Seth Wescott at home - Sugarloaf Maine
Column by Heather Burke March 12, 2009

Following the World Cup Snowboardcross at Sunday River, I had the opportunity to catch up with Seth Wescott, before he travelled to Spain and Italy to complete this season’s Snowboard Cross tour, and talk about the upcoming 2010 Vancouver Games.

Wescott was “psyched” to be back at Sugarloaf for a week, though he wasn’t just resting up or arcing turns on his favorite Gondi Line. Wescott spent part of the week in a snowcat designing the Sidewinder Snowboardcross (SBX) Course for the top junior snowboarders in the country competing in the Revolution Tour at Sugarloaf.

Wescott said, “Working on the course with my friend Tim Norton, Sugarloaf’s terrain park builder, is a great. We’re trying to give these young competitors the best course possible. It’s neat to be able to help out while I am home and bolster this grassroots event for young snowboarders.”

That’s typical of 32-year old Wescott, a Carrabassett Valley Academy graduate, giving back to the mountain community and the sport that has put him on so many podiums including Olympic Gold in 2006, the first winter Olympic Gold medal for Maine, and a record eight X-Games medals.

Wescott has been a prominent advocate and athlete in the sport of snowboarding, he successfully petitioned the Olympic committee to include SBX for the 2006 Winter Games. Wescott has starred in movies like "Play Gravity" and serves as a spokesperson for Maine WinterKids, appearing in TV commercials. “We live in a state with troubled health issues, particularly among young people,” said Wescott. “I feel like I had such great opportunities growing up to ski and snowboard in the Maine mountains, so I am glad to give back by reaching out to kids and encouraging them to get outside and participate in healthy winter sports.”

Wescott switched from skiing to snowboarding at age 10. “It’s all about finding the best tool,” said Wescott. “My own personal connection with the snow is best on a board, I love laying into a turn and having my head near the snow.” Wescott said his father Jim, a retired Colby track and field coach, took up snowboarding in 2003 and has “taken to it really well, it’s great when we can ride together now.”

Wescott admitted to me that he has been on skis a couple of time in the last decade and he doesn’t see any need for animosity between skiing and snowboarding. “I have complete respect for skiing, I love to watch alpine racing and the majority of the U.S. Ski Team are friends of mine.”

Wescott is now in his tenth year on the U.S. Snowboard Team. “Athletically, I plan to compete in the 2010 Vancouver Games and the 2014 Sochi Olympics (in Russia),” said Wescott.

“As I get older, I pick and choose my race days more. You have to assess your situation and keep yourself safe. I have had two friends on the World Cup die. Boardercross can be a dangerous sport.”

Wescott said he has many opportunities to pursue in the future. “As a competing athlete, you have to stay focused and not become distracted by thinking too much about what you might do later.”

“I hope eventually to branch out to be more involved at Sugarloaf, and possibly coach for the U.S. Team. I want to give back where I received so much support,” said Wescott. If you have heard Wescott speak in public, or spoken with him personally (lucky me), I would add to his list of career option - motivational speaking.

Wescott makes a tradition of closing out his snowboard season by going to Alaska to freeride in the big mountain backcountry. Wescott had a close call in 2003 when an avalanche swept him nearly 750-feet. “That’s when my Mom worries about me more than in competitions, when I am in avalanche country, but we are very careful and respectful. I have even considered guiding heli-operations in the Chugach (Alaskan backcountry).”

“I look forward to the off season, my time in Alaska, surfing in Costa Rica, and returning to Maine. I have had a lot of time travelling, and that gets old. I always have a huge sense of peacefulness when I am in Maine, especially in the summer when I can mountain bike and trail run in the western Maine Mountains (part of Wescott’s rigorous cross training to stay in shape for the demands of SBX racing).”

When Wescott is home at Sugarloaf, it’s also a time to check up on his partnership in “The Rack”. Wescott said, “Our restaurant (The Rack opened in 2005) has been really well received, the après scene there has been neat, it adds another aspect to the Sugarloaf experience.”

Wescott admits he goes to The Rack partly out of responsibility and partly for fun. “I like to play the role of meet and greet when I am home, and I love our chef’s new lobster pasta dish,” said Wescott. Virgil Brown, Wescott’s best friend from childhood is the new chef at The Rack, which is located on the Sugarloaf Access Road.

Wescott is currently training for the Whistler Winter Olympics in 2010, defending his Gold Medal from the 2006 Games.

Wescott knows that Mainers are cheering for him, myself included. Maine is fortunate to have Wescott as a role model athlete, with a winning presence and attitude.

What is Snowboardcross: SBX?:
Four snowboarders (or skiers) simultaneously break out of a gate and ride down a 3,000-foot course (like a downhill race combined with a motocross track). It’s a roller derby on snow as they fly over jumps and along banked turns, the pace is fast and collision is a reality. Elimination heats dwindle the pack, and exhaust these athletic, often airborne, riders. The winner of each heat moves on to the next round until they final duke it out for first. No style points are awarded, just first over the finish wins.

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