them. Though not recognized as qualifiers for the national championships they're open to all USASA members and who knows...maybe some day we'll have Railjam Champions!

See you on the hill!

Ramp Camp soars to new heights!

Our week long ramp and tramp camp went off as a hit with 10 athletes who learned what their bodies are capable of! Please see some pics! If anyone is interested in training at the pool, please contact NYSEF at (518) 946-7001 for more information. As always... Ski Hard,

Coach Kasper

NYSEF Freestyle Day Camp

July 5th-9th , 2010
Head Coach - Chris Kasper
Focused on snowboard and freestyle ski athletes, this program works to condition and develop spatial awareness, body control, and proper mechanics in an organized and controlled setting. Tricks are practiced and tested on one of several trampolines and then transitioned to the ramps where athletes jump into the 750,000 gallon pool. Logical progressions are stressed as well as general conditioning. All sessions begin with stretching exercises and a warm-up which may include stairs or short-distance runs.
Athletes meet at the pool at 8:30am for warm-up then move to the trampoline and water ramps according to schedule organized by facility staff. Full day program consists of morning and afternoon sessions. Running shoes are necessary as well as appropriate equipment (skis or snowboard, boots, bindings) as well as helmet, approved life vest or PFD, towel and mouth guard. Pool is not heated so wetsuits are recommended though not mandatory. All athletes must be at least 10 years of age, possess intermediate riding/skiing ability, and have proof of current USSA or USASA membership. (www.ussa.org , www.usasa.org ) Lunch is not provided though there is a concession available on site.
Cost for this five-day camp is $275 and includes pool and coaching fees. To sign up go to www.nysef.org and download forms or stop by NYSEF offices at Whiteface Mt, Mon-Fri 8-4pm. For more info contact NYSEF at (518)946-7001.

Summer Training Program at the Olympic Jumping Complex

NYSEF Summer Freestyle Training Program at the Olympic Jumping Complex
Program Coach - Justin Perry
This exclusive NYSEF program focuses on snowboard and freestyle ski athletes and aims to condition and develop spatial awareness, body control, and proper mechanics in an organized and controlled setting. Tricks are practiced and tested on one of several trampolines and then transitioned to the ramps where athletes jump into the 750,000 gallon pool. Logical progressions are stressed as well as general conditioning. All sessions begin with stretching exercises and a warm-up which may include stairs or short-distance runs.
Athletes meet at the pool at 3pm for warm-up then move to the trampolines. Water ramping session follows from 5-6:30pm. Running shoes are necessary as well as appropriate equipment (skis or snowboard, boots, bindings) as well as helmet, approved life vest or PFD, towel and mouth guard. All athletes must be at least 10 years of age, possess intermediate riding/skiing ability, and have proof of current USSA or USASA membership. (www.ussa.org , www.usasa.org )
Starting Tuesday June 22nd and continuing every Tues., Wed., and Sat. through August 28th.
Season Pass cost of $799 includes pool and coaching fees. Limited daily spots available for $40 per session. Season pass good for exclusive NYSEF sessions only. To sign up go to www.nysef.org and download forms or stop by NYSEF offices at Whiteface Mt, Mon-Fri 8-4pm. For more info contact NYSEF at (518)946-7001.

USASA ADK 2010 Nationals Results

Well, the 2010 USASA Nationals are just a memory but the Adirondacks made their mark with their best showing to date. Overall, 26 competitors from our region made the trip to Copper Mt, CO to vie for the championship title in their respective age categories. From that 26 we had 15 top tens, 4 podiums, and two national champions!
This is the fourth full season for USASA competition in the Adirondacks and to have this kind of showing is a testament to local talent and the growing involvement in competitive skiing and snowboarding.
The NYSEF program was represented well with 14 athletes between ski and snowboard. Staff this year consisted of Freestyle Head Coach Chris Kasper, Snowboard Coaches Tommy Thomson and Bob Witt, Vicki Kirchner Starter on the Slalom course, and me, Mike Kirchner, as Operations Crew Chief. The number of athletes kept everyone busy as well as the general atmosphere. All five venues (HP,SS,BX/SX,GS, & SL) run simultaneously each day for six days! There was alot of texting gong on - checking on each others athletes and following the progress on nearby courses. And of course there was alot to celebrate!
Below is a list of results for all of our region's athletes. Check out our facebook page for some pics from the event. Podium finishes are highlighted in bold.

