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The countdown is on and the party begins this Friday. The TELUS World Ski and Snowboard Festival kicks into high gear April 17-26, 2009. The only thing to do is get yourself to the centre of the action. Here are some highlights of what's on the adjenda, including some new events you'll want to check out.

The best things in life are still free. Zune Concert Series line-up promises 10 days of pilgrim-worthy free outdoor concerts, featuring Ozomatli, Ten Second Epic, The Stills, Metric, and DJ Ztrip.

Grenade Games lobs into town. Snowboarding’s infamous end of season party is by the riders, for the riders. Giving Canadians the chance to become Grenadians for the first time in its history, the Grenade Games’ line-up includes a Poker Run, dual slalom moguls course, pipe and slopestyle comp, and entices legends of snowboarding out of retirement to ride alongside current pros and up-and-comers.

Discover tomorrow’s artistic superstars. Debuting at this year’s Festival is the mutant sibling of the Pro Photographer Showdown, the ThreePointOh Multimedia Challenge. Plus, State of the Art, the Canada-wide Designer Search and Expose, and the new Chef Challenge.

Skate comes to the party. The new Festival opener, Skate & Deploy, followed by the Skate of the Art Opening party offers the perfect segue from winter to spring for fans of flow.

Graphic mastery gains momentum. Enter year four of the open crowd-sourcing collaboration that introduces graphic design talent to snowboards as canvass. Masterpiece in Motion entries are due March 1.

Ticketed events are known to sell out in advance so avoid disappointment and get your tickets early. Get yours online now at the Festival E-Store.

Faces of the Fest prepare to face-off to be the Festival’s 2009 on-air video host. Our very own Alex Hearn, voice of the Whistler Blackcomb snowphone, is one of the five finalists! "VOTE HARD, VOTE HEARN" VOTE NOW! Last day to vote is today, Monday, April 13th.

Looking to come up and enjoy all of the action? There are some awesome deals on now, including 2 day lift & lodging from just $82 pp/pn. MORE INFO

Another sweet deal...Buy your 5 or 10-Day 2009.10 EDGE Card now to ski at Whistler Blackcomb from $57 per day next season plus get unlimited spring skiing NOW for just $79! BUY NOW

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Just four weeks until the TELUS World Ski & Snowboard Festival rolls in to take over Whistler for 10 days and 10 nights of adenaline packed sports, arts, and music events.

The Zune Concert Series line up is set and ready to rock the valley of Whistler with live music from Thornley, The Stills, Ozomatli, The Arkells, 54 40, DJ ZTrip, and Metric to name just a few. For more info on the Zune Concert Series visit: wssf.com

This year marks the return of the Orage Masters, World Skiing Invitational's Big Air and Superpipe, and the addition of the Park'n'Fly Skate Jam and Monster's Grenade Games.

Also returning this year and bigger than ever are the infamous arts events including the Olympus Pro Photographer Showdown, 72 Hour Filmmaker Showdown, Schick Fashion Exposed, State of the Art, Whistler Chef Challenge, and the new ThreePointOh Multimedia Challenge.

The festival doesn't stop there. When the sun sets the party is just getting started! The Kokanee Freeride Club Series, along with an onslaught of legendary parties, offers party-goers endless opportunities to rub elbows with the who's who of the industry. This year the TELUS World Ski and Snowboard Festival really lives up to its modo: Party in April. Sleep in May.

TWSSF is also offering one lucky person the ultimate VIP status for this year's festival with the Face of the Festival Contest. To find out how to apply visit: wssf.com/faceofthefestival





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SPECIAL EVENTS ALL WEEK. FREE DEMOS FROM THE SALOMON STORE. ALL GEAR 30% OFF.
(Whistler Mountainside)

The SALOMON Photo Contest.
February 14th - 20th.
Calling all budding photographers! Enter to win an $800 shopping spree at the Salomon Store and 10 tickets to the exclusive Salomon VIP Party! Submit your best photo in a ski, snowboard or lifestyle setting taken during the week representing the Salomon brand.

Visit whistlerblackcomb.com/salomonphotocontest for full contest & submission details.

Saint SALOMON Valentines Day BBQ.
Saturday 14th. 1-3pm @ Glacier Creek On Blackcomb Mountain.
Free BBQ for the first 200 people who show up wearing Salomon gear!

Salomon Fashion Show featuring next year’s gear.
Thursday 19th. 6pm @ Salomon store.
DJ, FREE cheese & beverages and preview of next year’s collection.

Visit the following locations in Whistler for discounts and more event information: Showcase Snow.Skate.Surf., Glacier Shop, CAN-SKI and Salomon Store.

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If you were in Whistler this past Monday morning chances are you didn’t hit the snooze button. The forecast called for 4cms of snow the night before but 11cms fell instead. Check out some recent videos and photos, as well as the latest Snowcast podcasts.









If you're a Canadian or Washington State resident looking for the best deal on lift tickets at Whistler Blackcomb, check out the EDGE Card. It’s being offered at a discounted rate right now but sale ends Feb. 13th so get yours now.

