It’s a sign of sweet spring skiing! The annual Big Air and Snow Jam will take place at Fernie Alpine Resort on Saturday, April 7, 2007. The competition is an annual favorite for both spectators and competitors.

The Big Air is the last event of this season’s RCR Freestyle Series, and will take place in the TELUS Terrain Park at Fernie. Competitor spots are still available, with registration available online at www.skircr.com/compete. Registration fees are $30 per competitor. Categories this year will include Novice ski and snowboard (13 years and under), Junior ski and snowboard (14-16 years), Senior ski and snowboard (17 years and up), and Women ski and snowboard (all ages).

The Big Air competition will run with Registration in the Daylodge from 9:00am – 10:00am, with the competition taking place between 11:15am and 2:30pm. Awards will take place at 3:30pm.

Not to be missed is the Kokanee Freeride and SnowJam, featuring music by Five Star Affair in the Griz Bar from 3:00pm – 6:00pm and 9:00pm – midnight, and Rick Voisey playing in the plaza from 11:30am – 4:00pm.

Fernie Alpine Resort is the place to be for great spring skiing, events and more! For a full list of activities running through until April 15th, visit www.skifernie.com <http://www.skifernie.com/> .

The Big Air is sponsored by Helly Hansen, Scott, Old Dutch Foods, Fresh Sports, TELUS, Volkswagen, Husky and Coca Cola.

Plan your ski getaway to Fernie Alpine Resort today. Call 1-800-258-SNOW (7669) for getaway packages and great last minute specials.

Mad River Glen, Vermont - At the close of Mad River Glen’s 2006-07 ski season, the Single Chair will be dismantled and its historic restoration will begin.
On opening day in December 2007, the newly restored Single Chair will take its first skiers to the top starting a new era that is remarkably similar to its past.

The skier-shareholders of the Mad River Glen Cooperative gave a clear mandate at their April 2005 annual meeting when 81% voted in favor to authorize the historic restoration of their iconic Single Chair which is the only remaining single chair lift in its original location nationally. The historic restoration will have the same lift capacity, about 500 skiers per hour, as the current single chair.

To the untrained eye it will look virtually identical to the existing lift but will have new and restored components.

To raise money Mad River Glen initiated the Single Chair Capital Campaign with the goal of collecting $1.54 million in tax-deductible donations. The campaign’s “thermometer� which tracks the amount raised to date, prominently displayed on the Base Station of the Single Chair, currently totals $850,000. An additional $240,000 was raised in a chair sale auction and is earmarked for a maintenance fund.

The Single Chair Restoration Project has great historical significance for the State of Vermont and for the world of skiing. As such, it has been enthusiastically endorsed and supported by two Vermont nonprofit partners, the Preservation Trust of Vermont and the Stark Mountain Foundation. Through these two tax-exempt organizations, donors are able to make tax deductible gifts online at www.madriverglen.com.

“The Mad River chairlift was probably the last single chair built before the double became the standard. The single chair gives today’s skiers a taste of past decades, when a 15 minute ride up 2,000 vertical feet of prime skiing mountainside was a revolutionary innovation,� says Jeff Leich, Executive Director New England Ski Museum.

Thomas Grandi, a four-time Olympian, announced his retirement from competative ski racing today.

At a press conference during the Pontiac GMC Canadian Championships in Whistler, Grandi said he was looking forward to spending more time at home than he had over the course of his ski racing career.

“Today I’m handing my skis in for a new life,� said Grandi, who is married to Canadian Olympic cross-country skier Sara Renner. The couple have a daughter Aria, who was born Feb. 1st, 2007.

“Getting up in the morning to change diapers is going to be my biggest challenge for the next little while,� he added.

Grandi described his ski racing career as amazing, giving him the opportunity to travel the world and meet wonderful people. Grandi said he had noticed a slight loss of his competitive edge recently.

“One thing that you really need is that fire in your belly when you are ski racing because you have to be willing to take chances, to take risks. You need that to be competative and to be the best,“ said Grandi.

