Demos

Donek Days at the USASA 2026 Nationals: Growing Snowboarding One Turn at a Time

Posted on by Katie Tsuyuki
10
Apr

Donek Days at the USASA 2026 Nationals have officially wrapped up—and what a week it was. Over 10 days on snow, the Donek Snowboards crew brought together athletes, builders, ambassadors, coaches, parents, and USASA officials for one of the most impactful snowboard demos of the season.

Building Momentum for Alpine Snowboarding

This year’s Donek Demo was about more than just showcasing boards—it was about growing the sport. With over 450 waivers signed for general use and 50+ riders (kids and adults) getting on alpine setups for the first time, the stoke was undeniable.

A huge shoutout goes to Sean Zhang, Ethan Edwards, and everyone who supported the Alpine tent. Their work—alongside Ethan and Diesel from the Donek build team—kept everything running smoothly while introducing new riders to carving. The best part? Every single first-timer came back smiling.

A Community-Driven Event

One of the highlights of the week was the team dinner at Sauce, where the Donek community came together to celebrate. The night featured inspiring speeches from:

  • Olympian Katie Tsuyuki
  • Donek owner Sean Martin
  • Master carver Ryan Knapton
  • Carving legend Bernie Konraddy (73 years young and still ripping)

The evening wrapped up the way it always should—with a full team photo and a shared sense of what makes this community so special.

Donek Athletes Deliver at Nationals

Donek riders showed up strong across multiple disciplines. Here are our team’s results from the 2026 USASA Nationals:

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Reese Moryn (Open Women)

  • National Champion – Boardercross

Kayley Warren (Grommet Girls)

  • 1st – Halfpipe
  • 1st – Giant Slalom
  • 1st – Slalom
  • 3rd – Slopestyle
  • 4th – Boardercross
  • 1st – Overall Racing
  • 3rd – Overall Freestyle

Charlotte Proctor (Breaker Girls 13-14)

  • 2nd- Giant Slalom
  • 3rd- Slalom
  • 7th- Boardercross 
  • 3rd Overall Racing Breaker Girl

Piper Beach (Breaker Girls 13-14 Girls)

  • 1st – Slalom
  • 5th Giant Slalom

Brianna Cook (Menehune Girls 11-12)

  • 2nd- Giant Slalom
  • 4rd- Slalom
  • 2th- Boardercross
  • 2nd – Halfpipe
  • 4th – Slopesyle
  • 9th – Railjam 
  • 2nd Overall Race and Style

Lily Cook (Breaker Girls 13-14)

  • 7th- Giant Slalom
  • 8rd- Slalom
  • 8th- Boardercross
  • 1st – Halfpipe
  • 21st – Slopesyle

Zaria Steeves (Breaker Girls 13-14)

  • 3rd- Giant Slalom
  • 4th- Slalom
  • 3rd- Boardercross
  • Donek SBX Fastest Time of the Day
  • 2nd – Overall
  • Love Like Cody Grant Ambassador 

Ethan Edwards (Youth Men 15–16)

  • 12th – Giant Slalom
  • 13th – Slalom

Jax Allen (Youth Men 15–16)

  • 8th – Overall
  • 10th – Boardercross
  • 11th – Slalom
  • 15th – Giant Slalom

Dominic Destefano (Breaker Boys 13-14)

  • 12th – Giant Slalom

Remy Coker (Menehune Boys 11-12)

  • 6th – Slalom
  • 7th – Giant Slalom
  • 9th – Bardercross

We’re incredibly proud of all our athletes—not just for their results, but for how they represent Donek on and off the hill.

Recognizing the People Behind the Scenes

Events like this don’t happen without an incredible support crew. A big thank you to all Donek ambassadors and shop employees who helped make this week a success, including:

Ryan Knapton, Mellon Jay, the Krasons, Dave, JB, Harri, Mason, Bernie, Jacob, Sean Z, Everett, Brandon, Dave Hirshburg, and everyone else who contributed along the way.

Our Beagle handler and general go-to man, Zack, you’re stellar and made Sean Martin happy.

We have the best build team, who left the shop to get people on a Donek. Thank you to the shop people for your professionalism and prepping to make it the best Nationals ever: Tru, Grant, Patrick, Jon, Luke, Diesel, Ethan, Chai, Cooper & Warren, and Stephan.

We also want to recognize the parents and coaches who continue to support these athletes. Your commitment is what keeps the next generation progressing.

Martin Snowboard Winners

Congratulations to this year’s Martin Snowboard winners:

  • Shaw Sprague
  • Erik Brown
  • Jeffery Li
  • Slawomir Slonowski

Each winner will receive a Donek demo board once it’s been freshly tuned by our shop team.

Looking Ahead to 2027

Donek Days at the USASA Nationals continues to be one of the most exciting events of the year—bringing new riders into alpine snowboarding while celebrating the core community that drives it forward.

Want to get involved or try a Donek for yourself?

Follow Donek Snowboards and stay tuned—we’ll be announcing the 2027 demo schedule soon.

Katie Tsuyuki