The Burton US Open Snowboarding Championships returns to the slopes of Vail for the seventh straight year after 30 on the East Coast.
Competitions take place at Golden Peak, the eastern part of Vail Mountain — just look for the Sponsor Village, crowds and massive halfpipe.
Last year, riders were coming off the Pyeongchang Olympics. Mark McMorris was coming off a life-threatening injury and won the slopestyle contest with a freshly broken rib — like a boss. Chloe Kim, fresh off Olympic gold last year, defended her halfpipe title for the third year in a row — can she make it four?
The competition in 2018 also saw Norwegian snowboarder Fridtjof “Fridge Street” Tischendorf take to the runs with a mysterious backpack.
Who knows what storylines will develop this year, but just remember to enjoy the show. Here’s a look at some of the other things happening around the Burton US Open this year, returning Monday, Feb. 25, through Saturday, March 2.
GET THE APP
Whether you’re lost or looking for something in particular, the BurtonUSO 2019 app has everything you need to know.
From the free music schedule to breakdowns of the competitions — and a Burton US Open playlist to listen to — the app is a one-stop shop for everything Burton US Open.
Schedule, riders, maps, news, results and more are all available — and it’s free to download.
The live broadcast is also available through the app along with other video clips.
Looking for more history beyond last year? The app has a year-by-year breakdown of the 36 previous Burton US Opens. Needless to say, a lot has happened since its inception in 1982.
CHECK OUT THE JUNIOR JAM
Earlier in the week, on Tuesday, Feb. 26, the world’s top halfpipe riders ages 14 and younger kick off the Burton US Open with the chance to compete for a coveted spot in the semifinals with the pros later in the week.
Previous Junior Jam winners include Shaun White, Chloe Kim and Ayumu Hirano, so it’s an event that looks into the future of the sport.
A little money is also on the line, although the prize they are all chasing is a trophy and some worldwide recognition, along with competing against the pros.
The boys will include 16 riders and two runs, then the top six will get a bonus final run, and the best run counts. The girls will have eight riders and two runs, then the top three will get a bonus run, and the best run counts.
The pros will have that halfpipe filled from top to bottom, but enjoy an up-close experience on Tuesday with the Junior Jam.
RIGLET PARK
Thursday through Saturday, Riglet Park is the place to get kids ages 3 to 6 strapped in and on the snow. It will be located next to Golden Peak in the Children’s Snow School.
These free demos include Burton kids’ snowboards, boots and bindings designed specifically for children. The learn-to-ride area is built with mellow rollers, small berms and ground-level features.
We all know learning the basics of snowboarding can be challenging, but this safe and friendly environment is meant to get kids comfortable and ready to grow into adult shredders.
On Thursday, there will be preschool appointments only. On Friday and Saturday, Riglet Park will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
LIVE MUSIC
In addition to the free music starting Wednesday at Solaris Concert Stage following the competitions, there will also be late-night shows at Shakedown later in the week as well as a closing party at Dobson Ice Arena.
On Wednesday, Lowell Thompson & Bob Wagner perform the free concert. The duo perform lyrically-charged mashups of rock, blues, folk and soul on guitar. Both artists are from Burton’s home state of Vermont. Wagner has performed with talent including Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Galactic and more. Rayland Baxter also performs Wednesday night. The Nashville native has been performing since 2016 and has been living life on the road.
On Thursday, The Welterweights and Greensky Bluegrass take to the free concert stage. The Welterweights are a rock ‘n’ roll band from Vermont, and Greensky Bluegrass is a popular Americana band formed in 2000 in Michigan that will draw a large crowd.
Friday night’s free music welcomes JUPTR and Khruangbin. JUPTR is also from Vermont and has performed since 2017. They perform hip-hop and R&B-inspired music. Khruangbin is a psychedelic trio from Texas mixing all sorts of genres from all sorts of timeframes.
Saturday night’s free closing night music will feature Tune-Yards and Turkuaz. Tune-Yards is from New England and performs with elements such as loop pedals, ukulele, vocals and lo-fi percussion. Turkuaz will bring energetic funk, alternative rock, R&B and more to the stage, featuring psychedelic color.
Assistant editor Ross Leonhart can be reached at 970-748-2984 and rleonhart@vaildaily.com. Follow him on Imstagram at colorado_livin_on_the_hill.
