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Red Bull Snowthrill of Alaska
International Freeskiing World Tour Finals
Girdwood, AK, March 21-28, 2000
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Pre-Contest Press Release | Post-Contest Press Release | Final Results: Men - Women
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From March 21 - 28, 2000, fifty of the world's bravest
freeskiers will compete for their sport's top honor in the Red Bull Snowthrill of Alaska,
freeskiing's invitation-only world championships. Alyeska, Alaska, home to some of the
planet's most rugged terrain, will host the final event of a five-stop world freeskiing
tour that includes stops in Whistler, British Columbia; Snowbird, Utah; Solden, Austria
and Courcheval, France, to determine who is the best skier in the world. For the first
time in the history of this event, a $15,000 prize purse will also be up for grabs.
1996 World Freeskiing Champion, Chris Davenport, of Aspen, Colorado, headlines a world
class group of 40 men and 10 women from the United States, Canada, Europe and Australia.
Davenport will be joined by, among others: 1999 Extreme Skiing World Champion, Guerlin
Chicherit (France), 1998 Extreme Skiing World Champion, Arnaud Adam (France) and the women's
1998 Extreme Skiing Champion, Francine Moreillon (Switzerland).
Jagged rocks, hidden ravines, boulders, criss-crossed
couloirs and constantly changing wind conditions will give the competitors a heart-stopping
adrenaline rush. With over 2,500 vertical feet and pitches as steep as 45 degrees,
athletes will be forced to adapt their individual skiing styles to the mountain. Due to
the life-threatening nature of freeskiing, all athletes will be equipped with helmets,
specially-designed back protectors, shovels, avalanche beepers and search sticks.
The Red Bull Snowthrill of Alaska is fully sanctioned by the
IFSA (International Freeskiers Association). Competitors will be judged by an independent
jury based on IFSA criteria which concentrate on five essential elements: line selection,
control, rhythm, technique & aggressiveness. Judges award points in each category which
are then totaled to calculate the final results. Each competitor will have two to three
opportunities to perform for the judges.
In 1996, due the growing popularity of freeskiing, the
IFSA was formed by Shane McConkey and several other free-skiers to standardize competitions
around the world. Freeskiing combines demanding physical and mental challenges: unlimited
free riding on a trecherous terrain, laser-sharp focus, halfpipe skiing, spectacular jumps
and much more. Despite the growing number of competitions, the soul of the sport still
remains in the experience of the pure pleasure of skiing.
For more information please contact Ted Fragulis
or Rob Bronfeld at 1-800-229-4758
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