Locals look to soar at USASA nationals
SANDPOINT — After a year-long series of five regional competitions, a host of local skiers and snowboarders qualified for the United States American Snowboard Association nationals, which will be held April 5-10 at Copper Mountain in Colorado.
The Sandpoint contingent ranges in age from 9-50 plus years-old, and includes two defending national champions and a family of snowboarders among its ranks.
A few have a decent shot at winning a national title, no small accomplishment as more than 1,500 competitors from around the United States will be vying for medals.
An open class win at a competition like nationals can open up opportunities to turn professional, said USASA regional director Courtney Sanborn, who along with her husband Dave oversee more than 200 riders in a region that includes portions of Idaho, Washington and Montana.
Brennan Chasse is the defending skier slopestyle champ, and he and teammate Josh Gagnon both have a shot at podium finishes in the burgeoning event. The two will be competing head-to-head, which should bode well for both.
“What knocks my socks off is not just their athleticism, but their sportsmanship,” said Sanborn of the two aerial specialists. “They’re always amping each other up, always supportive.”
Ryan Anderson is also a reigning national champ, hoping to win the overall freestyle (slope style and half pipe combined) again this year and defend his open title.
The snowboarding Kamp family will also be vying for medals, as mom Paula Kamp and her two sons Dash Kamp (17) and Kix Kamp (11) all have the chops to make some noise at nationals. The family lives at Schweitzer full time, and when the kids aren’t being home schooled, they’re usually shredding on the mountain.
“They’re totally focused on what they’re doing. They all work insanely hard and always keep trying to raise the bar,” said Sanborn of the Kamps. “The boys are always there to root mom on at the finish. She’s over 50, and stomping hard.”
Paula Kamp loves the camaraderie that exists at the meets, which her family has been attending for five years now. Both of her kids are sponsored riders, and the national meet offers exposure and a chance to open some eyes. She believes the exposure has been great for her kids, not just athletically, but socially as well.
“They go out and do what they love every day,” she said of her sons. “At the end of the day they’re competing with themselves to get better.”
All three Kamps, along with Ashlyn Parker and Logan Sanborn, compete in boardercross, the same event that Sandpoint natives Nate and Pat Holland excel at professionally. They’ll also compete in the snowboard slalom and giant slalom events, along with Jake Robbins.
Sandborn believes Tucker Rickard has a chance to do well in skiercross, an off shoot of the popular boardercross. He’ll join Brennan Powell, Sam Powell, Roan Contor and Gavin Klein in the skiercross nationals.