MOUNTAIN DEW MIGHT want to get its people out here.
Things are about to become pretty extreme in the coming days on the North Olympic Peninsula.
A pair of gravity-fueled sporting events hit the Port Angeles-area this weekend, meaning the adrenaline junkies will be coming out of the woodwork.
Here’s a quick rundown:
Going Strapless
Hurricane Ridge is letting it all hang out in its final two days of the winter sports season.
Strapless Weekend, centered around the fledgling sport of snowskating, returns to the mountain with a pair of competitions this Saturday and Sunday.
Some of the most well-known snowskaters are expected to show up and shred, including sponsored riders from Canada, Southern California and Chicago.
“Snowskating is extremely small in the winter sports world,” event organizer Frank Crippen said, “but this is one of the biggest contests in the whole snowskate thing.”
Basically, snowskating is what happens when you meld together the worlds of snowboarding and skating.
So a snowskate board is a skate board with a ski attached to the bottom.
And, as the clever event name denotes, each board is strapless.
(Sorry, women’s garments aren’t involved . . . I think.)
As one might imagine, this requires a fair amount of balance, not to mention a willingness to eat powder.
“It’s pretty technical, but it’s not hard,” Crippen said of the sport. “It just depends on the person.
“Some people get it really easy, and others don’t.”
The strapless extravaganza begins with a park jam on Saturday and ends with the Almost Legendary Snowskate Baked Slalom on Sunday.
The jam works sort of like the Miss America pageant, with competitors snowskating in one large group for an hour before a panel of judges.
The judges then narrow the field down to 10 contestants. After another 30 minutes of snowskating, the top five are chosen.
Those five finish things with a skate-off to determine the winner, who will receive $700.
The Baked Slalom on Sunday features electronically timed races down the “Port Angeles Speed Ditch.”
Snowskaters must go through a series of gates placed throughout the ditch, which will snake down the intermediate hill.
The fastest time out of two runs wins $300.
Those not looking to race can try out a variety of free demos on hand.
Among the manufacturers attending are Mervin Manufacturing (aka Lib Tech), Ralston Snowskates and Florida Powder Sports.
The cost is $15 for one day or $20 for both. That includes a free T-shirt.
Anyone who enters Saturday’s contest will receive a free lift ticket for Sunday.
For more information about each contest, contact Crippen at North By Northwest Surf Co. (360-452-5144) in Port Angeles.
Northwest Cup
One need not hit the powder to get their gravity on this weekend.
Downhill mountain biking comes to Dry Hill with the return of the Northwest Cup this Friday through Sunday.
Pros and novices alike will hit the network of trails located on Green Crow and state Department of Natural Resources timber land west of Port Angeles.
Races are the biking equivalent of a downhill skiing event, complete with cowbells and spectator-lined courses.
Practice sessions are scheduled all day on Friday (noon to 5 p.m.) and Saturday (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.).
Racing on Sunday goes from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with the pros closing things out.
Entry fees at $65 to ride Friday through Saturday and $55 for Saturday and Sunday only.
Spectators are welcome free of charge.
Food will be available all three days.
Dry Hill is located about three miles west of Port Angeles off U.S. Highway 101.
Head south on Walkabout Road off Highway 101, then take the first right.
For more information on the event, visit www.nwcup.com.
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Matt Schubert is the outdoors and sports columnist for the Peninsula Daily News. His column regularly appears on Thursdays and Fridays. He can be reached at matt.schubert@peninsuladailynews.com.