“I just didn’t have that fire this year and to me that was a clear sign it was time to move on,� Grandi said.

In recognition of Grandi’s leadership over the past 14 years and for his historic contributions alpine skiing, a run at Banff Alpine Racers ski club — Grandi’s home hill just outside Banff, AB — is being named in his honor.

“Whether forerunning events, speaking to young athletes or attending awards banquets, Thomas has always made himself available to Banff Alpine Racers ski club,� said Alpine Canada Alpin Chief Executive Officer Ken Read.

“No Canadian had ever made a significant mark in the technical events of alpine skiing before Thomas came along. He almost single-handedly worked with the coaches of the Canadian Alpine Ski Team to become a champion. He also has been a tremendous leader in building a team that has respect and is aiming to be amongst the leaders in 2010,� Read said.

Alpine Canada Alpin Chief Athletic Officer and Own the Podium Director Max Gartner, a long-time coach of Grandi’s, said the World Cup champion has had a tremendous impact on the sport in Canada.

“Thomas Grandi is a pioneer of Canadian sport. He opened doors and has been instrumental in inspiring young skiers. He spent so many lonely years out there chasing his dream and eventually achieved it. Most of all, Thomas is a winner,� said Gartner, who first met Grandi when he was on the Alberta Team in 1986.

“I can remember us having conversations about his goal to be the first Canadian to win a Giant Slalom, a technical event. Today brings back the memories of how happy I was for him that day,� he added.

Grandi won back-to-back World Cup Giant Slalom races in Alta Badia, ITA and Flachau, AUT in 2004. He retires with nine career World Cup podium finishes and 11 Canadian Championship titles.

Calgary, Alberta, March 23, 2007 – Heavily-favoured Jenn Heil, 23, of Spruce Grove, Alberta, collected the seventh victory of her national championship career today by winning the women’s single-moguls final at Canada Olympic Park, while the men’s title went to Maxime Gingras of St-Hippolyte, Que.

“It felt really good, really fast. I just really went out and pushed it and went to my edge,� said the happy winner.

Maxime Gingras and Jenn Heil

Heil, who now lives in Montreal, still calls her first national title in 2000, when she won the moguls and dual moguls, her biggest.

“But besides winning that first one, I think this is the best one,� she said, alluding to the chance to compete in her native province of Alberta for the first time in seven years.

The silver medal went to Stephanie St-Pierre of Victoriaville, Que., who won the morning qualifier but wasn’t sure earlier in the day if she was going to compete.

A sore right knee has bothered St-Pierre since a February training camp at Salt Lake City. But she had her knee checked, took a Tylenol, and got ready to compete.

“I was skiing really well, but I made a little mistake in my bottom air. I don’t know if it was because I didn’t trust my knee, but overall it was still a good run,� said St-Pierre, who was also second at Nationals two years ago.

“I was second and Jenn skied better than me, so that was okay.�

Heil, who clinched her fourth straight overall World Cup moguls title this season, typically comes into the National Championships exhausted and perhaps more vulnerable.

After all, one fellow competitor was Kristi Richards of Summerland, B.C., who won single moguls at the recent World Championships to leave Heil second.

However, Richards fell after her second air in Friday’s qualifying round and didn’t reach the 16-skier final. She finished 21st.

The bronze medal went to Chloé Dufour-Lapointe, 15, of Montreal. That was also her best-ever finish at National Championships, after winning two medals at Junior Worlds a week ago.

Maxime Gingras, 22, began the season with the Canada Post National Development Team, but later in the season captured his first World Cup medal (silver) at Apex Mountain Resort in B.C.

Gingras’ victory Friday was also a first, as he had never been better than fifth in single or dual moguls at Nationals. He prevailed by 5/100ths of a point over roommate and World Cup team-mate Warren Tanner of Grimsby, Ont., who were eighth and sixth respectively at the recent World Championships.

