U.S. Snowboard Team Member Luke Winkelmann to Host Special Snowboard Session on Saturday at App Ski Mountain

By Nathan Ham

Blowing Rock native and U.S. Snowboard Team member Luke Winkelmann will be making an appearance at Appalachian Ski Mountain on Saturday, January 5.

Winkelmann will be there from 3-5 p.m. and will be on the slopes from 3-4:30 p.m. before a special poster signing event inside the Alpine Ski Shop from 4:30-5 p.m.

The event is free to participate in and those in attendance will also be able to have their photos taken with Winkelmann during the snowboard session.

The teenager started snowboarding at the age of six at Appalachian Ski Mountain and has been an active competitor in snowboarding events since the age of nine.

Winkelmann had a big year in 2018, bringing home the silver medal in the big air event at the 2018 FIS Junior Freestyle Ski & Snowboard World Championships at Cardrona Alpine Resorts in New Zealand on August 26.

“It’s always good to see somebody local that’s really doing big things competing on a national level, it’s exciting for sure,” said Drew Stanley, the Director of Marketing for Appalachian Ski Mountain in a previous High Country Press article about Winkelmann. “Luke was always one of the first kids out in the morning and one of the last to pack it in. It’s been pretty cool to see him progress over the years.

Luke spends most of his time training in Breckenridge, Colorado but still makes trips home to see his family and spend some time at App Ski Mountain.

To keep up with Luke’s snowboarding career, be sure to follow him on Instagram @luke.winkelmann.