Packed, Stacked and Jacked 2010-2011

The Packed, Stacked and Jacked 2010-2011 season kicked off last night in the Goggle Bowl at Seven Springs. The Seven Springs Terrain Park Crew created an amazing set up for the event – and with the Goggle rockin’ the competitors put on quite a show.

Sponsored by Ride Snowboards and Line Skis this first event in the PSJ Freestyle Ski and Snowboard Series was set in a rail jam format with Amateur Ski, Amateur Snowboard, Amateur Women’s Ski and Amateur Women’s Snowboard as well as Open divisions for both ski and snowboard. This division format came as a direct result of the successful inaugural 2009-2010 season and will continue throughout the series.

Packed, Jacked and Stacked, brainchild of Willi’s Ski Shop owner Greg Klein, kicked off in January of 2010 with a 5 event series that gained national recognition and sponsorships to some of the areas great talent. “Our goal”, says Klein, “is to spotlight Seven Springs and the athletes that are coming out of this area. We want it to be a fun series that celebrates the fun and camaraderie of competing.” With that goal in mind Events Manager, Katy Rullo, has designed a competitive series with events that focus on the key ski and snowboard freestyle skills allowing everyone to show off their particular talent.

For the 2010-2011 season the PSJ series has been cut to 4 events and the prize structure has been altered. The competitive field has been split into an Amateur division for both men and women, ski and snowboard and an Open division in which the sponsored athletes must compete. This allows for more of the up-coming athletes to gain more than just competitive experience and throws and added level of excitement into the event.

Using the power of social media the PSJ event series, has developed a life of its own. The Packed, Stacked and Jacked Facebook page is a place where event coordinators, athletes, spectators and sponsors talk, share pictures, pass critical event information or just chat about life, the mountain and the series itself.

The 2010-2011 PSJ season-opening, Ride Snowboards and Line Skis rail jam was an incredible show. It brought some old favorites and some new faces together on an artisitically designed set up by the award winning Seven Springs Terrain Park Crew. Rail jams are fun, spectator-friendly events because there is so much going on all the time…very little waiting around. Goggle Bowl is the prefect place for such an event because people can watch from the lift, from the trail-side, from the Foggy Goggle bar and from the bottom of the venue. With the lights on and the music jamin’ the tricks look impressive and this crew gave the crowd plenty to cheer about. Results were tough to determine but in the end the Open Division winners for snowboard were 1st Tristan Sadler 2nd Cooper Thomas and 3rd Zack Yourd. For Ski 1st Tyler Pence 2nd Justin Petricko and 3rd Eric Taylor. The first place ski and snowboard winners walked away with $300 in cash from the Jib Shop thanks to vitaminwater, and the 2nd and 3rd place finishers walked away with goggles, t-shirts, hats etc. from Smith and some of the other PSJ sponsors. All of the Open division competitors are fighting for points collected through all four events that to determine the grand prize winner that includes a trip to Camp of Champions and $1,000 in spending money. These points are collected during each event based on the FIS point system and will be posted on the Packed, Stacked and Jacked Facebook page after each event.

The Amateur division was a new addition for the 2010-2011 PSJ to help bring more of a grassroots approach to the competition. Everyone likes to compete just for the sake of experience. Younger competitors understand that it is as much for the experience as it is for the fun of being a competitor rather than a spectator…but it is nice to know you have a chance at winning something – and thanks to our sponsors there are some fantastic things to win. At the end of the night the some great talent found the podium. For the men's Ameture Snowboard division it was 1st Chris Poe, 2nd Spencer Strayer and 3rd Trevor Eichelberger. In the men's Amateur Ski division, 1st Jimmy Leslie, 2nd Max Goldstein and 3rd Kyle Scheth. Places for the women’s Amateur Snowboard division were… 1st Ashley Vander Meer, 2nd Brooke Finney and 3rd Haley Milac; and for the women’s Amateur Ski division it was 1st Elle Pappas 2nd Alessa Conner 3rd Andrea Dinderman. Amateur division athletes are competing for sponsorship opportunities and other prizes…so they too can be Packed, Stacked and Jacked!

All in all it was an amazing event. While fewer snowboarders showed up to throw down more women came to this event – many of them new to the competitive scene. The youngest athlete of the night was only 8 years old but already an experienced competitor as she participated in PSJ last year and is a member of the local WPRC ski team registered with USSA as both a Freestyle and an Alpine competitor.

