TABLE OF CONTENTS

  Cover

  Title Page

  Chapter 1: THE COMPETITION

  Chapter 2: MORE LIES

  Chapter 3: WIPEOUT

  Chapter 4: BOARDING AT LAST

  Chapter 5: SECRET LESSONS

  Chapter 6: SQUIRE'S FALL

  Chapter 7: KNIGHT'S TRAIL

  Chapter 8: FESSING UP

  Chapter 9: TIME TO RACE

  Chapter 10: JUMPS, DROPS, AND CURVES

  Chapter 11: FINAL ROUND

  About the Author

  Glossary

  Discussion Questions

  Writing Prompts

  More About Snowboard Cross

  Explore More

  Copyright Page

  Back Cover

  CHAPTER 1

  THE COMPETITION

  “There it is,” Dad said.

  It was Friday morning. Dad guided the family minivan carefully along the winding and snow-covered road, headed for their vacation destination.

  In the seat at the far back, Will Pastora leaned forward to get a look. Ahead, a modest mountain, thick with pine trees, boasted a swath of cleared faces.

  Ski slopes.

  “Looks pretty good,” Mom said.

  “Not bad, I guess,” Will said.

  The truth was, since Dad took early retirement, the Pastora family had to cut back on a lot of expenses, including this winter’s ski and snowboard trip. The last couple of years, they’d gone to a much nicer resort with bigger mountains and better snow.

  This white stuff was probably man-made, icy and chunky. The resort was small, and there weren’t many ski and snowboard trails. Hatchinson, the nearby town, was also small.

  “Tilly says Hatchinson is super cute,” said Will’s big sister, Eve. Tilly was Eve’s best friend. “Her family’s been here a bunch of times.”

  Dad pulled the van into a sunken gravel parking area. The lodge loomed over the lot. The A-frame building cast a shadow and blocked out the bright sky.

  A wooden sign hung across the building: Sorenson Resort. Beneath that a banner flapped in the icy winter breeze, reading: Welcome Junior Snowboarders!

  “What do you think that means?” Will asked as he climbed out of the van.

  Dad read the sign aloud. “They must mean you and Eve,” he said.

  “Right,” Will said. “I’m sure they put up a banner just for the Pastora kids.”

  Dad crossed the lobby to get the family checked in at the main desk. Will, Eve, and Mom brought in the bags and gear. They set everything down at the porter’s desk.

  “I’d love to check out the town,” Eve said. She sat down on her suitcase. “Tilly told me about a great coffee shop that also sells vintage clothes.”

  “Let’s get settled in at the room first,” Mom said. “I don’t want to make Dad get right back in the van now that we’re finally here.”

  “You can take the shuttle bus,” said a boy walking by. He looked about Will’s age. He had long, dark hair tied into a ponytail and wore a mismatched outfit of snowboarding pants, coat, and boots. “It leaves from right out front and goes directly into town. They go back and forth all day long.”

  The boy pointed out the front door. A small white bus was parked there, its engine running and its door open. Small black letters on the side of the bus said SORENSON RESORT.

  “See?” he said. “It’s there now.”

  “Is it free?” Eve asked.

  The boy nodded. “I think so,” he said. “I’ve never paid anything.”

  “Mom, can I?” Eve said, turning her pleading face toward Mom.

  “I don’t know,” Mom said. “By yourself?”

  “Mom!” Eve said. “I’m sixteen. I’ll be fine.”

  Mom looked at her a moment and then over at Dad. He was still busy talking to the hotel clerk at the check-in desk.

  Mom looked back at Eve. “Fine,” she said. “But be sure to find out when and where the shuttle picks you up to come back, and don’t stay too long.”

  “I won’t,” Eve said as she got up and ran for the bus.

  “Do you have any money?” Mom called after her.

  “Yes, Mom!” Eve said. She hopped on the bus. A moment later, the door closed and the shuttle sputtered away.

