Snow Alert -Crystal Mountain, Big Sky

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SQUAW VALLEY USA FREESKIING OPEN
Story by Cara Williams -Mountain Sports International
ADRIEN COIRIER AND JAMIE BURGE WIN THE INAUGURAL SUBARU SQUAW VALLEY USA FREESKIING OPEN After an extraordinarily exciting day of skiing, Adrien Coirier of Les Arcs, France and Squaw local Jamie Burge came out on top of the stacked international field as the Inaugural Subaru Squaw Valley USA Freeskiing Open concluded today on the Headwall in Enchanted Forest at Squaw Valley USA. Due to good weather, Mountain Sports International (MSI) was able to include a super-finals run for the top six women and top 10 men.

Sitting in first position going into this morning’s run, freeskiing legend and ski movie regular Jamie Burge solidified her lead on the women’s field with an extremely easy looking, smooth and aggressive first run which included a 20-foot cliff drop. Burge went into her second run six points ahead of Jess McMillan of Jackson Hole, WY. With such a commanding lead, Burge could have taken it easy, yet she chose another technical line with lots of rock exposure which sealed her fate as winner of the first ever Subaru Squaw Valley USA Freeskiing Open. The remaining top six women who advanced to the finals were Jess McMillan, Katharine Lange, Kate Olson, Emily Turner and Molly Baker. They remained in that finish order after the super-finals.

“I love Squaw Valley, I ski here everyday,” said Subaru Squaw Valley USA Freeskiing Open women’s champion Jamie Burge. “I still compete because competitions are great, they really make you push yourself. It forces you to step it up and be competitive and its fun. You get to see everybody. I’m so honored to represent Squaw today and win this!”

After yesterday’s qualifier round only 8.6 points separated all 32 men who advanced, so it was almost anyone’s game to win or lose going into today’s finals. First run stand-outs included: Ben Wheeler’s fast, smooth run, which incorporated a 15-foot cliff drop to a straight line; Kevin O’Meara whose gigantic, perfectly executed double-drop off the top section of the venue won him a Sickbird nomination; Craig Garbiel’s fast, aggressive airs and impressive gap-jump; and Adrien Coirier, recent winner of the Subaru Telluride Freeskiing Open, whose hesitation-free, beautifully executed run catapulted him into first place going into the super-finals.

Today’s super-finals began with Squaw locals, and skiing legends, Daron Rahlves and Gunner Newquist forerunning the venue. The two put on a spectacle, skiing together in unison, straight-lining the entire top portion of the venue and airing a 25-foot cliff near the bottom.

The men’s super-finals today will go down as being one of the best in Freeskiing history. Nine of the 16 men who advanced to the super-finals were nominated for the Sickbird award for their antics. Cliff Bennett of Snowbird, UT, in fourth after today’s first run, had an incredible second run, nailing each and every aspect he hit, launching him to second position overall. Kevin O’Meara was sitting in second place going into the super-final, but was knocked back to eighth overall when he did a somersault upon landing a double-drop. He did, however receive his third Sickbird nomination of the competition. Adrien Corier of Les Arcs, France, who was just over two points ahead of O’Meara going into the finals, skied impossibly fast and nailed a huge straight-line with two 20-foot cliffs throughout the middle of the venue. He ended up winning the competition by nearly ten points. Coirier now leads the overall point’s standings for the Subaru U.S. Freeskiing Series.

“I have been working so hard for this,” said Subaru Squaw Valley USA Freeskiing Open men’s champion Adrien Coirier. “I was running out of money before the winter because I spent all my money in the summer training for this. Today the skiing was just like my mountains in France, it was really good snow and the line I did was exactly what I like to ski. It was perfect and I’m so happy to have won another event.”

As always, spectators enjoyed watching freeskiing’s elite battle it out for the Tobias Lee Memorial Sickbird buckle award. The Sickbird award is presented to the competitor with the most spirited competition run, often involving super-human talent and agility. This weekend’s Sickbird buckle was awarded to Kevin O’Meara, who was nominated more than any other athlete, at this stop of the tour, for his incredible antics.

The North Face Young Gun Award returns in 2007, honoring outstanding new talent in competitive freeskiing. Points accumulated throughout the season will crown one lucky under-21-year-old a full sponsorship from The North Face and the honor of becoming the next Young Gun winner. This stop’s winner was 21-year-old Brady Smedsrud of Red Lodge Mtn, MT.

New in 2007, MSI will be posting same-day video broadcasts on the newly redesigned usfreeskiing.com featuring state of the art video and photo player technology. The daily uploads of video, photos, news and results of each day’s competition action will be available mere hours after each day concludes.

