Snowboarders race each other for top honours at the Legendary Mount Baker Banked Slalom
The 27th annual Legendary Mount Baker Banked Slalom wrapped on Sunday, February 12, after delivering exciting snowboarding action over the course of three days at Mount Baker in Washington, America.
With over 300 riders signed up to compete in numerous categories, the event was as much about competition as it was about reuniting with the spirit of snowboarding and getting surrounded by a community who shared their love for the sport.
The event tested the riders for their ability to ride down the slope really fast instead of their creativity and style.
In men’s pro category, Terje Haakonsen walked away with top honours after clocking the fastest time of 1 minute 25.66 seconds. He was closely followed by Josh Dirksen, whole the local rider Temple Cummins rounded out the top-three.
Commenting on the event, Cummins explained the appeal of attending the Legendary Mount Baker Slalom, saying, “I guess it's called a community. That's the best part. Getting to see a bunch of people, meet new people and become better friends with people.”
Maelle Ricker clocked the fasted time of 1 minute 31.81 seconds to collect her sixth consecutive win in the women’s pro category. Laura Hadar took runner-up place while the Washington-based Maria Debari finished third to complete the podium.
Men’s pro masters’ category saw Mark Fawcett walk away with top honours after crossing the finish line with 1 minute 31.56 seconds, while Barrett Christy emerged triumphant in women masters pro category after clocking a time of 1 minute 39.43 seconds.
The event saw riders of all ages compete for boasting honours at Mount Baker on Sunday as the various categories in the event provided an opportunity for nearly everyone, regardless of their age and gender, to prove their mettle.
American professional snowboarder Travis Rice was also present at the event site, apparently enjoying himself in the company of his friends and fellow snowboarding lovers.
"I just wanted to keep the good vibes rolling," Rice said. "It's not like you come here dreading having to do psycho tricks. It really just comes down to riding your snowboard and letting your snowboard run with it. For everyone it's kind of an internal
battle. There's a clock and everything, but it's really you against your own limits."
The Legendary Mount Baker Banked Slalom offered more than just a winning prize, which included coveted LBS Pendelton Blankets and much-desired duct tape trophies, to the riders. It offered them an opportunity to earn the respect of the snowboarding community
and an acknowledgement of their ability to perform in the most basic form of snowboarding.
Tags: