Making first use of the new Powder Ventures snow cross course at Sun Peaks Resort, the Speed Nation NorAm Snowboard Cross (SBX) brought in hoards of athletes, Canadian and international, on the weekend of Jan. 3 to Jan. 5, 2025.
The competition was open to anyone internationally with International Ski Federation (FIS) numbers and a club representation, executive director for BC Snowboard Association Cathy Astofooroff said. The competition bracket was, however, made up of Canadian and American athletes.
Speed Nation NorAm SBX information and results
Part of the North American circuit, Astofooroff said events such as this serve as a bridge between national-level competitions and elite World Cup events, with competitors earning points toward higher level competitions.
Results from NorAm events are crucial in selections for national teams or qualification for international events such as the World Cup, and the NorAm tour points earned directly impact national rankings.
The Speed Nation NorAm SBX also gives the snowboard cross athletes opportunities to earn FIS points.
Friday, Jan. 3 was a training day followed by two full days of racing.
On the final day of competition, the Speed Nation NorAm SBX closed off with an awards ceremony at the village stage across from Morrisey’s Public House.
Standing on the podium for their wins during race day one’s male category was Mason Griffin from Canada with gold, Boden Gerry from the U.S. with silver and Jasper Matthe from Canada with bronze.
On race day two, the winners were, in order, Gerry, Griffin and Blake Broussard from the U.S.
In the women’s category, Madeline Lochte-Bono from the U.S. took gold on day one, followed by Brianna Schnorrbusch from the U.S. with silver and Hanna Percy from the U.S. with bronze.
Schnorrbusch secured first place on day two, followed by Madeline Lochte-Bono and Virginia Boyd from the U.S. with third.
The next stops for Speed Nation will be Horseshoe on March 6-7 and Mont Sainte Anne on April 12-13 for the Canadian National Championships.
Powder Ventures snow cross course
After a significant amount of time and money was invested into Sun Peaks Resort LLP’s (SPR) brand new powder ventures snow cross course, Speed Nation was the first event held at the location, breaking it in and proving its value as a competition course.
From her perspective, director of communications for SPR Christina Antoniak said she felt the event and ideal location of the course brought animation and energy to the village base.
People in line for the lifts at the base were able to look up at the course and hear the announcer’s voice reverberating through the village.
“Being able to come on beside the sidelines, and that finish corral, where the athletes come across the finish line, that was really neat and so easy to access,” Antoniak added.
Spectators are able to saddle up to the sidelines of races held at this cross course when coming off of Sundowner and Homesteader, something she hopes people take advantage of in the future to fully cheer on the athletes at the axis of excitement.
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