Freestyle SKI Association

Canadian medal haul at Lake Placid

babetskaGus — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 15:43:05 GMT

Mikael Kingsbury leads the charge with second-straight NorAm gold

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. – Mikael Kingsbury of Deux-Montagnes, Que., won his second gold in two days in men’s moguls on Saturday to highlight a quadruple medal performance for Canada in mogul action here.

Mikael Kingsbury won two straight
NorAms

In men’s moguls, 17-year-old Kingsbury scored 24.83 points in the final to repeat his winning performance from Friday. He was also first in Saturday’s morning preliminaries. David DiGravio of the U.S., was second at 23.93 and Michael Henitiuk of Whistler third at 23.82.

"I never expected to come here and win both events,” said Kingsbury. "But yesterday I realized I had the ability to win and I went into today feeling very confident. It was a very similar kind of performance; I couldn’t say one performance was better than another. The key for me is my consistency. I’m not making any big errors.”

Henitiuk earned his first career NorAm medal.

"It was pretty cool to get on the podium,” said Henitiuk. "Hopefully I can get on a roll with that. Today I finally put it all together in one run. It definitely helps my confidence and really motivates me for the rest of the season. I’ve had a good year but I needed this kind of result.”

Marc-Antoine Gagnon of Terrebonne, Que., was fifth, Simon Pouliot-Cavanagh of Quebec City sixth and Rob Winter of Edmonton 11th.

In women’s moguls, Eliza Outtrim of the U.S., was the winner at 23.09, 15-year-old Justine Dufour-Lapointe of Montreal was second at 22.98 for her first career NorAm medal and Audrey Robichaud of Quebec City, Friday’s winner and Saturday’s top qualifier, was third at 22.83.

"I’m absolutely thrilled to get on the podium,” said Dufour-Lapointe, sixth in prelims. "It went really well in the final. I had a good clocking, my jumps were well executed and overall it was one of my best ever runs,” said the youngster who’s two older sisters are on the National Team.

Justine Dufour-Lapointe

Robichaud felt she was faring better than Friday until she botched her second air.

"Overall I was faster, my technique was much better today and my first air was better,” said Robichaud, 21, who has earned three top-10 finishes on the World Cup this season. "But on the second air I was attempting a back flip and I didn’t get enough rotation and lost my balance a little bit.”

Béatrice Bilodeau of Rosemère, Que., was fifth, Alexandra Dufresne of Lorraine, Que., 11th, and Chelsea Henitiuk of Whistler 12th.

Kingsbury hat trick

babetskaGus — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 15:42:06 GMT

Deux-Montagnes native wins third gold in as many starts

KILLINGTON, Vt. – Mikael Kingsbury of Deux-Montagnes, Que., continued his domination of men’s moguls on the NorAm freestyle ski circuit Friday. He collected his third-straight win after starting the season with a solitary bronze medal in his NorAm portfolio.

"He’s a phenomenal jumper, and he’s improved a lot since last year,” said former World Cup skier Jim Schiman, one of Canada’s national development team coaches. "He’s putting down big jumps and he has made a lot of technical gains.”

Mikael Kingsbury

Winning back-to-back events in Lake Placid a week ago buoyed his confidence entering the first of two moguls’ events here.

"Every year I’ve improved a little more,” said Kingsbury, 17, who tries to pattern some of his technique after Canadian-born Australian mogul skier Dale Begg-Smith who is a medal favourite at the 2010 Olympics.

Kingsbury finished second in the preliminary round Friday before improving his jumps in the final.

"I was watching all the guys and saw some good runs with fast times, so I knew I had to ski well,” said the 140-pound Kingsbury. "It’s one of the best runs I’ve ever done,” he added after polishing up his jumps – a back-twisting flip and an off-axis D spin – in the final.

"Mikael is an awesome skier. He just rips all the courses,” said team-mate Cédric Rochon of St-Sauveur, Que., who placed third.

It was Rochon’s first career NorAm medal after producing a World Cup personal best of 10^th in Lake Placid last month.

"I’m really happy with the way I’m skiing,” said Rochon, 19. "I’ve improved a lot and I want to continue to improve and go faster.”

