FARMINGTON – A Park Shark Challenge Series event took place on a recent clear, crisp Saturday night at Titcomb Mountain. More than 30 participants in the event went airborne with onlookers enjoying the action from the edges of the trail.
The atmosphere on the Beagle was crushing it. Straight up, crushed. The sounds of relaxed riding beats accompanied by a purely positive MC gave the Riders Club members an environment that is the right kind of competitive.
The Riders Club, with the assistance of the Snowboard/Freeride Ski Team at the University of Maine at Farmington, puts on the challenge events that give athletes the chance to compete in a sport that can be difficult for those just starting out to find. Emphasis on creativity in varying tricks from all of the participants was on display with a backboned theme of camaraderie. The Riders Club welcomes ages 5 to 75 in what gives these athletes a group to continue to improve with.
On Saturday, club members took turns experimenting with some big air and riding on rails as the man with the mic gave words of advice, encouragement or verbiage of maneuvers.
Giving youths who are interested in freestyle skiing or snowboarding activities in a supportive competitive setting gives the club’s head honcho, Barry Tripp, hope for future advancement of the sport.
“We’re looking to bridge the gap for kids to college,” Tripp said. Tripp and the club’s members clearly understand how important a structured team can be for those interested in one day seriously competing in snowboard/freeski events.
The Park Shark Series is also a qualifying series for the U.S. Collegiate Snowboard and Ski Association in which UMF’s snowboard/freeski team athletes hope to earn a berth at nationals in March. The overall goal of the challenge series is to give those interested in chasing that very dream a viable path.
“The biggest challenge for us is folks not understanding snowboarding and free skiing,” Tripp noted.
Check out the Riders Club next at Sugarloaf on Feb. 4 at 6 p.m., where there will be a live DJ spinning. For more information, email Tripp at btripp@theridersclub.org.
