Jackson Hole to host U.S. Freeskiing Open March 22-24

Jackson Hole to host U.S. Freeskiing Open March 22-24JACKSON, Wyoming – Mountain Sports International announced the inaugural Subaru Jackson Hole Freeskiing Open, March 22-24 at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort in Wyoming. The event will be Jackson Hole’s first big-mountain competition in 10 years-with over 100 of the world’s top athletes gunning for the $7,500 prize purse and a shot at the overall Subaru U.S. Freeskiing Series title.

Combining some of the best big mountain terrain in North America with a record-breaking 430 inches of snowfall already this year, the inaugural Jackson Hole Freeskiing Open is shaping up be one of the best freeskiing competitions held this year, anywhere. Competition is scheduled in Casper Bowl, just in time for the final days of Jackson’s legendary tram.

‘We are very excited to have an event in Jackson’ said MSI event organizer John ‘Dak’ Williams. ‘It is one of the premier expert mountains in North America, and is home to some of the best freeskiers around. There is no better place to let the regulars of the tour cut loose with some hardcore locals.’

The Jackson Hole Freeskiing Open is the third stop of the Subaru U.S. Freeskiing Series, the premier big-mountain competition series in North America with a $45,000 overall prize purse. This will be the last chance for competitors to up their standings before heading into the U.S. and World Tour Finals at Kirkwood, California, the following week.

After two stops on the U.S. Freeskiing Series, Lynn Kennen of Alpine Meadows, California, holds a commanding 11-point lead in overall women’s standings, ahead of U.S. Freeskiing nationals winner Laura Ogden of Whistler, British Columbia, and Telluride Freeskiing Open winner Carrie Jo Chernoff of Crested Butte, Colorado, in a tie for second-place

Competition for the men’s U.S. Freeskiing series overall title is extremely tight, with Nick Greener and Cliff Bennett, both from Snowbird, Utah, currently tied for first. They hold only a five-point lead over a second-place tie between Adrien Coirier of Les Arcs, France, and Fred Mooney of Winter Park, Colorado. The men’s title is entirely up for grabs-one mistake could change everything.

‘We are thrilled to host the U.S. Freeskiing comp in Jackson Hole this year’ said Greer Terry, Communications Coordinator of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. ‘This competition is a perfect match with the expert terrain and expert skiers in Jackson Hole. It has been 10 years since we hosted an event like this and we are excited to bring U.S. freeskiing back to Jackson Hole.”

The four-stop 2006 Subaru U.S. Freeskiing series kicked off with the Subaru U.S. Freeskiing Nationals at Snowbird, continued on to the Subaru Telluride Freeskiing Open in Telluride, Colorado, and will conclude at the Subaru North American Freeskiing Championships in Kirkwood.

REGISTRATION INFORMATION AND ATHLETE INQUIRIES CONTACT

Barb Hamblett and Nicole Leitner
Registration Team and Athlete Liaisons

Barb Hamblett
Mountain Sports International
East Coast Logistics Manager
office: 603.552.2474
mobile: 603.502.1034
barb@mtsports.com

Nicole Leitner
Mountain Sports International
National Logistics Manager
office: 801.485.7669
mobile:801.712.5289
nicole@mtsports.com