Open Class Snb- Brian Lebow BX-39th
Open Class Snb- Derek DiCastro(NYSEF) BX-7th (fastest time trial)
Open Class Ski- Jake Doan(NYSEF) SS-7th
Open Class Ski- Dillon Calderone(NYSEF asst coach) SS-10th
Senior Women Snb- Rachel Puma BX-7th
Master Men Snb- Frank Duffy BX-15th
Menehune Girls Snb- Melissa Rath(NYSEF) SS-13th, BX-16th, SL-10th
Menehune Boys Snb- Ridall Kirchner(NYSEF) SL-47th, GS-43rd, BX-50th
Breaker Boys Snb- Mike Fahey(NYSEF) BX-52nd
Junior Women Snb- Katie Kennedy SS-2nd, BX-7th
Women's Jams Snb- Jessica Powers(NYSEF) BX-4th
Youth Men Snb- Karl Lakata(NYSEF) HP-52nd, BX-49th, SL-41st
Youth Men Snb- Colin Grady(NYSEF) SS-35th, BX-45th
Youth Men Snb- Dale Mortensen BX-24th
Youth Men Snb- Steve Gooditis(NYSEF) GS-45th
Junior Men Snb- Dylan Peters SS-1st
Junior Men Snb- Matt Nardiello SS-22nd
Skier Men 13-15- KC Brousseau(NYSEF/NWS) HP-4th, SS-11th, SX-4th
Skier Men 13-15- Peter Palumbo(NYSEF) SX-8th
Skier Men 13-15- Josh Nixon(NYSEF) SX-9th
Skier Men 16-18- Nick Edwards(NYSEF/NWS) SS-13th, SX-13th
Skier Men 16-18- Adam Guindon(NYSEF/NSA '09) SX-4th
Skier Girls 9 & under- Madison Krochina SX-1st
Skier Girls 9 & under- Lindsay Rath(NYSEF) SX-7th
Skier Men 19 & over- Chris Krochina SX-3rd
Skier Women 13-15- Jacinda Riggs(NYSEF) SX-11th

Congratulations everyone! Bring on 2011!

NYSEF Stands Proud at Nationals!

Copper Mountain, CO- The ADK Series’ NYSEF Freestyle Ski Team represented the North Country soundly with 9 top-ten finishes! For the girls: Lindsey Rath secured a 7th place stand in Skier X for the girls 9 and under while Jacinda Riggs stood strong with her 11th place finish for Skier X women 13-15.
Both Jake Doan and Dillon Calderone made it to Open Class Slope Style Finals with 7th and 10th place overall finishes. Both Jake and Dillon fought neck and neck all season, still managing to support one another and come out on top. Nick Edwards laid down a 13th place spot in Men’s 15-18 Slope Style with Teammate KC Brousseau finishing 11th.
Skier X for the Men 16-18 was the most competitive, but NYSEF stood out with Nick Edwards’ 13th place finish, Josh Nixon’s 9th, Peter Palumbo’s 8th, and Adam Guidon’s 4th place finish in his final USASA Skier X for Skier men with neck to neck finishes in all heats amongst the Nation’s top skiers.
KC Brousseau threw down a solid run in Men’s Half Pipe 13-15 receiving a 4th place finish which gave him a 2nd place finish in Skier Men 13-15 combined! KC Isn’t finished yet, he is currently packing for Mammoth to continue to film with Meathead Productions on an all expense paid trip that he won during Solomon’s Jib Academy at Sunday River in Bethel, ME.
Stay tuned for more information on Summer Camps, Pool and Dry-Land Info!

Coach Kasper

DiCastro Selected for Junior Worlds Boardercross Team

With a strong showing this season, competing on the USSA Revolution Tour and Nor-Am circuit, Derek DiCastro jumped to third in the US junior national rankings earning him a spot on the US SBX squad headed to Junior Worlds in Cardrona, New Zealand this coming August.
Derek's first full year on the SBX circuit paid off as his results progressed along with his experience. Starting with a 17th place finish at Copper Mt in February, he followed it up with a 10th in Boreal, CA and a 5th at Mt Hood Meadows in March. Right on the heels of the Rev Tour, he raced in two Nor-Ams on the same Mt Hood course garnering a 6th and a 10th place finish against a strong international field.
The Revolution Tour, which is the premier snowboard event series showcasing up and coming US talent, can serve as a stepping stone for junior riders as well as a place for veterans to gain much needed training and race experience. Derek's results this season placed him in 7th overall. It was this result combined with his Nor-Ams that put him in the topr three for junior boardercrossers.
Along with his inclusion on the US Junior Worlds Team, Derek will also be invited to be a member of Project Gold. Camp being held in Mammoth Mt., CA this coming May. Project Gold is a USSA program that identifies the best junior talent in each discipline and invites them to train with US Team coaches and athletes

