Camden, ME – Skiers visiting Maine’s Camden Snow Bowl this February will have a unique and exciting off-slope diversion to keep them entertained.

The 2014 U.S. National Toboggan Championships are now less than two cold months away, and registration is open for the event scheduled for Feb. 7, 8 and 9 in Camden. The competition is intense and the atmosphere is fun, with 425 teams vying for mahogany trophies and bragging rights for being the fastest on traditional wooden toboggans down the 400 foot-long chute.

For 23 years racers of all ages have slid down the wooden chute onto Hosmer Pond. They’ve done it dressed as the Cowardly Lion and Dorothy Gale, Crash Test Dummies and bags of Wonder Bread. Some lube their sleds with secret ingredients, while others are there for the tailgating and mechanical bull riding.

The number of teams is capped at 425 to ensure each team gets two shots to compete in the finals. The event sells out every year and registration closes Jan. 24, 2014. The cost is $30 per person. Experimental teams are $100 and can consist of two, three or four people on the sled.

The championship was founded 23 years ago to give locals an alternative outdoor winter activity. Since then the national championship weekend has become a major fundraiser for the municipally owned and operated Camden Snow Bowl ski area and attracts people from all over the Northeast.

All money raised benefits the Camden Snow Bowl, which will undergo a major renovation in the coming seasons to include new chairlifts and a new lodge.

For more information about the U.S. National Toboggan Championships or the Camden Snow Bowl, call (207) 236-3438 or visit camdensnowbowl.com. There you will find the registration form, rules, toboggan regulations, parking information and more.