Next Generation riders compete at U.S. Open, open to skilled riders age 5-14

Young racers will also have their shot at the Fox U.S. Open in the Next Gen Youth Downhill event, which offers categories for intermediate and expert racers. For 2024, advanced categories will ride the main downhill track and novice categories on the separate Next Gen specific track.

“Next Gen” applies to U.S. Open categories for athletes 14 years old and younger. This program starts on a separate, youth specific downhill track with the novice categories beginning at 5 years old and advances all the way to Expert/Cat 1 classes on the main USO Downhill track, Goat Skull.

These categories will race on our youth specific track, located on “Rabbit Hole” on Killington’s Snowshed peak. Rabbit Hole will be open for freeriding everyday leading up to the Next Gen race. The trails will be closed to the public on Sunday morning for a mandatory practice session for all Next Gen novice racers.

USO Next Gen racing is not a beginner or first-timer event. Racers should have experience riding downhill and be capable of riding technical trails with rocks, roots, switchbacks, etc. Next Gen is designed for kids that have real off-road mountain bike experience (i.e. they have ridden at a bike park).  All racers should be comfortable with fall line turns, rocks and small jumps and drops.

Mandatory protective equipment: Full-face helmet, knee pads, elbow pads and gloves.

Next Gen athletes can not compete in both the New Gen novice event and intermediate/expert event on the main track, rather they must choose between the two prior to racing.