Mountain Dew Vertical Challenge
The Mountain Dew Vertical Challenge (abbreviated MDVC) began in 1991 and is a series of free casual ski and snowboard races held on mountains throughout the northeast during each winter season, sponsored by Mountain Dew. Skiers and snowboarders are divided by gender and age group to compete for gold, silver, and bronze medals in each category. In addition to the race, prizes are given away throughout the day at a mountain for various reasons.
Event description
The MDVC is scheduled at many different ski resorts during each season. On the day of the event, participants fill out registration forms to sign up for the race in a certain category and receive a racing bib with a number on it. A white long-sleeved t-shirt is given as a bonus to the first 100 people who register. Registration begins at 8:00 AM, but there is usually a line at the desk prior to this so people can ensure they receive a shirt.
After registering, skiers and snowboarders can later begin racing on the trail where the racecourse is set up. This trail is usually rated green (easier) or blue (more difficult) so racers of all abilities can participate. The line for the race builds early, as well, as some prefer to race with more snow on the course rather than slipping on ice which develops later. Usually there are two courses, red and green, set up next to each other to keep the line moving quickly, but when there is not enough room, one course with alternating red and green flags is used.
Also, during the day, free Mountain Dew is given away from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM, stopping one hour for the high-traffic lunch time, so mountains can sell their own beverages, then resuming at 1:00 PM until everything is given away. During the noon hour, various types of games are played for prizes, including sucking Mountain Dew out of a baby bottle, eating crackers then trying to whistle, untying a frozen t-shirt, and searching for a piece of bubble gum in whipped cream then blowing a bubble. Small prizes such as jackets, shirts, or sweatshirts are given away to the top finishers in these games.
When racing is over, the results are tabulated for each category of racer so awards can be given out. Before this time, however, prizes are given away in a lodge at the mountain, or rarely outside if the weather is nice, during the "Vertical Victory Party." At many locations, the MDVC staff, the "Dew Crew," sells raffle tickets for certain prizes. These tickets cost $5 for an "arm's length," usually 12, and raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. After several prizes are raffled off according to these tickets, many of the other prizes are given away by racing bib number or the awards are given away. Sometimes, all of the other prizes are saved until after the awards, as many people want to receive their awards and leave, therefore giving better odds to win for the people who stay because one has to be there to win. When a number is called and the person is not present, a chant that goes through the crowd is, "Going once, going twice, see ya!" The Dew Crew also starts the chant of "Mountain Dew!" to get people excited about the skis or snowboard being given away.
Schedule
| Registration | 8:00 AM – 11:00 AM |
|---|---|
| Race | 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM |
| Prizes & Awards | 2:30 PM – 4:00 PM |
Awards
Awards are given to the top three racers in each category. First place receives a gold medal, second gets silver, and bronze goes to third. Everybody who receives an award qualifies to go to the finals to race again at the end of the season. As the events go on throughout the season, fourth place or worse finishers can qualify if a person ahead of them on that day has already qualified for the finals. Generally, the qualifiers are also given bronze medals. Pictures are usually taken of anybody who wins a medal, if one so desires, and these are posted under the MDVC section of SnoCountry.com, along with other pictures of the race and events during the day.
Categories
Originally, the categories for snowboarders had broader age differentials, but as snowboarding became more popular, the categories for skiers and snowboarders are now the same. Each age group is divided as follows into four different categories based on skier or snowboarder and male or female: age 6 and younger, age 7-9, age 10-12, age 13-14, age 15-17, age 18-25, age 26-35, age 36-45, age 46-55, age 56-65, age 66-70, age 71-75, and age 76 and older.
Special awards
A special award that is given to two different children at each event is the Dewey Bear. This is awarded based on which young child the Dew Crew sees trying hard during the race, possibly falling, along with other qualitative aspects, such as cuteness or first time participating. The children who receive this award generally do not place high enough for a medal in their category unless there are not enough other competitors to beat them. The Dewey Bear recipients qualify for the finals along with the medal winners during the season. In addition, anybody who has won a Dewey Bear during any season of the MDVC is eligible to go to the finals to enter into a drawing for a Mama and Papa Bear which are each six feet tall. Additionally, in 2007, Chewey Dog was added, carrying the same qualifications of Dewey. Therefore, at most events, only one Dewey is given away along with one Chewey.
Two other awards that are given separate from the medals are the skier and snowboarder trophies. These are a couple of carved, bronze-colored trophies with the appropriate athlete on them for who receives each one. While these used to be given away to the fastest skier and snowboarder, and sometimes still take that role, they have taken on almost the same qualifications as the Dewey Bears, with the exception that these can be given away to an older racer.
Prizes
Many of the prizes given away are from the Pepsi company, the maker of Mountain Dew, with most prizes having a Mountain Dew or "MD" logo on them. These include black hats, various t-shirts, black sweatshirts, black bags, black arm bands, and green Völkl skis. Other prizes that can be won, which come from the various sponsors, are a cooler, a Marker helmet, skis, and a Burton snowboard. Past prizes included an Ovo helmet, a Bearcrafter ski rack for a car, airplane tickets, a sports locker, and a satellite dish.
Season schedule
The 2013–14 schedule is as printed at skiverticalchallenge.com.