Heavenly to Host U.S. Freestyle Championships March 29-31
Olympic Hopefuls to Compete in Moguls, Aerials and Dual Moguls at Heavenly
South Lake Tahoe, Calif./Nev. – March 21, 2013 – From March 29-31, 2013, Heavenly Mountain Resort will be buzzing with excitement as Olympic hopefuls take to the California side of the resort to compete in moguls, aerials and dual moguls. The Sprint U.S. Freestyle Championships will return to Heavenly’s famous Gunbarrel run, as U.S. team athletes come together for the final event of the season to battle it out for the title of U.S. Champion. Leading the team are Olympic and World Champion Hannah Kearney (Norwich, VT), and hometown hero Sho Kashima (South Lake Tahoe, CA).
Representing Heavenly and aiming for a comeback after a knee injury cut his best season short last year, Tahoe local and former Heavenly Ski Foundation athlete Kashima will be competing in the moguls event on Friday. Kashima will be available by request for media interviews beginning Monday, March 25. To schedule a specific time, please contact Sally Gunter at sgunter@vailresorts.com.
“I can’t think of anything more inspiring than competing on my home hill in one of the biggest ski events in the United States. Heavenly provides excellent support to its freestyle athletes, and I am proud of the resort’s selection as host of the U.S. Freestyle Championships,” said Kashima. “We have such a rich background within this sport going all the way back to Wayne Wong and Glen Plake, who still ski here, and you have Olympic gold medalists and U.S. Ski Team members…this is quite the place to be if you’re a mogul skier.”
Heavenly has also been home and training ground for several other amateur and pro freestyle skiers, including Chris Hernandez, Brooke Ballachey, Travis Woodcock, Christy Tibbetts and Travis Cabral, as well as legendary Glen Plake, and rising stars Ryan Hickey, Anna Park, Yamato Kashima, Shanti Payne and Taryn Baker.
The weekend hits a high note on Saturday with live music by Liquid Blue followed by a thrilling post-event fireworks display. Event admission is free, and spectator seating will be available on a limited basis.
For those in the community that would like to volunteer for the event, Heavenly and the USSA are looking for both on-snow and off-snow help. Volunteers in mogul course and big air jump maintenance, banner set-up, food and beverage runners, registration, Zero Waste Warriors for the recycling team, and more. Shifts for various roles are available during the entire week up to the event, as well as during all three days’ events on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. No experience needed. Volunteers receive lunch and a special gift for participating in three or more shifts. For more information or to sign up, please contact Tiffany at 530-542-5180.
Heavenly will also host the U.S. Championships following the Olympics in 2014. Spectators will have the opportunity to watch U.S. Olympic athletes compete after they return from the Games.
U.S. Freestyle Championships Schedule
Friday, March 29 – Mogul Qualifications and Finals on Gunbarrel
2:30-3:00 p.m. Women’s Mogul Finals
3:05-3:35 p.m. Men’s Mogul Finals
3:50-4:05 p.m. Moguel Awards
Saturday, March 30– Aerial Finals on World Cup
4:30-5:40 p.m. Live Concert by Liquid Blue
4:30-5:30 p.m. Aerials – Women’s Speed Checks and Training
5:40-6:05 p.m. Aerials – Women’s Final – Run 1
6:05-6:30 p.m. Aerials – Women’s Final – Run 2
6:40-7:50 p.m. Live Concert by Liquid Blue
6:40-7:40 p.m. Aerials – Men’s Speed Checks and Training
7:50-8:25 p.m. Aerials – Men’s Final – Run 1
8:25-9:00 p.m. Aerials – Men’s Final – Run 2
9:10-9:20 p.m. Aerials Awards
9:20-9:30 p.m. Post Competition Fireworks
Sunday, March 31– Dual Moguls on Gunbarrel
11:45 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Women’s and Men’s Dual Mogul Finals
3:15-3:30 p.m. Dual Moguls Awards
South Lake Tahoe, Calif./Nev. – March 21, 2013 – From March 29-31, 2013, Heavenly Mountain Resort will be buzzing with excitement as Olympic hopefuls take to the California side of the resort to compete in moguls, aerials and dual moguls. The Sprint U.S. Freestyle Championships will return to Heavenly’s famous Gunbarrel run, as U.S. team athletes come together for the final event of the season to battle it out for the title of U.S. Champion. Leading the team are Olympic and World Champion Hannah Kearney (Norwich, VT), and hometown hero Sho Kashima (South Lake Tahoe, CA).
Representing Heavenly and aiming for a comeback after a knee injury cut his best season short last year, Tahoe local and former Heavenly Ski Foundation athlete Kashima will be competing in the moguls event on Friday. Kashima will be available by request for media interviews beginning Monday, March 25. To schedule a specific time, please contact Sally Gunter at sgunter@vailresorts.com.
“I can’t think of anything more inspiring than competing on my home hill in one of the biggest ski events in the United States. Heavenly provides excellent support to its freestyle athletes, and I am proud of the resort’s selection as host of the U.S. Freestyle Championships,” said Kashima. “We have such a rich background within this sport going all the way back to Wayne Wong and Glen Plake, who still ski here, and you have Olympic gold medalists and U.S. Ski Team members…this is quite the place to be if you’re a mogul skier.”
