Beginners Guide to Snowboard NASTAR Racing

While snowboards are most often associated with terrain parks, half-pipes, boardercross, and slopestyle competitions, there is one competition that you rarely hear of - snowboard NASTAR. In snowboard NASTAR the average recreational snowboarder can race their snowboard on a timed handicapped race course without any specialized gear. The scores are handicapped so that you can compare your results against racers around the USA. While NASTAR racing isn't USASA snowboard racing, it uses many of the same elements.

Background
When NASTAR (National Standard Race) was formed in 1968, it was strictly for skiers only. It was developed as a method for recreational alpine ski racers to determine how they performed against recreational racers around the USA. Today, NASTAR racing includes recreational racing for skiers, snowboarders, telemarkers, adaptive skiers, and adaptive snowboarders.

Where is it offered?
NASTAR racing is held at ski hills all around the USA. Check at nastar.com to find where to race.

Who can participate?
If you can snowboard, you can race NASTAR on your snowboard. There are men's, women's, and adaptive categories for ages 1 to 95 years old.

How much does it cost?
The cost depends upon the ski hill. Some are more expensive than others. If you plan on racing all season, most ski resorts offer a NASTAR season pass.

Equipment
All you really need to race is a snowboard. You don't need a alpine board to race. Freestyle or freeride snowboards work just fine. If you become serious about racing you can purchase an alpine board, plate bindings, and hardshell snowboard boots. Those who are really serious also wear speedsuits. Helmets are not required to race at most ski hills. Helmets are required at the NASTAR National Championships.

How to Register
There are two ways to register for NASTAR. The NASTAR course will have paper registration forms for you to fill out and sign. Hand that filled out form to the course organizers. They'll record your times and post them online at nastar.com. The easier method is to pre-register your information online before you race at nastar.com. You will immediately be assigned a permanent registration number. Write down that number and put it on the paper race form. You're now ready to race. You can merge race results if they get posted under two different names.

Handicap
Different equipment have differing performance characteristics. By their nature, snowboards are slower than skis. As a result all snowboard NASTAR racers automatically receive a 10 handicap discount. Adaptive snowboarders receive additional handicap discounts. More information can be found at nastar.com.

The Course
The pitch of the race course may vary from ski hill to ski hill but the course format is the same at each hill. At the start you trip a wand that starts your time. You then wind around gates that could be skier gates or snowboard gates. When you cross the finish line, a light beam is triggered and your time is recorded. The recorded time is then plugged into software that handicaps you for the snowboard, your gender, your age, and any physical handicap. Your results are then announced.

What can I win?
At your local ski hill, depending upon your results, you can win either a bronze, silver, gold, or platinum medal. At the NASTAR National Championships you can win a bronze, silver, or gold medal. You could also win the National Championship.

NASTAR National Championships
If you are one of the top three racers in your snowboard age division at your ski hill, you automatically get an invite to the NASTAR National Championships. It is typically held at a ski resort in the western USA. Racing competition is held over a three day period. On days 1 & 2, competitors run the course twice each day. This determines the gender age division champions. The first place winners of each division then race against each other in the handicapped Race of Champions to determine the Overall National Champion. The 2010 NASTAR National Championships will be held at Winter Park Resort in Colorado.

If you've never tried snowboard NASTAR, I highly recommend it. Snowboard racing at the NASTAR National Championships shows that all ages are welcome and are competitive. The divisions with the most competitors has been the women's 40-49 age groups. These ladies are serious about their snowboard racing.

http://www.nastar.com/
http://www.usasa.org/
http://daysailer1.com/