Skip out in front in the first season standings of ’25

The first Northeast Slalom Series Presented by Radar Skis season standings are out and with three stops in the books, Skip Hommel is waaaay out in the lead in the adult standings. Things are a lot closer on the junior side as an extraordinary foursome (none are ranked lower than sixth nationally in their respective age divisions) of girls slalom skiers – Tia Byrne, Gwyneth Peckham, Evelyn Peckham and Zoe Carpenter – are sitting atop the field 1-4. Check out the full standings at http://waterskitheeast.com/standings/

Big points are at stake this weekend at the Pre-Regionals at Avon followed by NY States at Twin Lakes on July 20 and Regionals beginning July 23 at Avon. See the full series schedule here: http://waterskitheeast.com/schedule/

The Northeast Slalom Series presented by Radar Skis is celebrating its milestone 10th season with a new champs and qualifiers finals format and a cash prize purse of $5,000 – plus a brand new Radar ski for the champion. For the 2025 season only, the adult finals will feature a field of 16 skiers: the eight previous champions (Chris Afonso is the only two-time winner), plus the top-eight (non past champion) qualifiers from the 2025 season standings.

Attention Collegiate Skiers!

 

Collegiate skiers, did you know tournaments don’t stop once school is out? The AWSA Eastern Region wants to help you keep competing this summer!

Are you:

    1. A current collegiate skier?
    2. Who lives in the Eastern Region*?
    3. That has never skied in a “regular” AWSA tournament?

If so, you could ski in a tournament this summer for free**! The Eastern Region and its host clubs will pay at least $50 of the tournament entry fee for the first 15*** eligible skiers**** who sign up for this promotion.

How to participate:

See you on the water this summer!

Questions? Contact Justin Campfield at justin@thinksparkmedia.com. 

 

* The AWSA Eastern Region is: ME, NH, VT, NY, PA, MA, CT, RI, NJ, DE, DC, MD, VA, and WV
** The Eastern Region will pay $50 of the entry fee. Some tournament organizers may elect to cover the rest.
*** The first 15 skiers who sign up will be eligible for the promotion. Those who sign up 16th or later will be added to a wait list.
**** To be eligible for this promotion skiers need to have skied in a collegiate tournament in 2024 or 2025, live in the Eastern Region, and have never skied in a regular (non-NCWSA) AWSA tournament.

NESS to celebrate 10th season with champs vs. qualifiers finals, largest cash-prize purse in its history

The Northeast Slalom Series presented by Radar Skis will celebrate its milestone 10th season with a new champs vs. qualifiers finals format and a cash prize purse of $5,000 – plus a brand new Radar ski for the champion.

For the 2025 season only, the adult finals will feature a field of 16 skiers: the eight previous champions (Chris Afonso is the only two-time winner), plus the top-eight (non past champion) qualifiers from the 2025 season standings.

The 2025 NESS schedule is:
6/22 – Dubes
6/28 – Vermont Saturday
7/5 – Pangaea Saturday
7/12 – Avon Pre-Regionals
July 20 – Twin Lakes
7/23-26 – Avon Regionals
8/23 – Wolfeboro
8/30 – Pangaea NESS Finals

Participation in the Northeast Slalom Series presented by Radar Skis is $40 for adults, and free for junior skiers. To register, click here.

Afonso, Ervin take 24 NESS titles

Chris Afonso and Ryan Ervin took home the 2024 Northeast Slalom Series titles in the Adult and Junior divisions, respectively, at the head-to-head finals held Aug. 31 and Sept. 1, at Pangaea Puddle in Canajoharie, New York.

By winning his second NESS title, Afonso, who also won in 2022, became the first repeat winner in the series’ nine-year history. Prior to this year, each previous champion had been a first-time winner.

Afonso took home the $2,000 prize by beating second-place finisher Scott Behner in the head-to-head finals. Dan Warner and Skip Hommel advanced to the semi finals.

On the Junior side, Ervin topped defending champion Jack Decker in the finals, with the sister duo of Tia and Addy Byrne reaching the semi finals.

NESS will celebrate its 10th season in 2025, with plans underway to make it the biggest iteration yet.

The 2024 NESS season was made possible by the generous support of its sponsors: Hinman Builders, Avon Old Farm Skiers, Cadillac Hill Carpentry, FTI Coach, and Zmetra Clear Span Structures.

2024 NESS Finals brackets set

The brackets for the Adult and Junior divisions of the 2024 Northeast Slalom Series head-to-head finals have been set.

Forty-eight skiers competed in this year’s NESS season, but only 12 adults and four juniors made the cut for the finals, which will take place August 31 at Pangaea Puddle in Canajoharie, NY.

The adults will compete for more than $2,500 in cash prizes, while the juniors will compete for trophies and bragging rights.

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With a week to go to Regionals, the 2024 Northeast Slalom Series frontrunners are …

With seven NESS stops down and four to go, the frontrunners in the season standings have begun to take shape.

In the Adult division, only 60 points separate the top six spots, with Dana Hinman, Scott Bellefeuille, Mike Tilton, Shannah Pochini, Matt Byrne and Dan Warner currently 1 through 6.

In the Junior ranks, Tia Byrne is dominating the season standings, with her sister Addy also separating herself from the field. Aaron Bartlett, Jack Decker are holding down the last two spots in the four-skier Junior finals, with Charlee Bellefeuille charging hard.

There are four qualifying stops remaining on the 2024 NESS schedule, with Wolfeboro this weekend and the points-heavy Regionals next week, followed by Wolfeboro again and Dubes.

The full standings can be found here, and the schedule here.

Spots in the NESS finals on the line with three stops remaining

Things are heating up!

The Northeast Slalom Series season standings have been updated through Eastern Regionals with only three stops remaining until the Sept. 2 finals at Pangaea.

With stops in Wolfeboro, Dubes and Vermont remaining, adults are vying for 12 spots in the finals (with the top four getting first-round byes), with juniors jockeying for four.

More details at waterskitheeast.com.

 

2022 NESS to kick off this weekend with two tournaments

The biggest Northeast Slalom Series ever will kick off June 25 with two tournaments in one day at Avon and Wolfeboro.

The 2022 NESS season has expanded to seven states and 11 stops leading up to the Sept. 3 NESS finals at Pangaea, making it the largest schedule in the series’ history. The increased schedule will give more opportunities to more skiers, and create a larger cash-prize purse at the finals.

“The NESS has been a really great series, but it’s time to supercharge it,” said Dana Hinman, who has come on board this year as the series’ lead director. “This year’s cash-prize purse is definitely going to be an attention grabber.”

The registration fee is $25 for adults, while juniors are free.  To register, adults send $25 to the Old Farms Skiers (fiscal agent for NESS), via either PayPal (@oldfarmsskiers) or Venmo (@oldfarmsskiers). Juniors only need to email dana@hinmaninc.com. The adults will compete for a cash-prize, while juniors will compete for trophies.

The 2022 Northeast Slalom Series is sponsored by Hinman, Inc., h2oproshop, Avon Old Farm Skiers, and Cadillac Hill Carpentry, Radar Skis, and MacCallum’s Boathouse. More information at waterskitheeast.com.

2022 NESS Schedule

  • 6/25 – Avon
  • 6/25 – Wolfeboro
  • 7/2 – Pangaea
  • 7/3 – Pangaea
  • 7/9 – Johns Lake
  • 7/16 – Avon
  • 7/20-23 – Regionals
  • 7/30 – Mass. States
  • 8/20 – Wolfeboro
  • 8/21 – Dubes
  • 8/28 – Montpelier
  • 9/3 – Pangaea/NESS Finals