The wind rushes by as they make their way down the mountain.

Carving turns and taking jumps, it's as though their tricks are from a video game, taken with great precision and accuracy.

But it's far from fantasy — the UW snowboard team's skills are a reality. Run primarily through a closed, members-only group on Facebook, the team was established at the UW in 1998 and has been going strong ever since.

Team President Barry Sevig said the team has 45 active members. Sevig himself has been snowboarding for more than 10 years. This is his first year as part of the UW snowboard team.

"The best part about being on the team is being able to help everyone out as president," Sevig said. "Meeting new people and making new friends is definitely a perk."

Fellow teammate Kael Martin shares the same feelings. Along with meeting new people and making friends, he said he appreciates how the UW covers various snowboarding expenses for the team.

"It's pretty cool how UW pays for all the stuff we do," he said. "They pay up to $100 in competition fees, as well as $100 in gas. They also pay for most of our equipment."

What the UW doesn't pay for, though, the team has to buy. Most of the money is primarily made through the $25 dues that each member must pay at the beginning of each year of membership, as well as a movie night fundraiser that has proven to be extremely successful.

"The last movie night we had, we made over $2,300," Sevig said.

Anyone who knows snowboarders, though, knows they like to work — and play — hard. This past weekend, the UW and 19 other collegiate teams from across the Northwest participated in Red Bull's second annual Snow Warz, a slope-style trick competition at Snoqualmie Pass.

Craig Gillis, who's been snowboarding for 13 years and has been with the UW team for four, described Snow Warz as very fun.

"It's a great environment — everyone's having fun and meeting people from different teams and making new connections," he said.

Along with meeting fellow boarders, the tricks executed by the UW team and the competition were bound to be pretty cool, said team member Andrew Hart.

"It's all about style: different tricks, such as 1080s, 180s and our signature move, the Double Japan, better be there," he said with a laugh.

Although the team didn't do as well as expected last year, members definitely feel like they did better this year.

"Last year we weren't very established as a team, so we really didn't do as well as we could," Gillis said. "This year, however, we are more established and are better as a team. We've even practiced together a few times so far."

As far as formal practices are concerned, they don't really exist for the UW boarders. Instead, Sevig said active participation is about doing the work yourself.

"I've made it clear to the members of the team that active participation is just that: active participation," he said. "I'm not going to schedule practices and stuff. They know that it's up to them to snowboard when they want, and that's what keeps the team really chill."

Even though no formal practices exist, the team members still have a fun time getting together to snowboard.

"Although all different skill levels exist in the club, it's pretty exciting to meet someone new through snowboarding," Sevig said. "And even if you don't stay with them for the whole day, it's still fun to snowboard with others."

Anyone from the experienced to the novice can join the UW snowboard team. They host informational meetings on the HUB lawn and can be found in the Registered Student Organization directory.

Ultimately, though, it's the common love of snowboarding that binds them all together.

"Snowboarding is like a drug," Gillis said. "It's a sanctuary from everything that goes on in life. You can go up to the mountain and you don't have to worry about anything else."

Reach reporter Stephanie Small at features@thedaily.washington.edu.