Freeskiing

Visa U.S. Freeskiing Grand Prix to Open at Copper

by
2013-01-03 10:00
 

COPPER MOUNTAIN, CO (Jan. 2) – New to the Olympic sports roster, halfpipe and slopestyle freeskiing, will hit Copper Mountain Jan. 9-12 for the Visa U.S. Freeskiing Grand Prix. Headling the tour opener are four-time X Games medalist and AFP Slopestyle Champion Tom Wallisch (Pittsburgh, PA), Dew Tour Champion and two-time X Games halfpipe medalist Brita Sigourney (Carmel, CA) and two-time X Games halfpipe medalist David Wise (Reno, NV). The longest running domestic tour, the Visa Grand Prix is now in its 17th season and its third season for freeskiing. The Visa U.S. Grand Prix is a FIS World Cup and AFP Platinum level event, which allows for American athletes to garner qualifying points on home soil for the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. The weekend will be televised on both NBC and the NBC Sports Network, plus live coverage of halfpipe finals on the USSA Network.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • The Visa U.S. Freeskiing Grand Prix tour opens Jan. 9-12 at Copper Mountain, CO for the fifth straight year. Now in its 17th season, it is the longest running domestic tour.
  • The event will feature newly added Olympic events halfpipe and slopestyle skiing in a Platinum AFP event.
  • Top athletes are AFP Slopestyle Champion Tom Wallisch (Pittsburgh, PA), two-time X Games medalist Brita Sigourney (Carmel, CA), two-time X Games medalist David Wise (Reno, NV) and five-time X Games medalist Sammy Carlson (Hood River, OR).
  • Free live entertainment on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. at Jack’s Slopeside Grill from the up and coming duo Wild Belle.
  • Additionally the Visa U.S. Freeskiing Grand Prix will be an FIS World Cup that allows for athletes to gain valuable FIS points necessary for Olympic qualifying.
  • The Olympic qualifying period lasts from July 2012 to January 2014.
  • The North Face Junior Jam will take place Friday, Jan. 11 from 5:00p.m. -6:00p.m. MT.
  • Halfpipe finals will be live streamed on the USSA Network.
  • The event will be broadcast on NBC and NBC Sports Network.

VISA U.S. FREESKIING GRAND PRIX SCHEDULE
Wed. Jan. 9 – Halfpipe skiing qualifiers, 8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. MT
Thur. Jan. 10 – Slopestyle skiing qualifiers, 8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. MT
Fri. Jan. 11 – Visa U.S. Freeskiing Grand Prix, halfpipe skiing finals, 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. MT
Fri. Jan. 11 – The North Face Junior Jam, 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. MT
Sat. Jan. 12 – Visa U.S. Freeskiing Grand Prix slopestyle skiing finals, 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. MT

Full Event Schedule
//ussnowboarding.com/events/sprint-us-grand-prix

BROADCAST SCHEDULE (times ET)
Sat. Jan. 11 11:20 a.m. -1:00 p.m. – Visa U.S. Freeskiing Grand Prix live stream, halfpipe, USSA Network
Sat. Jan. 12 4:00-5:00 p.m. – Visa U.S. Freeskiing Grand Prix, halfpipe, NBC
Sat. Jan. 12 1:00-2:00 p.m. – Visa U.S. Freeskiing Grand Prix, halfpipe, NBC Sports Network
Sat. Jan. 19 2:00-3:00 p.m. –Visa U.S. Freeskiing Grand Prix, slopestyle, NBC Sports Network

QUOTES
Tom Wallisch

It’s great to be able to compete at the Visa U.S.. Freeskiing Grand Prix and have a World Cup in the United States. I’m really excited to see what Copper will put together for a slopestyle course and get my FIS World Cup points started as we head towards Sochi.

The Grand Prix always has a lot of support from freeskiing fans and it’s such a fun event to start the season off. It will be great to defend my title - the competition is always stacked and it’s cool to see what everyone else throws down.

Brita Sigourney
The Grand Prix went so well for me last year and I hope that I can continue my success. My win at Dew Tour [in December] after coming off of my knee injury was so rewarding and it would be great to continue my success, a goal that I have set for myself. I’m grateful for the opportunity to get FIS points started on home soil and Copper always does such a great job with their halfpipe.  

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