SKIING : Snowboarding at Snow Summit This Weekend

Snow Summit will play host to the richest snowboarding competition ever staged in Southern California this weekend.

As a measure of how the sport has grown in the last few years, shredders will be seeking a total of $25,000 in the Terzo-sponsored event, the fourth stop on the Professional Snowboarding Tour of America.

The giant slalom, involving a series of jumps and turns at speeds up to 50 m.p.h., is scheduled Saturday on Miracle Mile. The half-pipe, during which tricks are performed in a man-made snow culvert, is set for Sunday farther up the mountain. Starting time each day at the resort near Big Bear will be 10 a.m.

Among the favorites are several Californians--Danielle Goldsmith of Big Bear Lake and Rob LaVigne of Truckee in the giant slalom, and Tina Basich of Fair Oaks and Steve Klassen of Mammoth Lakes in the half-pipe.

Prime Ticket will show taped highlights of the action March 17 at 6 p.m. and March 18 at 10:30 p.m.

Previous tour events were held at Mt. Baker, Wash.; Mt. Bachelor, Ore., and June Mountain. Later scheduled stops are at Hunter Mountain, N.Y., March 16-17; Mt. Mansfield, Vt., March 23-24; Lake Eldora, Colo., April 6-7, and Arapahoe Basin, Colo., for the $50,000 finals April 11-14.

The Far West Ski Assn. is sponsoring a learn-to-ski program for first-time skiers at fiveCalifornia ski areas--Bear Mountain, Mammoth Mountain, Kirkwood, Northstar and Alpine Meadows.

A member of any of the approximately 125 FWSA ski clubs may bring up to three new skiers, who will be given lift tickets, equipment rental and ski lessons for $25 apiece. In addition, the sponsor may buy a lift ticket at the discount price of $25.

Details may be obtained by calling one of the participating resorts or Paul Arrigo at (415) 372-0207.

Skiing Notes

The women on the World Cup Alpine circuit are in Furano, Japan, for a downhill and a super-G race Saturday and Sunday. . . . The U.S. Pro Tour resumes at Vail, Colo., today through Saturday. . . . Women’s Pro Ski competition comes west to Mt. Hood Ski Bowl, Ore., Friday through Sunday.

Team sign-ups are being accepted for the Jimmie Heuga Mazda Ski Express at Snow Summit March 16. Proceeds will benefit the Jimmie Heuga Center for the physically challenged at Avon, Colo. Details: Guy Winters, (714) 737-3888. . . . The Resort at Squaw Creek, in Squaw Valley, will play host to the Infiniti Connoisseur Ski Invitational, a weekend combining ski racing and wine tasting, Saturday and Sunday.

ESPN’s schedule of taped ski events includes the U.S. Pro Tour meet at Winter Park, Colo., Friday at 5 p.m.; the U.S. Ski Flying Championships at Ironwood, Mich., Sunday at 9:30 a.m., and same-weekend U.S. Pro Tour action at Vail, Colo., Sunday at 3 p.m.