Picture of Adam Matuga courtesy Maddie Davis.
Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club athletes had top podium finishes at the 2024 USASA Snowboard Nationals in Copper Mountain.
One of the top finishes was from Walker Overstake, taking the silver medal in the Open Class of Men’s Parallel Giant Slalom. Overstake took the bronze medal in the Open Class Boardercross.
Zoe Gerke took the bronze medal in halfpipe for Youth Women (ages 15-16).
SSWSC’s Adam Lilly won the Grommet Boys (9-10 years old) boardercross race and was second in the giant slalom for the same category.
Athlete Madden Matuga was the overall 2024 USASA Nationals Champion for the Ruggie Boys (7-8 years old). Matuga was 1st in slalom, 2nd in giant slalom, 3rd in boardercross, 4th in slopestyle, and 9th in halfpipe.
Press release from Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club; April 11, 2024
Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club Snowboard Team Athlete Walker Overstake takes home Silver and Bronze Medals at 2024 USASA Snowboard Nationals
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colo. – Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club (SSWSC) Snowboard Team athletes stormed the 2024 USASA Snowboard Nationals last week from March 30 to April 4, 2024, at Copper Mountain. Athletes from Steamboat ranged in age from seven to 26 and competed in halfpipe, slopestyle, rail jam, boardercross, slalom, or giant slalom.
Thirty-six SSWSC Snowboard Team athletes competed—Gigi Boyd, Luke Feyen, Christian Blight, Sam Carpenter, Taggert Carr, Andrew Clemmons, Parson Cotter, Ethan Deters, Bridger Eavenson, Ellis Eavenson, Brooklyn Einfeld, Carter Einfeld, Jake Einfeld, Leo Frisbie, Zoe Gerke, Thomas Halberg, Jackson Helberg, Linda Jechova, Cecelia Jones, Mason Kemp, Adam Lilly, Tatum Lightner, Zubair Lone, Summit Lynch, Cooper Malia, Madden Matuga, Milo Matuga, Owen McAllister, Riley McNew, Walker Overstake, Beckett Patch, Nick Pierce, Conner Peterson, Lilly Rising, Mike Smith and Phineas Walters. Most athletes competed in more than one event, and some competed in all six.
14 Age and Older Results
In the men’s parallel giant slalom, Open Class (PGS), Walker Overtake earned a silver medal, Taggert Carr was 6th, Sam Carpenter was 10th, and Mike Smith was 14th. For the women PGS, Linda Jechova was 9th, and Cecelia Jones was 14th. Cooper Malia won the giant slalom for the Breaker Boy category (13-14 year olds).
In the Open Class parallel slalom races, Overstake was 5th for the men, and Nick Pierce was 14th. For the women, Jechova was 8th, and Jones was 9th.
In the Open Class boardercross races, Overstake was on the podium again with a bronze medal for the men, and in the women’s race, Gigi (Virginia Boyd) was 4th, and Tatum Lightner was 5th.
In the halfpipe competition, Zoe Gerke had an incredible bronze medal finish in the Youth Women’s (15-16 year olds) category. It was Gerke’s first year competing, and her overall goal was to qualify for and attend Nationals—and she not only achieved her goal of qualifying but also ended up on the podium.
Promising Results for the Young Steamboat Athletes
In the younger divisions, SSWSC athletes showed the strength of the program here in Steamboat. SSWSC’s Adam Lilly won the Grommet Boys (9-10 years old) boardercross race and was second in the giant slalom for the same category. Athlete Madden Matuga was the overall 2024 USASA Nationals Champion for the Ruggie Boys (7-8 years old). Matuga was 1st in slalom, 2nd in giant slalom, 3rd in boardercross, 4th in slopestyle, and 9th in halfpipe. Bridger Eavenson was 7th overall in the Nationals rankings for the same category, Ruggie Boys. Eavenson was 6th in halfpipe, 14th in boardercross, 22nd in slopestyle, 25th in slalom, and 27th in giant slalom. Summit Lynch was 6th overall in the Nationals ranking for Menehune Boys (11-12 years old). Lynch was 10th place in slalom, 11th place in boardercross, 17th for giant slalom, 23rd for halfpip, 27th in slopestyle.