Packed, Jacked and Stacked brings out all levels of competitors so it is an easy way for anyone interested in freestyle skiing and snowboarding to get in the game. There are three more great events the Salomon Ski and Forum Snowboard Big Air Challenge on January 29th, the Burton and Armada Halfpipe Competition on February 20th and the vitaminwater, Camp of Champions Finals on March 4th – whether it is as a spectator or a competitor….you really should be there!

See ya on the slopes!

Kjerstin

Packed, Stacked and Jacked: Nordica, Monster, Gnu Wrap Up Event

Well it appears Mother Nature still has a few tricks up her sleeve. The Mid Atlantic region is expected to have a "major, slow moving storm front" coming through this weekend which may affect our final PSJ event. This wrap-up event of the 5 event series is sponsored by Nordica, Monster Energy Drink and Gnu Snowboards and promises to be a nail biter to the end. Point totals that the competitors have collected throughout the series remain close and the weather only throws more excitement into the mix.

"At this point it's hard to say what's going to happen", says event host, Greg Klein, owner of Willi's Ski Shop and their on-line freestyle shop The Jib Shop. "We can only hope that Mother Nature will cooperate and help us pull off tomorrow's event", but contingency plans for how to reschedule are already being batted around.

"It's important to have a back up plan", says event coordinator Katy Rullo, "but if we have to reschedule there isn't one solution that will make everyone happy."

In the end it is up to the expert Seven Springs Terrain Park staff to make the call. They are the best judges of whether the event can be run safely and fairly - we should know by the time registration starts at 9:00 AM in the lobby outside of Willi's Ski Shop up at Seven Springs.

Until then See ya on the slopes!

Kjerstin
Snow Deva

Packed, Stacked and Jacked: Double Header Evens the Field

This has been a winter for the record books - the snow just keeps coming and the conditions at Seven Springs have been amazing.

Seven Springs had a wild weekend - after most of the Pittsburgh area schools had the week off due to weather conditions Seven Springs kicked off Winter Fest, held the USSA J3 State Ski Racing Derby, hosted Michael Rogan, top PSIA ski instructor and a Packed, Stacked and Jacked Double header - all of this on top of the Presidents Day weekend which happened to coincide with Valentines Day.

There was so much going on that the mountain literally hummed with frenetic energy.

All of the events on the mountain show the enthusiasm of the ski crowd - none more than the back-to-back PSJ freestyle ski and snowboard events. The PSJ weekend started on a high note when Joe Green, our Oakley rep, showed up with basketball t's with bib numbers that the competitors got to keep. The weather caused a slight change of plans for the Oakley Big Hit comp on Saturday and it was shifted to a modified slope style event - everyone of the competitors loved the format so I expect we will see more of this type of set up in next years PSJ events. It was an exciting day and brought out some great new competitors we have not seen in previous PSJ events. The winners for the day were:

Lds Ski:
1st Julia Schwartz

2nd Elle Pappas

3rd Emily Cocco

Lds Snb:

1st Ashley Vander Meer

2nd Shelby Layman

3rd Shannon Branthoover

Men's Ski:

1st James Rullo

2nd Freddy Brideweser

3rd Tyler Pence

Men's Snb:

1st Chuck Lengle

2nd Cory Cissel

3rd Clint Cooper

Day two of the Double header was the make up day for the K2 Big Air comp that was postponed last weekend due to Snowlapalooza. The make up day turned out to be tough - the expert park crew was sent out to do a final evaluation to determine if conditions were safe enough to send competitors over a 70 foot jump. The night before a 30 footer was built in anticipation of the nasty conditions and it proved to be the saving grace of the comp. The light was flat and the snow was heavy but it paid off big for those competitors who hung in there and has proven to be the great leveler in the over-all point spread for the entire Packed, Jacked and Stacked series.

The winners for the K2 Big Air contest include:

Lds Snb:

1st Ashley Vander Meer

2nd Shannon Branthoover

3rd Shelby Layman

Snb Men:

1st Chuck Lengle

2nd Zack Yourd

3rd Chris Poe

Lds Ski:

1st Emily Cocco

Men Ski:

1st Justin Petriko

2nd James Rullo

3rd Jimmy Hill

Now, due to the shortened field competing on Sunday the point spread is far closer now than it was at the end of Saturday's Oakley event. As of now Chuck Lengle is still out front but not as many of his snowboard buddies came out to support him - more skier guys showed up, girl skiers bailed for the most part and girl snowboarders stayed fairly consistent - gaining the girl snowboarders some much needed points.