  “Where’s Eve going?” Dad asked as he walked over, keys in hand. He handed a card to the young woman at the porter’s desk. She took it, smiled, and began moving the Pastoras’ gear into the locked checkroom behind the desk.

  “Into town,” Mom said. “There’s a shuttle.”

  “Alone?” Dad asked.

  “She’ll be fine,” Mom said. She winked at Will.

  “And who’s this?” Dad asked. He smiled at the boy who had told them about the shuttle.

  “I’m Jasper,” the boy said.

  Mom held Will by the shoulders. “This is Will,” she said. “We’ll be at the resort for the next few days.”

  “Hi,” Will said.

  “Well, I’m starved,” Dad said, patting his stomach. “Who wants lunch?”

  “I do,” Mom said.

  “Jasper,” Dad said, “you’re welcome to join us if your parents say it’s okay.”

  “I already ate lunch,” Jasper said.

  “I’m not hungry either,” Will said.

  “Suit yourself,” Dad said.

  He handed Will a key with the number 302 engraved on its face. “Here’s the key,” he said, “but they’re still cleaning the room. You won’t be able to get in until three.”

  Will checked the clock hanging over the porter’s desk. “That’s almost two hours,” he complained.

  “I’ll show you around,” said the boy. “I’ve been here loads of times.”

  “You do seem to know your stuff,” Mom said. “Sound okay to you, Will?”

  Will shrugged. “I guess,” he said. “Anything to do around here besides hit the slopes?”

  “Not much,” Jasper said. “But there’s a TV in the lodge.”

  “Have fun, boys,” Mom said. She and Dad walked off hand in hand toward the chalet’s restaurant.

  “This way,” Jasper said. He led Will through the lobby toward a big open doorway. Beyond, Will could see the dark wood furniture of the lodge and the flickering orange glow of a fire.

  “Are you here for the youth snowboarding competition too?” Jasper asked.

  “Oh, that explains the banner,” Will muttered to himself.

  “What?” Jasper said.

  “Nothing, nothing,” Will said.

  Of course, Will hadn’t heard anything about the competition. But if this kid was in it, maybe it would be fine for Will to enter too.

  “Yeah, I’m here for the competition,” he said.

  In a way, it was true. Now that he was here, he’d be in the competition. What difference did it make if he came up here just for that purpose? He didn’t want to seem like he didn’t know what was going on.

  Besides, Will loved snowboarding. He’d gone two times before on his last two winter vacations.

  “Did you sign in yet at the registration table?” Jasper asked as they stepped into the lodge.

  There was a single step down into the lounge. Will stumbled a little. The room was darker than it had been in the lobby. It took a few moments for Will’s eyes to adjust.

  “Um, no,” Will said. “Where is it?” He looked around the big, dark room, expecting to find a table where he’d sign in.

  “It’s not in here,” Jasper said. “But we can cut through. Come on. It’s over by the equipment rental shed. I’ll show you the way.”

  CHAPTER 2

  MORE LIES

  Behind the main lodge, halfway down a paved path toward the rope tow for the bunny slope, sat a small metal building. A whole bunch of gear leaned against the wall.

  “That’s the rental and repair shop,” Jasper said. “The check-in table is around back.”

  Jasper led Will around the back of the shop. There, a folding table had been set up bearing a banner: JUNIOR SNOWBOARDING COMPETITION CHECK-IN.

  “Hey, Jasper!” called a boy who was leaning on the table. He was taller than Jasper and Will, and he wore a mischievous grin. His black hair—darker even than Will’s—was buzzed super short. A nice-looking snowboard with one end in the snow leaned against his shoulder.

  “Hey, Eli,” Jasper said. “Finally checking in?”

  “Not everyone feels the need to check in the instant they arrive at the resort, Jasper,” Eli said. “Who’s this guy?” He nodded at Will without looking at him.

  “I’m Will,” Will said.

