Fernie’s Freeride team had a fantastic 2008-09 season with amazing results for all six team members   Training on incredible terrain and snow in Fernie’s Lizard Range it is no wonder these athletes get big results on the circuit.  The team members have been very busy with their competition schedules and in addition have been doing lots of filming and photo shoots.  With great pride we list the updated results:

Martha Burley (telemark skier)
- Forerunner at World Telemark Championships in Alaska (travel delays conflicted with ability to compete)
- 4th place, Telemark Freeski Championships - Alpine Meadows
- 15th place, Nendaz Freeride (Freeride World Tour)
- 2nd place, Fernie Freeskiing Competition
- Competed, Canadian Open Freeskiing Championship - Red Mtn

Janina Kuzma (skier)
- 8th place currently on the Freeride World Tour
- 2nd place, Nendaz Freeride
- 1st place, Engadin Snow (invite only - 16 athletes)
- 3rd place, Scott Big Mountain Competition - Fieberbrunn
- 1st place, Canadian Open Freeskiing Championship - Red Mtn

Jeremie Duchaine-Haley (skier)
- 6th place, Fernie Freeskiing Competition
- 14th place, Wrangle the Chute Invitation - Kicking Horse
- Photo shoots at Rogers Pass for SBC Skier Magazine

Ross Janzen (skier)
- 10th place, Big Mtn Challenge - Lake Louise
- 3rd place, Fernie Freeskiing Competition
- Competed, Canadian Open Freeskiing Championship - Red Mtn

Luke Nelson (skier)
- 5th place overall points standings after World Championships, Alaska
- 4th place, Freeski World Championships - Alyeska, Alaska
- 37th place, North American Freeskiing Championships - Kirkwood, CA
- 10th place, US Freeskiing Nationals - Snowbird, Utah
- 14th place, Freeskiing World Tour - Crested Butte (1st run was the second highest score of the competition)
- 4th place, Canadian Open Freeskiing Championship - Red Mtn

Aaron Schmidt (skier)
- 16th place overall points standings after World Championships, Alaska
- 4th place, North American Freeskiing Championships - Kirkwood, CA
- 20th place, US Freeskiing Nationals - Snowbird, Utah
- 23rd place, Freeski World Championships - Alyeska, Alaska
- 24th place, Freeskiing World Tour - Crested Butte
- Competed, Canadian Open Freeskiing Championship - Red Mtn

The 2009 Canadian Freestyle Ski Association female Canada Post Outstanding Performance by a Newcomer award went to Alberta Park & Pipe Team member Megan Gunning from Calgary, Alta.

Sixteen-year-old Gunning won the award on the strength of her performance in the FIS Halfpipe World Cup series this season where she was second at the World Championships in Japan and third overall for 2008-09.

Megan Gunning on the podium at the World Championships
“It’s unbelievable to see someone with this much talent at such a young age. And, she still has a long way to go,” said Trennon Paynter, Head Coach, Canadian Halfpipe Ski Team.

Paynter credited Gunning’s success to her skill level and her mental state, “What really shines with Megan’s skiing is the technicality she brings and her fearless approach. That combination is what’s really brining her to the top quickly.”

Although snowboard halfpipe has been an Olympic Sport since 1998, the ski version of the sport has been left on the sidelines for the world’s biggest sporting spectacle – although halfpipe skiing is part of every other major halfpipe event on the circuit, including the X Games.

It’s a fact that Canadian halfpipe athletes and coaches have been lobbying hard to get changed.

“We fought to get it to Vancouver for 2010 and now we’re working on getting it to Sochi in 2014,” said Paynter who added that Olympic status would significantly change his sport by broadening its appeal and significantly boosting its funding opportunities.

Currently the Canadian Halfpipe Ski Team is without a major sponsor, so the costs of competing are left up to the athletes and their families. That contrasts sharply with the other Freestyle disciplines that benefit tremendously from government and private funding.

Gunning will be featured on CTV news Friday evening, April 17, at 6:45 p.m. She will also be competing with Canada’s other top halfpipe skiers at the Telus Ski and Snowboard Festival in Whistler, B.C. from April 17 to 26.

The weather improved for the final day of the 2009 Subaru World Freeskiing Championships at Alyeska Resort in Girdwood, Alaska, enabling the competitors to get up onto The Headwall and into some big Alaskan lines. After a long day of waiting, the skies cleared and the sun came out for the final stop on the 2009 Freeskiing World Tour (FWT). A total of 39 competitors qualified for the invitation only event, and in the end, Tim Dutton of Squaw Valley, California, and Rebecca Selig of Snowbird, Utah, stood atop the podium, and for a second consecutive year, Luke Nelson of Fernie finished 4th and this years top Canadian.
Alyeska Resort once again delivered the powder, with over 11 inches of fresh snow falling in the last 24 hours. Alyeska Ski Patrol flew in a helicopter to the top of The Headwall to prepare for today’s event, keeping a close eye on the snowpack after triggering avalanches during their control work. The goal of the Subaru Freeskiing World Tour is to showcase the best terrain of each host resort, but consideration is always given to weather, safety, and snow conditions. Once patrol gave the green light, competitors hiked up the boot pack of the 1,000-foot vertical face for their inspection run, getting a chance to scope their lines on the way up. Clouds were intermittent during the inspection, but blue sky pushed in, allowing the helicopter to shuttle the competitors back up to the top of the venue for their final runs. “The heli ride was awesome,” said Crystal-Rose Lee, “I got to sit in the front seat with Crystal Wright.” Wright also said the lift to the top got her “fired up”.

