by Jake Maddox
“What about you?” I asked.
Ana shrugged. “I prefer the downhill, I guess,” she said. “It’s cool.”
We watched Sofie take one last trick off the lip. It was a perfect 360 with a front grab. I was impressed.
Sofie stuck the landing perfectly and then slid out the bottom of the pipe. Ana and I coasted down to meet her.
“That was great, Sofie,” I said. “You’ve gotten so much better at the half-pipe!”
“Thanks,” she replied. Then she looked at the big clock over the chair lift. “We better get to the lodge,” Sofie said, turning to Ana. “We need to get our names on the list for the Cup.”
“Oh, yeah!” Ana said. “Sign-up starts at ten this morning.”
The two of them turned and glided toward the lodge. I watched them for a minute.
“I can’t believe I’m not going to be in the Cup,” I muttered to myself. Then I turned and followed my friends to the lodge.
By the time I got to the lodge and took off my board and helmet, my friends were standing in front of the sign-up list. I walked up and stood behind them.
“There,” Sofie said, putting down the pen. “I’m ready for the Cup.”
Ana picked up the pen and scrawled her name on the sign-up list. “Me too,” Ana said.
Sofie nodded. “This will be my year!” she said happily.
Then Sofie turned and saw me standing behind her. She took a breath and sighed. “Tess,” Sofie said. “This is dumb.”
“What is?” I asked. For some reason, I couldn’t look her in the eye.
Sofie laughed. “You know what,” she said. I felt her arm around my shoulder.
“I was being a big baby,” Sofie went on. Then she said to Ana, “Give me that pen.”
Ana glanced at me, and I shrugged. She picked up the pen and handed it to Sofie.
“Thank you,” Sofie said. Then she scribbled something on the sign-up list. “There.”
“What did you do?” I asked. I looked over her shoulder. She had written my name on the sign-up list!
“Sofie!” I said. “But I promised not to be in the Cup this year.”
“I know,” Sofie replied. She picked up her helmet and snowboard. “But like I said, that was dumb.”
I smiled at her. “Thanks, Sofie,” I said. “And to be honest, you’re so good on that half-pipe now, I’m pretty worried about my chances anyway.”
Sofie laughed. “Then we better get out there and practice,” she said. “You don’t want to embarrass yourself.”
Chapter 8
DOWNHILL RACE
The Cup began on Saturday morning. The bottom of the slope was covered in different colored flags to show where the different groups should gather. My group’s flag was yellow and had a big “11 to 13” on it.
There were ten girls competing in our group. Of course, we knew most of the other girls. They had all been at Grizzly Mountain since we were little.
There were a few girls we didn’t know. We figured they were probably from River City. I wondered if someday I’d know them better than I know Sofie and Ana.
A woman walked up to our flag. I recognized her from the last season.
“Hi, girls,” she said. “I’m Angie, and I’m in charge of your group for the Cup.”
“Hi, Angie,” we all replied at once. A few of us giggled.
Angie leaned toward me. “I’m glad to see you here, Tess,” she said. “Can’t have the Cup without our champ!”
I smiled. “Thanks, Angie,” I said.
“Okay, so as most of you know,” Angie said, “the Cup is two events. A downhill race, and the half-pipe.”
Angie looked at the clock. “We’ll be doing the downhill first, in about ten minutes,” she said. “So get loosened up, get your gear on, and get in line for the lift.”
Ana raised her hand. “What trail are we running?” she asked. “I mean, for the race part.”
“Hairpins and Needles this year,” Angie replied. “Should be a good race!”
Soon, the ten of us, and Angie, were at the top of the mountain.
We were all set to start the race. We were lined up on a thick black line that had been painted right on the snow.
“Remember, the girl in first gets five points,” Angie went on. “Second place gets four points, and third place gets three points.”
“What about the pipe?” asked one of the girls I didn’t know.
“The pipe will be scored by the judges,” Angie said. “The highest possible score is five. So the total score to aim for is ten.”
“What did you get when you won last year?” a girl asked me.
I know I blushed then. “Um, I got 8.8,” I said.
“Tess is the best on the mountain,” Sofie said, throwing her arm around me.
I shook my head. “Not this year,” I said.
“Okay, girls,” Angie said. “Let’s do this!”
We all cheered.
“Ready,” Angie announced, “set . . . go!”
We all shot off the starting line.
Hairpins and Needles is one of the trickiest trails on Grizzly Mountain. It’s full of really sharp turns and sudden steep drops. I love it.
Around the first curve, Ana, Sofie, and I were really close. At one point, we could have reached out and grabbed each other’s hands. We reached the first jump at the same time and launched together.
“Woo!” Ana called out. Sofie and I laughed.
“We’re totally winning!” Sofie called out. I could hardly hear her over the rushing air and the sound of our boards on the snow.
