CARRABASSETT VALLEY, ME – The Sugarloaf Banked Slalom, the East Coast’s ultimate test of speed, skill, and agility, is set to return to Sugarloaf for the fourth consecutive year on March 15-16, 2014.

Organized in-part by two-time Olympic gold medalist Seth Wescott and sponsored by K2 Snowboards, the Sugarloaf Banked Slalom is a snowboard-only, open registration event, in which snowboarders of all ages compete against one another on a winding course of banked turns.

Registration is now open for the fourth edition of the event, which will see snowboarders compete for prizes, bragging rights, and a highly-coveted entry to the 2015 Mt. Baker Legendary Banked Slalom (LBS).

The LBS is widely considered to be the first-ever organized snowboard competition and attracts the top snowboarders from around the globe, making it one of the premier snowboard competitions in the world. The LBS also has a notoriously long waiting list with an annual lottery that can keep some riders waiting years for a chance to compete. The fastest male and female riders in the Sugarloaf Banked Slalom will both be awarded an automatic entry to the 2015 LBS.

The inaugural Sugarloaf Banked Slalom was held in 2011, and was based in part on the model of the LBS. The event captures the soul and laid-back nature of snowboarding in the Northeast, while allowing snowboarders of all ages and skill-levels to compete on the same course as legends of the sport like Wescott and 2014 X-Games silver medalist Alex Tuttle.

“When we first started the event, we were really just looking to replicate what they had going on at Mt Baker,” Wescott said. “But it’s been amazing to see how the Sugarloaf Banked Slalom has developed a character and vibe all its own over the past few years. We’re very excited to welcome everyone back for the fourth year in March.”

The 2014 Sugarloaf Banked Slalom will feature a two-day format. Saturday, March 15 will feature a semifinal round, where the field of 200 riders will be culled to the fastest 150 who will move on to Sunday’s final round.

On Sunday, March 16 each rider will have two runs, with the faster of the two counting in the final standings. The Banked Slalom will feature five different age categories for both men and women, and prizes will be awarded to the top three finishers in each category. There will also be prizes awarded to the top three overall finishers.

Registration for the Sugarloaf Banked Slalom is $40 per rider, and is currently open online at sugarloaf.com. Registration will be capped at 200 riders. All registrants will receive a commemorative event tshirt and gift bag, and will have chances to take home gifts and prizes from event sponsors including K2 Snowboards, LL Bean, Bern, Bolle, Board of Maine, and more.

The event will also feature a Friday night registration party in the Widowmaker Lounge, and a Saturday night after-party sponsored by K2 Snowboards and LL Bean at The Rack. The Saturday party will feature prize giveaways from K2 and LL Bean, and a showing of the Warren Miller movie Ticket To Ride.

For more information and complete event details, please visit www.sugarloaf.com.

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About Sugarloaf – Located in Carrabassett Valley, ME, Sugarloaf is largest ski area in the East, and is home to the only lift-serviced above treeline skiing and riding in the East, as well as the number one golf course in Maine, according to Golf Digest. Sugarloaf is a member of the Boyne Resorts family of resorts and attractions. Follow: www.sugarloaf.com, www.facebook.com/sugarloaf, and http://twitter.com/sugarloafmaine.