The Subaru U.S. Freeskiing Series continues in three weeks at the 10th Anniversary of the Subaru U.S. Freeskiing Nationals at Snowbird, UT. Additional stops to the U.S. Freeskiing Series, which has grown from four stops to five in 2007, include the Subaru Jackson Hole Freeskiing Open at Jackson Hole, WY, the Subaru North American Freeskiing Championships at Kirkwood, CA and past tour stop the Subaru Telluride Freeskiing Open.

For more information log onto www.usfreeskiing.com
MEDIA INQUIRES AND FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT
Cara Williams
PR & Communications Coordinator
Mountain Sports International
801-541-9927



Heavenly Valley
Current conditions from the top of Heavenly Valley, Ca.
Photo: Rich Palmari

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Crystal Mountain - Wa
Crystal Mountain received 7" of new snow at the base in the past 24 hours and 10" up top!
We will be open from 9am-4pm.
Date: Monday, February 19th, 2007
Time: 5:00am

Winds: Averaging 15 mph out of the West
Base Temperature: 28 degrees
Base Snow Depth: 77 inches
Base New Snow Fall 24hrs: 2 inches
Base Snow Fall 48hrs: 7 inches
Summit Temperature: 21 degrees
Summit Snow Depth: 112 inches
Summit New Snow Fall 24hrs: 5 inches
Summit New Snow Fall 48hrs: 10 inches
Total Season Snow Fall: 315 inches
Surface Conditions: Fresh snow over machine groomed and deep powder off piste
Lifts Open: Discovery, Chinook Express, Forest Queen, Rainier Express, Green Valley, Quicksilver, Gold Hills and High Campbell. Hours of Operation: 9am-4pm daily
Road Conditions: Open/compact snow
Backcountry Status: Open pending Ski Patrol Evaluation

What's Happening at Crystal Mountain: What a winter! We have plenty of fresh powder out there and more on the way for the next few days. You gotta make your plans to come and visit the slopes...the deep snow is calling your name! Please ski/ride with a partner for safety.
Next Military Appreciation Days are March 7th and April 1st. $27 lift tickets with valid military ID.
Vertical Express for MS and Powder 8's happening this Saturday February 24, 2007

www.skicrystal.com.

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Jackson Hole
High winds, cooler temperatures, and fresh snow have covered your favorite line here at Jackson Hole. Don't worry about face shots; it's going to be mandatory for today's outing. I recommend St. Johns off of Apres Vous. Stay tuned for more snow throughout the week because the jet stream has indeed returned in our favor. Be safe and have fun. SR-
New Snow(past 24 hours)
5" @ Upper-Mountain
4" @ Mid-Mountain


Snow Depth
70" @ Upper-Mountain
62" @ Mid-Mountain


Total Snowfall ( season to-date)
236" @ Upper-Mountain
182" @ Mid-Mountain
Grooming Report
Lift Status
Live Temps & Wind

A 30 percent chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 29. Northwest wind between 10 and 14 mph. Total daytime snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.
Lifts Open: 11 of 11
Trails Open: 115 of 116
Groomed Trails Open: 40 of 40

Team Extreme - February 17-26, 2007, March 10-25, 2007 Price: $172 Lesson/Lift/Rental, $155 Lesson/Lift, $135 Lesson only Advanced Class Ski and Snowboard Lessons. A rip session that offers the Jackson Hole big mountain experience for teenagers! Team Extreme is a skiing and snowboarding experience for advanced skiers and riders emphasizing the mountain environment. Themes for the day include mountain orientation, versatility, steeps, route finding, backcountry equipment training & etiquette, and guided backcountry tours, while also improving skiing and riding skills. NEW this year, for those freeriders: Park and pipe techniques and etiquette! Groomed Trails Open: 40 of 40

www.jacksonhole.com


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Big Sky
Today will bring a mix of clouds and sun with possible snow showers this afternoon into this evening. We are expecting a high of 30 and light winds out of the West/Southwest
Temperature: 30° to 16° (Fahrenheit)
Wind: 5-10mph from South West
New Overnight Snow: 3
Snow Fall past 24hrs: 3-4
Snow Fall past 48hrs: 3-4
Base Snow Depth: 53-81
Surface Conditions: Mother Nature blessed us with 3 inches of fluffy new snow to play in!. Super Pipe, Ambush Terrain Park and Swifty Park are all open.
Terrain Open: 100%
Lifts Scheduled to Open: Lone Peak Tram, Swift Current, Thunder Wolf, Ramcharger, Gondola One, Challenger, Iron Horse, Southern Comfort, Lone Peak Chair, Lone Moose, Explorer, White Otter, Shedhorn, Bear Back Poma, Base Area Lifts, Pony Express, Cascade, Little Thunder
What's Happening

***UPDATE***, snow fell after lifts closed yeasterday. ***4 fluffy new inches at the base*** BIG SKY – BIG GRASS February 17-21: 5 days of Bluegrass, Jamgrass, and Newgrass with food, libations, merchandise and prizes. Come and listen to all the music with the Drew Emmitt Band playing live tonight at 9:30pm at Whiskey Jack ($10 cover at the door)
www.bigskyresort.com


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FIS News - Alpine World Ski Championships

Austria Dominates Team Event


ARE, Sweden (Feb. 18) - The U.S. Ski Team found itself in an early hole Sunday and climbed partway out, finishing 11th in the team event, the final competition at the 2007 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships.

