Carrabassett Valley, ME (Wednesday, January 29, 2003) - Seth Wescott manages a pretty busy schedule these days as he competes in snowboarding events around the world. Wescott recently took second in boardercross at the FIS World Snowboard Championships in Kreischberg, Austria. Following the championships, Wescott was headed to the ESPN Winter X Games, with a stop at the Sundance Film Festival for the premier of an extreme snowboarding film that Wescott participated in. In the midst of this whirlwind schedule Wescott is returning home to Sugarloaf/USA to coach a snowboard camp on February 15 – 16.

Introduced last season to a very receptive audience, the snowboard camps offer kids the unique chance to learn from one of Sugarloaf’s and the world’s top snowboarders, and, at the same time, help develop tomorrow’s champions. Wescott, a graduate of Carrabassett Valley Academy, will donate all net proceeds from the 2-day camps to CVA to provide scholarships to Maine kids.

“If I would have had the backing to go to CVA for an extra year, I might have been able to join the World Cup right out of high school,” Wescott said. “Through these camps we hope to have something there for kids like that in Maine.”

Wescott grew up in Farmington, Maine, and spent his free time perfecting his riding skills at Sugarloaf. He is a top ranked U.S. Boardercross and halfpipe rider, as a 4-time X-game medallist and a member of the U.S. Snowboarding team.

The camps will be offered February 15 – 16 and March 22 – 23, 2003 at Sugarloaf/USA. Open to advanced riders, ages 10 and up, the 2-day clinics include 5 hours per day of on-snow coaching in a variety of skills including Free Ride, Terrain Park, Halfpipe and Boardercross. The cost is $259 including lift ticket, or $199 without.

“I really want to create a program to teach better fundamentals at an earlier age,” Wescott said. “It’s not just for those who want to go on to a competitive program. I am structuring learning around something fun. I want to show what can be gained from being in a structured program and show the positive aspect of snowboarding.”

In addition to on-snow coaching, après activities and a pizza party are planned.