“I heard the crowd after Warren’s run and I knew I had to do something big,� said Gingras. “So I just charged it a little bit. This was one of the best runs of my life.�

“This is a big day, this was a big season for me,� added Gingras, who scored 27.01 to Tanner’s 26.96.

“For me it was all about skiing my run,� said Tanner, who had a season-long slump until the World Championships.

“I wasn’t looking at it as the end of this season, but rather, as the beginning of next season.�

Edward Lortie of Ivry-sur-le-Lac, Que., who had never reached the National Championships finals, was third in 25.11.

2007 world moguls champion Pierre-Alexandre Rousseau of Drummondville, Que., did not compete because of a nagging foot injury.

The championships resume with aerials Saturday and dual moguls Sunday.

In what may be the first time in Canadian sport’s history, three current World Champions and an Olympic gold medal winner will be competing at a National Championship in Calgary later this week.

Olympic gold medallist and dual moguls World Champion (and four-time defending World Cup champion) Jennifer Heil of Spruce Grove, AB (now living in Montreal); moguls World Champion Kristi Richards from Summerland, BC; and men’s mogul World Champion Pierre-Alexandre Rousseau of Drummondville, Quebec highlight the field at the Canada Post National Freestyle Championships at Canada Olympic Park starting Thursday.

When you add names like Veronika Bauer, the 2001 aerials World Champion; current World Cup champion and 2005 World Champion aerialist Steve Omischl; and the rest of the Nations’ Cup winning Canada Post National Freestyle Ski Team; and the best of the next generation of Canadian freestylers – this makes for an unprecedented opportunity to see so many successful Canadian athletes in one place at one time.

Aerial, half-pipe, moguls and dual mogul competitions are scheduled over four days:

Thursday: Half-pipe competition (7:00 p.m.)

Friday: Mogul competition (finals at 1:00 p.m.)

Saturday: Aerial competition (12:15 p.m.)

Sunday: Dual Mogul competition (finals at 1:00 p.m.)

“The team has had an encouraging season,� said Canadian Freestyle Ski Association CEO Peter Judge in what well may be an understatement, “having the depth of success we’ve had is a great sign for the future. For the younger skiers to be able to match themselves against someone like Jenn Heil is a golden opportunity for them. This is an important competition for everyone as it is a part of our team selection process so everyone will be trying to beat the World Cup athletes – something that always adds to the competitive edge at Nationals.�

Despite some warm weather, the new Freestyle venues at Canada Olympic Park are in great shape and ready to go. “These sites represent a big investment by CODA,� added Judge, “and give us some great new opportunities to train and stage competitions in Alberta.�

The Canadian Cancer Society Relay For Life in the Elk Valley is looking for entertainers to donate their time to a good cause! The CCS Relay For Life is an amazing day from the beginning survivor’s lap to the end luminary ceremony; the entertainment helps to make the day exceptional. Last year we had an excellent line up of entertainers and musicians. This year we are looking for choirs, bands, mime artists, drummers, face painters, jugglers, clowns, comedians, gymnasts, cloggers, singers, dancers, etc.

The CCS Relay For Life is now the premiere fundraiser for the Canadian Cancer Society in BC, raising over $74,000 in the Elk Valley in 2006. Teams consisting of friends and family, co-workers and community groups, come together in groups of 10-12 people, taking turns walking, running, or strolling around the track. We’ve heard dancing is fine too! Participants enjoy all day entertainment and at nightfall hundreds of luminary candles are lit around the track in a moving ceremony to honor cancer survivors, and loved ones lost to the disease. We are all working together in the fight against cancer, we hope you will join us.
If you would like be a part of this moving and inspirational day, please contact Lorraine Kneier at lkneier@shaw.ca, or Chantel Souliere at 423-0713, csouliere@bc.cancer.ca.
To register for the Canadian Cancer Society Relay For Life log onto www.cancer.ca, find the Elk Valley Relay For Life, and follow the easy step-by-step instructions. If you’re downtown in Fernie or Elkford drop into the East Kootenay Community Credit Union and pick up a registration form. For more information contact Elk Valley Coordinator Chantel Souliere at (250) 423-0713, csouliere@bc.cancer.ca.
The Canadian Cancer Society Relay For Life in the Elk Valley is scheduled for Saturday June 2nd from 11am-11pm. We want to see you there!

