Snow Alert -Kirkwood- CA, Beaver Creek-CO,Snowbird -
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US Ski Team
Ligety 2nd - Fourth Straight U.S. Podium Miller, Ligety, Nyman in World Cup top seven
ALTA BADIA, Italy (Dec. 18) - In an historic moment, Olympic champion Ted Ligety (Park City, UT) gave the U.S. men's alpine team a World Cup podium finish for the fourth consecutive day, finishing second in a slalom. Jimmy Cochran (Keene, NH) was 13th.
Ligety's podium, his second of the season, marks the first time U.S. skiers have been on a World Cup podium in four alpine races in four days. U.S. men took five World Cup podiums a year ago - but they were in three straight races over three days. But never 4-for-4...until Monday. Ligety, third in a giant slalom Dec. 2 at the VISA Birds of Prey races in Beaver Creek, CO, had a two-run time of 1:44.70 while Cochran turned in the second-fastest final run to move up 14 places for his second top-15 of the winter (1:45.47). When first-run leader Stephane Tissot of France crashed midway through his second run, Sweden's Markus Larsson won in 1:44.51. Snowfall in the morning and then lighter snow for the second run caused flat light for the racers.
WCSN.com will broadcast same-day video streaming beginning at 2 p.m. ET. Bode Miller (Bretton Woods, NH), who kicked off the momentous surge by the American men when he won the Val Gardena super G Friday, missed a gate Monday on the first run of slalom. Saturday, Steven Nyman (Provo, UT) won the 50th Saslong Classic downhill, also in Val Gardena, and Miller was back on the podium Sunday, finishing second in a giant slalom behind Kalle Palander of Finland.
After 12 World Cup races, three U.S. men are in the top seven in the overall points - Miller in third place, Ligety in fifth and Nyman in seventh.
First run sets up Ligety's podium Ligety, hobbled earlier this season by a broken bone in his right hand, which made it tough for him to pole plant in slalom, was fourth in the first run Monday behind Tissot. His attacking first run set the stage for his podium as he skied methodically through the tough conditions on the final course. "My slalom's been a little bit of a struggle lately and I needed this boost of confidence. It's a really good day," Ligety said. "My hand's getting better every day. I still tape it up to keep it stable, but I'm even slowly getting to the point where I can make my pole plants" which can be so important in slalom.
The Olympic combined gold medalist last February - also in Italy - said the surge by the U.S. men has been contagious. "It's awesome, especially with Nyman the other day. It was so cool to watch him. I've been skiing with him since I was 13 and to see him come through and get that first World Cup win definitely was awesome. "Conditions were really tough because it rained last night and then snowed a little bit," McNichol added, "and then we had a little bit for the first, so a little new snow on top of the rain makes that snow rough, and it was tough. Second run was much better because it was slipped off and the snow got to sit with the cold air on it." The men's schedule resumes Wednesday with a super G in Hinterstoder, Austria, followed by a giant slalom Thursday leading into the Christmas break. Some of the athletes will take time at the men's new training base in Paganella, Italy - also in the Dolomites - before the speed skiers head to Bormio for the traditional downhill Dec. 29. US Ski Team
MEN'S ALPINE WORLD CUP
Alta Badia, ITA - Dec. 18, 2006

Men's Slalom

1. Markus Larsson, Sweden, 1:44.51
2. Ted Ligety, Park City, UT, 1:44.70
3. Ivica Kostelic, Croatia, 1:44.99
4. Giorgio Rocca, Italy, 1:45.13
5. Kalle Palander, Finland, 1:45.14
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13. Jimmy Cochran, Keene, NH, 1:45.57v -
Did not qualify for 2nd run:
Roger Brown, Norwich, VT
- DNF-1:
Bode Miller, Bretton Woods, NH; Paul McDonald, Bellevue, WA; Jake Zamansky, Aspen, CO; Tom Rothrock, Cashmere, WA
AND,... Snowboarding News
Clark, Davis Win Opening Grand Prix Halfpipe
Perfect halpipe and weather in Breckenridge
BRECKENRIDGE, Colo. (Dec. 16) - Olympic gold medalist Kelly Clark (Mount Snow, VT) and Danny Davis (Highland, MI), who narrowly missed the 2006 Olympic Team, captured halfpipe wins Saturday as the Chevrolet U.S. Snowboard Grand Prix officially opened for business at sunny Breckenridge.
The event will air on NBC on Sunday Dec. 24 at 3:00 p.m. ET and again on Versus (formlerly OLN) at 5:00 p.m. ET later that day.
After leading the women's qualifier by a 3.6 point margin, Clark carried the momentum into the final, but won by a slim .2 point margin over a charging Elena Hight (South Lake Tahoe, CA). The winning run of frontside air, backside 540, frontside 720, half cab, frontside 540 to straight air was good enough for 44.2 points. Finishing third was Soko Yamoaka of Japan with 41.6 points. In the men's contest, Davis loaded the leader board with 45.9 points on his second run to best Olympic fourth place finisher Mason Aguirre (Mammoth Lakes, CA) and U.S. Snowboarding pro Tommy Czeschin (also Mammoth), who rounded out the podium in third.

