Black defends Nate Chute snowboard title
<p>Whitefish Mountain Resort played host to the annual Nate Chute snowboard races March 19-20. The event is a fundraiser for the Nate Chute Foundation which is dedicated to reducing suicide among young people in Montana.</p>
Whitefish snowboarder Hugh Black shredded the competition on his way to the top of the podium at the annual Nate Chute Banked Slalom and Boardercross races last weekend at Whitefish Mountain Resort.
Black placed first in the banked slalom with a dominating best-run of 2:05.33. Backing up the performance the next day, he snagged third in the rough and tough boardercross to land at the top of the leaderboard in the mens open division. Black won the overall title in 2015, as well.
Kalispell’s Chase Matteson took second overall and Craig Newbury of Glacier, Wash., placed third.
Snowboarders took on the banked slalom course through George’s Gorge on Saturday, then rubbed elbows Sunday in the fast and steep boardercross course on Goat Haunt.
West Glacier’s Anna Bengtson edged out a win in the women’s open division. She placed first in the slalom with a 2:18.67, then placed second in the boardercross for the overall title.
Park City’s Mariah Dugan was second overall, followed by Whitefish’s Katy Kelly.
Whitefish’s Shane Moulder was the top overall rider in the Old Joes mens division. Kameron Burlin of Whitefish placed first overall in the amateur 18+ mens group.
Whitefish’s Mark Anderson placed first in the amateur 13-17 age group, and Missoula’s Elias Benton was first in the amateur 8-12 group.
Glacier, Wash., rider Kari Hoss won the amateur women 14 and older group with wins in the slalom and boardercross. Whitefish’s Jess Smith was second and Connor Delaney was third.
Whitefish’s Alana Russell took first in the amateur 8-13 group.
The races raised more than $18,000 for the Nate Chute Foundation and it’s efforts to support suicide prevention and awareness in Montana.
Ben Croft won the Spirit of the Nate Chute award.