BY JEFFREY WEIDEL
Skier Kyle Coxon knows one thing is for certain regarding the 2015 Rahlves Banzai Tour. He will get a chance to race down a narrow run at Sugar Bowl ski resort in mid-March and try to beat Olympic skier Daron Rahlves to the bottom, where a $5,000 check awaits.
By winning the Men’s skiing division on the first leg of the fifth annual Rahlves’ Banzai Tour, Coxon secured one of the four spots in the event’s culmination March 15 at Sugar Bowl. The winner of the Men’s Ski Super Final is the Banzai Master and is $5,000 richer.
Coxon took first place last weekend on a challenging Sunday afternoon at Alpine Meadows ski resort.
Waking up Sunday morning the skiers and snowboarders got some bad news – there were 60 mph East winds, forcing Alpine Meadows to put its upper mountain chairs on wind hold. Thankfully, the resourcefulness, commitment, and enthusiasm from the Alpine Meadows and Banzai crews made it happen.
The qualifying runs held on Saturday in spring-like conditions were followed by a near-cancellation of the finals on Sunday. Due to high east winds, the Summit Chair was forced on wind hold for the day, leaving the Banzai start unreachable.
In order to hold the race, the start was moved closer the top of Summit, yet it still required competitors to undertake a long traverse and hike from the top of Alpine Bowl chairlift. Additionally, the start was without a start gate, and the start routine was modified to include a hop-turn in place of a dropping gate.
Check out this YouTube video taken at Alpine Meadows.
Other winners at Alpine included Bobby Minghini (Men’s snowboarding), Audrey Hebert (Women’s snowboarding), and Shannon Rahlves, Daron’s sister, took Women’s skiing.
Daron Rahlves is a former World Champion, X-Games Champ, four-time Olympian, and Sugar Bowl resort ambassador. Coxon loves the challenge he’s previously had lining up against Rahlves.
“Racing with Daron is like taking a skiing lesson that only lasts 45 seconds,” said Coxon, who has raced, and lost previously to Rahlves. “In the time it takes to get from top to bottom – most of which is spent following him – I feel like I become a better skier just by watching how smooth and centered he is despite the hip-deep ruts on the course.”
The racing series is open to men and women age 18-older and there is prize money involved. Solo timed qualifying runs take place Saturdays and ranks the top 32 men and top 16 women skiers/boarders into brackets for Sunday’s finals at all three Banzai stops.
The second of three Banzai events this season will take place on March 7-8 at Kirkwood Mountain Resort, and concludes March 14-15 at Sugar Bowl.
For more about the Rahlves’ Banzai Tour, visit www.rahlvesbanzai.com.
Men’s Ski
1. Kyle Coxon
2. Casey Riva
3. Shawn McGee
Men’s Snowboard
1. Bobby Minghini
2. Sylvain Duclos
3. Jason Hale
Women’s Ski
1. Shannon Rahlves
2. Shelly Robertson
3. Catie Zeliff
Women’s Snowboard
1. Audrey Hebert
2. Mariah Dugan
3. Lindsay Wexler
Jeffrey Weidel can be reached at skiweidel@gmail.com. Thanks for visiting his winter website at www.tahoeskiworld.com
