Honda Ski Tour 2007 Finals Arrives at Squaw March 8-11

March 1, 2007
SUN VALLEY, ID – (News Release) – Squaw Valley USA, CA, is the fourth and final resort to host the inaugural season of The Honda Ski Tour (THST). THST is North America’s new elite, four-stop mountain festival and skiing competition that features the world’s best halfpipe and ski cross skiers competing for a total of $500,000 over four stops, the largest purse in the sport. Past tour stops included Sun Valley, ID, Breckenridge, CO, and Aspen/Snowmass, CO.

“The caliber of this event is outstanding,” said Squaw Valley Ski Corp President and CEO Nancy Cushing. “From the skiercross and halfpipe competitions and the athletes to the musical acts and entertainment, the level of excitement is similar to the last time we hosted a World Cup. The entire valley is ecstatic.”

The BaseCamp Music Experience (BCME) at Squaw Valley USA will feature over 10 big-name musical acts alongside the multi-day alpine festival including street parties and countless parties. THST’s Squaw Valley USA stop will be nationally televised (in a one-hour show) on ABC network television on Sunday, March 25, 2pm EST / 1pm CT / 12pm MST / 11am PST.

Confirmed athletes for THST Squaw Valley USA skier halfpipe competition include X Games gold medalists and previous THST halfpipe winners Simon Dumont (Sun Valley and Aspen/Snowmass) and Tanner Hall (Breckenridge), who took home $25,000 each for their winning runs. Also in attendance will be Mike Riddle who sits in second place in overall points standings, and Peter Olenick who is the only athlete to ever successfully execute a double-flat-spin in competition, in third.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) recently approved the addition of ski cross for the 2010 Winter Olympics. The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA), the national governing body for Olympic skiing, is officially calendaring THST 2007 as a sanctioned USSA ski cross event.

Athletes confirmed for THST Squaw Valley USA ski cross includes THST ski cross points leader Stanley Hayer who recently won the event in Aspen/Snowmass, Olympian and two time THST ski cross winner Casey Puckett, who sits just ten points behind Hayer. X Games gold medalists Lars Lewen, Enak Gavaggio, ski cross World Champion Tomas Kraus and U.S. Ski Team legend Daron Rahlves will also be fighting for the $25,000 winner’s check.

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The nightlife at the Squaw Valley USA stop of The Honda Ski Tour will rival the on-slope action with BCME headliners such as G. Love & Special Sauce, Donovan Frankenreiter, The Wailers, George Clinton, Kamphire Collective, DJ Logic, Matt Reardon & Shane Anderson, Wisdom, Native Root, Jillian Ann and more.

Showcasing the year’s best action sports segments from the biggest producers in the game, the Limelight Film Festival highlights from THST Sun Valley, ID, stop will be aired throughout the Squaw Valley USA THST on the Jumbotron at the base of the competitions and in the town’s bars and restaurants. The Limelight Film Festival covers the entire spectrum of action-adventure filmmaking from the biggest producers in the game, with segments by Teton Gravity Research, Warren Miller, Jason Moriarty, Kent Kreitler, Jamie Mossberg, Standard Films and Lindgren Productions.

Highlights from the five world-class photographers who showcased the best work of their careers at the Sun Valley Pro Photo Shootout will also be featured throughout the Squaw Valley USA THST. Scott Markewitz, Tony Harrington, Charlie Munsey, Corey Rich, and Gene Dwarkin will showcase epic images from across the globe, including skiing, surfing, kayaking, climbing and more.

THST was founded by Kipp Nelson and Steve Brown, former University of Colorado alpine racers. Nelson, a trustee of the U.S. Ski Team as well as the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation, is putting the fun back in to ski competition by combining two very separate aspects of the sport, halfpipe and ski cross into one event.

$99 ALL ACCCESS MUSIC PASSES AVAILABLE!
Allows one person access to the BaseCamp Music Experience concerts Fri & Sat night and all of the bar parties (21+ only) for both nights as well (7 total). Limited supply available. Access at bar venues is first come first serve basis as capacity allows. Quantity of All Access Music Passes sold is limited to make sure that pass holders will be allowed entry to at least on of the bars at any given time each night.

For videos, photos, and general information and BaseCamp Music Experience ticket information, go to The Honda Ski Tour website www.theskitour.com.

For up-to-date info on The Honda Ski Tour sent directly to your cell phone, TEXT the word SKI to 47467.

Check out The Honda Ski Tour myspace page at www.myspace.com/theskitour.