Rochon’s score was 23.83, leaving Jeremy Cota of the U.S. second in 24.75 and Kingsbury leading at 25.28.

Rochon, Kingsbury, Eddie Hicks of Whistler, B.C., and Philippe Marquis of Quebec City will also be forerunners for men’s moguls at the Vancouver Olympics.

Other Canadian men in Friday’s final were Hicks in fifth, Marc-Antoine Gagnon of Terrebonne 10^th, Marquis 13^th and Simon Pouliot-Cavanagh of Quebec City 15^th.

In women’s moguls, the Americans swept the podium as Eliza Outtrim’s score of 23.15 left Heidi Kloser second in 22.98 and Allison Digravio third in 22.84.

Canadian World Cup skiers Audrey Robichaud of Quebec City, Maxime Dufour-Lapointe of Montreal, and development squad member Béatrice Bilodeau of Rosemère, Que. took fourth, fifth and sixth respectively.

"I skied okay,” said Robichaud, after scoring 22.37. "I made a couple of mistakes in the morning that I fixed for the finals. I wish I did better, that’s for sure, but I’m mainly here for training.” Robichaud won two medals – a gold and a bronze – in last week’s Lake Placid NorAms.

Other Canadian finalists were Alexandra Dufresne of Lorraine, Que., in 12^th, Alex-Anne Gagnon of Terrebonne, Que., 13^th, and Julie Bureau of Lac Beauport, Que., 14^th.

Action resumes with dual moguls Saturday, and Aerial NorAms from Ski Mont Gabriel on Saturday and Sunday.

For more information please contact Media Relations Manager Kelley Korbin at: kelleykorbin@freestyleski.com.

—

Please note, our pre-Olympic news conferences are as follows:

MOGULS

When: Monday, February 8, 2010; 11:15 a.m. PT
What: Media availability with Canada’s Olympic Mogul Team
Where: BC Media Centre, Robson Square – 800 Robson, Vancouver
Who: Jenn Heil (Spruce Grove, AB and Montreal, QC)
Kristi Richards (Summerland, BC)Chloé Dufour-Lapointe (Montreal, QC)
Alex Bilodeau (Rosemere, QC)
Vincent Marquis (Quebec City, QC)
Pierre-Alexandre Rousseau (Drummondville, QC)
Maxime Gingras (St-Hippolyte, QC)

Team Coaches
CFSA CEO Peter Judge
CFSA High Performance Manager David Mirota

AERIALS

When: Friday, February 12, 2010; 10:00 a.m. PT
What: Media availability with Canada’s Olympic Aerial Team
Where: Main Press Centre (apologies but only accredited media can attend this venue, if you are unaccredited and would like a post-conference phone call from an athlete please contact us and we will try to accommodate your request)
Who: Veronika Bauer (Toronto, ON)
Steve Omischl (North Bay, ON and Kelowna, BC)
Warren Shouldice (Calgary, AB)
Kyle Nissen (Calgary, AB)

Coach Daniel Murphy
CFSA CEO Peter Judge
CFSA High Performance Manager David Mirota

Gabriel NorAm to showcase some of the world’s best aerial talent

babetskaGus — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 15:41:18 GMT

Spectators at the two aerial NorAm events at Ski Mont Gabriel this coming weekend will be treated to some of the best jumping in the world.

Laurence Allard-Riendeau from
Montreal will compete this weekend

That’s because many international World Cup teams, including Australia and Belarus, have put forward entrants into Saturday and Sunday’s events.

These international powerhouse nations of high-flying twists and turns are at Ski Mont Gabriel training for the upcoming Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games and can’t resist another opportunity to refine their jumps in a competition setting.

Members of the Canadian Aerial Development Team will join their international counterparts in this important event. This next generation of the Canadian Air Force is trained and mentored by Nicolas Fontaine, a four-time FIS World Cup Aerial champion and four-time Olympian.

Fontaine hand-picked his athletes for a development program called Jump 2010, designed to transition gymnasts and trampolinists to the highly acrobatic sport of aerial skiing. So far this program has proved to be incredibly successful and three members of the squad, Olivier Rochon (Gatineau, Que.), Genevieve Tougas (St-Hubert, Que) and Sabrina Guerin (Laval, Que.), were all promoted to the World Cup Team this season.

