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Jess Sterrett, Erik Hilb, Sarah Williams and Drew Petersen Take Top Honors at the 2011 Junior Freeskiing Tour U.S. Extreme Freeskiing Junior Championships at Crested Butte Mountain Resort
Ian Borgeson Wins The Tecnica/Blizzard Free Mountain Award
 
Crested Butte – February 16, 2011 — The Junior Freeskiing Tour kicked off with the U.S. Extreme Freeskiing Junior Championships at Crested Butte, CO, giving top honors to  Snowbird, UT athlete Jess Sterrett, and Erik Hilb from Vail, CO in the 12-14 category; and Squaw Valley’s Sarah Williams and Drew Petersen from A-Basin, CO in the 15-17 category.
 
“The junior athletes displayed a style of skiing far beyond their age. Even with raw, thin snow coverage, the juniors skied safely and very aggressively. They offer a true glimpse into the future of big mountain freeskiing, and hopefully we’ll see them in the future competing on The Subaru Freeskiing World Tour,” said Event Announcer Max Kuszaj.
 
For the 12-14 category, Jess Sterrett dominated for the women’s field on both days, skiing an aggressive and technical run, she worked the course from top to bottom, earning a final score of 63.10.  In second place was Montana’s Erin Kempt, who had clean turns and showed great technique finishing up with a 51.47 score. For the men, Vail’s own, Erik Hilb came in first with a 73.84 score. Hilb skied every major tough section of the course earning the top spot.  Close behind was another Vail competitor, Travers Johnson, who threw a 360 flat spin coming in first for today’s final day and finishing with a score of 72.40.
 
“It has been an awesome feeling to accomplish something this big,” said women’s winner 12-14, Jess Sterrett. “I went in with a positive attitude and hoped for the best, and it obviously paid off.”
 
In the 15-17 category, Sarah Williams from Squaw Valley earned her top podium spot for the females with a 64.37, showing the judges she could use the venue, skiing a smooth line through a difficult route, lookers left with a tight steep chute. Adding to the list of top Vail, CO athletes was Anna Suszynski, who skied fluid and clean lines showing control on both days, earning second place with a score of 64.26. For the guys, it was a similar story; Drew Petersen, who took first place, and Ian Borgeson, who came in closely behind, battled back and forward for the top spot.  Petersen showed he was capable of skiing anything, he skied a steep chute on skier’s right hand side earning a final score of 76.77. Borgeson had a clean line through the steep terrain and overall showed flow on his run, finishing with a 75.73.
 
“I’m always really stoked on these events.  There’s such good vibes from the competitors,” said Drew Peterson, men’s 15-17 winner. “It’s been a goal of mine to win the Junior Freeskiing Tour for awhile, and it was great to win at Crested Butte, since it’s so close to home.”
 
The Tecnica/Blizzard Free Mountain Award, which goes to the athlete who best exhibits on-hill skiing and off-hill positive leadership and a sportsman-like attitude, was awarded to Ian Borgeson who also earned second place for the males in the 15-17 category.
 
“I was a little surprised to win, but I was out for redemption after falling during last year’s finals,” said Tecnica/Blizzard Free Mountain award winner Ian Borgeson.
 
About The North Face
The North Face, a division of VF Outdoor, Inc., was founded in 1968. Headquartered in San Leandro, California, the company offers the most technically advanced products in the market to accomplished climbers, mountaineers, snowsport athletes, endurance athletes, and explorers. The company's products are sold in specialty mountaineering, backpacking, running, and snowsport retailers, premium-sporting goods retailers and major outdoor specialty retail chains.
 
About Blizzard
All new for Blizzard in the 2011-12 season, is Flipcore Technology.  The result is a naturally reversed camber ski built in the mold, whose downward-facing convex side forms the natural rocker shape of the ski, without having to bend or artificially shape the ski in a press. This allows the rocker construction to reach a previously unknown level of stability and even pressure distribution. Flipcore Technology produces stable, smooth handling skis that are extremely easy to use. The Flipcore concept originated with our Tecnica/Blizzard engineers in collaboration with the late Arne Backstrom, who was a member of the Tec Blizz Freeride Team. 
Blizzard Sport USA is the distributor of Blizzard Skis in the United States.  The Blizzard factory is located in Mittersill, Austria. Blizzard Sport USA is under The Tecnica Group umbrella, where Blizzard and Tecnica operate as a single business unit in the United States.
 
About Tecnica
A series of successive mergers and takeovers have resulted in the Tecnica Group being the world’s leading Group today in the sectors of ski boots, “outdoor” footwear, after-ski and winter footwear and in-line skates.  With over 5 million pairs of footwear (whether ski boots, skates or outdoor shoes), they know how to make products that fit and perform!
Tecnica is a product driven company – focusing on the best quality, best performing and best fitting footwear, be it hard charging race ski boots, ski boots for the entry level skier, high-fashion apres footwear or outdoor athletic shoes. We are a company of skiers and outdoor people. We know skiing from all aspects and have a love and passion for the sport.
In addition to Tecnica products, the Tecnica Group is the parent company to brands like Nordica (skis and ski-boots), Blizzard (skis), Dolomite (ski-boots, outdoor clothing and footwear), Nitro (snowboards and snowboard boots), Lowa (outdoor footwear and ski-boots), Rollerblade (in-line skates), and Think Pink (sportswear).
 
About MSI
Mountain Sports International is a private company, founded in 1997, to develop and produce action/adventure sports events and programming in North America. MSI owns and produces the
Freeskiing World Tour, in addition to several other properties and concepts. MSI provides event management services for Burton, Salomon, and Red Bull and has provided infrastructure and expertise for the NBC Gravity Games and ESPN Action Sports Projects, including the Tony Hawk Gigantic Skatepark Tour. MSI specializes in matching clients with events for brand penetration into target demographics, developing product identification and loyalty. MSI matches brand and culture, company and credibility to create sought-after events that help to define the action sports culture. For more information, visit www.mtsports.com
 
About Crested Butte Mountain Resort
Nestled in the heart of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, Crested Butte is committed to preserving the pristine landscape and mountain lifestyle. With vibrant Victorian store-fronts and expressive local characters, the small historic town remains true to its heritage and radiates an unparalleled welcoming and inviting spirit that celebrates a simpler life and time. Thanks to a widely diverse landscape, whether beginner or burgeoning national champion, outdoor enthusiasts of all levels will find a new challenge with each visit. From world-class mountain biking, to legendary skiing and snowboarding, to a secluded fly-fishing experience, Crested Butte is one of Colorado’s best-kept secrets. This season, Crested Butte celebrates 50 years of skiing and riding with a year-long celebration, Crested Butte-style.
For more information about Crested Butte's lodging, conference, meeting facilities, and special packages, call Crested Butte Vacations, (800) 600-2803 or visit the web site at www.skicb.com. For information on ski area real estate opportunities call (970) 349-4999 or (877) 805-6109 or visit the website at www.cbliving.com.
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FOR MEDIA INFORMATION:                                        FOR ATHLETE INFORMATION:
Sara Waldman                                                          Nicole Greener
Senior Communications Manager                              Athlete Communications & Registration Manager
Mountain Sports International                                  Mountain Sports International
swaldman@mtsports.com                                          ngreener@mtsports.com

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