Angel Fire's Championship Shovel Races Draws Over 100 Competitors

Annual event at New Mexico ski resort features high-speed sled racing on modified shovels

Mar. 3, 2026 at 2:39am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

More than 100 participants competed in Angel Fire's Championship Shovel Races this past weekend, with finalists racing down the hill at speeds of up to 60 mph on modified aluminum shovels. The event, which the resort claims to have invented, saw returning champions Nadia and Paloma Gonzales take the top spots in the women's competition, while Rob Tibljas won the men's title.

Why it matters

Shovel racing is a unique and historic winter sport at Angel Fire Resort, which claims to have originated the event in the 1970s. After a five-year hiatus, the resort has brought back the annual competition, showcasing its quirky local traditions and drawing spectators to the slopes.

The details

The Championship Shovel Races featured finalists racing down a straight-line course on modified aluminum shovels, reaching speeds of up to 60 mph. Nadia Gonzales set the fastest time of the day at 16.99 seconds, while Rob Tibljas topped the men's podium with a time of 17.00 seconds. The event, which was once featured in the Winter X Games, was reinstated by the resort last year after a five-year break due to safety concerns.

  • The Championship Shovel Races took place this past weekend (March 1, 2026).
  • The event was reinstated by Angel Fire Resort last year after a five-year hiatus.

The players

Nadia Gonzales

A returning champion in the women's shovel racing competition, Nadia Gonzales set the fastest time of the day at 16.99 seconds.

Paloma Gonzales

Nadia Gonzales' sister, Paloma Gonzales, claimed the second-place trophy in the women's shovel racing competition.

Noelle Comtois

An Angel Fire native, Noelle Comtois placed third in the women's shovel racing competition with a time of 18.79 seconds.

Rob Tibljas

Rob Tibljas topped the men's podium in the shovel racing finals with a time of 17.00 seconds.

Angel Fire Resort

The ski resort in New Mexico that claims to have invented the sport of shovel racing and hosts the annual Championship Shovel Races event.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“I've been racing since I was a little scoop. I love it out here. I love how dedicated everyone is. I just placed third. I can't wait for tonight at the awards ceremony.”

— Noelle Comtois

“It's been around since the '70s in different formats. It started out with the lift operators riding their shovels down at the end of their shift. It turned into a competition in the '80s and '90s, with modified shovels that would go like 75 miles per hour. We took a bit of a hiatus and then brought it back with regular shovels.”

— Wolfe Ashcraft, Angel Fire Marketing Director

What’s next

The resort plans to continue hosting the annual Championship Shovel Races as part of its winter event lineup.

The takeaway

The return of the Championship Shovel Races at Angel Fire Resort highlights the resort's commitment to preserving its unique local traditions and providing quirky winter sports experiences for visitors, even in the face of past safety concerns.