Three young local snowboarders to compete in Burton Open Junior Jam

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Snowboarders Sumner Orr of Weston, Connor Cavanagh of Windham and Tommy Okesson of Connecticut will be representing Southern Vermont as they head to Vail, Colo., next week to participate in the Burton U.S. Open Junior Jam. This is the first time the Junior Jam that three riders from Southern Vermont will be competing.

The Junior Jam is a halfpipe, invitation-only competition and, this year, Burton selected 16 of the top boy and eight of the top girl riders from around the globe, ages 14 and under. Besides the United States, riders hail from China, Japan and New Zealand.

Sumner is a 13-year-old 8th grader at Flood Brook School and the Okemo Mountain School. After several years on skis, at age 7, he learned to snowboard at Bromley Mountain in the Jets program. At the age of 8, Sumner began competing with the Okemo Mountain Snowboard team in the Southern Vermont Series, one of 31 regions in the USA Snowboard and Freeski Association.

At the 2019, U.S. nationals, he earned a silver medal in Boarder cross,  a bronze in Slalom, and 5th place in Slope Style, earning him 4th overall. He is currently ranked No. 1 in the country in Snowboard Breaker Boys, ages 12-13. Sumner loves to compete in halfpipe and is sponsored by Donek Snowboards and Demon United.

Connor is a 14-year-old freshman at Stratton Mountain School, who has been riding since he was 2 and competing since he was 6 in the Southern Vermont Series.  When the Burton Junior Jam was an open event, Connor competed in it when he was 6.

Connor is currently ranked No. 1 in the country in Snowboard Youth Boys, ages 14-15. He also is ranked No. 1 in the country in halfpipe for his age group. Connor is sponsored by Rome Snowboards, Smith, DC and Blackstrap.

Tommy is a 12-year-old 7th grader at Rochambeau Middle School in his hometown of Southbury. He has been riding since the age of 4 and started competing with the Okemo Mountain Snowboard Team at the age of 6 in the Southern Vermont Series.

Consistently a top rider in his age group, this will be Tommy’s 3rd time representing Okemo at the Open Junior Jam. At the 2019 U.S. Nationals, Tommy earned silver in Halfpipe and silver in Slopestyle. Tommy is sponsored by Darkside.

Sumner, Connor and Tommy are friends who love snowboarding and embody the spirit of the sport through their camaraderie and support of their teammates.

The competition will take place at noon EST on Tuesday, Feb. 25 and will be broadcast live on BurtonUSOpen.com.