Archive for the 'Outdoors' Category

Come on out for some fresh air, great exercise and free breakfast! Friday is “Ride Your Bike To Work Day.” The Reno Bike Project is serving up free breakfast for bike to work participants – the fun starts bright and early at 6 a.m. - Southeast Corner of 250 Bell St. Call (775) 323-4488 for more info.

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Huge props to Jackie Passo for taking the women’s title at the 11th Annual Subaru U.S. Freeskiing Nationals on North Baldy at Snowbird Ski Resort, Utah. Jackie is a local Squaw athlete sponsored by Reno-Based Moment Skis (www.momentskis.com), which is what I ski on. She won on the Moment Ruby’s. What a run - it was an amazing line even for men. I was riding up the Summit Six chairlift at Alpine Meadows with Moment Skis CEO Casey Hakansson as Jackie stomped it. He got the good word by text messages from the crowd watching it live in Snowbird. CLICK HERE to watch Jackie’s run. You can go usfreeskiing.com to watch the final and super final rounds. The tour wraps up at The Subaru Freeskiing World Championships at Alyeska, AK, April 9-13.

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The Subaru U.S. Extreme Freeskiing Championships (USEFC) at Crested Butte Mountain Resort (CBMR) last week showcased both world-class skiing and record snowfall. CBMR Pro Ropes were dropped from the usually “off limits” vertical, cliff-strewn “Big Hourglass” to challenge finalists and super finalists. Whistler, BC’s Jen Ashton dominated the women’s field. Her powerhouse approach led her to a first-place finish in the women’s field with a final score of 93.00. Colby Adams of Breckenridge, CO came in at number two with 89.00 points, and Alta, UT’s Hannah Whitney took third place with a 79.25 point total.

Coming into the men’s finals in top position, Dane Tudor of Red Mountain, BC skied flawlessly. He also made history in executing an incredible launch across "Gary’s Gap," a terrain feature never before successfully landed in competition. Sick Bird Award winner Kiffor Berg of Aspen, CO blew the crowd away during his Super Finals run, lining up to an 80+ foot drop and dropping in for the long flight. After a full slate of action-packed, often mind-blowing skiing, it was Whistler, CO’s Brett Crabtree who racked up 112 points to take away one of the most coveted titles in freeskiing. Cliff Bennett of Snowbird, UT claimed the number two spot just behind Bennett with 110.99 points, and Tudor finished in third with 110.75 points.

The North Face Young Gun awards for amazing athletes in the under 21 crowd went to 18-year-old up-and-comers Tudor (first place) and  Adams (second place).  In the Master’s category, Squaw Valley, CA’s Nancy Elrod came away in top position with 66.58 points, followed by Michelle Keener of Big Sky, MT with 62.15, and Teri Siebert of Vail, CO, in third place with 44.48 points. The men’s Masters was led by Scott Kennett of Telluride, CO, with 83.83 points, Marc Schllhorn of Crested Butte, CO with 77.5, and Tim Naylor of Taos, NM, in third position with a score of 70.33.

Next up…

2008 Subaru U.S. Freeskiing Series & Freeskiing World Tour Schedule

• Subaru Jackson Hole Freeskiing Open, Jackson Hole, WY, March 13-16

• Subaru U.S. Freeskiing Nationals, Snowbird, UT, March 18-23 (World Tour #2)

• Subaru Freeskiing World Championships and Subaru U.S. Freeskiing Series Finals, Alyeska, AK, April 9-13 (World Tour #3)

Watch complete same-day coverage on www.usfreeskiing.com

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This year’s Subaru Squaw Valley USA Freeskiing Open is consistently bringing out the best of the best in big mountain freeskiing’s elite. The sold-out roster of 120 competitors faced wind-packed snow conditions during the second leg of the competition earlier this week, with Elyse Saugstad of Alyeska, Alaska grasping the women’s title with a total of 97.51 points. Squaw Valley’s own Allie Donovan took second with 92.26 points and Crested Butte, Colorado’s Tanya Christensen claimed third place with 89.14 points. The men’s competition blew away spectators with non-stop powerhouse skiing with perfectly-executed backflips, multi-hit cliff drops and airplane turns. Kirkwood, California’s Craig Garbiel –who rides for Reno’s MOMENT ski company — claimed top honors with 115.01 points, followed by Mt. Bachelor, Oregon’s Jesse Bryan with 110.76 points and Bryce Newcomb of Sun Valley, ID, who put in a hard-charging performance to earn third place, with 110.63 total points.

Griffin Post took home the coveted Tobias Lee Memorial Sick Bird Award. Next up…

2008 Subaru U.S. Freeskiing Series & Freeskiing World Tour Schedule

• Subaru U.S. Extreme Freeskiing Championships, Crested Butte, CO, February 19-23 (World Tour #1)

• Subaru Jackson Hole Freeskiing Open, Jackson Hole, WY, March 13-16

• Subaru U.S. Freeskiing Nationals, Snowbird, UT, March 18-23 (World Tour #2)

• Subaru Freeskiing World Championships and Subaru U.S. Freeskiing Series Finals, Alyeska, AK, April 9-13 (World Tour #3)

Check out comprehensive same-day video coverage on www.usfreeskiing.com.

