EVENTS: The North Face Masters at Crested Butte

mike lewis

• February 19 2009
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Kyle Anderson - Photo: Lewis

It’s been a rough season for contests. Hell, it’s been a rough season all around, but the one rallying cry resonating throughout the industry is a call to arms to increase participation and the sport’s allure to a broader demographic.

One way to do this is to show the multiple facets of snowboarding through contests. While rail jams, slopestyle, and halfpipe showdowns dominate the competition circuit, it doesn’t necessarily dominate what all riders can relate to.

Enter The North Face Masters of Snowboarding series. While extreme contests are nothing new, this series is making these types of events more accessible to riders in the Lower 48 by coming to central resort, offering an open format, and getting air time for a discipline that doesn’t always receive much coverage. “The North Face recognized a lack of competition in big mountain snowboarding,” says TNF VP of Marketing Aaron Carpenter of the Masters Tour, which is in its second year. “Many of the existing big mountain competitions out there have become invitationals which limits the field of competitors to professional snowboarders. TNF Master’s of Snowboarding allows for undiscovered local talent to participate. We wanted to create an opportunity for local riders to make a name for themselves and gain competition experience while at the same time offer a challenging contest that attracts the pros.”

The three stop tour came to Crested Butte Mountain Resort for the first time this past weekend, February 12-15, and the snow gods cooperated to allow for one hell of a show, and also to boost sales and exposure for the sponsors, which include Mountain Sports International, PrimaLoft, TNF, and Colorado Boarder.

“I’m stoked on a different type of contest,” says Colorado Boarder Co-owner Jake Parr, whose shop sponsored the contest and a number of the riders. “It was a crowd that comes out to snowboard. These are guys that just really ride and love it. I think the average age was like thirty. Not many tight pants to be seen.”

The crowd also came out with their wallets. “We sold a different mix of product,” says Parr. “I totally sold out of impact shorts and those turtle shell vests.” Colorado Boarder’s sales spiked in other areas including a 300% jump in revenue for the tune shop. “The guys are hacking their boards, and our team is working until ten o’clock at night doing basewelds trying to keep the competitors going,” says Parr.

Crested Butte Mountain Resort (CBMR) was very excited to host the event during the current economic climate. “Obviously when we set this up we didn’t know the economy would be where it is right now, but having an event like this really helps drive business,” says CBMR Director of Communicaitons Todd Walton. Crested Butte closed down the courses for each day’s event for several days prior to let the snow accumulate and showcase how good the resort’s terrain can be. “We’re known for our steeps and that type of terrain,” states Walton, who says that the most important thing for CBMR is the exposure they receive to help build their snowboarding program. “A company like the North Face putting this on really brings the credibility. The athletes are going to want to come in. We also had a great local showing which is fantastic.”

The Masters features a two day format in which riders either progress or get cut based on their performance on each day’s two runs. The judging team, made up of Head Judge Tom Burt, Temple Cummins, Andy Hetzel, and Julie Zell, rates the riders on their choice of line, their control, fluidity/flow, creativity, and style.

For more information on The North Face Masters Tour go HERE. The third and final stop of the tour will be held at Kirkwood March 5-8, where tour leaders Matt Annetts and Susan Mol hope to claim the championship.