Back to Breck: US Grand Prix relocates from Northstar

Breckenridge, recently the site of a successful Dew Tour iON Mountain Championships, will play host to the third U.S. Freeskiing Olympic qualifier Jan. 8-12. (Dew Tour photo)

The second stop of the Sprint U.S. Grand Prix, the third Olympic qualifier, has been relocated to Breckenridge, Colo.. The competition is set for Jan. 8-12.

The event, which also serves as an FIS Freestyle World Cup for freeskiing, has been moved from Northstar California Resort to Breck due to its “competition-ready venue,” which recently played host to the opening qualifier at the Dew Tour iON Mountain Championships.

“The (Northstar) region was not getting sufficiently cold temperatures for snowmaking teams to ensure the huge production of snow required for building a competition halfpipe and slopestyle venue,” reads a statement from USSA.

The event will feature top international athletes and will be broadcast on NBC and NBCSN.

“Breckenridge will be an outstanding Grand Prix venue and a vital part of our Olympic Team selection,” said Calum Clark, USSA vice president of events. “While the snow conditions are great at Northstar and the region is now experiencing much colder temperatures, we all mutually felt that it was too great a risk for the resort given the massive amounts of snowmaking required to build the venue. We’re very sorry to not be going to Northstar, which has an outstanding track record of building tremendous venues, but this move will enhance Northstar’s ability to serve its guests and keep the event in the Vail Resorts family at Breckenridge.”

SCHEDULE
Wednesday, Jan. 8
Slopestyle skiing qualifying
Halfpipe snowboarding qualifying

Thursday, Jan. 9
Slopestyle snowboarding qualifying
Halfpipe skiing qualifying

Friday, Jan. 10
Slopestyle skiing finals
Slopestyle snowboarding finals

Saturday, Jan. 11
Halfpipe snowboarding finals

Sunday, Jan. 12
Halfpipe skiing finals