The Honda Ski Tour: SX moved up to Friday

Aspen/Snowmass, Colorado, will host the third stop of the inaugural season of The Honda Ski Tour from Feb. 22-25. THST is North America’s new elite, four-stop mountain festival and skiing competition that features the world’s best halfpipe and skiercross skiers competing for a total of $500,000 over four stops, the largest purse in the sport.

ASPEN/SNOWMASS, Colorado, will host the third stop of the inaugural season of The Honda Ski Tour from Feb. 22-25. THST is North America’s new elite, four-stop mountain festival and skiing competition that features the world’s best halfpipe and skiercross skiers competing for a total of $500,000 over four stops, the largest purse in the sport.
    With snow forecast for Saturday, the skiercross competition has been pushed up to Friday.
    The final tour stop and championships are being held in Squaw Valley USA, California, March 8-11, and past tour stops include Sun Valley, Idaho; and Breckenridge, Colo.     
    Confirmed athletes for THST Aspen/Snowmass skier halfpipe competition include X Games gold medalists and previous winners of THST halfpipe Simon Dumont (Sun Valley winner) and Tanner Hall (Breckenridge winner), who both took home $25,000 respectively for their winning runs. Dumont leads THST point standings with 150 points while Peter Olenick sits in second with 106, followed by Hall with 100, Matt Philippi with 95 and Mike Riddle with 80.    
    The International Olympic Committee recently approved the addition of skiercross for the 2010 Winter Olympics. The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association, the national governing body for Olympic skiing, is officially calendaring THST 2007 as a sanctioned USSA skiercross event.     
    Athletes confirmed for THST Aspen/Snowmass skiercross include: undefeated THST skiercross winner, Olympian and Aspen/Snowmass local Casey Puckett, who leads the point standings with 200 points; Stanley Hayer, who has placed second and third at previous THST stops and sits comfortably in second with 160 points; U.S. Ski Team legend Daron Rahlves, who has had some bad luck (crashing in the semifinals and finals at both THST stops and the 2007 X Games), who sits in third place overall with 95 points. X Games gold medalists Lars Lewen, Zach Crist, Enak Gavaggio and skiercross FIS world champion Tomas Kraus also will be fighting for the $25,000 winner’s check.
    “It’s always exciting when another high-profile event comes to Aspen/Snowmass,” said John Rigney, vice president of sales & events for Aspen Skiing Company. “What makes this special is that The Ski Tour is brand-new, yet has captured the attention of skiing enthusiasts everywhere. The talent we’ll be witnessing is truly incredible, and the sport of skiing will only benefit. Plus, we get to share the incredible story of Snowmass with these influencers and the rest of the viewing world.”
    The BaseCamp Music Experience at Aspen/Snowmass will feature more than 10 big-name musical acts headlined by world-famous dancehall reggae artist Sean Paul alongside the multi-day alpine festival including street parties and countless parties. THST’s Aspen/Snowmass stop will be nationally televised (in a one-hour show) on ABC network television on Sunday, March 11, 2 p.m. EST.
    The nightlife at the Aspen/Snowmass stop of The Honda Ski Tour will rival the on-slope action with others headliners such as George Clinton and the P Funk All Stars, Swollen Members, Tommy Lee with DJ Aero, Joseph Israel, Elan and DJ Dylan, Jillian Ann and DJ Logic.
    Showcasing the year’s best action sports segments from the biggest producers in the game, the Limelight Film Festival highlights from THST Sun Valley stop will be aired throughout the Aspen/Snowmass THST on the Jumbotron at the base of the competitions and in the town’s bars and restaurants. The Limelight Film Festival covers the entire spectrum of action-adventure filmmaking from the biggest producers in the game, with segments by Teton Gravity Research, Warren Miller, Jason Moriarty, Kent Kreitler, Jamie Mossberg, Standard Films and Lindgren Productions.
    Highlights from the five world-class photographers who showcased the best work of their careers at the Sun Valley Pro Photo Shootout will also be featured throughout the Aspen/Snowmass THST. Scott Markewitz, Tony Harrington, Charlie Munsey, Corey Rich and Gene Dwarkin will showcase epic images from across the globe, including skiing, surfing, kayaking, climbing and more.
    THST was founded by Kipp Nelson and Steve Brown, former University of Colorado alpine racers. Nelson, a trustee of the U.S. Ski Team as well as the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation, is putting the fun back into ski competition by combining two very separate aspects of the sport, halfpipe and ski cross into one event.

