Sun, fun and full-throttle, wide-open snowboard racing kicked off the 2008 Jeep King of the Mountain snowboard cross competition Wednesday with qualifying races on Dollar Mountain at Sun Valley.
Announcer Gordy Johnson, also known as 7Gordy7.com, summed up the sun-splashed day and casual mood when he told the crowd of 100 onlookers, "It's going to be the best weekend of your life if you just open your mind and free your body!"
While 25-year ski announcer 7Gordy7 was mixing it up between reggae and rock and providing a wide range of commentary ("My uncle brought me to Sun Valley when I was 13 and it changed my life"), there was some racing.
Thirty snowboarders, including 11 of the 16 members of the 2007-2008 U.S. SBX team, sampled the course in qualifying runs that determined the final field for Friday's SBX finals. And if Wednesday's single-run qualifying heats are any example, it should be a great men's final.
Leading the way on the clock Wednesday were Sandpoint native Nate Holland, 29, the 2007 world bronze medalist who tore down the course in 1:09.77, and rock star Lindsey Jacobellis, 23, the two-time world champ from Stratton Mountain, Vt.
Nobody was close to women's leader Jacobellis (1:14.27) and she'll likely get a bye in the first round of Friday's final women's race.
The men's starting field of 23 had to be narrowed down to 16 for the finals, so there was some excitement and a second "Last Chance Qualifier" heat to determine the final field.
Local snowboarder Taan Robrahn, 25, didn't have to sweat it because he made the finals as the 10th-fastest qualifier. Robrahn said, "The course was really technical and fast. It's a world-class course, set up by the best course builders."
Robrahn, son of Dave and Lorrine Robrahn of Ketchum, is a member of the Australian national team, eligible because both his parents are Australian. His goal is to compete in SBX at the 2010 Winter Olympic games.
"I'm stoked to be racing in my hometown," he said.
So was Hailey's Graham Watanabe, one week away from his 26th birthday. The top-ranked American on the 2007-2008 World Cup SBX tour, Watanabe started second in Wednesday's qualifying race and didn't hold much back in clocking 1:10.16, good for third place on Dollar.
The men's qualifier was productive for locals, since five homegrown boys including Watanabe and Robrahn made the grade for the Jeep finals.
Yancy Caldwell had a lightning-quick, sixth-place run, and recently crowned U.S. Collegiate Skiing and Snowboard overall king Spencer Cordovano barreled down the course as the eighth-fastest racer.
The big question mark and high drama concerned tour photographer and video man Mark Oliver, nicknamed "the Beaver." Oliver said he much preferred to be racing instead of taking photos, and he really wanted to compete in the finals.
A son of Al and Kathy Oliver, Mark just missed making the 11-racer, single-run cutoff with a fine 1:14.36 time in the first run, so he had to ride back up and race against 11 other riders for the final five berths. It was tense, but Oliver nailed it as the first one down.
Oliver clocked 1:11.93, second-best time on the "Last Chance Qualifier," right behind Vermont's Alex Deibold of the U.S. SBX "B" Team.
Nobody was happier than 7Gordy7.com in the announcing tent. He said, "That's what I call stepping into the pressure cooker with all the turkeys and coming out with turkey soup. Way to go, Beav! Level 10 on the Richter Scale! How does it feel to be in the Big Show?"
Wednesday's heats, with U.S. SBX team in parentheses:
Women (all make the finals): 1—Lindsey Jacobellis (USSBX) 1:14.27. 2—Joanie Anderson 1:19.74. 3—Marni Yamada (USSBX) 1:19.93. 4—Dena Waller 1:23.01. 5—Lynn Neil 1:24.07. 6—Callan Chythlook-Sifsof (USSBX) 1:24.09. 7—Lynn Ott 1:30.96.
Men, first run (top 11 to the finals): 1—Nate Holland (USSBX) 1:09.77. 2—Shaun Palmer (USSBX) 1:09.99. 3—Graham Watanabe (USSBX) 1:10.16. 4—Seth Wescott (USSBX) 1:10.81. 5—Jonathan Cheever (USSBX) 1:10.94. 6—Yancy Caldwell 1:12.10. 7—Paul Henderson 1:12.70. 8—Spencer Cordovano 1:13.16. 9—Pat Holland (USSBX) 1:13.40. 10—Taan Robrahn 1:14.04. 11—Nick Baumgartner (USSBX) 1:15.26 (pre-qualified).
12—Mark Oliver 1:14.36. 13—J.J. Tomlinson 1:15.09. 14—Alex Deibold 1:15.25. 15—Chad Grout 1:16.54. 16—Rod Rudy 1:16.71. 17—Dillon Witmer 1:18.05. 18—Nick Langkamp 1:18.25. 19—Derek Cheever 1:19.78. 20—Darby Heaney 1:22.60. 21—Tim Mack 1:25.37. 22—Josh Baumgartner 1:25.90. 23—John Retta 1:36.36.
Men's "Last Chance Qualifier" (top five to finals): 1—Alex Deibold 1:10.91. 2—Mark Oliver 1:11.93. 3—Chad Grout 1:13.70. 4—Rob Rudy 1:14.37. 5—J.J. Tomlinson 1:14.54.
6—Josh Baumgartner 1:15.42. 7—Dillon Witmer 1:15.45. 8—Derek Cheever 1:15.74. 9—John Retta 1:16.17. 10—Nick Langkamp 1:17.14. 11—Darby Heaney, weekend warrior, 1:21.26.
