12th Hawaiian Classic largest ever
The core supporters of the Nate Chute Hawaiian Classic were still there, but it was a new crop of snowboarders who pushed this year’s event into new territory.
More than 130 snowboarders came out for the 12th annual boarder cross and banked slalom last weekend at Whitefish Mountain Resort, marking the most racers ever in attendance.
“What has always been a grassroots event is growing into something bigger,” Jason Forrest, the resort’s event productions supervisor, said. “It’s always been about remembering Nate Chute and the guys who knew Nate, and as long as those guys keep showing up, the race stays alive.”
However, Forrest noted, a number of new riders from across the region amped up the competition this year. Snowboarders from Canada, Washington, Oregon and across Montana traveled to Big Mountain for the weekend-long event. Local snowboarders came out in droves, too.
“It’s starting to garner regional and national attention in the snowboard world,” Forrest said.
Hugh Black won the men’s open division with a combined low score of five points. Ty Bacon was second with 10 points, and Chase Matteson took third with 18.
Sarris McComb won the women’s open with the lowest possible score of two points. Rosellen Munroe came in second, and Anna Bengtson was third.
The open winners split a $3,500 purse.
Nearly every racer who competed in the boarder cross on Sunday commented on how fun and smooth the course rode. Since the resort committed to building a boarder cross course on the Goat Haunt slope early in the season, Forrest said, they’ve been able to host multiple events and tweak the features to make it a “world-class course.”
“We were able to increase the cadence this year,” Forrest said. “Whereas before there was one feature, this year there were three. It’s faster, quicker, with more passing opportunities.”
The award ceremony following the boarder cross on Sunday drew about 250 people, where friends shared memories and talked about the reasons the Hawaiian Classic was started.
“It’s about friends and having someone to talk to when you’re feeling down,” Forrest said. “That will always be the driving force behind the event.”
Men’s open division
Hugh Black 5
Ty Bacon 10
Chase Matteson 18
Matt Sadler 20
Tyler Roe 20
Andrew Bassett 26
Women’s open division
Sarris McComb 2
Rosellen Munroe 4
Kylie Jugan 3
Anna Bengtson 6
Jennifer Smith 8
Kaili Hagen 8
Anya Shawback 9
Mindy Cochran 10
Michele Calabretta 11
Simone Bourassa 12
Katie Talda 14
Lindley Couser 17
Am Men 21-plus
Craig Kuzma 1
Kyrykas Pitaouls 2
Cheyne Shoultz 3
CJ Page 6
Jay Dobbins 6
Cache Gibbons 9
Scott Alsbury 10
Michael Over 11
Brittan Ellingson 12
Jeremy Carnagey 12
Noah Couser 12
Kyle Mosseldt 13
Michael Patterson 14
Benjamin Wilson 16
Bill Braski 20
Baylan Connolly 2
Chance Ling 5
Lyle Rhodes 7
Cody Ling 9
Cody Page 12
Dylan Parr 12
Ryan Heavirland 14
Sam Vitek 14
Dillon Sleichter 15
Haeden Eaton 21
Hunter Garbacz 21
Ryan Conway 23
Am Women
Brandi Bryan 2
Bailey Eaton 6
Tara Nelson 6
Reilly Holland 9
Harmonee Johnson 10
Cherstin Ling 11
Lauren Kientz 16
Rachael Ashby 17
Allison Linville 18
Amiee Bartel 20
Grom men
Cole Maxwell 2
Kyle Thomsen 4
Timothy Amish 10
Logan Morley 9
Ethan Lannaghan 9
Jared Welch 14
Braeden Ortt 10
Dylan Rozenbloom 18
Christian Langston 19
Liam Mulla 11
Grom Women
Makena Morley 2
Delaney Connor 4