Ski Industry News

Five Reasons to Check Out This Year’s Burton US Open

by Kirsten Dobroth | March 5, 2018

Already missing out on binge-watching every Olympic event from Feburary’s Olympic Games in South Korea? The Games might be over, but the Burton US Open (aka snowboarding’s biggest competition) kicks off this week in Vail, Colorado, and it’s bringing some of your favorite Olympians with it. Not that in to snowboarding? That’s okay, come for the party, and stay for the after-party while you’re in town.

Team USA is in The House

Just off the plane from South Korea, gold medalists like Jamie Anderson, Red Gerard, Chloe Kim, and Shaun White are all staples at the Open, which pits the best of the best in snowboarding slopestyle and halfpipe against one another in an all-snowboarding competition. And that’s not all – pretty much all of Team USA will be competing in this year’s event, so you can catch the likes of bronze medalist Arielle Gold, (the legend) Kelly Clark, Colorado native Jake Pates, and Team USA favorite Ben Ferguson throwing down.
 

… And that’s not all.

While Team USA will be representing at this year’s Open, the international field of competitors is similar stocked. Halfpipe silver medalist from PyeongChang Ayumu Hirano is heading to Vail for this week’s comp, as is Canadian bronze medalist Mark McMorris. And don’t forget about Anna Gasser – the gold medalist at the inaugural big air competition in South Korea is in town to try and reclaim her top spot from last year’s slopestyle competition.
 

It’s Spring Skiing Season

Fresh off a dusting of snow, Vail’s heading into a week of sunshine (and 40-degree weather!), making it perfect conditions for slush laps on your way over to the competition at Golden Peak.
 

The world’s best snowboarders are in Vail, Colorado for the Burton US Open.

The Party Continues After the Sun Goes Down

Can’t make the events at Golden Peak? That’s okay, that Burton US Open party continues well into the evening, with nightly concerts scheduled every night this week in Vail Village. The biggest party is going down Saturday night, when Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley is set to wow the crowd with his dancehall vibes before revelers head to the after-party at Vail’s Dobson Ice Arena for a DJ medley into the wee hours of the night.
 

And If You Can’t Make It to Vail …

We get it, not everyone will be in (or even near) Vail for this year’s Burton US Open, but you can still catch all the event competition on the Open’s live stream.
 
Photos courtesy of the Burton US Open.

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