A few years back, in response to the dwindling number of top-level action sports contests, action sports athletes began organizing their own. At first, many of them were small, grassroots events held for amateur athletes or for small prize purses. And a lot of them didn’t last more than a year or so.

But that’s changing, and it’s been really wonderful to watch. Imagine, instead of bitching and moaning, athletes are actually taking the initiative (and their own time and money) to change the situation for themselves and their peers. Even the contests that lasted only a short time made an impact on the sport and provided additional opportunities for athletes who wouldn’t have had the opportunity to compete, say, on the east coast or in a women’s-only event.

I was reminded about this today when I received a press release for Simon Dumont’s 4th Annual Dumont Cup March 23-24 in Sunday River, Maine. The slopestyle course was designed by Dumont himself and this year, the contest will air on NBC Sports April 10 at 12:30 pm ET. It will also feature the best pro slopestyle skiers in the country, as well as amateurs who rarely have the opportunity to compete west of the Rockies.

For more on the event, check out Simon’s Dumont Cup website HERE.