BARTLETT, New Hampshire ??” Mike Caputo and Olly Forrer will move onto the Next Snow Search finals after tying in the qualifying round at Attitash in Bartlett, NH, this Sunday. The two athletes will compete amongst the best young athletes selected from 70 resorts who represent the next generation of all-around skiers and snowboarders.

Twenty three athletes, ages 9-13, competed in a mini slopestyle event in Attitash’s signature terrain park on Thad’s Choice, raced for time in the Race Arena on Spillway and, on the more creative side, were asked to draw a design on a fun box. Mike Caputo, 13, of Winthrop, MA, was in the top three in the recreational GS and Olly Forrer, 13, of Cohasset, MA, excelled in the slopestyle. Both competitors showed strength in different disciplines, but with combined scores from all three events, the outcome resulted in a tie.

“It was unexpected, this was my final year to compete so I am glad to have won it,” said Mike Caputo, member of Attitash’s freestyle team. “It was a lot of fun too.”

“It was great watching the athletes put a hole-hearted effort into different disciplines and to see the support they were giving each other,” said Heidi Duffy, events manager at Attitash. “The underlying current was all in the spirit of fun and that was evident throughout the competition.”

The event participants were also entered into a raffle. Several kids won Nike t-shirts; Jackson Coyle of Rye, NH, won a pair of Rossignol Scratch Skis, and Samantha Bouchie of Moultonborough, NH, was the lucky winner of 70 boxes (1.2 oz) of Frosted Flakes (one of the event sponsors).

The Sports Illustrated for Kids “Next Snow Search” national finals are being held at Killington Resort on March 3-5.