Heavenly has also been home and training ground for several other amateur and pro freestyle skiers, including Chris Hernandez, Brooke Ballachey, Travis Woodcock, Christy Tibbetts and Travis Cabral, as well as legendary Glen Plake, and rising stars Ryan Hickey, Anna Park, Yamato Kashima, Shanti Payne and Taryn Baker.
The weekend hits a high note on Saturday with live music by Liquid Blue followed by a thrilling post-event fireworks display. Event admission is free, and spectator seating will be available on a limited basis.
For those in the community that would like to volunteer for the event, Heavenly and the USSA are looking for both on-snow and off-snow help. Volunteers in mogul course and big air jump maintenance, banner set-up, food and beverage runners, registration, Zero Waste Warriors for the recycling team, and more. Shifts for various roles are available during the entire week up to the event, as well as during all three days’ events on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. No experience needed. Volunteers receive lunch and a special gift for participating in three or more shifts. For more information or to sign up, please contact Tiffany at 530-542-5180.
Heavenly will also host the U.S. Championships following the Olympics in 2014. Spectators will have the opportunity to watch U.S. Olympic athletes compete after they return from the Games.
U.S. Freestyle Championships Schedule
Friday, March 29 – Mogul Qualifications and Finals on Gunbarrel
2:30-3:00 p.m. Women’s Mogul Finals
3:05-3:35 p.m. Men’s Mogul Finals
3:50-4:05 p.m. Moguel Awards
Saturday, March 30– Aerial Finals on World Cup
4:30-5:40 p.m. Live Concert by Liquid Blue
4:30-5:30 p.m. Aerials – Women’s Speed Checks and Training
5:40-6:05 p.m. Aerials – Women’s Final – Run 1
6:05-6:30 p.m. Aerials – Women’s Final – Run 2
6:40-7:50 p.m. Live Concert by Liquid Blue
6:40-7:40 p.m. Aerials – Men’s Speed Checks and Training
7:50-8:25 p.m. Aerials – Men’s Final – Run 1
8:25-9:00 p.m. Aerials – Men’s Final – Run 2
9:10-9:20 p.m. Aerials Awards
9:20-9:30 p.m. Post Competition Fireworks
Sunday, March 31– Dual Moguls on Gunbarrel
11:45 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Women’s and Men’s Dual Mogul Finals
3:15-3:30 p.m. Dual Moguls Awards
About Heavenly
Heavenly Mountain Resort is a world-class destination offering guests a one-of-a-kind combination of scenic beauty, exhilarating on-snow experience and nightlife unmatched in the ski industry. Heavenly is a subsidiary of Vail Resorts, Inc., the leading mountain resort operator in the United States. One of the largest resorts in North America, Heavenly spans 4800 acres, climbs to Lake Tahoe’s highest elevation at 10,067 feet and features 97 trails for every level of skier or snowboarder. The famous moguls of Gunbarrel were the site of the U.S. Freestyle Championships in 2004. For more information on Heavenly Mountain Resort, please visit www.skiheavenly.comor call 800-HEAVENLY.
About Vail Resorts
Vail Resorts, Inc., through its subsidiaries, is the leading mountain resort operator in the United States. The Company's subsidiaries operate the mountain resorts of Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone in Colorado; Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood in the Lake Tahoe area of California and Nevada; Afton Alps in Minnesota and Mt. Brighton in Michigan; and the Grand Teton Lodge Company in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The Company's subsidiary, RockResorts, a luxury resort hotel company, manages casually elegant properties. Vail Resorts Development Company is the real estate planning, development and construction subsidiary of Vail Resorts, Inc. Vail Resorts is a publicly held company traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: MTN). The Vail Resorts company website is www.vailresorts.com and consumer website is www.snow.com.
Heavenly Mountain Resort is a world-class destination offering guests a one-of-a-kind combination of scenic beauty, exhilarating on-snow experience and nightlife unmatched in the ski industry. Heavenly is a subsidiary of Vail Resorts, Inc., the leading mountain resort operator in the United States. One of the largest resorts in North America, Heavenly spans 4800 acres, climbs to Lake Tahoe’s highest elevation at 10,067 feet and features 97 trails for every level of skier or snowboarder. The famous moguls of Gunbarrel were the site of the U.S. Freestyle Championships in 2004. For more information on Heavenly Mountain Resort, please visit www.skiheavenly.comor call 800-HEAVENLY.
About Vail Resorts
Vail Resorts, Inc., through its subsidiaries, is the leading mountain resort operator in the United States. The Company's subsidiaries operate the mountain resorts of Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone in Colorado; Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood in the Lake Tahoe area of California and Nevada; Afton Alps in Minnesota and Mt. Brighton in Michigan; and the Grand Teton Lodge Company in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The Company's subsidiary, RockResorts, a luxury resort hotel company, manages casually elegant properties. Vail Resorts Development Company is the real estate planning, development and construction subsidiary of Vail Resorts, Inc. Vail Resorts is a publicly held company traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: MTN). The Vail Resorts company website is www.vailresorts.com and consumer website is www.snow.com.