Canadian Freeskiing Championships
Whistler/Blackcomb -- Huge snowstorms across the Northwest have fallen upon Whistler/Blackcomb, in timely preparation for the 6th Annual Whistler/Blackcomb Canadian Freeskiing Championships presented by Stella Artois & Atomic. Whistler was chosen for the 6th straight year as the inaugural resort for the three-stop IFSA World Tour. The tour, run by event management company Mountain Sports International (MSI), attracts athletes from more than eight countries to compete for over $10,000 in cash and prizes. The event is sponsored by Whistler Blackcomb, Atomic, Stella Artois, GoreTex, Suunto, Grand Marnier, and GMC. The competition will begin with a two-day qualifier event. The qualifier is an IFSA North American Tour point event from which approximately 25 athletes will advance to the World Tour event. The World Tour will begin on Blackcomb Mountain on Friday. The world tour finals will be held on Saturday, January 11th, with a weather day slated for Sunday. Television coverage of the event will air on Outdoor Life Channel (OLN) later in the winter.
2002 men's champion, Atomic Skis athlete, Pierre-Yves LeBlanc hopes to retain his Canadian title against fellow Canadian comrade and World Tour Champion Hugo Harrisson. Harrisson, has been the 2nd place finisher at both the Canadian and the US Nationals events for 2 years straight. Harrisson, who skis for Rossignol and Oakley, has been the IFSA overall World Champion for three consecutive years. He has dominated the sport longer than any other freeskiing athlete in history. Hugo is overdue to take an event title, said former World Tour Champion and Rossignol teammate, Brant Moles, he's so consistent; it seems like (winning an event is) just a matter of time. However, the competition in Canada is by no means a two-man duel. French athletes Guelain Chicherit and Nathanael Fresnois are certainly contenders for the title as well as Swedish skier Kai Zachrisson. Local favorites Mike Stevenson and Robin Courcelles placed well in 2002, as did Sunshine Village, Alberta skier, Kevin Mayberry-Hjertaas and Ehren Olson of Mount Hood, Oregon.