BROWNSVILLE, Vermont ??” Local, talented snowboarders will bring out big air, crazy tricks and their best style Feb. 25-26 at Ascutney Mountain Resort in Vermont, as part of the resort’s 3rd Annual Sobe Terrain Park Ski & Snowboard Competition and the newly formed USASA Central Vermont Snowboarding Series’ final slopestyle competition before USASA Nationals in April.

“We’re really excited about hosting these two big events here at Ascutney in the same weekend,” said Bill Henne, director of marketing and sales at the resort. “The energy is going to be so high and we expect the competitors to be the best in the region. The fact that the USASA slopestyle event is the last chance for riders to earn points before Nationals should take things up a notch. The series’ awards ceremony will be held after the event, and those who earned a spot to Nationals will be announced.”

On Saturday, the resort’s 3rd Annual Sobe Terrain Park Ski & Snowboard Competition, sponsored by Nitro Snowboards, Kiss 97 and Cunningham’s Ski Barn, is a terrain park tradition where skiers and riders have the chance to earn big prizes in return for big tricks. It’s open to the public and free to enter with the purchase of a lift ticket or season pass. Competitors have a chance to ride through the park to be judged on their best efforts.

Sunday’s event begins with registration and a rider’s meeting and competition starts at approximately 9 a.m. Upwards of 100 competitors will turn out in hopes of earning a spot to Nationals. Riders must be a USASA Central Vermont member. New members may register the day of the competition.

The USASA Central Vermont Series is the newest and 36th regional series, which, at press time, plans to run 12 competitions covering slopestyle, halfpipe, alpine, and boardercross?В®.

“It’s a huge opportunity for these kids and the kids get a lot out of it,” said Juliet Gillingham, co-director of the series with Dominick Derasmo. “The kids set goals and strive for them. They learn a lot about time management too. It’s pretty neat.”

For more information skiers and riders should visit www.ascutney.com or www.usasa.org.