JONES — Tyson New of Marcellus earned a No. 1 ranking in the United States of America Snowboard Association in Michigan’s Middle Earth Regional Series.

The Middle Earth Regional Series is one of 32 regions coast to coast.

New, 13, after 10 years of skiing and snowboarding locally at Swiss Valley, joined the USASA. He traveled to northern Michigan to compete in four slopestyle competitions at Boyne Nub’s Nob and Otsego Club resorts throughout the season.

Slopestyle freestyle competitions are based on tricks in the air, rails and boxes with points being awarded for style and difficulty on each run.

New ranked first in his region and ranked 34 out of 299 national competitors. The rankings have earned him an invitation to nationals in Copper Mountain, Colo. in April.

New has declined the invitation this year in lieu of a pre-planned trip to snowboard in Canada during the same week. He will continue to train this summer and compete in the series again next year.