SUBARU TELLURIDE FREESKIING WORLD TOUR QUALIFIER

For Immediate Release

THE 4th ANNUAL SUBARU TELLURIDE FREESKIING WORLD TOUR QUALIFIER SET TO HOST THE WORLD’S BEST FREESKIERS, FEBRUARY 5-8, 2009

Mountain Sports International and the International Freeskiers Association set to kick off 2009 competitive season at Telluride Mountain Resort, Colorado

Telluride, Colorado, January 27, 2009 – A sold-out event within hours of registration opening, the Subaru Telluride Freeskiing World Tour Qualifier (FWTQ) kicks off the competitive big mountain season at Telluride Ski Resort February 5-8, 2009. Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the Freeskiing World Tour (FWT) will launch the 2009 campaign with ideal snow conditions on Telluride’s legendary terrain.

"Telluride is thrilled to host the only Freeskiing World Tour Qualifier event in the 2009 series,” said Communications Director Maryhelyn Kirwan. "We look forward to hosting this caliber of world class athletes for the fourth consecutive year."

Competitors from around the globe, including Canada, U.S.A., Japan and Australia will battle it out for the $10,000 cash purse, as well as the opportunity to bypass the qualifying rounds of the four FWT stops. The stacked field of approximately 70 men and 30 women includes contenders Andy Sabatier, Chuck Mumford, Nick Devore, Frank Shine, Lars Chickering-Ayers, Kira Kitchens, Erin Kerr and Ariana Stufano.

“The Freeskiing World Tour Qualifier at Telluride Ski Resort promises to be one of the most unique events of the season,” said MSI Events Director Dak Williams. “There will be athletes looking to qualify for the Freeskiing World Tour, athletes looking to win a title and athletes looking to win some cash. Telluride Resort has again stepped up to make the event better than ever and if the weather cooperates we will be competing on terrain that we haven’t skied on before. Telluride Resort and MSI are both committed to making this tour opener set the precedence for the season.”

Palmyra Peak will be the backdrop to the competition as skiers explore terrain below the Peak on the ridges of Black Iron Bowl and Prospect Basin. Westlake, the Cowboy Couloir, Genevieve and La Rosa will are proposed venues for the qualifying rounds, while the ominous Mountain Quail, Dihedral Chute & Dihedral Face are proposed venues for the finals. Newly opened to the public, due in part by the success of the Freeskiing World Tour, this world-class extreme terrain is unmatched in North America for steeps and fresh powder.

Nestled at the end of a box canyon in the San Juan Mountains of southwest Colorado, Telluride sits against the most beautiful and mystical setting imaginable. Far removed from the hectic pace of every day life, this charming and authentic town is surrounded by the greatest concentration of 14,000-foot peaks in North America.

2009 Freeskiing World Tour Schedule of Events
Subaru Telluride Freeskiing World Tour Qualifier, Telluride, CO. February 5-8
Subaru US Extreme Freeskiing Championships, Crested Butte, CO. February 18-22
Subaru US Freeskiing Nationals, Snowbird, UT. March 10-15
Subaru North American Freeskiing Championships, Kirkwood, CA. March 18-22
Subaru Freeskiing World Championships, Alyeska, AK. April 8-12

Coming off a breakthrough year in live webcasting technology, MSI’s content creation team will be producing and posting same-day world-class photography on its newly redesigned website, www.freeskiingworldtour.com and media partners www.powder.com and www.skipressworld.com. MSI will again be satellite broadcasting from the four FWT stops. Live coverage of the best freeskiing in the world can be viewed from the comfort of your desk chair.

Special thanks to our sponsors:
Subaru of America
The North Face
Corona
Powder Magazine
Emergen-C
Ski Press Magazine
Mt. Olympus Water
Lynden Transport
Sports Insurance
Grabber
Beyond Coastal
IFSA

Special thanks to our resort partners:
Telluride Ski and Summer Resort
Crested Butte Mountain Resort
Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort
Kirkwood Mountain Resort
Alyeska Resort

For more information log onto www.freeskiingworldtour.com

MEDIA INQUIRES AND FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT
Cara Williams
Media, PR & Communications Manager
Mountain Sports International
801-349-4608
cara@mtsports.com

Justine Chellel
Marketing & Sales Coordinator
Mountain Sports International
801-349-4606
jchellel@mtsports.com

REGISTRATION INFORMATION AND ATHLETE INQUIRIES CONTACT
Sara Pinsoneault
Mountain Sports International
Athlete Communications
801-349-4650
sarap@mtsports.com


About Subaru of America, Inc.
Subaru of America, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. of Japan. Headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J., the company markets and distributes Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive vehicles, parts and accessories through a network of more than 600 dealers across the United States. Subaru makes the best-selling All-Wheel Drive car sold in America based on R.L. Polk & Co. new vehicle retail registration statistics.

About MSI
Mountain Sports International (MSI) is a private company, founded in 1997, to develop and produce action/adventure sports events and programming in North America. MSI owns and produces the U.S. Freeskiing Series, the U.S. Skiercross Series, and the Freeskiing World Tour, in addition to several other properties and concepts.

MSI provides event management services for Burton, Salomon, and Red Bull and has provided infrastructure and expertise for the NBC Gravity Games and ESPN Action Sports Projects, including the Tony Hawk Gigantic Skatepark Tour. MSI specializes in matching clients with events for brand penetration into target demographics, developing product identification and loyalty. MSI matches brand and culture, company and credibility to create sought-after events that help to define the action sports culture.