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Tahoe Nugget #138

Cushing's Crossing Competition
April 28, 2008

Yesterday I headed over to Squaw Valley for the 18th annual Lake Cushing Crossing competition. The goal in this contest is to ramp up enough speed on the ski slope so that when you hit the surface of this small, natural lake,  you have enough momentum to reach the landing area on the other side. Although getting across the lake is the primary focus, judges award points for style, costumes and crazy antics (like spraying the crowd with a rooster tail of water).

The special emcee at this year's event was Olympian Jonny Moseley, one of  the world's best stunt and mogul skiers who won the gold medal in the men's freestyle at the 1998 Winter Games at Nagano, Japan.

The number of participants in the Crossing competition was limited to the  first 50 signups. Only one guy "poached" a run into the lake without being  registered, not bad for all the yahoos who hang out at Squaw Valley. There  was no diver on duty to retrieve lost articles, so any skis or other  equipment that came loose during the spectacular crashes sunk quickly to the  bottom of the frigid lake. Contestants who lost anything of marginal value  will have to wait until summer for a salvage operation.

This annual competition is named after Alex Cushing, one of the two original partners who founded Squaw Valley Ski Corporation in 1948. Cushing was instrumental in bringing the 1960 Winter Olympic Games to Squaw Valley, an event that launched Lake Tahoe's international reputation as a world-class winter sports destination.

Photo #1: World Champion Jonny Moseley addresses the crowd.     
Photo #2: Lake Cushing at Squaw Valley. 
Photo #3: Go Sharks! San Jose's professional hockey team is in the playoffs. 
Photo #4: Freaky Baby Head.  Photo #5: Jack in the Box goes for it.
Photo #6: Jack in the Box goes down!
Photo #7: Contestant deep in the drink. 
Photo #8: Puppy Man