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West Valley City Journal

Ski & Snowboard News / Solitude hosts major snowboardcross and skicross races

Jan 17, 2017 03:11PM ● By Harriet Wallis

Groomers finalize the course that's just beyond Solitude's Village. photo: Harriet Wallis

Solitude is set to host the 2017 Toyota U.S. Grand Prix/FIS Snowboard World Cup and FIS Skicross NorAm Cup January 19-22. It's a test event for the FIS Freestyle, Snowboard and Freeski World Championships scheduled two years from now in 2019.

Can I watch it live?

The races are wild and woolly with the fast action that thrills viewers. All races will take place on a course built on Wall Street and Main Street and the finish is in the base area adjacent to the Apex Express chairlift and the Village at Solitude.

You can watch the races from the base. However, to get there you're encouraged to ride the UTA bus as parking is extremely limited.

A detailed schedule for the Toyota U.S. Grand Prix at Solitude Mountain Resort can be found here.

Explain the events

Boardercross is a snowboard competition in which a four to six snowboarders race down a course that's typically narrow and includes banked turns, various jumps, rollers and drops designed to challenge each rider's ability to stay in control while maintaining maximum speed. Mid-course collisions are common.

Skicross is a timed racing event and with big-air jumps and high-banked turns. What sets ski cross apart from other alpine skiing is that four skiers start simultaneously and attempt to reach the end of the course.

Top athletes to watch are:

Alex Deibold (Boulder, CO ; 2014 Olympic Bronze Medalist)
Hagen Kearney (Telluride, CO ; 2016 World Cup Winner)
Lindsey Jacobellis (Stratton, VT ; 2006 Olympic Silver Medalist)
Whitney Gardner (South Lake Tahoe, CA)
Tania Prymak (Goshen, NY)
Tyler Wallasch (Mammoth Lakes, CA)

Professional and amateur races are frequently held in the Cottonwood Canyons, but this is the first time such a major event is scheduled for Big Cottonwood Canyon. The event will be the second stop on this season's U.S. Grand Prix tour.

Note. Because of the events the following slopes will be affected until Wednesday, January 25: Blue Spruce and Fleet Street are closed. Main Street is partially closed.

Watch this preview of the hairy course.