Fernie’s Emily Brydon added the second training run victory at St. Moritz on Thursday to her first run win from Wednesday, automatically making her a chief favorite for the race set for Saturday. The final training run for Friday was canceled by fog.

Emily Brydon radios course report to teammates. -GEPA

Brydon’s time, 1 minute, 42.71 seconds, was considerably longer than in Thursday’s run over a fog-shortened course. Swiss Monika Dumermuth was second, just 0.13 of a second back while all-time active downhill winner Renate Goetschl placed third. Fourth went to Anja Paerson, who won both a downhill and a super G contested on the same slopes in December.

Leanne Smith, who had upset the favorites to place second in the first training run, was a strong eighth despite coming from the 40th start and again led the Americans. Lindsey Vonn finished well off the pace in 25th place.

Canada also had Britt Janyk in sixth and Kelly VanderBeek in 21st.

Fernie is ready to welcome you to the 31st Annual Griz Days Winter Festival, March 6th to 9th, 2008.

Held each winter since 1978, Griz Days is Fernie’s annual winter festival. The festival celebrates the community’s connection to winter and the legendary mountain man, the Griz —a hero in these parts— who with the help of his musket helps coax the snow from the sky, gracing the region with an astounding annual snowfall of over 29 feet annually.

Core events of the Griz Days Festival are the Mardi Gras Cabaret on Thursday March 6 at the Arts Station; the Griz Days Parade on Friday evening March 7, the Extreme Griz and Junior Griz competitions and the snowmobile races on Saturday March 8; and the highly entertaining Dummy Downhill Race at FAR on Sunday March 9.

If your group or business would like to enter a float in the parade, please register by calling the Fernie Chamber of Commerce at 423-6868 to obtain a float registration form.

Other fun and exciting events are planned throughout the weekend. Stay tuned to your local newspaper and radio station for more details as they become available.

Griz pins will go on sale mid-February and will be available throughout the community. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of Griz pins will go toward Rotary Club initiatives in Fernie.

If you would like to lend a hand, volunteers are needed help distribute Griz Days flyers at the parade on Friday night, and various other tasks. We are also looking for a dedicated individual to assist the Griz mascot for appearances at numerous events prior to and during Griz Days. If you are interested, please call the Fernie Chamber of Commerce at 423-6868.

If you are planning an event or activity for Griz Days, please let the Chamber know soon so we can include it in the promotional materials.

For more detailed Griz Days Festival information,
Please call the Fernie Chamber of Commerce at 250-423-6868
or send an email to: office@ferniechamber.com

Fernie’s Emily Brydon finished Saturday’s downhill in Cortina d’Ampezzo, ITA in third place, picking up her second World Cup podium of the season. This is the sixth podium of Brydon’s career and the first time that the 11-year veteran of the Canadian ski team has had two podiums in a season. Brydon finished in a time of one minute 37.90 seconds.

Then on Sunday Brydon finished just 0.01 seconds off the podium in the first of two Super G’s. Brydon’s teammate Britt Janyk (Whistler, BC), just 0.03 off of a podium position, finished sixth in the extremely tight race for the third podium spot. Both Brydon and Janyk were each looking for their third podium of the season and the ninth for the Canadian team. Brydon finished in a time of one minute 24.92 seconds on a sunny warm day in Cortina.

“We know that in this sport every hundredth of a second counts, said Brydon. “But every so often when you’re reminded of it, like this, it hurts a little.”

“It’s not an easy track here in Cortina but it was an easy set, so we were really able to attack and I think that’s one of the reasons why the finish was as tight as it was,” she said

“I love Cortina. Apart from Lake Louise it is by far my favourite stop on the World Cup,” said a delighted Brydon. “It’s a classic and it’s an honour to be on the podium. My whole career I have wanted to podium in Lake Louise and I’ve wanted to podium in Cortina, so now I can check one off the list.”

The Canadian Alpine Ski Team continues to drive toward its goal of 14 World Cup podiums this season, having achieved eight podium results to date. Five of the eight podiums so far have come from the Ladies team.

“I am honoured to be on the Canadian ski team right now. When I thought or retiring a couple year ago, now it blows my mind,” said Brydon

“The support that the nation is giving us right now, our sponsors, our friends, this is what sport is all about. And it’s exciting to be on a team that is doing so well with such positive energy and great momentum,” she added.

Congratulations to Rick Brownridge from Toronto, the lucky winner of this year’s National Sweepstakes. Mr. Brownridge won an incredible trip for two consisting of five days and six nights and airfare to ski the Canadian Rockies plus other great prizes to get mountain-ready!

