The Epic Race to Ski the World Heading Into the Home Stretch
- It’s all coming down to opening day at Brides-les-Bains, France
- The Epic Race challenges Epic Pass holders to ski and ride 26 iconic mountains in four countries, including the U.S. (Colorado, Utah, Lake Tahoe, Minnesota and Michigan), Switzerland, France and Austria
- Follow all the action at http://epicrace.epicpass.com or #EpicRace via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube
BROOMFIELD, Colo.– Dec. 12, 2013– Twenty days into Vail Resorts’ Epic Race to Ski the World, there are 17 racers who have visited 23 of the 26 resorts on the Epic Pass and are in France. Over 100 racers have completed all 12 U.S. resorts and are still in contention to join them when tiny Brides-les-Bains, France, spins its bull wheels on Dec. 20. The Epic Race is a season-long competition to visit all 26 resorts spread across four countries that make up the Epic Pass. The reward: The first 10 participants to complete the adventure win skiing and snowboard’s ultimate prize – a lifetime Epic Pass.
“After 20 days and thousands of resort visits, it’s all coming down to Brides-les-Bains,” said Vail Resorts chief marketing officer, Kirsten Lynch. “In keeping with the spirit of the Epic Race, we wanted their 26th resort visit to be a culmination of their entire Epic Race experience, so we’ve devised some on and off-mountain challenges that will have them re-visit the experiences they’ve had at the other 25 resorts while also seeing what makes Brides-les-Bains and Les 3 Vallées so unique. We’ve been humbled by the overwhelmingly positive responses from racers about how the Epic Race has not only given them the opportunity to explore places around the world they never dreamed of visiting, but also making life-long memories, laughing through some travel challenges and making new friends in the process. I’m looking forward to seeing some great videos and photos from France.”
A quick look at the unofficial leaderboard shows Jarred Simpson from Alma, Colo. in front, followed by Michael Pavlik from Vail, Colo. and the husband/wife team of Cory and Brittany Heintz from Cottonwood Heights, Utah.
Vail Resorts expects more than 50 people to complete the race, in Brides-les-Bains, on Dec. 20, but the race won’t be over. There are still hundreds of skiers and riders who will continue the quest at a more leisurely pace, savoring the chance to visit some of the world’s most iconic ski destinations on one incredible season pass. Every racer that completes the 26 resort mission will walk away with an Epic Pass for the 2014-2015 season, as well as be in the running for giveaways throughout the race, including GoPro cameras, Helly Hansen gear and other cool prizes rewarding creative, fun and original content from their travels.
The team of Aaron Marks and Alexandra Malkin, from New York City, has used the Epic Race to raise $5,822 for Achilles International, Inc. to create programs to benefit disabled skiers.
“We teamed up to guide an athlete with disabilities for the 2013 NYC Marathon,” said Malkin on her website, http://www.crowdrise.com/26mountainsin26days. “We were moved by his spirit and the joy that accomplishment brought him, so we asked ourselves, ‘If runners are raising money for 26 miles, why not skiers for 26 mountains?’”
To track the progress of the leaders, get updates from Epic Host and former U.S. Olympian Kaylin Richardson, or to see all the contestant photos and videos, visit http://epicrace.epicpass.com. You can also watch the first three episodes from the Epic Race on EpicLifeMag.com. Each racer will need to ski or ride all 26 resorts on the Epic Pass (Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, Arapahoe Basin and Eldora in Colorado; Canyons in Park City, Utah; Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood at Lake Tahoe; Afton Alps, Minnesota; Mt. Brighton, Michigan; Verbier, Switzerland; Arlberg, Austria – St. Anton, Lech, Zürs, St. Christoph and Stuben; and Les 3 Vallées, France – Courchevel, La Tania, Méribel, Brides-les-Bains, Les Menuires, Saint Martin de Belleville, Val Thorens and Orelle). Epic Racers will be asked to document and share their experience at each resort to be eligible to win. After all resorts have been visited, all content will be verified. Winners will be determined upon completion of the race and verification of compliance with the Official Rules.
Through Wednesday, Dec. 11, 211 racers have logged 2,554 visits to Epic Pass resorts, and have uploaded 7,662 photos and videos to the official site. The racers hail from 23 U.S. states (Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont and Washington) and eight countries (Austria, Finland, Germany, Monaco, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and the U.S.).
The Epic Pass is the world’s most popular pass, sold in all 50 U.S. states and 80 countries around the globe. It features unlimited, unrestricted skiing and riding at Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, Arapahoe Basin and Eldora in Colorado; Canyons in Park City, Utah; Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood at Lake Tahoe; Afton Alps in Minnesota and Mt. Brighton in Michigan. Furthermore, Epic Pass holders have the opportunity to extend their skiing and riding adventures from the U.S. to Europe with five free days at the renowned mountain resorts of Verbier, Switzerland, five consecutive free days at Arlberg, Austria and five free days at Les 3 Vallées, France.
Not up to the challenge this season? Follow the #EpicRace on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram, or at www.epicrace.epicpass.com or www.epiclifemag.com.
About Vail Resorts, Inc. (NYSE: MTN)
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; Canyons in Park City, Utah; 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.