Freeskiing

Polartec Big Air at Fenway Kicks Off

by
USSA
2016-02-08 14:35
 

Boston, MA (Feb. 8, 2016) – The U.S. Grand Prix will break new ground in 2016 when it presents the Polartec Big Air at Fenway, a scaffolding big air event situated in the center of one of America’s most iconic baseball venues: Boston’s Fenway Park. Never before has the U.S. Grand Prix featured a big air-only event, and never before has freeskiing and snowboarding been presented in such an historic American venue.

The Fenway big air event will feature Olympians such as Sochi slopestyle gold medalists Joss Christensen (Park City, UT) and Sage Kotsenburg (Park City, UT) and silver medalists Gus Kenworthy (Telluride, CO) and Devin Logan (West Dover, VT).

Big Air

“I’ve done a bunch of stadium big airs,” Kenworthy said from the Park City Grand Prix, “I think that they’re really cool events that allow a new crowd to enjoy a ski event that never would have before. The photos that I’ve seen from Boston look amazing—it’s so big and tall that when you stand on top of the drop in you’re going to have panoramic views of the city. It’s just so cool to be in such an iconic stadium.”

The scaffolding drop in at Fenway will reach a height of 140 feet—taller than the stadium lights and nearly four times the height of the famed Green Monster at the 104-year-old venue. With a festival-type atmosphere, a Boston-themed line-up of musical acts are slated to perform, including the bands American Authors and Bad Rabbits, along with a premiere of Teton Gravity Research’s new film The Sammy C Project. Tickets are still available.

Big Air

The event will also serve as a World Cup and points will also go towards and the Association of Freeskiing Professionals (AFP) rankings and the World Snowboard Tour (WST) rankings. Both events will be broadcast on NBC and NBCSN along with live streaming of the finals on nbcsports.com and on the NBC Sports LiveExtra app.

EVENT SCHEDULE (times EST)

Thursday, Feb. 11
8:00 p.m. Snowboarding Big Air Finals
Friday, Feb. 12
8:00 p.m. Freeskiing Big Air Finals

HIGHLIGHTS

  • The Polartec Big Air at Fenway is the first big air-only event ever featured on the Grand Prix tour.
  • It is the first time skiing and snowboarding will be presented in such a historic American venue.
  • Snowboarders will earn valuable FIS points as well as points towards the World Snowboard Tour rankings. Freeskiers will earn FIS points as well as points towards the Association of Freeskiing Professionals rankings.
  • Feb. 12 will also serve as USSA's third annual National Club Day - recognizing and promoting hundreds of USSA clubs in 30 states, and reaching out to youth nationwide.
  • Fenway Park, constructed in 1912, is one of the most iconic sporting venues on American soil. Home to the Boston Red Sox baseball team, Fenway is the oldest ballpark in Major League Baseball.

 

QUOTES

Eric Willett, U.S. Snowboarding
I thing the Fenway big air is going to be really cool. Boston is going to be a different crowd - you’re going to get a baseball crowd that just wants to be in Fenway to check out what the event is going to be along with people that know a lot about snowboarding. There’s a lot of history in that park, so for us to be able to be there is a pretty big honor.

Eric Beauchemin, U.S. Snowboarding
A lot of my family lives on the East Coast so I’ll have some people in the crowd that will be rooting for me. My grandpa that passed away recently loved the Red Sox - he was a diehard fan - so I think it’s going to be really special competing in that stadium because he went there all the time. I like the set up - everyone can see the jump so I feel like it’s more of a spectator-type atmosphere. You get so much energy from the crowd; honestly you feel that you could just do anything. 

Devin Logan, U.S. Freeskiing
I am proud to represent the U.S.A. on a world stage and I am grateful to have the American support here at home. 

Broadcast (times EST)

Thursday, Feb. 11
8:30 p.m. – Snowboarding Big Air, Boston - NBCSN
Friday, Feb. 12
8:30 p.m. - Freeskiing Big Air, Boston - NBCSN
Saturday, Feb. 13
5:00 p.m. – Freeskiing and Snowboarding Big Air, Boston - NBC
Friday, Feb. 19
7:00 p.m. – Freeskiing and Snowboarding Big Air, Boston – NBCSN
Sunday, Feb. 21
1:30 a.m. – Freeskiing Big Air, Boston – NBCSN

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