Rick will be taking his wife Joni on the trip. “We attend the Warren Miller show every year and never imagined winning such a great prize”, says Rick. “Joni and I have been talking about going West to ski and perhaps buying new skis, this is perfect!” The other great prizes to get Rick and Joni ready for the Canadian Rockies include skis and bindings from Salomon, suits from The North Face, goggles and glasses from Bollé and socks and undies from Blue River/Smartwool.

For more information on the National Sweepstakes visit: www.skitheworld.com

The World’s largest action sports movie wrapped up its 58th annual Canadian tour of Playground. After rolling through 44 cities and screening the film to 80,000+ audience over 13 weeks, Max Bervy, the Director / Producer has this to say; “I love this time of year…we’ve just wrapped up a successful film tour and all of our friends who share the same passion for the mountains and this sport are so excited that another season is finally here. We are well into the scheming of next year’s film and this is so much fun because we’ve got a blank canvas to work with and no ideas are too big to consider….NOT yet anyway. We’ve got cameras heading in several directions from Austria to Alaska, from BC to the Far East and from the Pacific NW to Okemo, VT where we’ll be filming an all-star benefit concert and some serious skiing and snowboarding with band members of Dave Matthews Band, Barenaked Ladies and Guster.”

Have a great snow season and look for the new feature next fall…same time, same place!

For its 100 year anniversary, Rossignol invited 100 mountain lovers to share their most personal testimonies and passion for the mountains.

Now a specific website has been created where you can watch the 100 movies. Also, a huge video contest has been created to give you a chance to express your “pure mountain moment”. Tell them about a personal, epic, funny, emotional or incredible mountain story and get a chance to win one of a 100 amazing prizes.

They will choose the most creative, authentic and inspiring videos among all. So don’t wait anymore, share your personal testimony and passion for the mountains with Rossignol and the World!

Upload ‘your best pure mountain moment’ here and get a chance to win one of the prices.

Kelowna, B.C. aerialist Steve Omischl’s goal of winning half of his World Cup starts this season is looking good. He won his second freestyle ski World Cup in three starts with a very solid 243.47 points. His score in the night final left Anton Kushnir of Belarus second with 239.55 points and 2006 Olympic champion Xiaopeng Han of China third in 236.60.

Steve Omischl

In winning the 14th World Cup of his career, Omischl said it wasn’t a spectacular performance, but certainly a solid one, given the windy, snowy conditions that he says played havoc with some jumpers. “I don’t think I jumped my best, but I jumped pretty damn well,” said Omischl, 29.

Omischl, whose hometown is North Bay, Ont., led after the late afternoon qualifier with a quad-twisting triple somersault that scored 123.23 points to leave him three points ahead of Han, while Kushnir was back in fifth. True to his regular approach, Omischl continued to ignore other jumpers’ scores in the competition. He keeps his headphones on to purposely block out others’ scores while focusing on his own performance. “They shouldn’t affect what I do and vice-versa,” he explained.

The other Canadian men’s finalist was Warren Shouldice of Calgary. He was third after the first round, but slapped back on his second jump to finish 11th of 12 finalists.

Jacqui Cooper of Australia did what few women do, scoring more than 100 points in each of her two jumps, to convincingly win the women’s aerials final. She scored 213.95 points to leave Xinxin Guo of China second in 198.21. Evelyne Leu of Switzerland was third.

2002 Olympic bronze medallist Deidra Dionne, 25, of Red Deer, Alta., finished sixth in her first World Cup of the season after qualifying ninth for the final. She scored 151.49, less than her goal of 160.

“I was pretty comfortable. I actually enjoyed myself,” said Dionne, whose last competition was the 2006 Olympics at which she placed a disappointing 22nd. She then took last season off to strengthen her neck and back following a late 2005 neck injury that required surgery.

“To be in that competitive atmosphere again was really exciting, but I was nervous, for sure,” said Dionne.

“It was a really good start, but I’m doing easier tricks this year, to make sure I’m ready to compete in 2010 (at the Olympics). I won’t be going for podiums every week, but will be working to make sure my mind frame is in the right place.”

The other Canadian women were Veronika Bauer of Toronto in 15th and Amber Peterson of Thunder Bay, Ont., in 16th.

The World Cup resumes with dual moguls Sunday.

