A Shot at Nationals Through the Catskill Mountain Series
Jessica Basil Photography
1.4.17
December 10 and 11 kicked off the 2016-17 Catskill Mountain Series of ski and snowboard competitions with a Rail Jam 1 at Windham Mountain followed with a second rail jam Sunday at Hunter Mountain. Results HERE. From now until early March this series of boarder and skier-cross, slalom, rail jam, and slopestyle races offer friendly competition to skiers and riders of all ages. No really, if a kid can stand on her board or stay up on his skis, they’re in.
Age divisions start with Ruggie, 7 and under, to Grommet, 8-9, Menehune, 10-11, Breakers, 12-13, Youth, 14-15, Juniors, 16-17, Jams, 18-22, and Senior, 23-29. From there divisions continue in ten year increments, Master, 30-39, Legend ,40-49, Kahuna, 50-59, Methuselah, 60 and over, and the Open Class and Adaptive.
December 10 and 11 kicked off the 2016-17 Catskill Mountain Series of ski and snowboard competitions with a Rail Jam 1 at Windham Mountain followed with a second rail jam Sunday at Hunter Mountain. Results HERE. From now until early March this series of boarder and skier-cross, slalom, rail jam, and slopestyle races offer friendly competition to skiers and riders of all ages. No really, if a kid can stand on her board or stay up on his skis, they’re in.
Age divisions start with Ruggie, 7 and under, to Grommet, 8-9, Menehune, 10-11, Breakers, 12-13, Youth, 14-15, Juniors, 16-17, Jams, 18-22, and Senior, 23-29. From there divisions continue in ten year increments, Master, 30-39, Legend ,40-49, Kahuna, 50-59, Methuselah, 60 and over, and the Open Class and Adaptive.
Jessica Basil Photography
.The CMS is under the umbrella of the United States of America Snowboarding and Freeski Association (USASA), the founder Chuck Allen is a surfer. The names of the age categories come from surfing. A Grommet is a young surfer, or other board rider.
Bob Basil, local rider and coach, started the CMS in 2001, thirteen years after the USASA was incorporated in July of 1988. Basil wanted to give local riders and skiers of all ages a chance to compete, to push themselves to be their best, and to help snowboarding and freesking grow in the New York region. Basil is the current Vice President of USASA and for the sixth year will be the Technical Supervisor for the National Championships for Boardercross and Skiercross.
Any member of the USASA is eligible to compete in CMS, be it professional or amateur. The USASA is aimed at bringing the best riders and skiers of various age groups together, and giving the professionals an opportunity to compete.
All 52 riders on the 2017 U.S Snowboarding team started at the USASA.
“But really, you’re competing against yourself,” Basil said explaining that it's about pushing to do your personal best.
Bob Basil, local rider and coach, started the CMS in 2001, thirteen years after the USASA was incorporated in July of 1988. Basil wanted to give local riders and skiers of all ages a chance to compete, to push themselves to be their best, and to help snowboarding and freesking grow in the New York region. Basil is the current Vice President of USASA and for the sixth year will be the Technical Supervisor for the National Championships for Boardercross and Skiercross.
Any member of the USASA is eligible to compete in CMS, be it professional or amateur. The USASA is aimed at bringing the best riders and skiers of various age groups together, and giving the professionals an opportunity to compete.
All 52 riders on the 2017 U.S Snowboarding team started at the USASA.
“But really, you’re competing against yourself,” Basil said explaining that it's about pushing to do your personal best.
Jessica Basil Photography
The CMS is a road straight to the national competitions too.
Each sanctioned regional series, like the CMS, allocates one slot for national competition to the series winner in each discipline and age/gender group. Regional series happen at approximately 120 ski resorts, in 31 regions, across the U.S. That works out to a lot of skiers and riders at the nationals in Copper Mountain, Colorado, in April.
To get there athletes must score enough points in their discipline. All first place skiiers and snowboarders in each discipline, male and female, in each age group get a spot at nationals.
