The Classic Silver Belt Competition Gets a Fresh Freeride Makeover for 2024

Featured Picture: Jacob Banta

Buddha as soon as mentioned, “You will need to depart to return once more.” Did the Buddha truly say this? It is extremely probably. Have been these phrases referring to the enduring Silver Belt competitors? It isn’t very probably. Nevertheless, they are often utilized to this very event. Final week, we noticed the resurrection of a traditional piece of North American ski historical past: The Silver Belt Traditional at Sugar Bowl Resort, California. The freeride competitors was greeted with a wholesome storm, giving the crew lots to work with when it comes to constructing options and discovering pure hits all through the competitors venue. Held within the Silver Belt Gully, the course was primarily a artistic dream come true for the freeride skiers in attendance. There’s loads of thriller and hype surrounding this competitors, so listed here are just a few phrases from Sugar Bowl to present some background:

“Within the Nineteen Forties, the Olympians and World Cup skiers from around the globe traveled to Sugar Bowl for the well-known Silver Belt Traditional. A high-speed, off-piste large slalom would check the grit of all those that crossed the beginning line. Skiers pointed their lengthy picket planks down the 1,300’ course because it wound by way of gullies and chutes embracing the pure terrain.

Quick ahead to 2024, an advanced Silver Belt formally returns to showcase the way in which right now’s skiers are approaching the famed Silver Belt Gully. From March 29 – March 31, Sugar Bowl will host high ski athletes from around the globe to compete in a enjoyable and modern freeride competitors. Up for grabs is a $10,000 prize purse break up between the highest men and women throughout 1st – third of the ShapeShifter session, together with the coveted Silver Belt, which will likely be awarded to the very best total male & feminine skiers.”

The unique Silver Belt course. Strive using this with picket skis. | PHOTO: Courtesy of Sugar Bowl Resort

Again within the day, the Silver Belt was, for all sensible functions, the precursor to freeride competitions. It was a slalom race, however one which plummeted down by way of rolling Silver Belt Gully, constructed to check the perfect skiers on the planet. At the moment we view this kind of terrain as regular, however think about snowboarding this in a sweater, sun shades and 300cm of wooden beneath your leather-based boot-clad ft. It could have been intimidating, to say the least. On the time, it was reportedly the fifth hardest race in North America, however since there have been no grooming machines and the snowfall decided what the course would appear like every time, it could possibly be far trickier relying on the yr. It was additionally an adaptation of the game. The monitor was Euro-inspired, due to a few of Sugar Bowl’s founders boasting Austrian roots. America had but to see an occasion like this. It introduced in spectators from across the nation, and for years, the Silver Belt was an icon of snowboarding.

The competitors continued for years on and off, with a current iteration occurring in 2004. Nevertheless, a decade later, the traditional Silver Belt was revamped. Final week, we noticed the 2024 revival of the occasion take the form of a freeride competitors. On the helm was former Freeride World Tour rider and up to date Breakout Skier of the Yr award winner Xander Guldman. The staff invited 50 athletes, starting from world-renowned execs to native legends. As Sugar Bowl described it, the skiers had been “invited to compete in a film-based competitors, judged by the athletes themselves.” The invite checklist was stacked, with just a few stand-out riders being James Woods, Leif Mumma, Piper Kunst, Jay Rawe, Ross Tester, Janelle Yip and loads of others.

The 2024 Silver Belt Course was fittingly held within the Silver Belt Gully, with two begin gates and viewing on both facet.

The occasion lasted three days, from March 29 to 31, 2024. Mom Nature offered simply what the crew wanted to form the gully.

Day One: The athletes participated in a peer-judged freeride session using all of the superb terrain within the Silver Belt Gully.

Days Two & Three: Introduce a brand new idea: ShapeShifter. The athletes recognized pure options, akin to hips, cliffs and spines to be shoveled, formed and shifted right into a pure terrain park. As soon as the work was full, it was present time as soon as once more. Cameras rolled because the athletes took to the reworked playground, showcasing their abilities in yet one more breathtaking competitors, with their friends serving as the final word arbiters of greatness!

Total, the occasion was an enormous success. Each athletes and spectators had been thrilled to see a brand new rendition of this native traditional. “While you get an invitation to an occasion as cool as Silver Belt, you don’t say no,” says Males’s Champ Jonathan Rollins. There are usually not many occasions like this around the globe. Nendaz Freeride Invitational is an effective comparability, and with each new competitors that encourages creativity, our sport grows for the higher. Try the immersive picture gallery beneath to get an inside take a look at the mind-blowing motion over three days of carnage. We hope that is removed from the final time you’ll be listening to about Silver Belt, as this new rendition appears to be an immediate traditional.