See pre and post competition videos at http://freestyleski.com/videos/index.htm

The Hans Saari Memorial Fund (HSMF), www.hansfund.org, a grant-giving organization established to honor the life and achievements of ski-mountaineer Hans Saari, will celebrate the launch of its Ski Exploration Grant with The North Face and Powder Magazine.

The Ski Exploration Grant’s primary objective is to provide ski mountaineers a unique opportunity to receive funding assistance through a program designed for and focused specifically on skiing. The grant encourages the development of skills and pursuit of objectives consistent with Hans Saari’s approach to skiing and travel in the mountains. The grant supports innovative ski expeditions and progressive exploratory projects in alpine environments while also encouraging the creative documentation of the experience through film, photography, writing and other media.

“The Hans Fund would like to recognize and thank our friends at The North Face and Powder Magazine for their support and partnership as this exploration grant is launched and new programs are introduced,” acknowledged Drew Seessel, president of the Fund. “The Fund is honored to have such committed partners as we work to ensure Hans’s accomplishments serve as examples for other aspiring ski mountaineers.”

This event is both a celebration with The North Face offering fantastic gift prizes and complimentary beer as well the opportunity to meet the Hans Fund directors, including photographer and North Face athlete Kris Erickson, and renowned ski mountaineer Andrew McLean. The gathering provides an opportunity to learn more about the Fund and the launch of the Fund’s centerpiece Ski Exploration Grant.

As Doug Workman eloquently writes in his recent Powder Magazine article:

“Saari’s legacy reminds us that any passion, including those played out on cold, solitary mountaintops, can benefit the greater community. Through a dedication to adventure, intellect, and mentorship, Saari used ski mountaineering to better the world around him.”

About the Hans Saari Memorial Fund

In 2001, Hans Saari died tragically in a fall while attempting to descend the Tardivel entrance to the Gervasutti Couloir near Mont Blanc. Saari had gained an international reputation as a writer and ski mountaineer. He was highly regarded for his ski expeditions, many of which yielded first descents from some of the world’s most challenging peaks. The Fund, founded in his memory, seeks to foster an appreciation for alpine skiing, environments, and cultures by promoting ski exploration and education.

Through grants and scholarships, the Fund provides assistance to individuals and non-profit organizations whose primary objectives are focused on avalanche education. Past recipients of grants include the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center and ski professionals seeking continuing education opportunities. In 2007, the HSMF introduced a new scholarship program for individuals to accompany its grants. In June, the Fund partnered with Exum mountaineering and awarded its first scholarships to three Bozeman area high school students who attended a five-day ski mountaineering camp in the Wyoming’s Grand Tetons.

Applications for Ski Exploration Grants are due March 1. 2008 Applications and additional information can be found at hansfund.org

For further press information contact:
Andrew Seessel, President
PO Box 10478
Bozeman, MT 59719
406-556-1275
info@hansfund.org

Warren Tanner of West Vancouver, BC, won the first World Cup of his freestyle ski career Friday despite qualifying only 14th for the men’s moguls final.

Alex Bilodeau of Rosemère, Que., looked to be in medal contention after easily winning the qualification round, but he had trouble in the middle of the course and finished 15th. Tanner, meanwhile, prevailed with a score of 25.55, as two other Canadians cracked the top five.

Warren Tanner

2006 Olympic moguls champion Dale Begg-Smith of Australia was a close second, in 25.49, while Patrick Deneen of the United States finished third in 25.22.

Tanner, 27, had captured one other World Cup medal since joining the national team program in 1999, a silver, at the 2006 Apex World Cup.

Friday afternoon, Tanner made the cut into the 16-skier final by 3/10ths of a point, before turning his skiing up a notch.

“It’s not a regular thing to come out of 14th with the win. But that may have helped because there wasn’t a ton of pressure, and I went for it,” said Tanner. “I skied about as well as I could have. I pretty much left it all out on the hill. I had a plan, I executed it, and I stuck to it. I’m just elated.”

Next Canadians were Vincent Marquis of Quebec City who finished fourth, with his best-ever showing in World Cup single moguls, and fifth-place Renaud Jacques-Dagenais of Prevost, Que.

“I knew I was able to compete with the best guys on the circuit,” said Marquis, 23. “For sure, I’m a little surprised, but this is what I’m trying to do.”

Marquis’s only better World Cup showing was a dual moguls silver medal in Deer Valley last season.

The win leaves Tanner second in the season’s overall moguls’ standings with 110 points, behind leader Dale Begg-Smith, who has 120. Pierre-Alexandre Rousseau of Drummondville, Que., who was 37th Friday, is third overall with 100 points, courtesy of his December World Cup win in Tignes, France. Bilodeau is sixth and Marquis seventh.

