USCSA National Championships
The USCSA men’s team GS p
(2nd), Sierra Nevada College
USCSA’s Maine Event
Fair play, big production define USCSA
National Championships BY BRYCE HUBNER
Title Shot
USCSA skiing operates more like traditional
NCAA sports than NCAA skiing — awarding na-
tional titles by discipline and gender rather than
as an entire school. Across freestyle skiing, ski
racing, and snowboarding there are more than 30
individual and team titles awarded. For complete
results from USCSA National Championships in
Maine, visit uscsa.com.
In the meantime, here’s a glimpse of several ski
racing champs.
Men’s Alpine Team Champions
1) Sierra Nevada College
2) Westminster College
3) Plymouth State College
Women’s Alpine Team Champions
1) Westminster College
2) Sierra Nevada College
3) Brown University
Men’s Cross Country Team Champions
1) University of Wyoming
2) St. Olaf’s College
3) Clarkson
Women’s Cross Country Team Champions
1) University of Wyoming
2) Whitman College
3) St. Olaf’s College
The USCSA National Championships took place
March 2 to 7 at Maine’s Sunday River and Black
Mountain resorts. More than 60 inches of snow
blanketed the region in the days before the event,
threatening to make a logistical nightmare for the
roughly 500 male and female athletes compet-
ing in 26 different ski racing, freestyle and snow-
boarding competitions.
Nevertheless, USCSA president Mark Sullivan
said things went off without a hitch.
“I think the best part of the week was that none
of the events were affected by weather — espe-
cially considering how tough a March event can
be on that front,” Sullivan said. “The snow at the
alpine venues set up nicely and was firm through-
out, the [crazy wax issues nordic racers some-
times face] didn’t seem to factor at all, and every
venue used its first-choice, premier course.”
It was also an event marked by the pomp and
circumstance that should accompany a national
championship. Action began on March 2 with
semifinal halfpipe action taking place during
the day, setting the stage for men’s skiing and
snowboarding finals under the lights at night.
Live video was blasted on big screens in the fin-
ish arena to augment the viewing for hundreds
of spectators.
“It was a very successful production from start
to finish,” Sullivan said. “Scott Hogg, a radio per-
sonality who’s done color commentary for USSA’s
senior national championship events in the past,
was the voice for most of our events — helped
by two communications majors from BU along
the way.”
The event also marked the first time a USCSA
national championship offered live video and au-
dio feed, compliments of USTREAM.
“We had almost 3,000 unique listeners on the
Internet through USTREAM,” Sullivan said. “We
had a few growing pains along the way, but we
learned a lot and it was mostly a very success-
ful adventure. If you’re interested in seeing how
the professional commentary and the [drama
of the events were married] in this format, lis-
ten to minutes eight through 12 of the women’s
slalom. Very exciting stuff.” (To listen, click here:
ustream.tv/channel/2010-uscsa-nationals--live-
from-sunday-river-me.)
Amid USCSA ranks, a wide range of athletes
come from a huge slice of American universities
— about 470 more schools than the NCAA repre-
sents. Sometimes those athletes come from com-
mitted, powerhouse programs like Sierra Nevada
College, and sometimes those athletes are all by
themselves — simply showing up to compete in
a sport they love.
The latter group was best evidenced by United
States Air Force Academy snowboarder Samuel
Raine, who spent the week competing without a
team or even a coach.
“Raine was amazing,” said Sullivan. “Here’s
a guy who’s at a total disadvantage because he