"I’m really proud of my athletes, they are incredibly hard-working and dedicated to their new sport,” said Fontaine. "In fact, they are so well-regarded that they have all been invited to come to Vancouver and forerun the Aerials events at the Olympics. This will be an excellent learning experience for them as we expect to see the whole team jumping in Sochi in 2014.”

The Canadian development mogul squad will also be competing this weekend in NorAms in Killington, VT. Hot off of two gold-medal finishes last weekend at Lake Placid, upstart Mikael Kingsbury of Deux Montanges is hoping for a repeat performance.

For more information or for media accreditation to the NorAm at Ski Mont Gabriel, please contact Media Relations Manager Kelley Korbin at: kelleykorbin@freestyleski.com.

Skiing in New York

babetskaGus — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 19:19:20 GMT

If you want straight, smooth, and steep drops, go Skiing in New York. Ski resorts in this area include the Belleayre Mountain in Highmount, Bristol Mountain in Canandaigua, Catamount Ski Area in Hillsdale, Gore Mountain in North Creek, Greek Peak in Virgil, Holiday Mountain Ski and Fun in Monticello, Holiday Valley Ski Resort in Ellicottville near Buffalo, Holimont in Ellicottville near Buffalo, Hunter Mountain in Hunter, Kissing Bridge in Colden near Buffalo, Peak - N - Peak in Clymer, near Chautauqua Lake and Jamestown, Ski Plattekill in Roxbury, Swain in Swain, Thunder Ridge Ski Area in Patterson, Titus Mountain in Malone, Tuxedo Ski Center in Tuxedo, West Mountain in Glens Falls, Whiteface Mountain in Wilmington, and Windham Mountain in Windham.

Hunter Mountain has more than 1,100 snow guns that can blanket the entire trail system in a week of cold days. Belleayre has five of the latest grooming machines that can freshen 120 miles of terrain in a single night. Mount Peter, a small, family ski area only 50 miles from Manhattan in Warwick, can make enough snow that enables the resort to be open from mid – December to March. Dozens of New York ski areas, like Greek Peak outside Cortland, are into the booming night Skiing business.

Whiteface's double black diamond slides, which require hiking above the Whiteface summit quad lift, were open only nine days last season due to conditions like avalanche threat. Genuine Backcountry Skiing starts at 4,650 feet, the top of a possible 2.5-mile run to the base and dropping 3,430 vertical feet. The ranges of a windswept Adirondack high peak are also the coldest places to ski in New York.

At the southern edge of the Adirondacks, you can cross - country ski on a network of trails at Lapland Lake in Northville, a resort founded 32 years ago by Olavi Hirvonen, after he skied for the U.S. Olympic team.

Located on the western edge of the Finger Lakes Regions, the Letchworth State Park in Castile, a 17-mile park, has thick forests and the Genesee River runs through its gorges and waterfalls. With 66 miles of hiking trails, the park is open on winter weekends and holidays for both Cross - country Skiing and snowmobiling.

There are many resorts in New York that can offer an exciting Skiing experience. Check them out now and have a nice New York Skiing vacation!

New Mexico Skiing

babetskaGus — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 19:18:38 GMT

When it comes to Skiing, New Mexico has something to offer. Known for its heavy snowfall and mountains which are suitable for snow sports, it keeps drawing people from all over the world. Among the famous ski resorts in New Mexico are: Taos Ski Valley, Angel Fire Resort, and Ski Apache.

Taos Ski Valley
Taos Ski Valley was founded in 1955 by Ernie and Rhoda Blake. After finding the spot that he thought was the perfect place to put up a ski resort, Ernie moved his family to Taos Ski Valley. Later on, the Blakes began to build what is now a world-class ski resort.

Taos Ski Valley is the home of Extreme Skiing in the US. It also has the best ski schools and has excellent daycare and ski facilities. However, Snowboarding is not allowed here.

