Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — Snowboarding takes center stage in Steamboat Springs on New Year's Eve morning, when the Snowboard Outreach Society's Half-Pipe Contest gets under way at Howelsen Hill.

Aaron Ciszek, events coordinator, said the Half-Pipe was one of two races scheduled for the weekend.

The other, which occurs Saturday, is the Giant Slalom race, which also is at Howelsen Hill.

Individuals who want to compete in either race

can register online at www.sosoutreach.org, or on the day of the event from 8 to 9:45 a.m. at Olympian Lodge at Howelsen Hill. The cost is $20 per event.

Competitors must be United States of America Snowboard Association members or, individuals who want to compete but are not members can pay a $5 waiver fee for a total of $25.

The Giant Slalom race is scheduled to start at about 10 a.m.

The Half-Pipe contest is scheduled to begin at about 11 a.m. Those times, however, are subject to change, Ciszek said.

The Snowboard Outreach Society, which is a nonprofit group that works with at-risk children, plays host to 16 snowboard competitions throughout the year.

The snowboard series takes place at Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone and Steamboat.

This weekend's Half-Pipe and Giant Slalom races are limited to 150 riders per event. There are 26 divisions in each event.

Many of the racers, Ciszek said, will be trying to qualify for the United States

of America Snowboard Association Nationals to be held in Mammoth, Calif., in March.

Ciszek said the Steamboat races were made possible in large part by the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club.

Sponsors include Optic Nerve, One Track Mind, KZYR, MIA Snowboards, Trans World Snowboarding, CrossRocket.com, Thorlo, Palmer, Underground Snowboard Shop, Heelside Snowboards, Ride, Hard Corps, Alphanumeric, Vans, Nantucket Nectors, Continental Airlines and Catamount Real Estate.