(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.

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