‘09 Mountainboard Season Wrap-up

(Ed. Note: Pretty Tough Team Rider Melissa (Becker) Ponce de Leon is a pro mountainboarder with multiple U.S. Championships. Here is her account of her most recent competitive season.)

The 2009 Mountainboard Season has come to an end.

We had three major comps this summer and I had a goal of winning all of them.  Coming off of two Overall Championships last season really pushed me to up the level  this year.

In August we traveled to our first destination of the season in Kansas. The Twilight Showdown was an amazing event, the first ever night time event under the lights.  The comp took place in the middle of Kansas at Kaos which has to have one of the coolest boardercross and slopestyle courses in the country. I swept the competition winning the boardercross, freestyle and the women’s overall.

In September we hosted the Altitude Cup Mountainboard Challenge in Empire, CO. I won the boardercross, got 2nd in the big air and won the women’s overall.

The last event of the season was in early October (the 10th and 11th) in Colorado Springs, CO. The MBS Fall classic is always the final event  and this year we competed in the snow.  I swept the event winning the Big Air and Slalom events, as well as the Women’s Overall.

Fall Classic Results:
1st-Melissa Ponce de Leon
2nd-Emily Smith-Zurawski
3rd-Ari Coats

I’m really happy with how the season went and along the way I had the chance to teach 12 people how to Mountainboard. Another amazing season without major injury is always a good season so I’m grateful.

The snow is here in Summit County, CO now and I will be training on my snowboard for the next few months. Not sure what the next season will bring yet, so stay tuned.

Cool combo sports offer great adrenalin rush

Ever tried Kitesurfing, Roller Soccer, Parkour, Sandboarding, or Mountain Boarding? How about Skijoring, Snowkiting or Snow Kayaking? Whatever the season, check out the coolest combo sports or invent your own!

Kitesurfing
Snowboarding meets hang gliding when you launch 20 feet in the air over water.

Kitesurfing is a mixture of paragliding, wakeboarding, surfing and windsurfing. Practice in flat waters similar to wakeboarding and water skiing or in waves like surfing with the ability to jump and fly. Some pros achieve heights of 60 feet and 100 yards in distance!

Mountain Boarding
Mountain boarding, also known as dirtboarding, or all-terrain-boarding, is one of the newest board sports. Originally intended to take the place of snowboarding during months when there is no snow, it’s developed into a sport in its own right.

A mountain board is similar to an oversized skateboard. The size of the deck is shorter than the average snowboard, and the wheels consist of small plastic/alloy hubs. Wheel size varies depending on which type of riding is done – smaller wheels for freestyle riding and jumping; larger ones for downhill. Like a snowboard (and unlike a skateboard) the feet of the rider are attached to the board deck with bindings, however boots are not required.

Roller Soccer
Imagine a game that combines elements of roller hockey and soccer and you have Roller Soccer.

League matches are played five-on-five in roller hockey rinks using a standard, size five soccer ball. A match consists of two, 25-minute periods. Teams earn one point or two points for each goal scored. Two points are earned only when the ball passes between the legs of a defender on its path into the goal. All players are forbidden to handle the ball while the ball is in play; specially identified goalkeepers are allowed, but not required. Gooooal!

Parkour
Parkour (par-koor) is a form of extreme gymnastics developed in the late 1980’s in Paris.

This urban extreme sport blends gymnastics and martial arts with skateboarding moves swapping uneven bars and floor mats for fire escapes and concrete. Parkour translates roughly from the French ‘parcours’ or obstacle course. Parkour athletes use whatever is around – stairways, benches, fountains – as obstacles and springboards to vault and jump.’ Crews aspire to ‘freeflow’ or achieve a state of mind over matter – this is the nirvana of parkour.

Sandboarding
After the snow melts, diehard boarders face the end of another winter season. How to cope? Try sandboarding. The sport, already huge in Australia, Africa, and Brazil, is taking off in America.

Sandboarding can be done standing up and barreling down the slope on a board, or, for the more adventurous, lying down and racing at speeds of up to 50 mph

Just find a place with sand dunes, (check local regulations and stay away from fragile dune grass) grab a sandboard and carve like you would in powder. Top U.S. spots include Jockey’s Ridge State Park, N.C., Sand Master Park in Florence, Ore, and Great Sand Dunes National Monument, Colo. Remember there are no chair lifts and you need to close your eyes and mouth when you fall!

---

Winter Combo Sports

Skijoring
Cross country skiing has gone to the dogs. A popular sport from Scandinavia called “skijoring” can be a great workout for you and your canine. Fido is outfitted with a special harness and leash so he can pull you, wearing your XC skis, along pristine trails. Once your and your pooch are proficient you can search out races and more.