As of now the over-all standings are as follows:

Chuck Lengle - 90 Points

Justin Petriko - 84 Points

James Rullo - 80 Points

Zack Yourd - 76 Points

At this point in the game Justin and Zack are leading for the 16 and under points and Ashley Vander Meer is leading the ladies with 32 points with Shannon Branthoover close behind with 26!

This tight of a point spread means that Anything can happen at the final Nordica, Monster Energy Drink, Gnu Snowboards wrap-up event on March 13th so it should be very exciting for everyone.

Keep in mind there will be tons of prizes and sponsorships being handed out on that final day as well as the grand, Packed, Stacked and Jacked prize package going to the top skier or snowboard - this years Seven Springs King of the Hill!

See ya on the Slopes!

Kjerstin Klein

Snow Deva

Packed, Stacked and Jacked: Double Header Weekend!

Packed, Stacked and Jacked ran into a little hiccup last weekend, 7 Springs was hit with Snowlapaloza as some are calling the Blizzard of 2010. The K2 Big Air event had to be canceled due to the 30+ inches of snow that closed the slopes until 10:00 AM Saturday. While it is clearly the storm of the decade there appears to be no end in sight as scattered snow showers are expected through next week. Schools all over the district have been canceled and since the Governor has declared it a state of emergency schools are not obligated to make up the lost days.

At this point we are planning to go ahead with the Oakley PSJ event as planned on Saturday. As it currently stands it will be a double header weekend as we have scheduled the postponed K2 Big Air event for Sunday. We are, however, aware that Mother Nature may have other plans so keep tuned into the Packed, Stacked and Jacked Facebook page for details, updates and discussions.

Competitors and spectators alike had a chance to provide input for how to reschedule the K2 event and as it turns out there is no easy way to make everyone happy. The fact of the matter is that The SPOT has a busy winter schedule which has left us with few options. The big thing is that we have prizes and we want to give them away – so we didn’t want to just cancel the K2 event all together – having back-to-back events will benefit some, hurt others and may be the great equalizer in the whole series. The fun part of that is that it will make the Wrap Up Event that much more intense and fun.

It is exciting to see that the PSJ is gaining momentum. It has been so successful that it is garnering national attention and this is good for everyone. It means that individual competitors are getting more of the spotlight, The Spot is getting the attention a #1 ranked park should get and the sponsors are getting more attention for the part they are playing…which means more prizes for everyone. For the remaining events this year we are getting sponsors begging to be involved and sending some great stuff our way. The more people that show up to compete and spectate, the better the competitors throw down the bigger and the better the event will be next year. So bring your friends to compete or just cheer you on – it will be a great weekend with tons of snow, prizes and fun!

Packed, Stacked and Jacked: K2 Big Air Event

The Packed, Stacked and Jacked event series is continuing with an amazing momentum. Last weekend’s Salomon Super Pipe Event was smokin’. The pipe walls were a bit icy but from the looks of the tricks they were popin' no one seemed to be holding back.

The results for the pipe event, Ski Men's: 1st Justin Petriko, 2nd James Rullo, 3rd Jimmy Leslie; Ladies: 1st Danielle Mulkern, 2nd Elle Pappas, 3rd Emily Cocco; Snowboard Men's: 1st Chuck Lengle, 2nd Dan Genditzki, 3rd Mike Anderson; Ladies: 1st Ashley Vander Meer, 2nd Shannon Branthoover, 3rd Sara Godish, brought about some interesting over-all point leaders – at this point in the series snowboarders have out-gunned skiers with more competitors and now take the top 3 slots.

Brother’s Chuck and Chris Lengle sit at the top of the leader board with 49 and 40 points respectively with Zack Yourd nipping at their heals with 39 points. Justin Petriko, with 38 points and Brandon Stark with 37 points are the two top skiers and snowboarder Ashley Vander Meer is the top female competitor with 12 points.

Seems to me that the girls have started to figure out that the more women that compete the more points they get. The Salomon event saw a precipitous drop in competitors but there was an increase in the percentage of female competitors – way to go ladies! Bring your friends, you get more points – they have a good time!