The resort has a new terrain park and a halfpipe. Regional outdoor activities like tubing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, ice skating, Cross Country Skiing, White Water Rafting (in spring), riding a hot air balloon, Ice Fishing, and Fly Fishing are offered in the resort. The town of Taos also has art galleries, unique shops, museums, movie theaters, good nightlife, and festivals.

Angel Fire Resort
Apart from Skiing and Snowboarding, Angel Fire Resort offers other activities like snowmobiling, sleigh and hay rides, Ice Fishing, and tubing. The resort has a three-lane inner tubing course (with a "magic carpet" lift and a course lift for night use).

The resort has a good terrain park that is best suited for Snowboarding. Snowboarders can use all open trails. It also offers ski and snowboard lessons. Skiing Equipment rental is available in the resort.

Ski Apache
Sierra Blanca Peak, home to Ski Apache, rises more than 12,000 feet above sea level in south central New Mexico. This provides visitors stunning views of the desert lands, including White Sands National Monument. One unique thing about the resort is the presence of state’s ancient gondola. Moreover, Ski Apache has a total of 55 trails and is open to snowboarders.

Skiing is an activity that is worth doing over and over again. Try Skiing in New Mexico and experience what the sport is all about.

Family Skiing

babetskaGus — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 19:18:00 GMT

Skiing holidays for the family have the potential to be the best, or the absolute worst, bonding moments. The turnout depends largely on the kind of vacation, activities, and accommodations that you are going to get. When your family is already tired of all the usual activities done year after year, then maybe now is the time to try a new way to totally rev up your holiday.

Skiing is not the most popular activity on people’s lists of holiday prospects, especially the ones who still have very little kids. The reason? A Skiing holiday is typically put off until the kids in the family are older and more able to look after themselves during the trip. Of course, getaways should not be for the children’s benefit only; parents are also entitled to take pleasure in spending this precious time with their families. To ensure a memorable retreat for everybody, meticulous planning is mandatory. However, if the complicated aspects of planning are not really your thing, lots of Skiing resorts offer packages which include catered meals, room accommodations, ski lessons, and transportation from the ski sites to your hotels. Some even offer family discounts, special rates for children, and in-house nanny services. The trick is to choose among different resorts and decide which one suits your needs best; don’t be fooled by mere attractive pictures and flowery descriptions – it pays to be critical. After all, your family’s satisfaction is what counts here.

For starters, check these off on your list:

How much is your budget range?
How long and in what destination are you planning to hold your vacation?
How will you get there? What is the language spoken in that place?
How many people are coming along?
What kind and quality of accommodations are you looking for?
Are childcare services for very small children available with the Skiing package?
What Skiing-lesson packages are available and how much would they be per person? What are the qualifications of their instructors? Does the resort offer transportation to and from the Skiing area?

France, one of the best Skiing destinations in the world, has many chalets that offer Skiing packages - from the luxurious to the reasonably priced. There are a lot of ski areas to choose from such as the Pyrenees, Mont-Blanc, the Grand Massif, and the Portes Du Soleil. French Ski Resorts have some of the best services in the world, with exceptionally trained and friendly service crew members who are always at the ready to attend to your every need.

Now, nothing should hold you back from going on that Skiing trip you’ve probably been considering for some time now. So yield to the call of the pristine snow slopes, gather up the whole family, and experience the one-of-a-kind thrill that a Skiing holiday has to offer!

Ski Lifts

babetskaGus — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 19:17:11 GMT

Ski Lifts are the means of transport in Ski Resorts. Ride a Ski Lift to reach the top of the slope, then ski your way down.

Aerial Lifts and Surface Lifts are the basic forms of Ski Lifts. Get familiar with these lifts in this section:

Aerial Lifts
Aerial Lifts transport the skiers up the hill while sitting on an open chair or gondola which is attached to a cable. Chairlifts and aerial trams are examples of Aerial Lifts.

Technically speaking, gondolas and chairlifts are trams. Aerial trams refer to those lifts which look like hanging buses. They are usually built in ski parks. One of the popular trams in the US is the New York Trams. It spans the East River and connects Manhattan and Roosevelt Island.