Snow Kayaking
Know of a pristine hillside covered with newfallen snow? If sledding or tobogganing seems old hat, grab the kayak from your garage and improvise. A kayak will work fine if the snow is really cold, so the kayak doesn’t stick. You can get some speed going and use the paddle to carve out snow and stick the paddle behind to use as a rudder. It’s not as accurate as a sled but about the same as a toboggan and a lot more fun.

Snow Kiting
Fast growing and simple to learn, skiers and boarders across the world are discovering the fun of snow kiting. All you need is snow and a power kite and you can turn a cold winter’s day into a blistering, adrenaline-soaked experience. Speeds of over 60 mph have been recorded as snow kite riders blast themselves along with just the power of the wind.

Wind power is one of life’s few free rides and already snow kiting enthusiasts have achieved incredible things. From a ground breaking unsupported journey to the North Pole and back to huge kite-powered adventures through Alaska, the world of winter sports is embracing this fantastic new sport.

Race Report: Altitude Cup Mountainboard Challenge

(Ed. Note: Pretty Tough Team Rider Melissa (Becker) Ponce de Leon is a pro mountainboarder with multiple U.S. Championships. Here is her account of the recent Altitude Cup Mountain Board Challenge.)

The Altitude Cup Mountainboard Challenge was held in Empire, CO on September 11-13th, 2009. The event consisted of a Learn to Ride on Friday, Dirt Slalom on Saturday and, Dirt Boardercross, Slopestyle and a Piñata Bonk on Sunday.

We had about 35 contestants at this year’s competition with some new faces on the course. Eleven of the top men in the Mountainboard community came out and did some amazing things. The guys from Altitude Sickness decided they would make it a little more interesting and pay the top 10 overall pro’s and top 2 women. The key to success was to compete in all three required events and go home with some cash. Sponsors for the event included: Altitude Sickness Boardshop, PowerBar, MBS, Hard Rock Café, Lewis Sweet Shop, Billy Goat Moving and Banchee bungee.

Friday September 11, 2009 we taught a Learn to Ride all day. We ended up teaching 6 people throughout the day. Since they arrived at different times we had the luxury of providing individual lessons which is the best way to go. Everyone caught on quickly and we had everyone riding in the park by the end of the day.

On Saturday the 12th we planned on doing the Dirt Slalom and Boardercross. As soon as we finished with the slalom course it started down pouring. We had everything from rain, to snow, to hail, it was intense and we had to call it for the day. The original Hard Rock Café in Empire, CO set up this amazing spread of BBQ and cobbler for us, just what we needed after being in the cold all day. We made it an early night in hopes we would have a better day Sunday.

When we woke up Sunday morning, the sun is shining. The ground was still wet but drying up nicely. We went down to the park and started to sweep and rake the track. The rain ended up being a blessing in disguise; the track was even harder and faster than before. By 11 am we were ready to race. We set up the brackets and decided on double elimination. The track was fast and super fun to watch, a lot of passing was happening everywhere.

Once we finished racing, the Slopestyle comp started; clouds were headed our way again so there was no time for a break. Everyone in Slopestyle had three runs and the judges combined the best two runs. I counted at least 20 different hits throughout the park, and we could take any line we wanted to score points. The youth, sport, women’s and master’s classes all competed this way and everyone had a great time. The judges had the Pro’s take five Slopestyle runs – two from the main line, two from the pro line and one from the hip. We got the chance to see all of the guys hit different lines throughout the competition. Everyone was throwing down their best style and landing all their tricks, it was fun to see.

The event concluded with a Piñata Bonk. Yes, just as it sounds we bonked the piñatas! We hit a jump and hit the piñata with our wheel. It was definitely a first and hopefully not a last.

Women’s Results from the 2009 Altitude Cup Mountainboard Challenge

Women Overall
1. Melissa Ponce de Leon
2. Ari Coats
3. Emily Smith-Zurawski

Women Slalom
1. Melissa Ponce de Leon
2. Ari Coats
3. Emily Smith-Zurawski

Women Slopestyle
1. Ari Coats
2. Melissa Ponce de Leon
3. Emily Smith-Zurawski

Women Boardercross
1. Melissa Ponce de Leon
2. Ari Coats
3. Amanda Poindexter

The Basics: Mountainboarding

(Ed. Note: Pretty Tough Team Rider Melissa Becker is a pro mountainboarder with multiple U.S. Championships)

Snowboarders, Surfers and all other boarders: What do you do when there’s  no snow or water to shred?? Check out Mountainboarding, an off-road board you can ride just about anywhere.