The good news is that the high level of talent we are seeing in the Packed, Stacked and Jacked series is catching national attention. Because of this companies are clamoring to get on board - Skull Candy, for instance, will be providing 1st, 2nd and 3rd place prizes for the 16 and Under’s in both the Oakley event (Feb. 13) and the wrap-up event (March 13) and prizes for the overall winners 16 and under ski and snowboard categories, as well as something special for the Grand Prize winner! Oakley is also adding a regional sponsorship to the mix so there are more and more reasons to come out and compete.

It is important to keep in mind that this is a cumulative point series so the more events you compete in the better chance you have to gain points – even if that event isn’t your best event. Just by showing up you have a chance to win points as there are points available all the way down to 25th place.

The next event is the K2 Big Air Contest this weekend, Saturday February 6th, 2010 12:00 PM at The Spot. Registration is from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM outside of Willi’s Ski Shop at Seven Springs. The cost is $10 and HELMETS ARE MANDATORY. We also require a waiver signed by someone over 18 years old – a parent preferably, but you only need one waiver for all of the Packed, Stacked and Jacked events. So, if you have competed in one of the #PSJ events already we already have your waiver on file and you don’t need to have another signed. You still need to come by and register though so we pull your papers and give you a bib number – no bib, you won’t be judged – if you’re not judged you can’t win or even get any points…so, register!

K2 has provided some amazing prizes for this weekend’s affair.

Men's Ski:

1st place wins a pair of K2 Silencer Twin Tips

2nd place wins a pair of 4 Speed Composite Poles

3rd place wins a Rant Helmet

Men's SNB:

1st place wins a Parkstar Board

2nd place wins a Helmet

3rd place wins a Hoodie

Ladies Ski:

1st place wins a pair of K2 Misconduct Twin Tips

2nd place wins a pair of K2 4 Karat Poles

3rd place wins a K2 Edge Helmet

Ladies SNB:

1st place wins a Luna Board

2nd place wins a Helmet

3rd wins a Hoodie

The good news is it looks like we will be getting some snow this weekend so the landings will be soft – Joel and the park crew are ready for whatever Mother Nature throws at us and will be doing their best to groom and maintain the jumps so they are in top condition. Whether it is to compete or to spectate – come out and join us at 12:00 PM at THE SPOT!

Packed, Stacked and Jacked Rally's On: The Salomon/DC Super Pipe Event

The kick off of the 2010 Packed, Stacked and Jacked Series was amazing. The small issue of a completely packed field of excellent competitors forced the event to be a bit delayed but no one appeared to mind. The weather was good, snow was cold and the rails were hot!

For the guys on two sticks, Eric Taylor took first and took home an amazing pair of Line Skis, Brandon came in second winning a pair of poles and Tyler Pence was third and left with a much coveted Line Hoody!

The snowboarders were lead by Cooper Thomas in first for a dynomite Ride Snowboard, Chuck Lengle took second for a pair of Ride boots and Zack Yourd was in third for a equally awsome Ride Hoody.

The girls looked strong and Elle Pappas came out on top for the skiers winning herself a great pair of Line skis, Emily Cocco took second for a pair of poles and Alyse Duskar was in third for a Line Hoody...I'm sure she was rockin' it at school on Monday.

The snowboard girls put on a good show and Ashley Vander Meer was the best of them taking home a Ride snowboard. Shelby Layman took second for a pair of Ride boots and Shannon Brauthoover came in third for a Ride Hoody.

The next #PSJ event is this Saturday, January 30th, 2010 at Seven Springs. It is the Salomon Super Pipe Event. Registration outside Willi's Ski Shop at Seven Springs will begin at 9:00 AM untill 11:00 AM and the comp starts at 12:00 PM. Cost for the event is $10, you may bring your bib # from the last event if its your lucky number but you still have to pay the $10 - if you don't, you won't be on the judges sheet and will not be judged...so you can't win :(

As a reminder HELMETS ARE MANDATORY....our insurance guy has a stroke every time he sees what you all do...helmets make it a bit easier for him to swallow!

The points for the Line and Ride Rail Jam event can be found on the Willi's website on the Events/Leader Board page. The cumulative points will not be posted until after the Salomon Super Pipe Event...we should have those up by Wednesday at the latest. For those of you who are wondering why the girls received fewer points than the guys it is becuase the guys had to compete against so many other people - there have been fewer girl competitors and the point structure is based on a 'full field' which consists of at least 20 competitors - so the key here girls is to get your friends to show up - competing is fun and who knows....you just might go home Packed, Stacked and Jacked!

