Summer may be coming up, but the 2006 NORBA National Championship Series is headed back to the ski slopes this weekend at Sugar Mountain Ski Resort in Banner Elk, North Carolina.

The resort, which has run its Showdown at Sugar event for more than a decade, steps into the national arena for the first time as it plays host to the second NCS event of the year June 8-11. Some 1200 riders are expected throughout the various classifications.

The downhill riders will cast off from Sugar's 5300-foot peak, while cross-country racers will tackle a 6.6-mile loop.

"Hopefully it'll be fairly technical," said Geoff Kabush (Maxxis). Recently returned from some fairly "brutal" days of racing in Europe, Kabush is hoping for some better weather on the East Coast.

"The racing was tough over there, and I felt all right but kind of tired when I got home," he said.

Kabush, who won the season opener over Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski (Subaru-Gary Fisher) at Southridge Park in Fontana, California, surveyed the course at Banner Elk on Friday.

Also keen to have a look is Shonny Vanlandingham (Luna), who also won at Fontana and more recently at Alabama's Bump and Grind.

"I've heard there's a pretty good climb up there and I'm feeling pretty good."

And with Alison Sydor (Rocky Mountain-Business Objects) skipping Sugar — the Canadian won't return to the NORBA series until it reaches Vermont — Vanlandingham will have one less rival standing between her and a second consecutive victory.