Rick BissonCarrabassett Valley, ME — Study any profession and you’ll discover a list of physical and behavior characteristics that categorize the top achievers. A 6’ 4”, 225 pound basketball player with quick feet and determination has a great chance of success. In Snowboardcross our own Seth Wescott’s winnings in the international field are a hint that his 6’3”, 190 pound body combined with his strength as an all-around rider are ideal for the aggressive, physically demanding sport.

At the young age of 18, Coplin Plantation’s Alex Tuttle carries the stature and aggressive riding style of his mentor, Wescott. Side-by-side Tuttle and Wescott’s bios are similar. Tuttle may not have an Olympic Gold Medal, 6 X-Games medals, World Championship title and World Cup podiums on his bio but he is building a resume that catches the eye of any sports enthusiast. Dominating the USASA Maine Mountain Series Boardercross events for the past several years, Alex won his age division at USASA Nationals last year, gaining him a spot on the PacSun Snowboard Team.  In addition to USASA competitions Tuttle and his CVA team have been chasing FIS points and podiums in USSA Revolution Tour and NorAm events for the past three years. Accumulating experience and gathering success in these FIS events qualified Tuttle to compete shoulder-to-shoulder with Olympic Gold Medalists and World Cup riders at Grand Prix events at Tamarack Resort in Idaho and at Boreal Resort.

Combine the results above with a podium spot at the most recent Revolution Tour at Mt. Hood Meadows in Oregon and it’s a natural to understand why Tuttle was selected to represent the United States at the 2009 FIS Junior World Championships in Nagano, Japan. According to his CVA coach, Chris Clark, “The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) select only the most qualified athletes with the greatest opportunities for winning medals at Junior World Championships and future championships. Alex will be competing at Juniors against the top Boardercross athletes born between 1989-1993.”
Does he have the right stuff to follow in the footsteps of CVA greats like Wescott? It appears that he does have many of the key ingredients and his continued success is affording him opportunities to take on the international world of Boardercross March 1-8.

ABOUT CVA – Founded in 1982, CVA is a fully accredited co-educational boarding school for grades eight thru post-graduate located at the base of Sugarloaf/USA. The Academy’s mission is to foster individual student development by providing the optimum balance of excellence in athletic training with a focus on skiing/snowboarding, college preparatory academics, and responsible living. Notable alumni include: Olympians Seth Wescott (gold medalist in snowboardcross in 2006); Bode Miller (two silver medals in 2002); Brenda Petzold (bronze medal in 1998); Kirsten Clark, and Emily Cook.  In twenty five years CVA has produced 11 Olympians, 72 National Titles, 18 NCAA and USCSA All-Americans, two overall alpine world cup title, four individual alpine world cup titles, 26 national team members, and six world champions.

Photo of Alex Tuttle leading his way to 1^st place at 2008 USASA Nationals