Packed, Stacked and Jacked Kicks Off: The Line and Ride Rail Jam

This Saturday, January 23rd, 2010 kicks of the Packed, Stacked and Jacked Contest Series for freestyle ski and snowboarders. This amazing event series, conceived by Greg Klein and held at Seven Springs Mountain Resort starts with a rail jam format event sponsored by Line Skis and Ride Snowboards.

Thanks to Line representative Rene Knudsen and Ride rep Patrick Lawrence there are some awesome prizes to be given away this weekend. There are categories in both Ski and Snowboard for both Men and Women with great 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes for each division - first prize for men's ski is a Line Afterbang ski, men's snowboard 1st prize is a Ride Machete and the top women are going home with a Line Shadow ski and a Ride Compact snowboard.

This event alone is a killer event but it is just one in a series of five awesome events that include the Salomon Super Pipe Event, the K2 Big Air Event, the Oakley Super Hit Event and will end March 13th with the Nordica, Monster Energy Drink, Gnu Wrap-Up Event. The goal is simple - end the series with the most over-all points and you get Packed, Stacked and Jacked with a ton of prizes.

There are sponsorship opportunities and tons of great prizes so the level of competition will be high even if outside talent is not part of the equation - Seven Springs has produced some amazing athletes including Tom Wallisch and Kristi Leskinen and the kids here now are throwin' it down big time. Local hero, Brandon Stark, ended last season's March Radness with a double back and double front flip and rumor has it that he will be rockin' and rollin' again this year!

Should be fun! Remember it all starts in the Goggle Bowl at 5:30 January 23, 2010. Registration will be in front of the Willi's store from 3:00 - 5:00. Cost is $10 and HELMETS ARE MANDATORY FOR ALL EVENTS!

Nordica Unveils the New Park Boot

As I am writing this entry the count down on the unveiling of the new, top secret Nordica Park Boot is at 4 Days, 21 Hours and a little over 6 Minutes. Greg Klein, my awsome husband and wonderful boss is heading over to Europe in a little over 21 Hours for the big unveiling party and has promised to provide me with up-to-the-minute, insider information.

He will be posting on Twitter and Facebook throughout the wine-and-dine trip so be sure to follow him on our The Jib Shop page on Facebook and at @thejibshop on Twitter for all the saucey details!

Kicking Off the Season: Day 2 of the Pre Season Sale

It is Day 2 of our annual Labor Day Pre Season Ski and Snowboard sale. For me it is like Homecoming - I see so many of my favorite people in one weekend and it really gets me excited for the upcoming season.

One of the best parts this year is that our Monroeville sale is in the new Monroeville Convention Center. It is a great facility and moving in was really easy because of how it is set up. I have to admit I was a bit worried about people finding us in the new location but given how busy we were yesterday I guess there was no problem.

I love unpacking the merchandise - it is kind of like unwrapping holiday decorations "Oh, I love this jacket!" or "This is one of my favorite sweatshirts".

Loading the skis and snowboards into the Convention Center I thought of how great each one of them performed when we were out testing them.

I am always amazed at what we are able to find to bring to the sale and the great prices we put on the merchandise. The snowsport industry is one of the last great places for true craftsmanship and quality so when something is on sale like this it is truly a great deal - not a mark down of previously overpriced merchandise.

Even though it is Day 2 and we were really busy yesterday there is still great merchandise left.

We have racks of great t-shirts and hoodies.



Pants and jackets from some great snowboard lines,



even great fashion merchandise.



Accessories are one of the best reasons to hit the sale - hats, thermals, socks and gloves are at their lowest prices of the season. Even if you don't ski or snowboard - in Pittsburgh EVERYONE needs warm gear.

So whether it is for yourself or gifts for this Holiday Season or just to say Hi, we still have two days left today and tomorrow, Sunday and Monday 10am to 5pm.

Hall of Fame Class Of 2008 - Ambassadors For Local Resorts

Saturday night was the Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame Induction Dinner held at Deer Valley resort in Park City Utah. I was lucky enough to be among some of the biggest names in the ski industry to witness the Class of 2008 enter into the annals of ski and snowboard history.

What struck me the most was not all of the numerous and amazing accomplishments the four inductees, Cary Adgate, Nelson Carmichael, Liz McIntyre and Bill Brigs are responsible for but the fact that each one of them had their beginnings at humble local hills.