It was a great run. But before long, we reached the top of the last steep drop. The finish line was at the bottom. I could see a small crowd gathered around.
I leaned and cut sharp into the snow. I’m usually faster on these downhill races than Sofie and Ana.
I glanced over my shoulder. Sofie was close behind me, and Ana was close behind her. I saw a few other girls coming over the last lip, not far behind Ana.
In a split second, I was across the finish line. With my arms in the air, I cut sharply to stop, sending a spray of fluffy snow in front of me. Sofie and Ana finished right after I did.
A voice crackled over the slope loudspeaker. “In the girls 11 to 13 group,” the voice said, “the winner is last year’s Cup champ, Tess Harris, with five points!”
Sofie and Ana were at my side. They each gave me a high five.
“In second with four points, Sofie Waller,” the voice went on, “and that’s three points to Ana Moore for third place.”
“Good job, Tess,” Sofie said. “But watch your back on that half-pipe!” she added with a smile.
“Oh, I will,” I replied.
The truth was, I didn’t even care about winning. For the first time since I came back to Winterfall, we were all happy.
Chapter 9
THE PIPE
We took a break for lunch (with lots of cocoa). Then the girls from our group met with Angie at the top of the half-pipe.
“Here’s the fun part, girls,” Angie announced. “Time to really show off.”
“Who are the judges?” a girl asked.
Angie pointed at a long table near the bottom of the pipe. There were four people sitting at the table.
“Those are the judges,” Angie said. “They are the head of the patrol, the head of the ski school, the winner of last year’s adult Cup, and the owner of the resort.”
Sofie whistled. “Wow,” she said.
“Yeah, they’re a good group of skiers and snowboarders,” Angie said. “They definitely know their stuff. So do your best out there!”
With that, Angie called out the first to hit the half-pipe. It wasn’t anyone we knew well.
The girl dropped into the pipe and started her routine. She didn’t fall or anything, but none of her tricks were hard.
“Boring,” Sofie whispered to me and Ana. “You have to try tougher tricks than those.”
The judges took a few moments,
then showed her score: 2.5. Not bad, but not good enough to win.
Ana went next. She must have really listened to Sofie. She went for a 360 on her very first trick.
She made it, but almost fell. Sofie and I cheered like crazy.
“Good job, Ana!” I called out.
After her turn, the judges held up a 3.1. We went crazy cheering.
“She beat her score from last year,” I pointed out.
Next it was my turn. I hopped over to the top of the pipe.
“Whenever you’re ready,” Angie said with smile.
I pulled on my goggles and clipped into my board. Then, with a nod to Angie, I dropped in.
Right away, I pulled off a smooth grab with a lot of air. The landing was perfect.
On the next trick, I decided to go for a 360. But I wobbled on the landing, just like Ana had.
I guess I was a little out of practice from being in River City. After all, there’s not a mountain there that I can practice on every day.
To end my run, I pulled off a couple of clean 180s and then glided out the bottom of the half-pipe.
After cutting into a stop, I turned to face the judges and pulled off my goggles and helmet. I knew I’d done okay, but not great.
The judges lifted my score card: 3.3. That wasn’t as good as last year’s score.
Still, it was pretty good. To beat me, Sofie would have to score better than a 4.3. I was pretty sure she could do it.
A few more girls took their turns. Sofie went last on the pipe. The highest score in our group had been 3.5. That meant Sofie’s turn in the pipe would have to be pretty amazing.
From the bottom, Ana and I watched her drop in. She hit the first trick with a lot of speed.
“Wow,” I said. “She wasn’t even doing her best the other day, huh?”
Ana shook her head. “Nah,” she said. “That was just for fun. She’s really amazing on the pipe now.”
And she was. Sofie’s first trick was a 360 front grab. She stuck it perfectly. Everyone cheered like mad.
She did trick after trick. She didn’t wobble. She looked confident. She just kept impressing us.
Once, she got so much air she was able to grab the back of her board and pull it up almost to her helmet. It was amazing.
When Sofie came out of the pipe, it sounded like the whole resort was cheering for her. I know Ana and I sure were!
It only took about a second for the judges to hold up their score card. Sofie got a 4.9!
“Sofie!” I called out, running over to her. I threw my arms around her neck. “That was amazing!”
She hugged me back. “Thanks, Tess,” Sofie said, smiling. “But I’m just glad you were here to be with me.”
I smiled back. “Me too,” I said.
A voice crackled over the loudspeaker. “With a record score of 4.9 on the pipe, and a total score of 8.9 for the competition,” the voice said, “the winner for the girls 11 to 13 group is Sofie Waller!”
Angie came running over. She was carrying the trophy.
It was the same one I got to hold up for the last few years. But not this year.