The Honda Ski Tour – schedule – Aspen/Snowmass

REVISED — THST Aspen Snowmass Competition Schedule — Feb. .22-23

Friday, Feb. 23
8:30 – 9:30           SX    Training
9:30 – 10-:00        SX     Course Closed/Preparation
10:05 – 11:00        SX    Time trial qualifying
11:00 – 12:00        SX    Course Closed/Preparation
12:05 – 12:20        SX    Paul Mitchell Dark Horse
12:30 – 1:25         SX    Heats
1:30                    SX    Finals
1:40                    SX    Awards
10:00 – 12:00        Pipe     Practice

Saturday, Feb. 24
8:00 – 8:45        Pipe     Practice
8:45 – 9:00        Pipe    Pipe Closed/Maintenance
9:00 – 9:45        Pipe    Heat #1        2 runs/best run counts
                        16 athletes/32 total runs
9:45 – 9:55        Pipe    Pipe Closed/Maintenance
9:55 – 10:20        Pipe    Practice
10:20 – 10:30        Pipe    Pipe Closed/Maintenance
10:30 – 11:30        Pipe    Heat #2        2 runs/best run counts
                        16 athletes/32 total runs
11:30 – 11:40        Pipe    Pipe Closed/Maintenance
11:40 – 12:00        Pipe    Practice
12:00 – 12:15        Pipe    Pipe Closed/Maintenance
12:15 – 1:15        Pipe    Finals        Top 12 athletes
 &n
bsp;                      2 runs/best run counts
1:15            Pipe    Awards

THST Aspen Entertainment Schedule

Thursday, Feb. 22
Eric’s Bar
8:00pm – 9:00pm         Athlete Welcoming Reception

Friday, Feb. 23
Snowmass Mountain and Village
2:00pm – 4:00pm         Après Parties in Snowmass Village and Cirque Café
Cooper Ave Mall & The Silver Circle Ice Rink
5:00pm – 7:00pm         Street Party and skating
5:00pm – 7:00pm         Public beer garden @ back patio of Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse
6:00pm – 7:30pm         Joseph Israel
8:00pm                      Fireworks
The Belly Up
8:30pm – 11:30pm        George Clinton ($49 advance / $54 door, 7:30pm doors)
11:55pm – 2:00am        Elan and DJ Dylan ($15 advance / $20 door, 11:30pm doors)
Crocs Lounge / The Sky Hotel – 39 Degrees Bar/Lounge*
8:30pm – 11:00pm        DJ Logic (8pm doors)
11:00pm – 2:00am        Tommy Lee / DJ Aero  ($99 advance / $104 door, for both)
*Not all guests will have view of performer—multi room venue.

Saturday, Feb. 24
Snowmass Mountain and Village
2:00pm – 5:00pm         Après Parties in Snowmass Village and Cirque Café
Downtown Aspen
2:00pm – 5:00pm         Après Parties downtown and The Cantina & The Tavern
The Silver Circle Ice Rink
5:00pm – 7:00pm         Open for public skate
Rio Grande Park – Basecamp Pavilion Area
6:00                          doors
7:30pm – 8:30pm         Swollen Members
8:50pm – 10:30pm        Sean Paul ($30 advance / $35 door)
The Belly Up
9:00pm                      doors
10:30pm – 2:00am        Gomez with Joe Purdy  ($29 advance / $35 door)

Sunday, Feb. 25
The Tavern – Aspen Mountain
3:30pm – 5:30pm –       Fashion Show party