![Grom's Take Over As Capita's Minor Threat Contest Hits Steven's Pass [Photo Gallery]](/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/groms-take-over-capitas-minor-threat-contest-hits-stevens-pass-photo-gallery-186519.jpeg)
Steven’s Pass played host to the fifth incarnation of the Capita Minor Threat snowboard comp for kids this week. Johan Malkoski of Capita explained it best, “I started this comp five years so my kids could win”. That theme still permeates this event with Yohan’s kids dominating in their age classes with Milo taking the 13-14 cat and Mac “WeGnar” taking second in 11-12. Blunt honesty aside, the Minor Threat is the longest standing grom-specific contest in the PNW if not all of North America. Each year as Milo grows, the age limit bumps up and a new category is created making more room for the kids to grow with the event.
A creative format has all the riders drop-in for two judged seeding runs through the slope course with the top eight in each category qualifying to shoot it out in grom on grom ladders. Quarters, semis and finals have the kids match up with an opponent for one run with the best score advancing to the next round. The snow wrestling match before the awards and Johan’s heckling of the parents make for more entertainment value than your average slope event. The best quip over the megaphone was Malkoski telling parents, “This is no boys and girls club event, not everyone is going home with a trophy”. The podium however did go home stacked with swag from Capita, Union, POW Gloves and Coal Headwear, as well as the now iconic Zombie Hand trophies.
Though the Canadians lost the snow wrestling to the huskier US groms, the podium had Canucks well represented with Truth Smith taking top spot in 9-10,with his sidekick Caleb Chomlack in third. In the hotly contested 11-12 age group, Finn Finestone took top spot on the box representing his strong counterparts who battled hard through the ladders, Jadyn Chomlack, Brendan Keuling and Zack Harmon.
Rumour has it the Threat might go on the road next winter with a few tour stops across both great nations. If you plan to attend with a grom faction, you better get going on your bag of tricks and your jiujitsu skills early, its a jungle out there.
Check out the video recap of the event:
