Park City & Deer Valley

A Race to the Bottom

Nick Baumgartner is still healing.

Twelve days before this year's Winter X Games, the boardercross star broke his clavicle. He needed 15 screws and a plate to pull himself back together. Nevertheless, he toughed it out at X Games and ended up earning a gold medal.

Fast forward to this week at Canyons Resort and Baumgartner, a native of Iron River, Mich., is preparing to ride his hot streak into the U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix SBX today.

"Everything's starting to come back around," he said of his recovery.

The gold medalist spoke highly of the course at Canyons, saying it's a nice mix-up from the traditional courses most boardercross riders race on.

"It's very technical," Baumgartner said. "It's more technical than most (courses). It's kind of cool to see. I like it. It going to be fun and I think people are going to enjoy watching it."

Boardercross racers generally race against one another in groups of four on a specially-built course including banked turns, jumps and assorted terrain.

Fellow boardercross racer Jayson Hale of Sierraville, Calif., concurred with Baumgartner saying it's much more technical than most courses and he added there is really no gliding through the course. He added riders will be tested by the close lines and hard turns throughout the eight-turn course.

"I dig it," he said. "We don't usually get courses like this. I feel it's more my style of a course."

Hale was selected to participate in the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Torino, Italy, but suffered a torn ACL. Hale bounced back in 2010 to win a couple of key races on the Boreal Revolution Tour.

Coming off an event as big as the X Games, some might expect athletes to hold a little bit back when it comes to the Grand Prix's, but Hale was adamant in saying that's not the case.

"A race is a race, really," he said. "It's just another day, it's another course."

Five-time Winter X Games boardercross gold medalist Nate Holland of Squaw Valley, Calif., said he's looking forward to the race due to its uniqueness. He said the course is faster than most and since many features are so close together, it narrows the window for riders to make sudden decisions.

"Everything's going to speed up," he said.

Baumgartner's healing process continues, but his desire to put on a show and help his sports receive recognition from the fans and world of snowboarding helps ease the pain.

"The thing we see is that everyone loves to watch it," he said. "It's simple to understand. There's four guys at the top, whoever gets to the bottom first wins.

"The one thing we're having a problem with is we don't think the industry's giving us the love we deserve, so we're pushing as hard as we can. We know the spectators love it and that's all we really need."

As Holland relaxed on a ski beach chair at Canyons Thursday afternoon, he said it's key to be comfortable before a race.

"I've got my ways to get fired up for the race," he said. "I'm just relaxing right now and getting through the training days. When it's time to go, I'm sure I'll be ready."

Time trials for both men's and women's boardercross were Friday and today's boardercross finals were expected to start at noon and run until 1:30pm.

by Christopher Kamrani OF THE RECORD STAFF : The Park Record

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