Nationally there are five disciplines but there really aren’t any half pipe competitions here in the Catskills, according to Basil, because the mountains just haven’t built the pipes, only Hunter, which has a stunt ditch halfpipe.
Each sanctioned regional series, like the CMS, allocates one slot for national competition to the series winner in each discipline and age/gender group. Regional series happen at approximately 120 ski resorts, in 31 regions, across the U.S. That works out to a lot of skiers and riders at the nationals in Copper Mountain, Colorado, in April.
To get there athletes must score enough points in their discipline. All first place skiiers and snowboarders in each discipline, male and female, in each age group get a spot at nationals.
Nationally there are five disciplines but there really aren’t any half pipe competitions here in the Catskills, according to Basil, because the mountains just haven’t built the pipes, only Hunter, which has a stunt ditch halfpipe.
Jessica Basil Photography
As for the other disciplines- Freeskiing, or new school skiing, is a specific type of alpine skiing, which involves tricks, jumps, and terrain park features, such as rails, boxes, jibs, or other obstacles.
Slopestyle athletes ski or snowboard over rails and jumps. Points are scored for amplitude, originality and quality of tricks.
The discipline has its roots in action sports like skateboarding and BMX and has very successfully crossed over into the snow sports worlds of skiing and snowboarding. Slopestyle became an Olympic sport in 2014.
Every boardercross course is a little different. They all slope downhill and are usually quite narrow. Since multiple riders, usually four, compete at the same time, the narrowness of the course means getting competitive in order to get and keep the lead.
Courses include several features—steeps, flats, drops, berms, gap jumps, and so forth. Riders need to stay in control while navigating these obstacles, without losing any speed.
Slalom is an alpine skiing and snowboarding discipline, involving skiing between poles or gates. These are spaced more closely than those in giant slalom, super giant slalome and downhill, necessitating quicker and shorter turns. Internationally, the sport is contested at the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships, and at the Olympic Winter Games.
Slopestyle athletes ski or snowboard over rails and jumps. Points are scored for amplitude, originality and quality of tricks.
The discipline has its roots in action sports like skateboarding and BMX and has very successfully crossed over into the snow sports worlds of skiing and snowboarding. Slopestyle became an Olympic sport in 2014.
Every boardercross course is a little different. They all slope downhill and are usually quite narrow. Since multiple riders, usually four, compete at the same time, the narrowness of the course means getting competitive in order to get and keep the lead.
Courses include several features—steeps, flats, drops, berms, gap jumps, and so forth. Riders need to stay in control while navigating these obstacles, without losing any speed.
Slalom is an alpine skiing and snowboarding discipline, involving skiing between poles or gates. These are spaced more closely than those in giant slalom, super giant slalome and downhill, necessitating quicker and shorter turns. Internationally, the sport is contested at the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships, and at the Olympic Winter Games.
There are events every weekend from January 7th through March 5th at Hunter Mountain, Windham Mountain, BelleayreMountain, and Plattekill Mountian. The complete schedule is posted HERE.
There are Slalom, Giant Slalom, and Slopestyle competitions this weekend, Jan 7 and 8, at Windham Mountain.
Some athletes we'll be keeping an eye on this season are-
Snowboarders - Patrick DeCrescenzo, Eric Llanas, Ari Llanas
Freeskiers - Christopher Fahringer, Sam Katzman, Sophie Saccoccie, Sailor Marfiewicz.
Check back throughout the season for photos, stories and results.
There are Slalom, Giant Slalom, and Slopestyle competitions this weekend, Jan 7 and 8, at Windham Mountain.
Some athletes we'll be keeping an eye on this season are-
Snowboarders - Patrick DeCrescenzo, Eric Llanas, Ari Llanas
Freeskiers - Christopher Fahringer, Sam Katzman, Sophie Saccoccie, Sailor Marfiewicz.
Check back throughout the season for photos, stories and results.
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