Slippery slope: Competitors seek glory on a toboggan chute

CAMDEN, Maine (AP) — The celebration of a hard-fought Super Bowl victory on the gridiron is over. Now it’s time to celebrate a bunch of goofballs who’re seeking glory on a slippery toboggan chute.

The National Toboggan Championships kick off Saturday with more than 400 registered teams zooming at speeds approaching 40 mph on a toboggan chute in Camden, Maine.

Some of the competitors are serious. But others are out to have fun, as evidenced by the team names like “Slippery Goggles,” ”Redneck Rockets” and “Beavis and Buttsled.”

The competition features old-school wooden toboggans. The 400-foot toboggan chute was built in 1930s and has been rebuilt twice, most recently in 1990. The competition raises money for the Camden Snow Bowl, a nonprofit, municipally owned ski area.