While trams are designed to be closed lifts, chairlifts are designed in which passengers sit in a chair while being transported. Chairlifts often have fiberglass shells which can be pulled down to protect riders from wind and snow.

Surface Lifts
Surface Lifts are lifts in which the Skis or Snowboards remain in contact with the snow. Rope tows, magic carpet, J-bars, T-bars, and poma lifts are examples of Surface Lifts.

The rope tow is the first true uphill conveyance designed specifically for Skiing. It is powered by an engine or motor which pulls the rope uphill. Before, rope tows used natural fiber ropes, but now, ropes are made of synthetic fibers. Ski slopes in some small communities are still using natural fiber ropes.

Designed for children, the magic carpet is a Surface Lift that is also used by adults who are beginners. It is more of a conveyor belt which moves continuously. Skiers and snowboarders would simply step on the surface of the belt.

Created in 1940s, J-bars hang from wire ropes which are attached to towers. Skiers use the horizontal appendage to get towed up the hill. J-bars are rarely seen nowadays.

A T-bar comes with a T-shaped fitting at the bottom to allow two skiers be towed side by side. More often than not, skiers riding the T-bars would always get their boots entangled, which just adds up to the fun of Skiing.

A poma lift is just like a T-bar or J-bar which has overhead cables connected to towers. However, if the T-bar or J-bar pulls passengers up by using a bar, a poma lift has a plastic disc at the bottom which is placed between the skier’s legs. Poma lifts are known as the first widely used detachable lifts.

There are other Ski Lifts available in different ski resorts. Whatever type of Ski Lift there is in the ski area, make sure to learn how to get on and off the lift. Have fun!

Skiing in West Virginia

babetskaGus — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 19:16:36 GMT

With its high amount of snowfall and long ski season, West Virginia is one great Skiing destination.

In West Virginia, the parks and ski areas have sled and inner tube runs and rope tow, as well as snow – groomer tours, snowmobiles, and snow body board sleds. Each resort allows Snowboarding on all slopes. For snowshoe trekkers, popular destinations are Monongahela National Forest and state parks as well as the West Virginia's pristine snow – covered forests. Also, outfitters provide guided tours, equipment rentals, and lessons for those who want to explore miles of hiking trails blanketed by snow.

West Virginia also offers winter sport options from major commercial resorts with massive ski lifts. These resorts are:

Winterplace Resort - has 28 trails and a terrain park. The different ski lifts here are fun to get a ride with and have the greatest attitude difference of 89 miles. This resort gets eight (8) feet of snow every winter which results to great coverage. It has 27 slopes and its skiing land which is 90 acres is just like a small – sized ski mountain.

Timberline Resort - nestles at an elevation of over 4,000 feet. It receives abundant snowfall, and it has a snowmaking system. The upper white lightning trail has been widened to allow skiers make turns with today’s shaped Skis.

Canaan Valley Resort - became the first major commercial downhill ski operator in West Virginia. It is a complete winter playland that adds attractions and services for skiers. It offers a 250-room lodge and 23 mountain cottages as well as dining options and many special events.

Snowshoe Mountain Resort - has a detachable quad lift known as the Soaring Eagle Express which allows skiers more time for turns as it reduces the ride time. This resort also has village on top that has restaurants and areas for shoppers and those who want to have a drink or two at night.

Oglebay Resort - features 815-ft. slopes with a 168-ft. vertical drop, a new triple chair lift, and extensive snowmaking equipment.

West Virginia gets exceptionally pretty in the wintertime, making it a splendid time of the year for numerous winter sports. Whether you are into Skiing, Snowboarding or snowshoeing, West Virginia has something for you.

Jet Skiing

babetskaGus — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 19:15:58 GMT

Jet Skiing is a water sport in which an individual rides a jet ski and jumps over waves. It is a sport enjoyed by many who love being in the water and find speed thrilling. It is a sport enjoyed by many who love being in the water and find speed thrilling.

This activity has only a few requirements - a jet ski, calm lake (or any body of water, preferably not crowded), and a life jacket - and viola, the rider gets moving that instant. Experience or practice is not necessary. This sport is generally for people of all ages. In fact, even a 12-year-old can engage in Jet Skiing.

