USASA is looking to recover losses from the cancellation of this year's National Championships ©USASA

The United States of America Snowboard and Freeski Association (USASA) has launched a relief auction to raise funds that would have come from the cancelled 2020 USASA National Championships, with the future of the organisation in "potential jeopardy".

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, this year's competition - which was set to take place at Copper Mountain in Colorado - was cancelled.

Expected to bring in more than $2.5 million (£2 million/€2.3 million), the event is one of the key sources of revenue for USASA as well as the resort's local community.

In a statement, USASA said: "With the loss of this year's event due to the COVID-19 the longevity of the USASA is in potential jeopardy.

"USASA holds over 500 events and educational clinics annually and receives no funding from US Ski and Snowboard, the US Government or the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee.

Many snowboarders and freeskiers begin their Olympic journeys with USASA ©Getty Images
Many snowboarders and freeskiers begin their Olympic journeys with USASA ©Getty Images

"As a nonprofit organisation, we rely on membership revenue, National Championships revenue, and community gifts to drive educational resources, athlete experience and safety, and support the pipeline in the US for both snowboarding and freeskiing."

Items in the auction include tickets for the 2021 Super Bowl, accommodation at Copper Mountain lodging and limited-edition Kinco mittens, with only 26 being made.

The auction will end on April 8 and items can be bought here.

The United States yesterday overtook China as the country with the most confirmed COVID-19 cases.

More than 85,000 people have contracted COVID-19 in the US and more than 1,300 people have died as a result.