“Congratulations, Sofie,” Angie said. “I’ve been watching you on the pipe this season. You really deserved to win.” She handed Sofie the trophy. Then she walked away.
“You really did deserve to win,” I told Sofie. “Even with me in the Cup too.”
“Thanks for making sure I figured that out,” Sofie replied.
Sofie took my hand and held the trophy up. The crowd cheered. It felt like they were cheering for me too.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Eric Stevens lives in St. Paul, Minnesota. He is studying to become a middle-school English teacher. Some of his favorite things include pizza, playing video games, watching cooking shows on TV, riding his bike, and trying new restaurants. Some of his least favorite things include olives and shoveling snow.
ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR
When Tuesday Mourning was a little girl, she knew she wanted to be an artist when she grew up. Now, she is an illustrator who lives in Knoxville, Tennessee. She especially loves illustrating books for kids and teenagers. When she isn’t illustrating, Tuesday loves spending time with her husband, who is an actor, and their son, Atticus.
GLOSSARY
compete (kuhm-PEET)—try to win
confident (KON-fuh-duhnt)—having a strong belief in your own abilities
embarrass (em-BA-ruhss)—make someone feel awkward and uncomfortable
half-pipe (HAF PIPE)—a U-shaped ramp with a flat section in the middle
lift (LIFT)—a device that carries skiers or snowboarders up a mountain
lodge (LOJ)—at a ski resort, a place to warm up
recognize (REK-ugh-nize)—to know who someone is
resort (ri-ZORT)—a place where people go for rest and relaxation
reunion (ree-YOON-yuhn)—a meeting between people who haven’t seen each other for a long time
MORE ABOUT
SNOWBOARDING GEAR
Want to get started snowboarding? Here’s what you need.
* A BOARD. Check out ski and surf shops in your area. If you’re looking for something cheaper, try searching online or in your local newspaper for a used board — you might find a great board for less cash.
* FOOTWEAR. You will need special snowboarding boots. They can be expensive, so a good pair of boots is another thing to look for in secondhand stores. You’ll want a high-quality pair to keep your toes warm and safely secured to your board!
* GOGGLES. Going fast down snowy slopes can make the icy wind really dry out your eyes — goggles will help keep them moist, and keep the snow out of them.
* BINDINGS. These keep your boots strapped to your board. Buy them wherever you buy your boots.
* OUTDOOR CLOTHING. You’re going to be snowboarding in lots of snow — you’ll need to stay warm! You will want to be wearing ski pants. You’ll also want a snowboarding jacket, which is longer than a traditional ski coat. To make sure you’re comfortable, wear lots of layers under your outerwear.
* A HELMET. This isn’t necessarily required, but you’ll feel more comfortable knowing your noggin is safe.
* GLOVES. Snowboard shops sell them, but you can buy gloves anywhere — as long as they’re waterproof.
Not ready to buy? You can rent most of these things at the snowboarding hill.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Why was Sofie upset when Tess returned to Winterfall? What else could Tess have done to find out what was wrong?
What are some good ways to cope when you or a friend move away? How can you stay in touch while you’re apart?
At the end of this book, Sofie wins. What do you think would have happened if Tess had won? How would the story be different?
WRITING PROMPTS
Try writing chapter 3 from Sofie’s point of view. What does she think and feel? What does she hear and see?
Pretend you’re Tess. Write a letter to Sofie and Ana after you leave Winterfall and return home to River City after the GMR Cup.
What do you think happens after this book ends? Write another chapter of this book that picks up where this book leaves off. What happens next?
OTHER BOOKS BY JAKE MADDOX
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Jake Maddox Books are published by Stone Arch Books,
A Capstone Imprint
1710 Roe Crest Drive,
North Mankato, Minnesota 56003
www.capstonepub.com
Copyright © 2010 by Stone Arch Books
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced
in whole or in part, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any
form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording,
or otherwise, without written permission of the publisher.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Maddox, Jake.
Half-pipe prize / by Jake Maddox ; text by Eric Stevens ; illustrated by Tuesday Mourning.
p. cm. — (Impact books. A Jake Maddox sports story)
ISBN 978-1-4342-1607-6 (library binding)
ISBN 978-1-4342-8912-4 (eBook)
[1. Snowboarding—Fiction.] I. Stevens, Eric, 1974- II. Mourning, Tuesday, ill. III. Title.
PZ7.M25643Hal 2010
[Fic]—dc22
2009004071
Summary:
When Tess moved away from Winterfall, she left her two best friends, Ana and Sofie, behind. She’s traveling back to surprise them and to take part in the yearly snowboarding competition. Ana is glad to see her, but Sofie acts strange as soon as Tess returns.
Creative Director: Heather Kindseth
Graphic Designer: Emily Harris
Photo Credit: Shutterstock Images/Close Encounters Photography, cover (background)