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Comey/Swany MSI crew (www.mtsports.com) kicking another cool event this weekend in Snowbird. Props to The North Face for creating and supporting a core event and athletes. The men’s and women’s champions of The North Face Masters Snowbird stop will ride away from the podium with a sizeable chunk of the tour’s $45,000 cash purse and with a big bonus - airfare, lodging, and entry to the North Face Masters stop #2, coming to Alyeska, Alaska, April 2-6, 2008.

A live Webcast show of all The North Face Masters action can be seen at www.thenorthface.com/masters throughout the competition, both Saturday and Sunday from 2:00 p.m. MST to 5:30 p.m. MST.

The North Face Masters:

Snowbird, Utah: February 8-11, 2008 (*February 11th weather contingency day)

Alyeska, Alaska: April 2-6, 2008 (*April 6th weather contingency day)

For additional details visit www.thenorthface.com/masters .

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More than 60 men and 30 women are scheduled to compete at the Subaru Squaw Valley USA Freeskiing Open February 13-16, including freeskiing champions Cliff Bennett, Kevin O’Meara, Griffin Post, last year’s men’s winner Adrien Coirier and Tour Champion Jess McMillan. These world-class freeskiers will battle it out for $7,500 with the men’s and women’s overall U.S. Freeskiing Tour point leaders taking home $2,500 each.

“Squaw is the perfect venue for a freeskiing contest; awesome terrain, great access, and perfect spectating spots. Not to mention, the local talent is unbelievable,” said former U.S. Freeskiing Champion and Squaw Valley USA local Ingrid Backstrom. "The month of January has been epic here; it’s shaping up to be excellent conditions for a contest. I can’t wait to see everyone charging."

With 34 lifts accessing six peaks, 4,000 acres of terrain, three terrain parks, spectacular mountain views and endless possibilities, Squaw Valley USA is a “must experience” on any snow sports enthusiast’s list.

MSI will be posting same-day video Webcasts on the newly-redesigned www.usfreeskiing.com, which features state-of-the-art video and photo player technology. The daily uploads of video, photos, news and results of each day’s competition action will be available after each day concludes.

For more information log onto www.usfreeskiing.com

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So we hit the BMX race in Carson City on Sunday and Cody jumped right in to his first BMX race and came away with a trophy…and a yellow snow cone. He was stoked on both. He was so stoked, in fact, he snuggled with his trophy like it was a teddy bear that night. That’s the kind of stuff that makes Dads get all teary-eyed: Catching fish, riding bikes, mud, shooting BB guns, skiing fast…it’s all good.

I grew up while BMX was just moving from Stingray concepts to a legit sport. When I was four the first BMX bikes were just hitting the dirt for the first time. Next to the “pavement-didn’t-exist-in-Crested-Butte therefore I never learned to skateboard” bummer of a childhood, I never really had the chance to race BMX. I went straight to mountain bikes. Unlike ski racing, this is a completely new gig for me. Cody’s one race ahead of me.

The whole race was good times and I like how the BMX season picks up as the snow turns yellow and melts away. I think as a family we’re about to become hooked. Long days at the soccer field listening to parents yap on their cell phones doesn’t seem nearly as exciting as BMX.

I may even have to get out there and start racing with the kids, too. Who else is in?

Technorati tags: BMX, bike, bikes, racing, kids, dads, carsoncity, nevada

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OK, so even tho’ I’m a skier, here’s a snowboarding event that I’m going to try to catch with some of the Twelve Horses crew. The TransWorld SNOWboarding Team Challenge is going down Thursday April 5 and Friday April 6 at Heavenly. Twenty of the best teams representing the best board companies in snowboarding will be fully in the mix with you and your crew. I’m thinking some of the Twelve Horses crew may be there and possibly competing in the “consumer” comp.

In years past, the Team Challenge hasn’t been open to the public, but fresh for this year is the TransWorld Team Challenge Shootout, and an all-time consumer fair. Both events are taking place on Thursday from 3:30 to 9:00 p.m., at the base of the World Cup. Two person teams comprised of top professionals will be competing under the lights in a unique parkstyle event. There will be live DJ’s on hand keeping things properly jumping. It’ll be good. As mentioned, the Team Challenge Shootout will also sport a healthy twenty-tent sponsor village where you’ll be able to get all hands on and geek out on all the latest and greatest gear the world of snowboarding has to offer, and maybe you’ll even snag some prizes along the way.

Friday night at 10 p.m. you can party with all the riders at MontBleu’s Club Blu and everyone is welcome.

Day 1: Thursday, April 5th

10:30am-1:30pm
Game of Team Elimination (PIG): Team Challenge Terrain Park.
High Roller Run, Canyon Express Chair.

2:30pm-5:30pm
Team Challenge ShootOut Practice and set up
World Cup, California Base.

6:00pm-9:00pm
Team Challenge ShootOut event.

Day 2: Friday, April 6th

10:00am-12:30pm
Team Challenge ¼ Pipe Contest: Super Pipe. High Roller, Canyon Express Chair.

1:30pm-3:00pm
Girl’s Rail Jam: Team Challenge Terrain Park.

1:30pm-3:00pm
Men’s Best Trick Head to Head: Team Challenge Terrain Park.

10pm
After Party: MontBleu Club Blu. Guest DJ

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