Gatorade have been doing some rad stuff with skate and snow in the States for a while and now they’re bringing the love to Australia as well. This year they’re sponsoring the Gatorade Rookie Award at the Dew Hut Jam. The winner will receive $4,000 prize money and a sweat test course conducted by the AIS. The award came about after Tim Laidlaw’s winning performance at last years event. The event is happening on July 31st at Mt Buller and it should be a rad night!
(Photos from 2009 Hut Jam by Mike Kearney)
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New award supports snowboarders on the up
Gatorade Rookie Award aims to find Australian snowboarding’s next big thing
It’s not easy making it as a pro, and a new award in an upcoming Australian snowboard contest aims to boost one lucky rider’s climb towards the top.
The Gatorade Rookie Award, part of the Dew Hut Jam 2010 at Mount Buller, supports one up and coming young snowboard star-to-be who will receive a $4k cash prize and the opportunity to undergo sweat testing that is analysed by the Australian Institute of Sport.
At the 2009 Dew Hut Jam 15-year-old Tim Laidlaw, the youngest competitor in the field, won the contest alongside Quiksilver teammate Nate Perry. Laidlaw’s performance on the snow was the inspiration for the new Gatorade Rookie Award, which rewards a rider who demonstrates huge potential and the determination to make it as a pro.
“If you want to turn pro, a snowboarder in Australia has to travel all year round and do back-to-back winters. The seasons here are sweet but short, but in the end its year-round riding that gets the young up and comers to the top of the stack,” says Rider Representative and Snow Event Curator Russell Holt.
“A good sponsorship and monetary support will go a long way for a kid’s future in Australian snowboarding. It’s great to know companies like Gatorade are stepping up to the plate in snowboarding and supporting the future of snowboarding,” he says.
In addition to year-round riding, snowboarders also understand how much factors like hydration can affect their performance on the snow. The Gatorade Rookie Award is about helping riders find ways to get the mental and physical edge.
In the sweat test component of the award, the winner will undergo sweat testing in training conditions. The Gatorade Rookie will be following in the footsteps of many high profile traditional sports athletes such as members of the Australian Cricket Team and NRL players. The test results are used to optimise performance by developing a personalised fluid replacement plan.
The Gatorade Rookie Award is part of the Dew Hut Jam, which will see 15 teams of top Australian riders competing for a total prize purse of $19k.