  “His family just checked in at the resort,” Jasper said. “He’s here for the race too.”

  “Actually, I—” Will started to say. He might have explained that his family was just here for a vacation, and that he didn’t even know about the competition until a few minutes ago. But Eli cut him off.

  “Well, step right up,” Eli said, grabbing his board and moving to make room at the table for Will.

  “Oh, thanks,” Will said.

  On the tabletop were a couple of clipboards, a bunch of pens, a stack of packets in binder clips, and some flyers about the competition. A young man in a ski-patrol parka sat there looking at his phone.

  “Um, what do I have to do?” Will asked quietly so Eli and Jasper wouldn’t hear.

  “Last name?” the man said. He set aside his phone and pulled the stack of packets closer to himself.

  “Pastora,” Will said.

  The man picked through the stack of packets. “With a P?” he asked.

  “Yeah,” Will said.

  “You’re not in here,” the man said. “Did you register already?”

  “I thought this was registration,” Will said.

  “This is check-in,” the man said with a sigh. “You should have registered already.”

  “Oh,” Will said.

  He thought about having to explain to Jasper and Eli that he couldn’t be in the competition because he wasn’t registered. He’d have to admit he didn’t know anything about it until he got to the resort.

  “Here,” the man said. He passed a clipboard to Will. “Fill this out.”

  Will picked up a pen and started filling out the form, hoping against hope that Jasper and Eli wouldn’t notice what he was doing.

  “Didn’t you register already?” Jasper asked, looking over Will’s shoulder. “I thought you said you came up for the competition.”

  “Oh, I did,” Will said. He thought fast. “I guess my mom must have forgotten to register me.”

  “Ha,” Eli said. “Does your mom pick out your clothes for you too?”

  Will glanced up, but then chose to ignore him and finished filling out the form. The last question on the sheet asked Will to check off a skill level for the snowboard race: beginner, intermediate, or expert. He checked beginner, figuring that the higher two levels were mostly older kids, high schoolers probably.

  “Beginner?” Eli said snidely.

  “Huh?” Will said.

  “I think my little sister is in the beginner race,” Jasper said.

  Will suddenly felt like a baby. He could tell his cheeks were getting red. In the cold mountain air, hopefully no one would notice.

  “How old is she?” Eli said, sneering. “Like five?”

  “She’s eleven,” Jasper said. “Nothing wrong with being a beginner.”

  “Oh, I’m not a beginner,” Will said. “I’ve gone snowboarding plenty of times.”

  Two times, he thought, but lots of runs each time. That makes plenty.

  “I just checked the wrong box,” Will said. He laughed and added, “I meant to check intermediate.”

  He scribbled out the beginner box and put a dark X in the next box. “There,” Will said. He handed the clipboard back to the man at the table.

  The man gave him a long look, as if giving Will a chance to change back to beginner.

  But Will said nothing. He’d race in the intermediate group. So what if he couldn’t win? It would be better than racing on the bunny slope with a bunch of babies.

  “Okay, Will,” the man said, sighing again. “Registration is ten dollars.”

  “I don’t have any money on me,” Will said.

  “Are you staying at the resort?” the man asked.

  “Yes,” Will said.

  “We can charge the registration to your room,” the man said.

  “Okay,” Will said. He’d explain it to his parents later. It was just ten bucks. They wouldn’t mind.

  “Are you done yet or what?” Eli said. “We want to get going.”

  The man handed Will a packet. “You’re all set,” he said.

  “Thanks,” Will said, taking the packet and opening the folder. There was a competition schedule—the first race would be Sunday morning—and a sheet of coupons to use in the chalet for free chicken wings and hot chocolate.

  “Good,” Eli said. “Now let’s go for a run before it gets crowded after lunch.”

  “I’m in,” Jasper said. “My board’s locked up over there.” He nodded toward the back of the lodge, where a whole bunch of skis, poles, and boards leaned against the lock-up rack.

