2013 Dirksen Derby draws 500-plus riders to Mt. Bachelor, raises over $20,000 for Tyler Ecklund [GALLERY]

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The 2013 Dirksen Derby has come and gone. If you weren’t there better luck next time. If you were, how fun was that! For the last six years Josh Dirksen has thrown a miniature Baker Banked Slalom type event up at his home mountain of Mt. Bachelor. The event was created for two reasons: One was to have as much fun as you can on a snowboard and the second was to raise money for Tyler Eklund, a fellow shredder who took a hard slam a few years ago severely injuring his neck, resulting in the loss of body movement from the neck down.

This years course was 100% hand built by Josh and friends and featured 12 vertical banked turns and a even a 10 foot double. There was also a “green line” down the course, which was the more all-natural course of about 12 turns made for anyone else who wanted to take the easy style way down.

Five hundred snowboarders, sit skiers, and split boarders showed up to donate $35 bucks for Tyler and shred one of the funnest courses around. When the dust settled over $20,000 dollars was raised for Tyler and and a great time was had by all in attendance. So next year when you hear rumors of a 8th annual Dirksen Derby make sure to mark your calendar and get online to register then get ready to go fast down the slowest and most fun course you’ve ever shredded.

A big thanks to the Bonefire/Salomon, Dakine, Scott, Sideffect Snowboard Shop, Exit, Skjersaa’s, Parrilla, Rebound Physical Therapy, Deck Tech and Oregon Adaptive Sports for sponsoring and donating prizes to help make this event a success.