The four competition judges use five categories to decide the winner of FWT events: line choice, fluidity, control, aggression/energy and form/technique. Line choice is the first score the judges decide, and all following scores are directly related to that line choice score. Each category is worth 10 points, with a total possible score of 50 points.

A total of 9 women competed in the final, leading off with some incredible runs. Rebecca Selig dropped straight into an area of exposed rock known as the Wedge, skiing confidently to win her first event on the Subaru Freeskiing World Tour and $3,500 in prize money. “For some reason, I knew I was going to win.” She said with a smile, “This place was just meant to be.” Tour leader Crystal Wright of Jackson Hole, Wyoming, finished second for the women, attacking the fall line and hitting three big airs linked together with smooth turns. “I’m stoked,” she said, “I don’t care how I placed, I did this for myself.” Last year’s champion, Crystal-Rose Lee from Whistler, British Columbia, ended up in third place with a fluid line, moving well from feature to feature while holding on to her speed. Ariana Stufano also from Whistler, British Columbia, was awarded The North Face Young Gun Award, which recognizes young talent in Freeskiing, for fluid style and consistent performances.

A total of 29 men rode the helicopter up to the start venue, reversing the order of the finish from Day One, and Tim Dutton emerged on top. Coming off his win in Kirkwood at the Subaru North American Freeskiing Championships, Dutton sent an aggressive line, airing over rocks and skiing confidently through exposure and scored the points he needed to become the World Freeskiing Champion along with the $5,000 prize money. Lars Chickering-Ayers of Vermont ended up in second after picking his way through the rocks at the top of the run and straight lining through the chowder. Frenchman Julien Lopez placed third, blazing through the exposure on the top and pulling a huge air off a cliff while making it all look so easy. Near the Subaru finish arch he pulled a backflip for the appreciative crowd and narrowly edged Luke Nelson from his 3rd place first day finish position.  Nelson skied with the best and earned himself a very respectable finish.  Only 19 years old, this bright and good humoured kid has everyone in Fernie cheering for him.

Ossie Jurock, author of “What, When, Where, and How to Buy Real Estate in Canada” gave special mention to a sales promotion for Fernie’s Silver Rock condo blow-out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBQfkugq_1g&feature=channel_page

Ozzie Jurock is featured in Donald Trump’s 2007 book: Trump: The Best Real Estate Advice I Ever Received: 100 Top Experts Share Their Strategies.

“Ozzie Jurock is Canada’s foremost real estate analyst. The best guest I have ever interviewed when it comes to useful information and trends.”
- Bill Good, Host of CKNW’s Bill Good Show

“Ozzie is one of the wisest money man alive. I love listening to and reading him and so will you. Drink deeply of his wisdom, insights, advice and you’ll permanently prosper.
- Mark Victor Hansen, co-author of Chicken Soup for the Soul

“Ozzie Jurock knows his stuff - and he knows how to explain his stuff so you can understand it too! His knowledge of real estate is deep - and yet completely current. With apologies to a certain credit card, I say, ‘Don’t buy or sell your home without him!’”
- Deb Hope, Global TV Anchor

Five two bedroom units and one three bedroom unit remain available to sell at blow-out prices. For more information on the properties click here.

A Call for Submissions…
The Creative Edge, Art of the Kootenays is currently looking for artists that are interested in
showing their work in a hard cover art book. This book provides an overview of contemporary art
in the Kootenays.

The Creative Edge, Art of The Kootenays will be a beautiful full colour art book that will showcase
the artistic talent and diversity this area has to offer and will be at in Vancouver and Whistler at
the 2010 Olympics as well as local bookstores, e-commerce, art colleges and selected
Universities across Canada.

Artists can submit work in the disciplines of painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, ceramic,
jewelry, fiber, glass, and multi media. All material submitted must be original content created by
the artist. Place and availability are subject to quality and acceptance. All artists must provide a
$250 fee after final proof. The cost includes full editing, creative layout and design per-page, text
review and post-editing, plates, offset printing, binding, packing, shipping, and distribution.
All Artists interested in submitting please e-mail, 3 - 6 art works (large files) the works details: title,
year, media, size, a 100 word artist statement /history, personal website URL and photo of
yourself to: art@karlapearce.com.

The deadline for all submitted work is April 30, 2009, 5:00pm
For more info contact Publisher/Editor Karla Pearce at www.karlapearce.net