  “This trail looks pretty good,” Eli said as he nodded toward a trail behind Will. “Not too crowded.”

  Will turned around and lifted his gaze. At the bottom of the trail—where riders boarded the lift to the middle and top of the slope—a sign said Knight’s Trail next to a blue square, and Emperor’s Lightning next to a black diamond.

  The blue square, Will knew, meant intermediate skill was required to use that trail, while the black diamond meant expert skill was required.

  Will was pretty sure even the blue run would be a challenge for him, nevermind the black diamond.

  “What do you say, Will?” Jasper said. “Want to join us?”

  “Yeah,” Eli said. “Show us what we’re up against in the race.”

  “On the black diamond?” Will said.

  “Nah,” Jasper said. “That one would kill me.”

  Eli laughed. “I could handle the black diamond,” he said. “Jasper’s too chicken.”

  “That’s me,” Jasper said. “Big chicken who is going leave you in my wake in the race on Sunday.”

  Will squinted as he looked up the mountain to where the lift dropped riders for the blue run. The first drop on that run didn’t even look like a hill. It was so steep it looked like a bright white wall.

  “I wish I could,” Will said with a shrug. “But all my gear is checked at the front desk. I can’t get it till my parents come back from lunch.”

  “Aw, too bad,” Jasper said.

  “Will!” a woman called. “Will, honey! We’re back from lunch!”

  Will turned, and there were his mother and father stomping across the snow. They smiled from ear to ear, waving at him. They had no idea what showing up at that exact moment would mean for Will.

  “Just in time,” Eli said. He grinned. “Looks like you’ll be able to board after all.”

  CHAPTER 3

  WIPEOUT

  Fifteen minutes later, Will sat between Jasper and Eli on the ski lift. He stared down at the slope that crisscrossed under the lift. His snowboard hung from one foot, the other unlatched for the ride and dismount at the top.

  Jasper and Eli talked across him, but Will didn’t listen. He could hardly hear them. He was too nervous about his first blue run.

  It would be faster than he’d ever gone. There would be moguls. It would really test his skill with quick turns and good balance. He hoped his legs would be strong enough.

  The ride alone—higher up a slope than he’d ever gone before—was already making his stomach do backflips.

  Oh no, Will thought. What if this run has backflips on it?

  He knew that was crazy—boarders only did flips and stuff on halfpipe runs and off huge jumps. And even then, no one had to do a backflip to finish a run. But his mind wasn’t working very well.

  The lift was close to the top. Ahead of them, the riders glided off their chair and slid gracefully away from the lift.

  Will became even more nervous.

  Their chair reached the exit point. Eli and Jasper stood. Their boards kissed the snow.

  Will stood. He reached for something to hold on to as his board touched down, but his hand knocked into Eli’s arm.

  “Watch it!” Eli shouted, but it was too late.

  Their boards crossed, and the boys slid away from the lift together, tangled up. They both fell to the snow at the bottom of the exit ramp. The few other boarders and skiers around laughed quietly.

  “Are you guys all right?” Jasper said as he buckled his free foot into the board.

  “I’m fine,” Eli snapped as he stood up, giving Will a little shove as he did. “Your new friend has a few issues, though.”

  “Sorry,” Will said. He stood up and planted his free foot firmly on the snow. “Um, I’ve only ever ridden two-seaters before. Getting off was kind of awkward.”

  Well, he thought, that much is true, anyway. He had only ridden two-seaters before.

  “Just watch it from now on,” Eli said. He pulled down his goggles and shuffled his board away to start his run. Within seconds, he was zooming off down Knight’s Trail.

  “Don’t worry about Eli,” Jasper said. “He talks big, but he’s harmless.”

  “Got it,” Will said.

  “You all right?” Jasper asked as he pulled down his goggles. “I could wait if you want.”

  “I’m fine,” Will said. He didn’t need any babysitting on the slope. “Go ahead. I’ll be right behind you.”

 

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