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Whistler Blackcomb's PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola will officially open to the public December 12, 2008. Join us for the LIVE webcast this Friday, December 12 at 10:30am PST on whistlerblackcomb.com. And get ready for the ultimate thrill, as Red Bull drops in and gives wings to the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola Launch event.



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Whistler Mountain is opening tomorrow (Wednesday, November 26) to give you the snow session you've been jonesing for.

Whistler Mountain is opening Wednesday with the following lifts running:
- Whistler Village Gondola
- Emerald Chair
- Big Red Express
- Franz's Chair

Blackcomb follows on Thursday, November 27 for US Thanksgiving long weekend:

WHISTLER
- Creekside Gondola (open Nov 27 - Nov 30)
- Whistler Village Gondola
- Emerald Chair
- Big Red Express
- Franz's Chair

BLACKCOMB
- Excalibur Gondola
- Wizard Express
- Solar Coaster
- Jersey Cream Express
- Excelerator
- Catskinner

Check out What's Open for full operation details.

We've got a base of 55cm, the snow guns are blasting in full force and groomers are working hard to get the runs ready. Check out the Snow Report or call the Snowphone at 1.800.766.0449.

Hope to see many of you out there this opening weekend!

Check out some photos of Mike Douglas rippin' on Whistler Mountain yesterday.





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Since yesterday we've had 25cm with up to 30cm expected by Sunday!

Opening day is November 27 so get your gear ready and stay tuned to whistlerblackcomb.com to find out what's open.

Canadian & Washington State residents don’t miss your last chance to get this season’s best EDGE Card deal. Ski or ride from $59 a day plus get bonus offers and perks. If you haven’t got your EDGE Card now’s the time to buy, early bird pricing ends this Friday, November 21st. Check out whistlerblackcomb.com/deal to purchase or call 1-800-766-0449.

Check out our Season 2 Episode 1 of the Whistler Blackcomb Snowcast, presented by TELUS. It's posted online here or you can view it at whistlerblackcomb.com/podcast.

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Outdoor Concert Series

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The level of skill being displayed in all of the Whistler Blackcomb Parks is astonishing these days. The progression we are seeing in athletes is at light speed and tricks formerly reserved for the rare mutants are now being thrown with ease by local kids skipping school to ski and ride. (Don’t skip school!) This week I witnessed 16-year-olds throwing double back flips, 19-year-olds spinning corked 10s and a 4-year-old slide a four foot round bar. This progression has pushed the Park crew to step up and create the best possible playground for these athletes and then work backwards to ensure we have a smooth progression. The bar is being set high for the next generation and we are doing our best to evolve at the same rate.

The Parks all got new set-ups this week, some even seeing changes daily. On Whistler Mountain we changed up the top section to include a new barrel bonk in addition to the stump jibs as well as freshening up Bobcat with a never-been-tired-before combo box with a quad kink. There are also new jump styles on Chipmunk and two “Skate Style” spines with log and metal coping for every transfer trick imaginable.

The Choker Park saw the addition of the Quicksilver and Nintendo boxes set up in series as mellow up-boxes as well as the addition of a mini shack booter style step over jump. The Superpipe rebuild has resulted in the best pipe I have ridden in a long time and special props go out to Andy Morrison for his epic 17 hour shift grooming the pipe se we can all rip it this week!

The Terrain Garden continues to be one of the busiest parks with hordes of newbie riders getting their legs on the small jumps, mini spine, boxes and rails offered up in this line. We are hoping to add a few more basic flat boxes to the mix so trick development can progress here too.

The HL Park has basically been split into Lucas Land’s rail line for metal grinders and the main park for jumpers. The left line continues to be the BIG XL line while the right side offers up the L / XL multi-takeoff options.

If you have not been up in the parks yet this year, you are missing out! Don’t wait to see it in next year’s vids, come on up today.

See the Photos



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And the icing on the cake… rumours have it Doglotion.com will present the
World Premiere of Paul Cotton’s ‘Gaper Day 2007’ short film; a mockumentary of the biggest Whistler-end-of-season ‘celebration’ yet. Daffies, twisters, rock grinds, one-pieces, stretch-pants, Mexican wrestlers – exposed on the big screen like never before.

DETAILS

When: 2 shows (7 & 9pm), on Friday September 28
Where: MY Millennium Place Theatre, Whistler
What: Ski & Snowboard Film premiere of 'Lost & Found'
Bonus: World Premiere of Paul Cotton's Gaper Day 2007 short film.
Tix: $9.99. All ages, available in advance at Ticketmaster.ca or
at MY Millennium Place Theatre, in person or by phone 604 935 8410. Get them in advance, sold out in years past.
After Party: "Fire, Ice, & DYNAMITE" The Party. At the Longhorn Saloon.
Swag give-aways, DJ, drink specials, bring it on.
They're welcoming FIREBALL to their family of drinks, and the FIREBOMB specials will be going down hard.
No cover charge. (Sorry no minors). Bonus points and anyone rocking a Fire, Ice & DYNAMITE costume.
Need inspiration? Think Willy Bogner film with breakdancing monoboarders in one-piece suits.
 