CHEVROLET U.S. SNOWBOARD GRAND PRIX
Breckenridge, CO - Dec. 16, 2006
Halfpipe Finals
Women
1. Kelly Clark, Mount Snow, VT, 44.2
2. Elena Hight, South Lake Tahoe, CA, 44.0
3. Soko Yamaoka, Japan, 41.6
4. Manuela Pesko, Switzerland, 39.5
5. Holly Crawford, Australia, 39.4
6. Lindsey Jacobellis, Stratton Mountain, VT, 37.9
7. Gretchen Bleiler, Aspen, CO, 36.5
8. Ellery Hollingsworth, Stratton Mountain, VT, 35.2
9. Meg Pugh, Government Camp, OR, 28.7
10. Kendall Brown, New Zealand, 22.0
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Men
1. Danny Davis, Highland, MI, 45.9
2. Mason Aguirre, Mammoth Lakes, CA, 43.5
3. Tommy Czeschin, Mammoth Lakes, CA, 41.6
4. Brad Martin, Canada, 41.2
5. JJ Thomas, Golden, CO, 40.6
6. Ross Powers, Stratton Mountain, VT, 39.5
7. Steve Fisher, Breckenridge, CO, 39.2
8. Rob Kingwill, Jackson Hole, WY, 39.0
9. Crispin Lipscomb, Canada, 38.9v 10. Louie Vito, Bellefontaine, OH, 38.8
11. Kevin Pearce, Norwich, VT, 38.3
12. Xaver Hoffman, Germany, 37.6
13. Luke Wynen, Mammoth Lakes, CA, 36.8
14. Jack Mitrani, Mammoth Lakes, CA, 35.4
15. Tyler Emond, Truckee, CA, 26.9
16. Christoph Schmidt, Germany, 25.7
17. Justin Lamoureux, Canada, 22.3
18. Scotty Lago, Seabrook, NH, 21.6
19. Michael Goldschmidt, Stratton Mountain, VT, 13.6
20. Giacomo, Kratter, Italy,


For complete results:
http://www.fis-ski.com


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Big Sky - Montana

Base Snow Depth: 28-39
Surface Conditions: Natural snow has been track packed and man-made snow has been groomed. Terrain Open: 20%
Lifts Scheduled to Open: Lone Peak Tram, Swift Current, Ramcharger, Challenger, Iron Horse, Lone Peak Chair, Explorer, Mitey Magic Carpet, Magic Carpet, Pony Express
What's Happening
Adult lift tickets will be $59, youth (11-13)$29, and college rate will be $39. As always children 10 and under ski for free.
www.bigskyresort.com

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Kirkwood -CA

For the current status of lift operations, road conditions and up-to-the-minute snowfall totals,
visit www.kirkwood.com or call toll-free 877-KIRKWOOD.

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Heavenly Valley
With eight to 10 inches of fresh snow and new openings all over the mountain, Christmas week is looking merry at Heavenly!
Call 1-800-HEAVENLY or visit www.skiheavenly.com

Red Envelope



Saslong World Cup
Nyman Wins Val Gardena DH; Sullivan 4th
Third straight U.S. speed victory

VAL GARDENA, Italy (Dec. 16) - Olympian Steven Nyman (Provo, UT), overcoming training troubles and riding "magic sticks," tore through the gnarly Saslong speed course Saturday to win the first World Cup of his career, edging Swiss veteran Didier Cuche by two-hundredths of a second. Marco Sullivan (Squaw Valley, CA) was fourth, just .01 off the podium, with Bode Miller (Bretton Woods, NH) in 14th place.
It marked an unprecedented third consecutive World Cup speed victory by an American, combining Nyman's triumph with Miller's wins at the VISA Birds of Prey downhill Dec. 1 in Beaver Creek, CO, (with Nyman third for his first World Cup podium) and Friday's super G in Val Gardena.
The men move on to Alta Badia for a giant slalom Sunday followed by a slalom Monday.
MEN'S ALPINE WORLD CUP
50th Saslong Classic
Val Gardena, ITA - Dec. 16, 2006
Men's Downhill
1. Steven Nyman, Provo, UT, 1:56.52
2. Didier Cuche, Switzerland, 1:56.54
3. Fritz Strobl, Austria, 1:56.95
4. Marco Sullivan, Squaw Valley, CA, 1:56.96
5. Manuel Osborne-Paradis, Canada, 1:56.98
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14. Bode Miller, Bretton Woods, NH, 1:57.36
23. Scott Macartney, Redmond, WA, 1:58.04
52. JJ Johnson, Park City, UT, 2:02.92

For complete results:
http://www.fis-ski.com/


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Red Mountain Lodge B.C.
New Snow Summit: : 5-7
Overnight: 0
24 Hours:5-7
48 Hours: 0”
7 Days:0”

Conditions at 6 AM:Packed Powder and machine groomed snow. 10 degrees and windy
Forecast:Mostly cloudy, temps in the low 30’s, winds from the west at 15-25 mph
Open Lifts: 4 of 8 Lifts: Willow Creek, Miami Beach, Triple Chair and the Mighty Mite.
Trails:14 trails on lower mountain. The lower part of the terrain park is open. The upper half of Lower limited is open. Pine Ridge, Bear Paw and Big Foot is opened for the advanced skier
Surfaces: Machine Groomed, and packed powder. Base 12-30 inches.
www.redlodgemountain.com


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Swiss Budget Hotels