Snowboard Champ by Matt Christopher, Paul Mantell Page A

with his plan. His chicken salad was second nature to him now, and he needed to feel comfortable in what he was doing. Later in the contest, if he fell behind, he would pull out all the stops.
    He lifted off perfectly again — the result of his constant practicing — and in midjump, he decided to add a little waggle, just for effect. The whoop of appreciation he got when he landed told him it had gone over big-time.
    Sure enough, the leaderboard had bunched up. Perkins brought up the rear after his first-round fall, even though his second jump had been clean. The other three were neck and neck going into the third round.
    Riley was first this time, and he brought out the big gun — the 360 turn. He wobbled a little on the landing, though, and Matt sensed an opening. For the third time, he had to remind himself to shut the other boarders out of his thoughts. He would stick with his plan and do the roast beef. There would be time for a 360 on his last jump.
    He took off, started his jump, and hit the ramp edge just right. Boy, he was getting a lot of height today! Then, in midjump, he realized he’d gotten
too much
height. Thinking quickly, he tucked his head under, forcing his body into a somersault. Dizzy, staring at the snow from upside down, he navigated himself into landing position by feel alone — and hit it!
    With some flailing, he managed somehow not to fall. The shouts of the onlookers rang in his ears — or maybe it was just the blood pounding, driven by his racing heart. He had improvised in midjump and landed something so spectacular not even Uncle Clayton had thought of it! A full head-over-heels somersault!
    The leaderboard now showed him at the top, and by a comfortable margin. Riley was really going to have to do something amazing and stick it on the landing, too.
    Sally shook her head at him in amazement. “Where have
you
been hiding?” she asked admiringly.
    “It was a total accident,” Matt told her truthfully.
    “Yeah, right,” she said with a laugh. “You’re awesome!”
    “Well, thanks,” Matt said humbly. He knew there was still one jump to go. He still had to land it to win.
    He did. His 360 was a little short, but he hit the ground with no problem. Safe at the bottom, he watched as Riley prepared for his last jump.
    Even from down here, Matt could see the tension in Riley’s body as he pushed off. He took off into the air and tried to do what Matt had done — a full somersault. Matt held his breath. Could Riley land the dangerous jump?
    No. Riley wiped out on his landing and lay there motionless. The contest officials rushed as fast as they could through the snow toward him, but when they got there, Riley was already on his feet, pushing them away. Matt realized that Riley wasn’t hurt, he was just furious. He’d been beaten in one part of the competition. The half-pipe was his only chance to save his reputation.
    Sally had come in second in the jumps. “You were incredible,” she told him as they walked together over to the half-pipe area.
    “Thanks,” he said. “I appreciate that, coming from you.”
    “What do you mean?” she asked, looking ready to be hurt.
    “I mean, you’re an awesome boarder,” he said.
    She brightened instantly. “Really?”
    “Come on,” he said. “You know you’re good.”
    She shrugged adorably. “I guess. Anyway, good luck.”
    “You, too.” They shook hands. “Hey,” he said, hanging on to her hand. “You . . . want to go boarding sometime?”
    “You mean, just us?”
    “Yeah, you know . . . ”
    “Sure!”
    “Cool.” He stuck his hands back into his pockets.
Yeah, Sally was all right,
he thought. So what if she wore a hearing aid? She was cool. And man, could she snowboard!
    Perkins went first on the practice run. He took air a couple of times, but Matt could see he was discouraged. Matt was sorry to see it. If more kids had entered the contest, kids who maybe weren’t as good as the three of them, Perkins wouldn’t have