IFSA - IFSA JUNIOR FREESKIING TOUR IS OFFICIAL!!!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MOUNTAIN SPORTS INTERNATIONAL AND THE IFSA PROUDLY ANNOUNCES THE 2010 JUNIOR FREESKIING TOUR

Nick Greener flashing it in Verbier

The first tour established specifically for up-and-coming athletes, age categories for the Junior Freeskiing Tour include girls and boys ages 12-14 and 15-17.

Registration for the Junior Freeskiing Tour will be open by December 14th 2009 at 10:00am Mountain Time.

Salt Lake City, Utah, November 22, 2009 – Having enjoyed a great success last season, Mountain Sports International (MSI), The International Free Skiers Association (IFSA), and The Mountain Challenge are proud to announce the competition dates of the Junior Freeskiing Tour (JFT). Now in its second year, the JFT is comprised of two event companies Mountain Sports International, The Mountain Challenge, and one independent event Grand Targhee.

“I am really happy with the direction junior big mountain freeskiing is going in, the JFT is helping legitimize the sport of junior big mountain skiing and it is giving junior athletes long term goals to work towards.” said Rob Greener Snowbird Freeride Team Head Coach.

The JFT is a multiple stop junior big mountain competition series. The competition series is open to men and women 12-17, two age groups make up the competition field 12-14 and 15-17. Athletes accumulate points for results between 1-15 places; the athlete with the most points at the end of the season wins the overall tour. Overall tour winners will be crowned during the JFT championships at Crystal.

“Junior athletes are skiing at such a high level that there is no better time to create a cohesive Junior Freeskiing Tour than now,” said Greener. “The creation of the JFT will help legitimize junior athletes’ involvement in the sport of freeskiing and help them prepare for the Freesking World Tour. There is no doubt the JFT will be the breeding ground of future freeskiing stars and heavy hitters of the big screen.”

The JFT is the premier event series for Junior Big Mountain Freeride Skiing. “The current state of the sport is being dictated by these junior athletes, they are the future!” add Rob Greener.

The JFT will mimic the FWT, as each JFT event is IFSA sanctioned, providing credible consistent judging and accumulative points standings throughout the competitive season.

2010 JFT Schedule of Events:

US Extreme Freeskiing Junior Championships; Crested Butte, CO- February 17-18

North American Junior Freeskiing Championships; Kirkwood, CA- Dates (TBA)

Lone Peak Freeskiing Open; Big Sky, MT- March 5-7.

US Junior Freeskiing Nationals; Snowbird, UT- March 13-14.

Targhee Tee-Off; Grand Targhee, WY March 20-21.

Silver King Junior Freeskiing Championships; Crystal Mountain, WA March 31-April 4.

"The Junior Freeskiing Tour will help prepare and educate tomorrow’s freeksiers to be strong, calculated big mountain skiers,” said IFSA president and head judge Jim Jack. “By skiing with other young athletes they learn new techniques and sharpen their skills. The IFSA looks to promote the education of skiing and mountain sense to these young skiers while providing opportunities for them to compete in one of the most progressive and exciting events in the sport."

To register for the Crested Butte US Extreme Freeskiing Junior Championships, Kirkwood North American Junior Freeskiing Championships, and Snowbird Junior Freeskiing Nationals, go to www.freeskiingworldtour.com Registration will go live on December 14th 2009 at 10:00am Mountain Time.

To register for Big Sky Lone Peak Open and Crystal Mountain JR Freeskiing Championships, go to www.mountainchallenge.org , event registration is now open, and to register for Grand Targhee Targhee Tee-Off go to www.grandtarghee.com.

Outside of the JFT other independent events will act as pre-qualifiers to the JFT Championships in Cyrstal Mt. To earn a pre-qualified spot you must place in the top five in any of these IFSA sanctioned events. Events include, Stevens Pass, Red Mountain, Fernie, and Lake Louise.

Special thanks to our sponsors:

The North Face

Subaru of America

IFSA

Special thanks to our resort partners:

Crested Butte Mountain Resort

Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort

Kirkwood Mountain Resort

Grand Targhee Resort

Crystal Mountain

Big Sky Resort

REGISTRATION INFORMATION AND ATHLETE INQUIRIES CONTACT