US Open Special @ Stratton, VT
The U.S. Open Snowboarding Championships
March 17-23, 2008 * Stratton, VT
For the 23rd year in a row, Stratton, VT is hosting New England’s most prominent snow sport event.
Although heavily sponsered by Burton Snowboards, it is an “Open” field to all who can get through qualifications, which are going on now. I reckon there are invites/exemptions. The link to the website above will be current. The field of athletes is world class, not very surprising given the coin at stake, keep reading…
I dug up some of the pictures and video I took during the 2005 men’s Halfpipe Finals. I am heading there again this year…
S.G. Chairlift Factoid: 1st venue for the event in 1982 was Suicide Six, then in ’83 & ‘84 Snow Valley was the slope (as seen on NELSAP), since at lives at Stratton.
Snowboarding has come a long way in a short time.
Here is a little information on the event from Burton.
The US Open attracts the world’s top snowboarders for a fun weekend of competition, parties and incredible prizes at Stratton Mountain Resort in Vermont. The first US Open Snowboarding Championships took place in 1983 and will be celebrating its 26th year at the upcoming 2008 Burton US Open.
As the final event in the second annual Burton Global Open Series, the US Open is the competitors’ last chance to make a play for the women’s and men’s 2008 championship title each worth $100,000 – the largest single payout in competitive snowboarding today. With events held in Canada, Europe, Japan, the United States, New Zealand and Australia, the 2008 Burton Global Open Series sets the standard for snowboarding events around the globe.
and history…
1982 – Paul Graves and a tight group of snurfers and snowboarders banded together to create the National Snowboarding Championships at Suicide Six – a small resort nestled into the quiet hills of central Vermont. Hell, it even received a brief announcement on the Today Show with Bryant Gumbel & Scott Willard. They were giggling to themselves as they delivered the news to millions from their anchor desk deep in New York City. No one in 1982 had heard of a snowboard contest – never mind a snowboard itself.
Equipment in 1984 remained very crude by today’s standards. Wood, Rubber, and Metal – yes the materials all sound familiar. But these were grown teenagers or adults racing them. The average “race board” was 150 centimeters. Today, this is a recommended length for smaller and more lightweight riders. It was a commitment to hang on and make what you had under your feet carry you across the finish line in 1984. Crashes were constant and the punishment was real.
If you are into BIG Events, it is still not too late to Make Stratton your destination this coming weekend. You do not need any type of event tickets to be a spectator.
Pick you perch – either hike up the hill or buy a lift ticket and ride down. Check the schedule, if you want to watch Slopestyle must of the course is pretty far up. Halfpipe is easily accessible from the base area.
Everything happens in the Sun Bowl. The rest of the mountain becomes eerily quiet by afternoons, in year past, when I have attended.
Parking is tricky, you on your own there. Go with the flow. It may not be fun, but Stratton has it figured out and they will get you to the slopes.
Local Lodging? – Here is a list of links that wil get you in striking distance. Try the mountain also, but these are probably your best bet for any availability still left.
• Magic Mountain Lodging
• Manchester and the Mountains Chamber
• Bromley Lodging
This is a video clip I took on 3/19/05 of the men’s Halfpipe Final.
For more information:
Burton US Open
Stratton, VT
Think Sun & Snow,
photo & vid ~ S.G.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com