BAM Royal Flush – Breck Kids Shred!

If you’ve ever watched the X-Games and marveled at how astonishingly good the young skiers and riders are, the BAM Royal Flush should be on your list of events to check out. Established in 2012, the Breckenridge All Mountain Team, or BAM, is a program for advanced-intermediate through expert skiers and snowboarders ages 7 – 16. Kids involved in the BAM program meet every weekend with their Ski and Snowboard School instructor for almost the whole ski season to hone their racing, park and pipe, big-mountain, and mogul skills. The program also introduces them to entry-level competitions, and the Royal Flush is one way these rippin’ kids can show off their skills.

What exactly is the Royal Flush? It’s a big-mountain competition where BAM students test their mettle in Peak 8’s double-black diamond Contest Bowl. This is some of the steepest terrain the resort has to offer with descending lines named King, Queen, and Joker (hence Royal Flush).  Athletes get to complete one qualifying run followed by a final run. They’re judged according to International Freeskiers & Snowboarders Association standards, but you don’t have to be an expert to know when you see a good run. Here are a few key elements to look for:

Line Choice

This refers to the difficulty of the line, or route, the athlete chooses. Competitors earn higher scores for lines that steeper, have more exposure, snow, or involve catching some air. These aspects all contribute to the difficulty of the run, not matter how well the athletes make it down.

Control

This one’s pretty straightforward – if the athlete stays in control, the score is higher.

Fluidity

Put simply, fluidity is finesse. A fluid athlete demonstrates an even pace and smooth transitions between different sections of the course. Generally speaking, falling isn’t fluid.

Style & Energy

Is the athlete attacking the line while pulling off some gnarly tricks? A good pace, a creative line, and energetic execution will all get high scores.

Want to get in on the action? There’s plenty of room for spectating at the bottom of Contest Bowl, so make sure to check out the BAM Royal Flush, Saturday March 11, 2017. The competition starts at 10:00 AM and will last until about 2:00 PM. Take your own kids along to inspire them to up their game, and don’t be surprised if you find yourself a little jealous of the sweet moves the BAM athletes deftly execute.

If you are interested in the Breckenridge All Mountain Team for the 2017/2018 season contact the Ski and School School for more information.

www.breckenridge.com/plan-your-trip/ski-and-ride-lessons.aspx