Board meeting: Nate Chute snowboard races set fundraising record
<p>Chelsea Smith of Whitefish carves around a gate during the Nate Chute banked slalom races on Saturday at Whitefish Mountain Resort.</p>
<p>Emilie Scollan of Whitefish carves around a gate during the Nate Chute banked slalom races on Saturday at Whitefish Mountain Resort.</p>
<p>Ross Peterson carves around a gate during the Nate Chute banked slalom races on Saturday at Whitefish Mountain Resort.</p>
<p>Ben Croft catches air during the Nate Chute banked slalom races on Saturday at Whitefish Mountain Resort. Croft took third in the Old Joes division.</p>
<p>Tim Amish clears a roller during the Nate Chute banked slalom races on Saturday at Whitefish Mountain Resort. Amish won the mens amateur 15-20 division.</p>
Pro snowboarder Jason Robinson of Whitefish claimed a giant check and a palm tree trophy March 16 after winning the 15th annual Nate Chute banked slalom and boardercross races at Whitefish Mountain Resort.
Robinson posted the top time in the open division of the banked slalom March 15 after he cleared the tricky course through George’s Gorge in 2:03.66. He also won the boardercross races on Sunday in wet and foggy conditions on the technical course down the Goat Haunt slope.
Hugh Black was second overall in the open division and Baylon Connolly took third.
Missoula rider Sarris McComb was the top overall woman in the open division. She ran the banked slalom course in 2:11.77.
Anna Bengtson took second overall and Kaili Hagen took third.
More than 100 snowboarders competed in the event.
The Nate Chute races are an annual fundraiser for the NC Foundation, a nonprofit that supports mental health of young people in Montana with the ultimate goal of reducing and eliminating suicide and suicide attempts.
More than $10,000 was raised this year throug an online Crowdrise campaign that challenged competitors to find sponsors. The amount raised this year far exceeds previous events.
“Four years ago the contest raised a few hundred dollars,” NC Foundation board member Jason Forrest explained. “The last three years we raised $3,000 to $4,000. Then this year we engaged the riders through Crowdrise, which alone raised $7,000.”
The NC Foundation supports the Student Assistance Program in the Whitefish School District, Columbia Falls High School and the Youth Suicide Prevention Program.
For more information or to donate, visit www.natechutefoundation.org.