Back when Parkite Anna DeMasi was a competitor, she remembers girls at the start gate crying because they were scared or worried and just needed a little support.

It’s those memories that prompted her to be a part of the Queen’s Cup ski and snowboard event at Park City Mountain Resort (PCMR). The all-girls event, which will be held March 27 and 28, is specifically designed to give girls all the inspiration and encouragement they need.

“When girls ride together, it’s really motivational,” she said.

DeMasi describes it as almost a camp-like atmosphere with a handful of pros like U.S. Snowboard Team member Jen Hudak, freeskiing star Ashley Battersby and others teaming up with amateurs of all ages to show them the ropes and help them improve their skills.

Friday, March 27, is a training day where the amateurs head out with the pros and then it’s on to a slopestyle competition Saturday where the amateurs will strut their stuff and compete for a myriad of prizes.

DeMasi said that the pros are part of the event because of their commitment to helping young girls get to the top level of the sport.

“They want to inspire a whole new generation of girls,” DeMasi said. “It keeps the girls motivated and stoked.”

She said that very often, for women, competing can be more of a mental challenge than a physical one, and with the Queen’s Cup they are hoping not only to highlight new talent but also to really help advance women and the sport.

The competition on Saturday will be open to the public and should be very spectator-friendly. Since it’s a community-style event, fans can watch from all areas of the course and talk to the girls afterwards.

Following the Queen’s Cup main event, the pros will be working on their skills in a special session at My Super Sweet Park, a park that PCMR designed as part of the Queen’s Cup devoted to female skiers and snowboarders. While the features are challenging, some of them are scaled down slightly to encourage safety and allow the pros to show off some of their best stuff. The special session will continue through April 3. The winner of the slopestyle competition also wins a chance to be a part of this session.

Female skiers and riders of all ages are invited to participate. For more information or to register, visit http://www.queenscupopen.com.