And someone's going home with a pair of new
DYNASTAR TROUBLE MAKERS!

About the film...

LOST AND FOUND is the story of the extraordinary season of 2006.07 as seen through the eyes of world-class skiers and snowboarders. With global drought persisting and ski resorts closing around the world, athletes are forced to follow the snow, sending them deep into the uncharted north country of Alaska and Canada – including of course – the
Whistler area. Filmed almost entirely in North America, LOST AND FOUND is a testament to the terrain and conditions that only exist in the Western Hemisphere.

It wouldn’t be complete without mind-blowing performances by some of our favourite Whistler athletes, Ian McIntosh, Dana Flahr, Kye Petersen, and Victoria Jealouse. McIntosh returns to try one-upping the films best breakthrough performance in last year’s film – his own – while Flahr is pumped on his return from injuries, and it shows. Once again, the Whistler crew pretty much shows the pros how we rock here in Whistler, and well, how last winter rocked us.
This film will take you into the vast, unexplored Tordrillo Mountains of Alaska, proving that some of the best big mountain riding in the world is still completely undiscovered. Athletes take advantage of the bountiful winter in British Columbia, hit disturbing park features in Aspen and score over-the-head powder pillows at Skeena Heliskiing.
The winter of 2007 was feast or famine; LOST AND FOUND documents the feast.

Sponsored by: JEEP, The North Face, Rossignol, Dynastar/Lange, Powder Magazine, Recco, Apple, Outside Magazine, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and Burton
Local Sponsors: DYNASTAR, Glacier Shop, Rossignol, Whistler Blackcomb

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The parks are getting blanketed again, and the big mountain terrain is getting prime…

With 3 months left in a winter season that extends to June 3, Whistler Blackcomb surpassed its annual average snowfall before the end of February. As of February 20, the resort had received 1026 centimetres or 404 inches of snowfall this year, with the annual average sitting at 1,006 centimetres or 396 inches. Now days later it’s already up at 1041cms or 410 inches, and to top it off… there’s up to 80 cm’s (32 inches) in the forecast for this week!

Record breaking snowfall in November, solid snowfall throughout December and January, and currently tracking to be the second snowiest year on record by the end of February, Whistler locals are enjoying an epic season. February has seen more sunny skies in the earlier part of the month, until deep winter returned to the resort this past weekend, and it doesn’t look like it’s ready to quit any time soon.

Here’s the forecast… http://www.whistlerblackcomb.com/weather/forecast/index.htm

 

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Marty Guatrey – Lead hand & grooming the B Park since 1990. Marty started in Lake Louise, made the move to Whistler & has been working in the Parks in winter & Bike Park in the summer. Marty likes working with the younger crew & enjoys skiing what he builds. “I love building jumps. It’s challenging to build & progress with the skiers & snowboarders needs. It’s great to watch people having fun & enjoying my work & I do have a beautiful work environment”.

Oleksander Iskat – Works opposite shifts to Marty & leads the team on Marty’s days off. Olex has been grooming in the Park for 5 years & also has been a key member of the Bike Park in the summer. “I get to build what I want to ride & have the freedom to build an idea. I try to make everything I build as safe as possible. I may not ride the biggest hits but I’m happy to see people progress on our features”.

Jason Josling – 2^nd year in the park grooming. J was mostly in the Terrain Garden last season and now grooms the main Nintendo Park & helps out in the Highest Level when needed. “I’m still learning but feel I’m 100% better than last season. My job takes precision, a skilled eye & attention to detail. I try to make everything safe, rideable & fun”.

 
 left to right: Oleksander, Lucas, Kirby, Marty & Jason

Lucas Ouellette – 1^st season grooming & worked on the Parks day crew last season. Lucas is mostly in the Terrain Garden but is also working on the secret jib & jump section in the Highest Level Park “I like building stuff & hitting it the next day. It can be lonely @ times yet peaceful inside the snow cat. I crank up the punk rock tunes & build the jumps.”

Kirby Litzenberger – 6 seasons @ Whistler & specifically grooming the super pipe. Kirby took a couple of seasons off but we are stoked that he is back on our pipe team once again. Top riders know when Kirby has cut the pipe, it rides perfect. Kirby built his first pipe in 1988. “It takes vigilance to build the best pipe possible. I want to build & maintain the best pipe. Being rated #2 for pipe is not good enough. Southern Cali is all hype”.

Tim Austin – 2^nd year Grooming the Parks & also came from Park day crew. Tim rides what he builds & rides hard. Tim started grooming the Terrain Garden his first season & is now involved in the main Nintendo Park grooming team.

Andy Morrison – Our longest serving groomer with over 16 years of grooming experience, Andy works on the winter & summer Glacier half pipes. Andy has been pipe shaping for over 5 years & has used the Pipe Dragon & the Zaugg Pipe shapers.

left to right back row: Lucas, Oleksander, Marty. Front row = Kirby & Jason

 

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