The Fernie Ghostriders won 4-2 in Kamloops Sunday night to win their best of five series against the Storm 3-0. The Ghostriders will now play Nelson in the KIJHL final. The home game dates are March 26 & 27 @ 7:30pm. Nelson will have the home ice advantage.

The Ghostriders have been outstanding so far in the playoffs and have won 11 games in a row to get to the KIJHL final series against the Nelson leafs. The Riders won their series vs Invermere 4-0, Creston 4-0 and Kamloops 3-0. The Nelson Leafs won two series’ to get to the final, the first one 4-0 over Spokane then they battled Beaver Valley to a 4-2 series win. Nelson got a bye because they finished in first place with 82 points, but because Fernie with 80 points swept all three series’ they have only played one more P/O game than the Leafs . Nelson has played 10 games and Fernie has played 11.

The Eddie Mountain Rookie of the year 17 year old Trever Hertz has been the beneficiary of 20 year old Martin Croteau and Jon Roth’s outstanding playoff performance and so far Trever has 11 goals and 11 assists and is the top KIJHL scorer. Both Roth 17 pts. and Croteau 21 pts. have been the best players on the ice in all of the Rider games and have been playing Jr “Bâ€? at a Junior “Aâ€? level. But take nothing away from Hertz, not just anyone can finish like he can. The Ghostriders have several other fast exciting players and have been a fun team to watch this year.

The Nelson Leafs top scorers Dan Fraser, Kyle Fraser and Jeremy Van Troyen have been lighting it up for the Leafs and have 19-16 and 10 points. Grant Rollheiser is Nelson’s number one in net with a 7-2 record and is leading the league with a 93.2 save %. Rider goalie Evan Smith is in second place with a 92.5 save %.

The Riders and Leafs have only played twice this year, in October the Riders won in Fernie 5-1 but in December Nelson won at home 6-4.

The winner of this series will go to Victoria to play in the Cyclone Taylor Cup starting Thursday April 5th. There are three Jr “Bâ€? leagues competing for this cup. The Pacific International Junior Hockey League, the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League and the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League. The winner of the Cyclone Taylor Cup will then go on to the the Keystone Cup, a Western Canada Championship that will be held in Fort Q’ Appelle Saskatchewan April 12 – 15.

The condos are coming! The condos are coming! One of Canada’s original ski-bum towns is sprucing itself up with hipster hangouts and award-winning restaurants. TRALEE PEARCE and GRANT ELLIS savour what hasn’t changed awesome snow!

The Globe and Mail ran this feature in their travel section this past weekend. For the whole article enter here:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20070310.FERNIE10/TPStory/National

The City of Fernie’s Leisure Service Department issues the Active Living Guide twice a year, in March for the Spring and Summer and in August, for the Fall and Winter.

Copies are delivered into your mail box or feel free to pick up copies at the Fernie Aquatic Centre, Fernie City Hall, Chamber of Commerce or at the Downtown Info Centre.

Alternatively, all of the pages are available at the following link:

http://www.fernie.ca/siteengine/ActivePage.asp?PageID=267

You may have heard that Fernie will soon be host to a Summer Festival of the Arts, Music and Culture. This festival is called FernieFest and will be held June 29-July 1st 2007 at the Riverside Park.

The FernieFest organizing committee is in the process of deciding who will be the entertainment at FernieFest, and we want YOU to help guide our decisions. For the next week polls will be open at www.ferniefest.com for YOU to rate the artists that we are currently considering for the festival.

FernieFest is for you, and we want you to have your say in the entertainment line-up.

So, go to www.ferniefest.com/artist-poll listen to samples of artists music on their myspace’s and vote for the artists you DO or DON’T want to see at FernieFest 2007.