USASA National Championships

World's Largest Snowboarding Competition Telluride, Colorado March 28-31, 1999

Truckee, CA ­ The "World's Largest Snowboard Competition" will feature 1,000 athletes representing thirty local USASA Snowboard Series across the country. The 1,000 invited exceed the record established in 1998 of 751 competitors. The events will be held in Telluride Colorado March 28-31. "This event just keeps getting bigger and better every year" said Tom Collins USASA President The four days of competition will include Alpine snowboarding (Giant Slalom, & Slalom), Freestyle snowboarding (HalfPipe & SlopeStyle), new this year BoarderCross has been upgraded from exhibition status and is now counted as its own discipline. There will be Alpine Combined awards, FreeStyle Combined awards, Alpine/FreeStyle Combined awards, also Overall awards for athletes who compete in all five venues.

USASA's halfpipe competition, slopestyle competition and boardercross take place in Telluride's Air Garden terrain park. The slalom competition will be staged on Competition Hill and the giant slalom competition on Lower See Forever. Competitor groups are divided by age categories and rotate daily through USASA's five competitive venues. Early registration is March 26, registration and opening ceremonies (at 4:30 p.m. in the Mountain Village Plaza) are March 27 and March 28-31 are competition days April 1 scheduled as a contingency day.

This is an Invitational event and to qualify athletes must be a member in good standing of the USASA and also be the top points qualifier in their local snowboard series or have received a "Wild Card" slot from their local series. 1998 Nationals Gold medal winners are also prequalified to compete

Last season's 751-competitor event included participants from as far away as Alaska and Maine. After four days of competition, riders from the Northern California region emerged as the dominant force in the championships, receiving a total of 53 daily awards medals, including some from the boardercross exhibition.

Founded in 1988, the USASA (United States of America Snowboard Association) is the oldest and largest snowboard association in North America. Entering its eleventh season, the organization boasts membership increases of more than 200 percent in the last two years. The USASA provides grassroots support and development for competitors ranging in age from six years old and younger to 60 and older.

Previous sponsors of the Nationals have included ESPN, AIRWALK and 1-800-COLLECT, among others. This year's nationals will have expanded one-hour TV coverage, and many other new and exciting sponsors. Including VANS, Switch Bindings, Chevy Trucks, Franz Klammer Lodge in Telluride. Representing the USASA is Malibu-California based LXD, promoters of such fine events as the Freeride, VAN's Triple Crown of Snowboarding, and others. Parties interested in sponsoring the USASA Nationals should contact LXD at 310-589-0022, or e-mail to [email protected]

The week following the USASA Nationals event Telluride will host the ISF (International Snowboard Federation) Junior World Championships April 5-9

Daily Event results will be posted at both the USASA web site and the Telluride web site.

For more information about USASA visit the Website at: www.usasa.org. For more information on the USASA Championships in Telluride, check out www.telski.com.