I like Big Bumps and I Cannot Lie

Bethel, ME- K.C. Brousseau shined last weekend at Sunday River's Solomon Jib Academy with a first place finish earning him a trip to Mammoth, next year's Solomon skies and a bye into semi-finals for this weekend's Dumont Cup, also at Sunday River. Team mate and fellow Northwood School student, Nick Edwards followed close with a second place finish.
Ellicottville, NY- The EQS NYSEF Team represented us well last weekend at Holiday Valley for the EQS Freestyle Championships. Abe Studler, Davis Sprague, Oliver Holmes, Jason Castle and Art Griffin all skied well amongst the East's best Freestyle Skiers with Abe and Oliver both pulling in top ten finishes!
We wish the best of luck to our Freestyle Skiers headed to Copper Mountain next week for USASA Nationals: Jake Doan, Lindsey Rath, Jacinda Riggs, K.C. Brousseau, Peter Palumbo, and Nick Edwards. Good luck also goes out to our competing Snowboarders as well: Melissa Rath, Jess Powers, Karl Lakata, Colin Grady, Steve Gooditis, Ri Kirchner, and Mike Fahey.

Shred Hard,

Free Ride

After Bang

Whiteface Mountain- NYSEF was well represented over the weekend at our Western Regional Freestyle Final's with 5 podium's! Oliver Holmes clenched two first place finishes in Slope Style and Aerials bringing him to a third place finish in combined. Art Griffin was close behind Oliver in Aerials with a second place finish while Jason Castle grabbed the second place finish for Slope Style. Abram Studler was able to obtain 4th in moguls despite his broken thumb! Congratulations to all who represented NYSEF in the Finals: Davis Sprague, Oliver Holmes, Art Griffin, Nate Foster, Abram Studler, Jason Castle, Patrick Skalski!
This weekend the team travels to Holiday Valley for EQS Eastern Championships.
Waterville Valley, NH- Jake Doan clenched a third place finish in his age group and 7th overall for Junior Olympics! Jake will be attending Westminster next semester with alumni Hannah Doan and Andrew Wilson.
Thank you once again to all parents and volunteers. You're passion is the fuel that keeps our sport flying!

Ski Hard,

Coach Kasper

USASA Adirondack SX/BX Finals

What a great way to end the USASA season. Great racing and a barbecue! Check out all the pics on our facebook page here.
For all you series winners (and 2nd placers) out there in all disciplines. Please let me know if you plan on attending this year's Nationals at Copper Mt. It makes our job alot easier when we know ahead of time if you plan to attend or not. Invites will go out next week via e-mail only so you also need to make sure your contact information is right on the usasa website. If you can't access through the login page or have never done it please contact me directly at mikek@nysef.org and I can set you up.
Thanks for a great season! Hope to see you in Colorado!

USASA Adirondack Slopestyle Finals

The weather was great and the Whiteface Park Crew did a great job of re-shaping after over three feet of snow fell this week. Thanks for all your hard work! The results are now up on the USASA site - here. Also on the USASA site, go to "riders", and find yourself and check your rank to see if you will be the national qualifier. If you haven't yet checked on your bio online please do it now. If you don't have a login or password set up yet you can click for assistance or let me know at mikek@nysef.org and I can help you through the process. All your contact info must be correct for you to get your e-mail invite.
Photo link
Thanks to Cris Lussi for these awesome shots. Also check our facebook series page for 100 more pics added today.

Empire State Games Ski Cross & Snowboard Cross

The first ever Ski Cross and Snowboard Cross in Empire State Games history was contested this past weekend at Whiteface Mountain with NYSEF skiers and riders making a strong showing. The NYSEF run event was a great success and the competitors all had high praise for the course built on the Wolf trail by Whiteface park staff and NYSEF Freeride coaches.
In the scholastic men's division (13-16yrs) KC Brousseau took the gold and Josh Nixon the silver while in the women's division Jacinda Riggs took silver. For the snowboarders, Jessica Powers took the silver in the women's Open and Derek Dicastro the gold in the men's Open. The scholastic division saw Lake Placid locals Dale Mortensen and Colin Grady take the first and second positions and NYSEF rider Karl Lakata take 6th.
The event was the competition debut for the cross course and for NYSEF's new start gate, both of which will remain in place for the final USASA BX/SX of the season March 7th and for training the remainder of the season.