What is Mountainboarding? A mountainboard is a cross between a skateboard and a snowboard. Mountain Board Sports (www.mbs.com) is one of the founders of the sport. The best thing about a mountainboard is you can ride it just about anywhere. We ride dirt roads, skate parks, grass hills, pavement, bmx tracks, ski areas and just about anywhere else you can imagine. The eight-inch nomadic dirt wheels and the truck systems make off-roading so much fun. Mountainboarding is also a  great way to stay in shape year-round and we use it as a cross training for all other board sports.

Who Mountainboards? Anyone can ride a mountainboard. We have found places to teach just about anyone who would ever want to learn. From my three-year old niece to a 60 year old grandpa, anyone can learn. You may never leave a grass hill but let me tell you, grass is one of the most fun  surfaces to ride on a mountainboard. And if you’re looking for something more challenging, there is always somewhere new and big to drop or ride.

Want to learn? We teach lessons out of Altitude Sickness Boardshop in Empire, CO. If you are interested please feel free to e-mail me at: melissarae_1999@yahoo.com

Melissa Becker – Mountainboard

Sport: Mountainboard
Home: Frisco, Colorado
Nickname: Mel
Age: 23
Fave Athletes: Kody Stewart, Altitude Sickness Team
Fave Pro Team: The Broncos
Fave Sports Drink: PowerBar performance drinks
Favorite Workout Music: Rock
Fave Band/Singer: System of a Down
Fave Place to Shop: AltitudeSicknessBoardshop.com
Fave Food: Mexican, the hotter the better
Hobbies and Interests: Being outdoors, getting dirty.
Superstition: I tie my snowboard boots and shoes the same way every day
Best Moment: Graduating from college
Dream Job: Working for myself at a Board Shop
Fave Books/Movies/TV Shows: The Good, the Bad and the Dirty, Johnny Kapahala Back on Board, That 70’s Show
Fave Quote: I can do all things through christ who strengthens me. Phil. 4:13
Pet Peeve: Having to wait on people
Getting Started:
I thought mountainboarding would be a good off season training tool for snowboarding. My Fiancee/Coach has taught me so much and how endless progression can be. He taught me to powerslide and it changed my life. Being able to ride gravel like powder is the best feeling ever. I’ve been riding for five years and I have such a passion for it now. Being a girl in the sport is a sight not seen too often. So I spend most of my time riding with the guys. When I compete it’s so much fun because I finally get to ride with the ladies. It really is fun to see how much the sport has progressed and where it is going now.mbs.com

Biggest Accomplishment:
2008 Triple Crown Women’s Overall – 1st Place
2008 Altitude Cup Women’s Overall – 1st Place
2008 US Open Mountainboard Championships Overall – 1st Place
2008 US Open Mountainboard Championships Slopestyle – 1st Place
2008 US Open Mountainboard Championships Mass Start Downhill – 1st Place
2008 US Open Mountainboard Championships Boardercross – 1st Place
2007 Triple Crown of Mountainboarding Overall – 2nd Place
2007 US Open Mountainboarding Championships – 4th Place
2007 US Slopestyle Mountainboarding Championships – 2nd Place

Pretty Tough Team Rider tops podium at U.S. Mountainboarding Championships

(Editors Note: Our own Melissa Becker swept the U.S. Mountainboarding Championships held in Snowmass last weekend – Congratulations Melissa! Here’s her account of the event).

July 31, 2008 – The 2008 U.S. Open Mountainboarding Championships were held in Snowmass Village, CO July 25-26th. The event consisted of a Mass Start Downhill race, Dirt Boardercross, and Slopestyle. We had 85 competitors this year and the fans were great as always!

The action started on Friday morning with the Mass Start Downhill. A Mass Start downhill race is just as it sounds. We all got on the ski lift at Snowmass Village and rode it to the top followed by our boards. We lined up in our categories and mad dashed down the ski run as fast as we could. When it was time for the girls to line up and rage down the mountain we were all ready and excited as can be.

The starter yelled ready, set, go and off we went, tearing through the grass, rocks and dirt down to the bottom across the finish line. I remember going so fast that I ended up falling, but the adrenaline got me back up and I kept going. Then there was a creek we had to jump over which was total chaos as well. I remember getting passed and then riding as fast as I could to get back ahead. I made the pass onto the road and crossed the finish line first. The energy was so high and as I tried to catch my breath I watched my other competitors cross the finish line.

My first ever U.S. Open medal won and it was gold. I was so overjoyed, and next up was the Dirt Boardercross. A Boardercross track consists of rollers, berms, quick turns and tons of speed. The women’s class really picked it up this season and all of the girls were racing faster than I’ve ever seen before.

Read more