Alpine Extremes back for 18th year 

For the 18th consecutive year, competitive freeskiing’s elite will gather at the Subaru US Extreme Freeskiing Championships, February 17-22. The first official stop on the 2009 Freeskiing World Tour (FWT) roster, athletes are poised to battle for one of the most coveted titles in the sport of freeskiing. And with a snowpack that continues to accumulate, Crested Butte Mountain Resort (CBMR) is more than ready to host the world’s best freeskiers.
“Crested Butte is set to have one heck of a competition on some beautiful snow,” said CBMR Communications Director Todd Walton.  
The first resort in the United States to initiate an extreme freeskiing contest, CBMR has the longest running event of this kind and host’s male, female, junior, and master’s competitors. With $20,000 being awarded to top finishers and prizes from a litany of sponsors, the “Extremes,” as it is known in freeskiing circles, is one of the most prestigious events on the 2009 FWT. Some of the best known freeskiers in the world—athletes such as Kim Reichhelm, Kristin Ulmer, Dave “Swany” Swanwick, Seth Morrison, Brant Moles, Shane McConkey, Noel Lyons, Alison Gannett, Wendy Fisher and Aaron Estrada—all entered past competitions as unknowns or up-and-comers and distinguished themselves by taking top honors in the U.S. Extremes.
This year’s stacked field of competitors includes Telluride Freeskiing World Tour Qualifier winner Mark Welgos, Scott McBrayer, Kent Hyden, Rob LaPier, Lars Chickering-Ayers, Andy Sabatier, Josh Daiek, Arne Backstrom, Chuck Mumford, Chris Tatsuno, Tyson Buldoc, Jacqui Edgerly, Andria Huskinson, Jaclyn Paaso, Crystal-Rose Lee, and the 2008 overall US Freeskiing Series winner Crystal Wright.
The first day of competition is on Wednesday, February 18 when the juniors and masters compete, starting at 9:15 a.m. They compete in their finals on Thursday, February 19. Also on Thursday is the Freeskiing World Tour qualifier day.
The freeskiing comp continues on Friday and Saturday.