Snowboard Champ by Matt Christopher, Paul Mantell

lift at the top of the ramp slope.
    And there was Riley Hammett, waiting for them. He wore a bright yellow outfit with a sign saying 8/2 plastered to his chest and back. To his left, Matt saw Perkins wearing 8/1. They were all here. It was time to do what he’d come here to do.
    The contest officials gathered them together. “We’re on a tight schedule,” said Mr. Evans, Matt’s home-room teacher, who was serving as chief judge of the contest. “Got to get you out of here by eleven so the sixth graders can come in. So you’ll each have approximately one minute to prepare for each jump. You’ll go at the sound of the whistle.” He blew it to let them know what it sounded like.
    Sally raised her hands in frustration. “I can’t hear that,” she said.
    “Well, I’m sorry, young lady, but —”
    “Listen,” Matt broke in, “why don’t you give a hand signal, too, so
everybody
gets it?”
    Mr. Evans thought for a moment, then said, “Very well. That sounds like a good idea. I’ll go like this.” He brought his arm down in a comical way that made all the contestants laugh.
    It was the last time any of them would laugh until the contest was over. And not all of them would be laughing then, either.
    “You get one practice jump each,” Mr. Evans said. They went in order, with 8/1 going first. Perkins had obviously been practicing. He did a very nice jump with a smooth landing. Nothing fancy, but then, everyone would be saving his or her best jump for the actual contest. Riley was next. He did a spectacular grab in midjump and landed so smoothly, barely any snow was disturbed. “Just to show everyone who’s boss,” Matt muttered under his breath.
    Then he remembered to take his mind off Riley and keep it on himself and the mountain. He missed Sally’s practice jump because he was concentrating on his preparation, but he did hear the cheer that went up from the bottom of the jump, where the crowd was gathered. So. She was good . . . .
    Never mind. Just me and the mountain.
Matt stared down the ramp to the jump-off point, then slid into his ride. He let the jump come to him and took the air easily, relaxing into it. At the top, he felt a rush of exhilaration. He knew he’d never jumped this high before. Immediately, he pulled his concentration back onto the landing, which he made with just a little wobble.
    Okay. He was ready.
Bring it on!
he thought.
Here comes Snowboard Champ.
    Now the contest began in earnest. They were to jump in the same order the first time, then shuffle the order so it would be fair to everyone.
    On the first jump, Perkins fell badly. At first, Matt thought he’d been hurt, but he got up slowly and made his way back to the lift for another run.
    Riley repeated his midair grab and landed perfectly, putting on the pressure. Again, Matt missed Sally’s jump because he was busy getting ready for his own. Again, he heard the cheers, which seemed even louder than those for Riley.
    Matt had chosen to do a chicken salad for an appetizer, then give them the roast beef for the main entrée. For dessert, it would be a 360 and his own Combination Special. That is, he’d do it that way unless circumstances changed. If Riley should happen to, oh, say, break his leg, then . . .
    Me and the mountain . . . me and the mountain . . .
Again, Matt had to force himself back into focus. He made his jump, but it wasn’t quite as good as his practice jump. When the scores went up after the first round, he was in third place behind Sally and Riley.
    Wait a minute —
Sally was in first place?
    This time she went first, and he watched her jump — a high-flying 180 half-cab. She landed fakie and thrust her fists into the air. Even Matt found himself cheering, although he noticed that Riley wasn’t.
    Riley’s second jump was also a half-cab. Midjump, he boned it, straightening out one leg and grabbing the board with one hand. He landed perfectly and waved to acknowledge the applause from below.
    Matt stuck