Austria, dominating from the start with just five points in the super G (four would have had all four skiers winning his or her run), took the gold medal with just 18 points. Sweden was silver medalist (33) and the bronze went to Switzerland (39).
The U.S. squad, which was fourth when the event debuted at the 2005 World Championships in Bormio, Italy, one point away from a medal, was in trouble early. The first three skiers in the opening super G round of speed skiing, went off course before returning to finish. Only Tim Jitloff (Reno, NV) finished his super G run. In slalom, there were three more DNFs (did not finish) with only Jimmy Cochran (Keene, NH) finishing. "We needed people to finish; it's like the NCAAs - it hurts when people don't finish," said Cochran, NCAA slalom silver medalist and GS bronze medalist at the 2003 NCAAs for the University of Vermont.
"We took it seriously and i thought we could get a medal," said Resi Stiegler (Jackson Hole, WY), who crashed on the final section in slalom. "But it's all about having strong runs, and we just didn't have them." Olympic combined champion Ted Ligety (Park City, UT) added, "It's tough, and we just don't have the depth to compete with the Austrians, but we didn't have our all-star team competing today, and that hurt, too. We had to go hard and we had to hope it paid off...but it didn't."
Said U.S. Alpine Director Jesse Hunt, "It was a tough day. We started out off the mark and we couldn't turn it around. It's a tough way to end the championships." One frustrating element, he said, was that the U.S. ski Team "had some obvious high points here in Are - three silver medals, Ted fourth in giant slalom...some great performances. And we're a little dinged with injuries, so it's tough to end things this way."
The World Cup season resumes next weekend - the men are scheduled for two downhills and a slalom in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, while the women are in Sierra Nevada, Spain, for a giant slalom and slalom.
2007 FIS ALPINE WORLD SKI CHAMPIONSHIPS
Are, SWE - Feb. 18, 2007
Team Event (4 runs SG, 4 runs SL)
(Points given on team placings in each run - 1 points for first, 2 points for second, etc.)
1. Austria, 18 points
2. Sweden, 33
3. Switzerland, 39
4. Finland, 49
5. (tie) France and Canada, 51 each
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11. USA (Super G - Ted Ligety, Park City, UT; Tim Jitloff, Reno, NV; Kaylin Richardson, Edina, MN, and Resi Stiegler, Jackson Hole, WY; Slalom - Jimmy Cochran, Keene, NH, and Ligety, Richardson and Stiegler)

Freestyle World Cup INAWASHIRO, Japan (Feb. 18) - Fog reduced a scheduled World Cup dual moguls contest Sunday to the lone qualifying run for men; no women got to compete. The top American was Jay Bowman-Kirigin (Salt Lake City) in fourth place. "It was a very difficult day. The fog was in and out all day and we were on hold, on hold, on hold," said Head Jeff Wintersteen. "The guys ran and we went on hold and that was it. Not a woman got down the hill."
In duals, skiers take a qualifying run and the top 16 move into finals where No. 1 is paired against No. 16, No. 2 against No. 15; the field is cut to eight, then to four, then to the final two. Olympic and defending World Cup champion Dale Begg-Smith of Australia was declared the winner after leading the qualifying run with 25.11 points. The U.S. Ski Team would have three skiers in finals - Bowman-Kirigin, who gained his first World Cup top-3 Saturday, finishing second in moguls, was fourth with Dave Babic (Washington, VT) 10th and Sho Kashima (Zephyr Cove, NV) 16th.
The next freestyle World Cup events, en route to the rescheduled FIS Freestyle World Ski Championships March 8-11 in Madonna di Campiglio, Italy, are next weekend at Apex Ski Area in Penticton, BC, with skier halfpipe, moguls and aerials.

FREESTYLE WORLD CUP
Inawashiro, JPN - Feb. 18, 2007
Men's Dual Moguls
(Contest reduced to qualifying run)
1. Dale Begg-Smith, Australia, 25.11 points
2. Mikko Ronkainen, Finland, 24.91
3. Guilbaut Colas, France, 24.85
4. Jay Bowman-Kirigin, Salt Lake City, 24.74
5. Pierre Ochs, France, 24.59
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10. Dave Babic, Washington, VT, 23.52
16. Sho Kashima, Zephyr Cove, NV, 22.98
28. Nate Roberts, Park City, UT, 21.02
36. David Digravio, Farmington, ME, 13.72
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(Women did not get to compete)

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

For complete details:
www.usskiteam.com