Holimont, Ellicottville, NY- Abram Studler was able to hold down a 4th place finish in the Holimont Mogul Competition with teammate Art Griffin finishing 19th on Saturday, Feruary 13th,2010.
Buffalo Ski Club, Colden, NY- What better time to hold the Buffalo Aerial Assault than just before Buffalo Ski Club's own Matt Depeters ships off to Vancouver to represent USA in Olympic Aerials! Matt has spent much time training in Lake Placid under the ORDA and NYSEF. We wish Matt the very best of luck!!! Be sure to catch him Monday at 9pm Eastern.
NYSEF's authority was represented well on Valentines day during the assault with Abram Studler taking 12th in the first competition and 10th the second with Art Griffin clenching 5th in both.
Whiteface Mtn., Lake Placid, NY- Dillon Calderone secured a first place finish in the USASA Slope Style with teammate Jake Doan on his tail for a close 2nd place finish for Open Class skiers. KC Brouseau once again led the Skier Men with Oliver Holmes close in second. Skier Boys were dominated by NYSEF's Brian Gardiner (3rd), Nate Foster (2nd), and Gavin Fritz (1st)!
Youth Men Snowboarder's was led by Colin Grady in first place. Jonathan Locklin finished third for Junior Men Snowboarder's, and Katie Kennedy won the Junior Women's snowboard class.
We wish all athletes the best of luck in the 2010 Olympics and this week's Empire State Games!

Ski Hard, Ride Hard,

Free Ride

Saturday Park Session Pics

Free-Diggity-Dogger's

The Freestyle Ski Team stormed the Northeast this past weekend, with Jake Doan grabbing a 10th place finish in the Waterville Valley Slope Style, and Jason Castle sitting in the middle of the pack amongst the east's best free riders. Other big winners were Lindsey Rath, Nate Foster, Jacinda Riggs, and KC Brousseau all clenched first place finishes in Saturday's skier cross at Gore Mt. Brian Gardiner and Nick Edwards were both 2nd for their age groups.
Sunday was the Maui North Slope style where Abram Studler took home first for his age group while the Jake, Oliver, KC, Nick, Jason and Coach Dillon all sessioned the 50 foot Pisgah Jump. Stay Tuned for great pic's compliments of Jake Sporn.

Tune into News Channel 5 tomorrow (Wed) at 6pm to see NYSEF's coaches and athletes discuss the progression process of Freestyle Skiing in conjunction with the North Country's "Road to the Olympics"! To see the segment please cut and paste this link: www.wptz.com/video/22527188/index.html

Ski Hard,

Coach Kasper

Derek DiCastro 17th at Rev Tour BX

Copper Mt., CO - Derek DiCastro, shown at left before forerunning this year's World Cup event in Telluride, made his debut on the USSA Revolution Tour this past weekend placing 17th. Though Derek has won the all-around amateur title twice before at USASA Nationals this marks his first start on the USSA tour.
Racing against some of the best young boardercrossers in the country, Derek took 6th in the time trials and had a transfer spot in his first heat but spun out while attempting to pass the leader. In boardercross, the first two across the finish advance to the next round while the bottom two drop out.
Though a 17th in his first start is respectable it's the time trial result that really proves he's capable of racing against the best. He's shown that he can handle world cup level courses and has an uncanny ability to adjust to terrain that eats up lesser riders.
Derek relocated to NYSEF/Whiteface from Rome, NY in order to train on the big mountain and prepare for his push towards his goal of a spot on the FIS World Cup.
Jessica Powers also made her debut in the ladies event but just missed out on qualification. They will both have a shot at the next stop in Boreal, CA in March.
Jonathan Locklin is also along and will be competing in the Slopestyle event taking place on Wednesday. Check back for details.
Sunday February 7th was the first of three USSA/FIS Boardercross events on the Revolution Tour this season. The Tour is open to all licensed competitors but is meant to showcase younger riders and be a stepping stone to the Grand Prix (US National) and World Cup tours.
-Kirsh

