More than 150 snowboarders from all over the world are expected to participate to a vintage race in Prato Nevoso, in the north of Italy, on Saturday.

Colourful vintage clothes and historical snowboards will literally invade the highest mountain of the ski resort and compete in a race divided into two categories: one for the legends who have ridden before 1992, and another one for the ones who started later.

The Legend party is already popular both in the Californian ski ranch of Donner and in the Austrian Stuben, where every year hundreds of riders meet for fun.

“As this year we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Prato Nevoso Snow Surf Club, we recruited some friends and organized a parallel edition in Italy,” said Dino Bonelli, owner of the Surf Shop in the town and editor of the Italian Snowboard Museum.

The Museum is one of the reasons why the party is held in this small but very active ski resort, which has always been among the first in the practice of snowboarding since the very early times.

“I remember me and a few other friends going down the ski run with nothing more than a wood board and trekking boots,” said Davide Blessent, one of the legends, now snowboard teacher in Prato Nevoso.

On Saturday, riders will probably use safer equipments, although the vintage category must use tools from the 1980s and early 90s. “The temptation to ride one of my jewels is high, but I don’t want to ruin the pieces of the museum, you know… So, I will ride a 1985 Burton Performer, which I have a copy of,” said Dino.

Popular riders will arrive from USA, Japan, France and Germany, and also a lot of Italian legends have already confirmed their presence. But there’s no need to be an old-school snowboarder to participate: the “modern table” category is open to everyone with a board and a party attitude.

“The atmosphere will be jovial and funny, which will hopefully attract a lot of people,” said Dino, “and it may convince even the tougher skiers to turn to snowboard.”