Seth Wescott, Olympic gold medalist cut the red ribbon on the newest ski and snowboard course Saturday at Sugarloaf. The new Sidewinder Snowboardcross course, designed by Wescott was opened to the public after he and several lucky riders took their inaugural run.

The 32-year-old Olympic athlete spent several days riding in snow cats putting the final touches on the Sidewinder course prior to his ribbon cutting run.

"Snowboardcross is definitely a growing sport," Wescott said. "For me to go out and win the first Olympic gold medal in this discipline has been the realization of a lot of years of hard work and it's really nice to be able to create the new training and competition facility for that here. It's been great fun being able to design the course from scratch, and I hope people will enjoy it."

After cutting the ribbon, Wescott strapped on his board and entered the starting gate, along with four other lucky riders from CVA. He shot out of the gate and was soon airborne on one of the jumps. The other riders followed taking the jumps and turns on the course.

"The longer World Cup courses are about two minutes, but we're a little limited by space here, but the more features that get in there, the longer time it's going to take. It will continue to get lengthened throughout the year."

Wescott said that the course is about half the length right now. "But when the revolution tour is here on March 9 through 11, it will end up going a little below where the timing shack is on Narrow Gauge. It will get about 300 to 400 yards longer," he said.

The Sidewinder Snowboardcross is located next to the SuperQuad chairlift. It is part of a revamped terrain park.

This is not the first course Wescott has designed. "I've designed two of the U.S. Championship courses over the years, one of them at Sierra at Tahoe and one at Snow Bird."

On the go
Wescott is already on the go. He competes in South Eastern Austria with two World Cups there this week.
"The Friday one is at night under the lights and it's a pretty fun run, as the whole town turns out with their cow bells and all."

In February he'll head to South Korea for the World Championships, then to Aspen, Colorado before the Vancouver Olympics in 2010 where he will defend his Olympic medal.

The Olympic Gold Medalist said that the new Sidewinder course should be very popular as a training course for young snowboard cross and skier cross.

Wescott wasn't always a snowboarder. In high school, he was on the racing team at Mount Blue in Farmington.

"I was racing on skis back then," he said with a grin. "I never came in higher than seventh place because I didn't really have the best gear and wax on my skis."

Seth is looking ahead to the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games and also the Russian Olympics in 2014. He is one of the brightest and nicest young men involved in the snow sports industry, and we wish him well in his quest for another Gold Medal.

Ski and ride safely. Use your head and don't forget to wear a helmet.