2010 Salomon Extreme Freeride Championships in Taos Ski Valley

The 2010 Salomon Extreme Freeride Championships at Taos will be held from March 10 – 13, 2010. This premiere big-mountain event is New Mexico's largest and most prestigious ski and snowboard competition. Last year athletes from around the globe descended on Taos Ski Valley to test themselves against the resort's famed steeps and chase a $12,000 purse. This year the world again returns to Taos in March for the sixth installment of this venerable competition.

>> For registration information call Alejandro Blake at 575-776-2291 ext. 1436

GENERAL INFO

Taos Ski Valley is proud to host the 2010 Salomon Extreme Freeride Championships, New Mexico's most prestigious skiing event. This big-mountain competition will be held from March 10 - 13, 2010 on Taos' famed steep terrain, with venues including the ragged chutes and cliffs of the West Basin and the incomparable Kachina Peak.

As was the case in previous incarnations of this event, competitors will move through a variety of qualifying days, with top finishers advancing to the next round to ski more difficult venues. Competitors are judged on degree of difficulty of line, aggression, fluidity, control, and style by a panel of five judges. The field is progressively cut until only the top athletes remain to compete on the final day.

With more than 100 skiers and snowboarders chasing a $12,000 purse, there's no doubt that next year's installment of the Salomon Extreme Freeride Championships will be one of the most competitive ever.

Dates:

March 10 - 13, 2010

Location:

Taos Ski Valley, New Mexico
Showcasing Taos' legendary terrain.
153 miles north of Albuquerque. MAP IT

Competitors:

Men and Women Competitive Freeride Skiers and Snowboarders
Registration limited to approximately 130 competitors.
Divisions include Men, Women, Masters and Juniors.

Prize Purse:

$12,000 cash

Registration is closed.

For registration information call Alejandro Blake at 575-776-2291 ext. 1436

Venues:

Representing some of the best double-diamond terrain in the country, the venues for this event showcase Taos' toughest terrain. Kachina Peak and the West Basin Ridge are littered with tight lines, cliffs and rocks. Venues will be determined by the ski patrol, chief of race and event staff and are subject to change depending upon snow and weather conditions. Download a Taos Ski Valley trail map.

Judging:

Taos will not be an IFSA competition this season. Instead it will employ the judging standards that slightly differ from similar types of big-mountain competitions sanctioned by the IFSA. Our criteria is sanctioned by the Freeride World Tour, and is used at all FWT events as well as FWT qualifying events. Please review our judging criteria to completely understand how your run will be scored. Should you have any questions before, during or after the competition, the event organizers will be happy to address them.

Questions:

Alejandro Blake, Events Coordinator
Phone 575-776-2291 ext. 1436
Email amb@skitaos.org

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Wednesday, March 10
Mandatory competitors meeting, 6:00 PM
Tenderfoot Katie's Cafeteria located in the TSV Resort Center

Thursday, March 11
On-Hill Action Day One: West Basin Ridge

Friday, March 12
On-Hill Action Day Two: West Basin Ridge
Aprés Ski: Red Bull Rail Jam, watch top athletes perform
insane ski and snowboard tricks over the Taos trail map sign at the base of Lift #1, 5:00 PM
DJ Oliver Knight at the Martini Tree Bar, 6:00 PM

Saturday, March 13
On-Hill Action Finals: Kachina Peak
Aprés Ski: Awards presented at the Martini Tree Bar, 5:30 PM
Awards Party with Latin flavored Reggae Afro-beat and Funk band the B-Side Players, 7:00 PM

2009 Results : Senior Women : Extreme Freeride Championships at Taos

2009 Results : Senior Men : Extreme Freeride Championship at Taos

2009 Results : Junior Women : Extreme Freeride Championship at Taos

2009 Results : Junior Men : Extreme Champioship at Taos

2009 Results : Snowboard Men : Extreme Freeride Championship at Taos

Press Release: December 03, 2009

2010 Salomon Extreme Freeride Championships at Taos: Event Partners With SCOTT Big-Mountain Fieberfrunn-Pillerseetal

Winners from Austrian event score free entry, accommodations at Taos Freeride World Tour qualifying event.

The Salomon Extreme Freeride Championships at Taos has inked a partnership deal with the SCOTT Big Mountain Fieberbrunn / Pillerseetal event, Austria. As part of the relationship, the winners of the Fieberbrunn event will receive complimentary entry and accommodations to the Taos event, March 10 – 13.

"We are excited to be working with our partners in Austria to help bring more talented athletes to New Mexico," says Taos' Alejandro Blake. "Taos is a special place and it’s fantastic to be able to share our unique culture and mountain with others."

"This relationship will help make it more affordable for athletes to experience Taos," adds Chief of Race, Tom Winter. "There's a cultural diversity at Taos that isn't found at any other ski resort on the planet. Add in New Mexico's steepest terrain and you get an amazing combination. We're very excited to share it with our European friends."

Held from March 10 – 13, Salomon Extreme Freeride Championships at Taos is New Mexico's largest and most prestigious ski and snowboard competition, attracting athletes from around the world and featuring a $12,000 purse. In addition, the event is a Freeride World Qualifier (FWQ) event, allowing athletes to gain entry to the FWT's four showcase events: The Nissan Russian Adventure (Sochi, Russia), Nissan Tram Face (Squaw Valley, USA), Nissan Freeride de Chamonix (Chamonix, France) and Nissan Xtreme (Verbier, Switzerland). Taos also joins an elite group of venues, from Italy and Norway to Austria and Slovakia as a FWQ venue.

Held from January 11 – 18, 2010 the SCOTT Big Mountain Fieberbrunn/Pillerseetal is hosted by Fieberbrunn, Austria and is also a FWQ event. Athletes can find additional information for the SCOTT Big Mountain Fieberbrunn / Pillerseetal including registration at www.bigmountain-fieberbrunn.at/.

To learn more about this event, make reservations or to see results from past competitions, please visit www.skitaos.org/freeride. To learn more about the Freeride World Tour, check out www.freerideworldtour.com. Stay tuned for special see and ski deals that will allow spectators to take advantage of discounted accommodations and skiing during the March 10 – 13 timeframe of the event.

Download a PDF of the Press Release.