'48 Straight' Basecamp Music Experience
Tickets available ticketweb.com and Atkinsons' markets. For more details, visit jeepsports.com.
Friday, March 16, and Saturday, March 15
· Happy Hour, The Courtyard, East Ave. Ketchum, 4-6 p.m. Six 48 Straight event ticket giveaways nightly. Enter raffle, "What's My Carbon Footprint?" at any Courtyard business. Drawing 5-5:30 p.m.
Friday, March 14
· Eco Alley Expo at Dollar Mountain, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
· Company of Fools presents "Danny and the Deep Blue Sea," Whiskey Jacques, 4:30-5:30 p.m. Doors open 4 p.m. $10.
· Apres-ski party, Dollar Mountain, Sun Valley, DJ at base of hill, 2:30-4:30 p.m. Apple's, Warm Springs, 3-4:30 p.m.
· Gallery Walk, Ketchum, 6-9 p.m.
· Basecamp Music Experience tent, Ketchum, Doors open 5:45 p.m.
· Kamphire Collective and DJ Logic. 7-7:45 p.m.
· Slightly Stoopid 8:05-10 p.m.
· Mickey Avalon 11:30 p.m.-1 a.m. Doors open 11 p.m.
· Ketchum street party, 10 p.m.-1:30 a.m. DJ Native Wayne. All ages.
· Whiskey Jacques', Ketchum, Salem 10-11:45 p.m., DJ Logic midnight-2 a.m. 21 and over.
· Roosevelt Tavern, Ketchum, Bula presents Bassnectar, 10:30 p.m. 21 and over.
· The Sawtooth Club, Ketchum, Dirtie Blonde, 10:30 p.m. 21 and over.
Saturday, March 15
· Eco Alley Expo, Dollar Mountain, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
· Apres-ski party, Dollar Mountain, Sun Valley, DJ at base of hill, 2:45-4:30 p.m.
· Apple's, Warm Springs, 3-4:30 p.m.
· Basecamp Music Experience, Ketchum, Doors open 5:45 p.m.
· Ky-Mani Marley 7-7:50 p.m.
· Michael Frenti & Spearhead 8:10-10:10 p.m.
· Swollen Members 11:30 p.m.-12:45 a.m. Doors open 11 p.m.
· Ketchum street party, 10 p.m.-1:30 a.m. DJ All ages.
· Whiskey Jacques', Ketchum, Micky and the Motorcars, 10:30 p.m., 21 and over.
· Roosevelt Tavern, Ketchum, Dirty Sweet, 10:30 p.m. 21 and over.
· Sawtooth Club, Ketchum, DJBedz "The White Shadow," 10:30 p.m. 21 and over.
Sunday, March 16
· Eco Alley Expo, Warm Springs, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
· Apres-ski Party and Dog Pull, Warm Springs Lodge, 3-4:30 p.m.
· Apres-ski Apple's, Warm Springs, Ellis Unit and The Damphools, 4 p.m.
· Fashion Show, Warm Springs, 4-5 p.m.
'Sun Valley Jeep King of the Mountain' competitions
Wednesday, March 12
Snowboard cross Qualify/seeding at Dollar Mountain
· 8:30-8:50 a.m. SBX Inspection
· 9-11 a.m. SBX Training
· 11:15 a.m.-1:30 p.m. SBX qualify/seeding
· 1:45-3:15 p.m. Inspection/training ski cross athletes only
Thursday March 13
· Ski cross Qualify/Seeding at Dollar Mountain
· 8:30-9 a.m. SX Inspection
· 9:15-11:15 a.m. SX Training
· 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. SX Qualify/Seeding
· 1-6 p.m. HP Skier registration
· 7 p.m. HP Skier meeting/Training, bib distribution
· 1:30-1:50 p.m. Inspection SBX
· 2:00-3:15 p.m. Training SBX
Friday, March 14
Snowboard cross Finals at Dollar Mountain
· 10:30-10:50 a.m. SBX Inspection
· 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. SBX Finals training
· 1-2:45 p.m. SBX Finals
· 3 p.m. SBX Awards
· 1-3 p.m. Skier HP Training at Warm Springs
· 2:45- 3:15 p.m. SX Inspection
· 3:30-4:30 p.m. SX Training
Saturday, March 15
Ski cross finals at Dollar Mountain
· 10:30-10:50 a.m. SX Inspection
· 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. SX Finals Training
· 1-2:45 p.m. SX Finals
· 2:45 p.m. Jeep Terrain Park Challenge
· 3 p.m. SBX Awards
· 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Ski HP Qualify/Training at Warm Springs
· 1-2:30 p.m. Skier HP Qualify at Warm Springs
Sunday, March 16
Skier Halfpipe at Warm Springs
· 10:30-11:30 a.m. Skier HP training
· 12-1 p.m. Skier HP Finals
· 2:15-2:45 p.m. Skier HP "Monster Hit" Training
· 3-3:30 p.m. Skier "Monster Hit" Finals
· 4 p.m. HP and One Hit Awards and Final Awards
All schedules/times subject to change due to weather and other unforeseen variables.
Hailey?s Graham Watanabe gets a little air while heading down the Dollar Mountain course Wednesday during the Jeep King of the Mountain snowboard cross qualifying runs. His parents, Scott Watanabe and Jill Palmer, were watching at the bottom. Photo by David N. Seelig