Whiteface/Maui North Big Air

Sunday February 7th was the Maui North Big Air in the Brookside Terrain Park. Though a little chilly and not so sunny as Saturday everyone seemed to have a great time. Jon Durney was on the mic and many of our NYSEF riders and skiers were on their game! Check out these links for pics and video!
Pictures on Facebook
Video on You Tube

Boarder/Skiercross at Gore/North Creek Ski Bowl

We had another great day of racing at Gore Mt and The North Creek Ski Bowl this past weekend! A big thanks to all the volunteers and competitors who came out and helped to make it a successful event. Check out the links below for results and pics and don't forget the final BX/SX of the season will be coming up on March 7th at Whiteface. See you there!
Pictures on facebook
Results

USASA Nationals NYSEF House

Currently looking into securing housing for USASA Nationals on site at Copper Mountain. We are trying to gauge the interest in shared housing (athletes and/or parents)and possibly ground transportation if we all travel together. We are looking at the dates of 4/1/2010 to 4/10 or 4/11/2010. Looking at a base price of $45 per night per person (does not include food). House parents on site to provide supervision and group skiing/riding supervision possible for an extra fee. Shared food costs is a possiblity. If interested contact Linda Brousseau at brousseau.linda@gmail.com ASAP. First come, first served.

USASA Slopestyle Pics and Video

It was a beautiful sunny day this past Sunday for the first slopestyle on the Adirondack calendar. Thanks to all the volunteers and especially the competitors for a strong showing. Thank you Jess for the pics and Tim for the video link! http://www.youtube.com/tphadk.
Full results can be viewed here

USASA Slopestyle Sunday January 24th

The first Slopestyle on the USASA Adirondack calendar is coming up this Sunday at Whiteface. Registration takes place from 7:30 - 8:30am in guest services in the main lodge due to the NYSEF Training Center being used for Freestyle World Cup. Practice for skiers and boarders opens with the lifts @ 8:30am. The course will consist of both jumps and rails located in the Brookside Terrain Park. Comp start is scheduled for 10am. Awards to immediately follow. Cost is $25 and USASA membership is required. For more info please check the link to our series page.
Photo credit - Michael Aldridge

NYSEF Free-Ride Turns Heads from Rochester to Maine

NYSEF Free-Ride was represented well this weekend from Western New York to Bethel Maine in both USSA and USASA events.

Gore Mountain hosted the first two Adirondack Series Boarder/Skier Cross events this year with over 40 competitors. Jacinda Riggs claimed first place in both female skier cross races, setting her on a sound foundation for Nations held at Copper Mountain, CO later this March.
Melissa Rath took second in both of her Menehune (10-11) female boarder cross races while NYSEF teammate Joshua Boise held a third place podium spot on the Menehune (10-11) boys boarder cross for his first race.
Michael Fahey secured second in both of his Breaker (12-13) boys boarder cross races gearing him up for the future youth (14-15) boarder cross where Dale Mortenson earned a first place in his first race, and second to follow, flip-flopping spots with Colin Grady with a second place finish followed by first his second race while Karl Lakata finished third in both races.
NYSEF girls Katie Kennedy, Jessica Powers, and Rachel Puma all finished first within their age groups in both races.
It's no surprise that World Cup snowboarder Derek DiCastro took first for open class boarder cross with Jason Minch not far behind in both races.
Sydney Loh stood second on the podium for both races for skier girls 9 and under with Lindsey Rath third by a nose on the first race.
Skier cross boys (10-12) was possibly the most competitive last weekend with Brian Gardiner finishing first, followed by Brad Jubitz (second) and Nate Foster fourth. The second race consisted of a tight finish by Nate Foster first, Brian Gardiner second, and Brad Jubitz third.
The NYSEF Team and Adirondack Series is ready for this Sunday's Slope Style which will add to Whiteface's excitement correlating with the World Cup!

NYSEF's Abram Studler shined at Bristol Mountains' Toyota Freestyle Mogul Fest with a first place finish in his age group and fourth over all for the first day, and 4th in his age group the second day.

Art Griffin made the podium with a third place finish Sunday at Sunday River's Eastern Throw Down Slope Style event, which puts him that much closer to making Eastern Regional Finals held at Whiteface Mountain in March.

Be sure to come down to the Olympic Village this weekend to witness World Cup Freestyle!!!