NASTAR and U.S. Ski Team to Cooperate

NASTAR, the recreational ski and snowboard race program, has combined forces with the U.S. Ski Team to produce a new combined event that will put the spotlight on the sport for both amateurs and pros.

The Championships will combine the traditional Nature Valley NASTAR National Championships with the Nature Valley U.S. Alpine Championships. The combined event is expected to attract more than 2,000 competitors, from recreational racers to Olympic champions, on March 22 through April 1.

This will be the first time the events are produced jointly, allowing recreational racers and the world's best elite athletes to compete in a coordinated event.

NASTAR, an acronym for the NAtional STAndard Race, provides a competitive racing program with a handicap system that allows racers of all ages and abilities across the country to compare their race results regardless of when and where they race. The events are a part of Bonnier Corporation and are run from the Boulder office, where several of the company's skiing and winter sport titles are also quartered.

"NASTAR takes great pride as an organization in providing inspiration for nearly 100,000 recreational ski racers and their families," said Johnny Alamo, executive director, Partnerships and Strategic Alliances for NASTAR. "The Championships will help us deepen our relationship with the U.S. Ski Team in making NASTAR an integral part of the next generation of ski racers."

The event will be broadcast nationally on NBC, Versus (NBC Sports Network) and Universal Sports.

(Photo by Flickr user West Point Public Affairs, CC Licensed)