In the women’s final, Emiko Torito of the U.S. was a convincing winner in 25.17. Deborah Scanzio of Italy was second in 23.98 and Kayla Snyderman of the U.S. third in 23.70.

Top Canadian woman was Kristi Richards of Summerland, B.C., in seventh. Other Canadian finalists were Sylvia Kerfoot of Vancouver in 11th and Nathalie Bazin of Quebec City in 12th.

The Lake Placid World Cup resumes with aerials Saturday and dual moguls Sunday.

See pre and post competition videos at http://freestyleski.com/videos/index.htm

Outdoor Industries Women’s Coalition (OIWC) announces today that Lynsey Dyer and Vanessa Pierce, of She Jumps have been chosen as the 2008 recipient of the Pioneering Woman Award, and Sarah Bennett, Burton Snowboards has been selected as the recipient of the First Ascent Award.

PIONEERING WOMAN AWARD
Each year, Outdoor Industries Women’s Coalition recognizes a woman in the snowsports industry who has furthered the OIWC mission by demonstrating an outstanding commitment to mentoring female colleagues through exemplary leadership skills. For 2008, the Pioneering Woman Award (PWA) is presented to two women, Lynsey Dyer and Vanessa Pierce of SheJumps.com.

Lynsey, a professional freeskier, and Vanessa, Features Editor for Ski Racing Magazine, launched SheJumps.com in 2006. SheJumps is a community dedicated to acknowledging, inspiring, and supporting women to reach their potential. By offering an online magazine, challenging events, and financial support, SheJumps brings together women who are willing to take a risk to reach their potential.

The site will soon be a non-profit organization, aimed at raising funds to offer scholarships to women in the outdoor world who are ready to take a jump to reach their goals.

When learning they had won the award, Vanessa said, “To be honored with the OIWC Pioneering Woman award is the utmost compliment. Lynsey and I created SheJumps to help women pursue success, which is also the mission of OIWC. Challenging women within the industry — and outside — to be their best is our main purpose. It is so rewarding to see women we’ve inspired take a jump to enhance their careers, pursue their dreams, and ultimately enjoy life to the fullest.”

FIRST ASCENT AWARD
As a Global Supply & Planning Analyst for Burton, Sarah serves as a critical guidepost within her strategic planning department. In her nomination, Sarah is praised as having “extraordinary vision, a solid understanding of her profession, and superior leadership qualities. She is consistently amongst the first to step up to domestic and foreign assignments, thrives on challenge, and is a top-notch problem solver. She is passionate and driven, and gets the job done in spades. And, just as importantly when things go wrong, Sarah is among the first to assume responsibility …regardless. ”

Since beginning her path in the snowsports industry, Sarah says she has found a place where she can be herself while reaching for her goals. “Before Burton, I worked for four years in a female-dominated business where I felt not only a lack of respect, but a self-effacing inferiority from those around me. Working in action sports has liberated me – I am able to be 100% Sarah, with no apologies for being competitive, driven, and athletic. I come to work in this industry every day as a peer to the many inspiring people who share my passion for riding, being outside, and living life: I am home.

In accepting the award, Sarah said, “I am honored to have been chosen from among so many qualified, hardworking women. During my two and a half years at Burton I have been encouraged to grow and develop as a person and as a professional, and I have been given every possible tool and opportunity to do so. Success for me means striving, daily, to be a better communicator and constantly being aware that there are many right answers to the business challenges we face.”

Fernie has been recognized in Ski Canada Magazine’s Annual Best of Skiing in Canada Awards, published in the Winter 2008 issue of the magazine.

Fernie received the following accolades:

BEST POWDER – One of Canada’s Top 10 Ski Resorts for Powder!
BEST BAR – Fernie’s Griz Bar – Home of the infamous naked table slide and other worthy pursuits…
BEST PARTY – Kokanee Snow Dreams Party: Head for the deck and the suds, meet the Glacier Girls and compete for Best Sasquatch Mating Call and Best Ranger.
BEST TREE-HUGGERS’ TARGET– Last summer, crews worked to open up more glades on favourite spots like Snake Ridge and Siberia Ridge.
BEST IMAGINARY HIGHWAY – The Powder Highway is more a state of mind than a piece of asphalt. Hidden in the southeastern corner of the B.C. Kootenays and Rockies, it includes Fernie Alpine Resort and Island Lake Lodge and Powder Cowboy.