The Rahlves' Banzai Tour continued to impress Sunday at Alpine Meadows as steep pitches, high speeds and multiple photo finishes delivered some of the most intense racing action yet.

Sunday’s finals of the Rahlves’ Banzai at Alpine proved once again that the Banzai is a race like no other. With firm conditions early on giving way to softer snow as the day and course progressed, this track was intense all around. Hauling down the Face with crazy speed, finalists brought this race to its highest level yet.

“That was the most intense thing I have ever done in my life,” said Aimee Doran, 3rd place Women Ski finalist, of yesterday’s event. “I just told myself: Be strong; stay on your feet— you can do this.”
 
For the third time, Kyle Coxon took 1st place in Men Ski, but breathing down his neck were newcomers to the 2014 Banzai podium, Kyle Smaine and Ben Paciotti.  All three were skiing aggressively down the flowing course that left little room for error. Spectators could feel the ground shake and a serious back-draft as they flew by.

“I cannot believe the speeds these guys are throwing down,” said an observer, shaking his head in amazement.

By taking 2nd place, Smaine earned a spot in the Super Final along with Coxon, Shawn McGee and the top finisher TBD at Sugar Bowl next week. All will compete in the $5,000 prize Super Final against Daron Rahlves. Ben Paciotti claimed the Alaska Airlines “Flight Deck” award, sending huge air and earning $100 Alaska Bucks good toward any Alaska Airlines flight.
 
After flying down the “Face Banzai” into the CEP Compression, the tour’s most high-speed course to date, former Olympic boardercross team member Jayson Hale edged out the current points leader, Sylvain Duclos, for a photo-finish worthy of a Sports Illustrated cover. “That was the best finish I have ever seen in any sporting event!” said spectator Danny Runkel. Duclos, Hale along with Bobby Minghini and the Sugar Bowl winner or runner up will go head to head with 2014 Olympian and 8-time X-Games champion Nate Holland on Sunday, March 16th for a winner takes all, $5,000.
 
For the women, everyone came to play hard, including Shannon Rahlves, Shelly Robertson and Aimee Doran, taking 1st, 2nd and 3rd  respectively. Their serious racing skills were matched only by their smiles later that day on the podium.
 
Women’s Snowboarding pulled no punches either, pitting the tour’s top riders against each other for a serious run for the podium. Casey Lucas took the GoPro Holeshot to the finish line while the other ladies were battling it out for podium spots. Iris Lazzareschi clipped Audrey Hebert’s board and lost balance when attempting a pass in the Bank of the West Money Zone last turn before the Red Bull finish line, allowing Hebert to keep 2nd place and Jenna Dramise taking 3rd.

 
With the last chance for competitors to prove their Banzai skills and the biggest cash prizes on the line--$35,000, the March 15 & 16 qualifiers, finals and Super Finals at Sugar Bowl’s “Silver Belt Banzai” will be even more intense. Three of the five competitors in the Men Snowboard Super Final are Olympians, including Holland, who is racing as the Rahlves’ Banzai Snowboard Ambassador.

The Chelone ‘Chilly’ Miller “Live Free and Send It” memorial award will also be presented during the award ceremony in the finish area.

Spectators are invited to cheer on the athletes, enjoy the on-snow BBQ and libations during the races and watch the climax of the 2014 Rahlves’ Banzai Tour on what is shaping up to be a spectacular day at Sugar Bowl.
 
A Banzai style pre-party starts the action this Friday, March 14th, with happy hour at Moody’s Bistro Bar & Beats in downtown Truckee from 4:30-6:30 p.m.  Competitors, sponsors, media and fans will talk Banzai over drinks and food before it gets serious.  Videos shot and edited by Tahoe TV featuring extensive GoPro footage from Kirkwood, Squaw and Alpine will play on the big screen for all to experience the Banzai.

Alpine Meadows Banzai Top Finishers
 
MEN SKI
1st Kyle Coxon
2nd Kyle Smaine
3rd Ben Paciotti
4th Cory Zila
 
WOMEN SKI
1st Shannon Rahlves
2nd Shelly Robertson
3rdAimee Doran
4th Allison Tanner

MEN SNOWBOARD
1st Jayson Hale
2nd Sylvain Duclos
3rd Bobby Minghini
4th Chris May

WOMEN SNOWBOARD
1st Casey Lucas
2nd Audrey Hebert
3rd Jenna Dramise
4th Iris Lazzareschi


Overall Points after Round 3 of 4
 
MEN SKI                    Points
1st Kyle Coxon               300
2nd Shawn McGee        205
3rd John Lange              113
4th Josh Anderson        77
5th Kyle Smaine             80

MEN SNOWBOARD
1st Sylvain Duclos          280
2nd Jayson Hale              260
3rd Bobby Minghini       170
3rd Lucas Dehmlow       139
5th Dillon Candelaria     120


WOMEN SKI                Points
1st Shannon Rahlves     280
1st Shelly Robertson      260
3rd Aimee Doran            155
4th Sara Black                  109
5th Allison Tanner           90

WOMEN SNOWBOARD
1st Casey Lucas                230
2nd Kiana Putman            190
3rd Audrey Hebert           190
4th Iris Lazzaraschi           150
5th Brithany Thompson  125


Registration is still open for the final event of the 2014 Rahlves' Banzai tour at Sugar Bowl, March 15-16th. For registration, videos, and more information, visit www.rahlvesbanzai.com.