The growing popularity of Jet Skiing, according to its enthusiasts, is fairly due to the “ride-ability” of a jet ski. More so, people engaging in it need not think much about safety. Riding a jet ski is as simple as riding a recreational park’s bump car.

There are several buttons in a jet ski: a start button, a stop button, and a pair of handle bars. The lever on its right-hand side serves as the throttle. Jet skis, mostly of the higher-octane model, are now available with specialized features like speedometer and fuel gauge. Turning the handle bars to the left makes the jet ski’s nozzle head to the left and the same to the right. It is actually that easy. As compared to steering a boat, Jet Skiing does not need a rudder. Jet skis only turn to a certain direction when the engine is particularly propelled to that course.

In terms of safety, jet skis are by default assembled with a safety key that is oftentimes a bracelet secured in a small plastic clip which is attached on the handle bars. This key, which is needed to start and run the engine, should be placed around the wrist at all times. Otherwise, the jet ski will keep going and start dragging its rider when, by accident, the jet skier fell off. In such case, all the rider needs to do is to pull the key and the engine would automatically stop.

If the jet ski had run aground, it is important for it to be pushed out into the water and turned facing out and heading the middle of the water. Remember: Jet skis do not reverse. If it is on a lowering mechanism, the jet ski must be lowered into the water. Pushing the jet ski out into necessarily deep water normally between three to four feet can prevent churning up with rocks, which might enter the engine.

Being comfortable with speed marks the time to start learning turns. The test of Jet Skiing is learning how fast and sharp one needs to turn to spill. Ending up in water and finding the jet ski upside down are just some of the fun moments in Jet Skiing. Finding big waves, riding them, and catching the air by gunning the engine are the challenges of this sport.

Utah Skiing

babetskaGus — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 19:15:26 GMT

Skiing in Utah, being profoundly ingrained in the history of North America, was rooted from the traditional legacy of the state’s town resorts - Alta and Brighton being the most prominent ones. Over the past years, Utah, with its diverse number and classification of slopes and terrains, has been the perfect destination when aiming to experience the real thrill of Skiing. Utah Skiing also boasts of its waist-deep expedition coined as the "greatest snow on earth". Cruising a sedate ski ride is also a good option to experience especially with Utah’s world-renowned mountain ranges.

The Ski Utah Interconnect Adventure Tour is organized, with the state’s initiative and support, to interconnect all of the state’s resorts and to establish a Skiing ritual, which would be only that of Utah’s. With the group’s effort, a thrilling expedition at the Wasatch mountain backcountry was conceptualized through routes in and out of five different ski resorts. Hence, by resorting to such activity, the rider may be able to experience a unique feel of the resorts’ expertise simultaneously. As this tour is of a great risk, seasoned professional guides are present to pilot the team over extraordinary off-piste turns and implausible scenes. As a precaution, the weather (along with other circumstances) is the main consideration to permit such a trip. Likewise, only advanced skiers of good physical condition are allowed to take part therein.

With the proliferation of Skiing in Utah, the notion that the state is only for native Alpine riders had been busted over the past years. Besides, the same Utah snow that drops on the downhill ski resorts also falls on its vast cross country ski areas. Over the years, Utah shared its enthusiasm to Cross Country Skiing when its local Soldier Hollow resort hosted the Nordic Skiing sport of the Olympic Winter Games in 2002. After which, Soldier Hollow had been known among skiers as they aspire for an Olympic-level practice and demonstration.

Offering the real challenge of Skiing, Utah had made its way in the fast-paced society as a gauge of being a first-class Skiing destination. Utah also provides Cross-Country Skiing which is the prominent form of relaxation in snow - slowing down the thoughts, speeding up the heart rate, and at the same time showcasing Utah’s picturesque landscapes.

Nordic spots at Sundance, Homestead, Solitude Mountain, Ruby’s Inn, and White Pine - featuring spruced trails and slopes amidst Utah’s perfect rough country - are the best picks in town.

With all these great resorts and a lot of Skiing opportunities, you will surely have a great Skiing Vacation in Utah.