Whether it was passion or circumstances that brought them to the big mountains each of them maintained a link to their roots in the east and I was impressed by how this apparently factored into each of their lives. These people have had experiences that few have ever had the chance to even dream of yet the place it all started for them is accessible to all.

Small, local resorts often act as if they have an inferiority complex when compared to the big mountain resorts yet it was clear at the induction dinner that every resort has its role to play. Reaching out to local youth and offering the opportunity to be part of this wonderful industry is only one of their roles.

It was wonderful to see that an event like this can help to bring big and small mountains onto a level playing field. Whether the Class of 2008 knows it or not they can add one more accomplishment to their list of accolades, ambassadors for the small local resorts – and for that we thank them!

See ya on the slopes – big and small :)

Kjerstin

The Monster Weekend Comes To a Close

What an amazing weekend - It is Tuesday already and I'm barely recovered! So much happened during the Monster Homecoming Invitational at Seven Springs that it could probably fill several blog entries. I'll try not to get off on a tangent, however, and give you the real news worthy stuff.

Practice on Friday was a bit of a challenge. Warm weather coming in created a strong headwind but the girls were able to get a good feeling for the course. Thanks to the design of the course and its excellent maintenance by the park crew the landings were kept smooth and safe. Unfortunately Kaya Turski separated her shoulder but that didn't keep her from the the comp. Not only did she tear it up with corked 720s, switch 900s, and large switch-to-switch straight airs called zero spins she walked away with the Homecoming crown for the skiers. Grete Eliassen took second and the Monster hostess with the mostest Kristi Leskinen found herself a spot on the podium with a corked 720 mute grab.

Chanelle Sladics took the snowboard crown with her strong performance on the rails backed up by her outstanding cab 360 and cab 540. My fav, sweetie Silvia Mittermuller, took 2nd on the snowboard side followed by Maribeth Swetkoff.

While the tricks were big they are tougher to pull than usual. The girls were fighting soft, wet snow that reduced their speed forcing them to fight for every inch of air. Willi's sent up a box of Swix rub on wax that the girls used before each run which seemed to help but the warm March air continued to be a factor throughout the weekend.

The girls celebrated the event Saturday night in Seven Springs' night club, the Matterhorn and seemed to enjoy cutting loose. Sunday morning found them hosting local kids who had stuck around after the event to ride with them. The soggy conditions did not dampen the kids enthusiasm as they worked on their skills at the different park areas of Seven Springs.

The coaching the kids were given seemed to pay off because there was some amazing stuff being thrown down at the Amateur Rail Jam Sunday afternoon. Over 65 kids showed up to show off in front of the girls who cheered them on and tossed out some great prizes for everything from the best crash to the biggest air.

"I think the ride-with-a-pro and the Amateur Rail Jam was a great part of the weekend," said Greg Klein from Willi's Ski and Board Shop. "It really gave the locals a chance to connect with the girls and I think it was fun for the girls to see that there is some real talent coming out of Seven Springs"

There is no doubt that this event was a huge success and will continue to grow in the years to come. Thanks and a big shout out to Kristi and all of the sponsors who made this great event happen - Seven Springs, Monster Energy Drink, Rome Snowboards, Oakley, Willi's Ski and Board Shop and media partner Freeskier Magazine.

Girls Gone Wild

Great Picture Evan!

Tell me what Western PA men like better than hot girls with guns? Today the competitors for the Monster Homecoming Kristi Leskinen Invitational, some of the worlds top ski and snowboard girls, saw the grandeur of Seven Springs Mountain Resort.

The girls recuperated from their busy schedules and long travels with some practice on the specially designed course before heading out to shoot trap.

When they finished turning the clay pigeons into small chips they regrouped for a great dinner and presentation from Women's Sports Foundation.

The real fun starts for the rest of us tomorrow when the competition starts at 12:00 pm. Don't forget that 10 to 16 year olds can join these girls on the slopes Sunday from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. Registration is from 8:00-9:30 am and space is limited. While this event is free the Women's Sports Foundation will be on hand to accept donations.

It is going to be a great weekend!

See ya on the slopes!

Kjerstin

A Monster Event

This is going to be a MONSTER event - I mean that figuratively and literally! The Kristi Leskinen Homecoming Invitational is an amazing all-girl slopestyle event sponsored by Monster Energy Drink. The girls that are coming to compete in Saturdays main event starting at 12:00 pm, are some of the biggest names in skiing and snowboarding today.

It is going to be an incredible 3 days with fireworks, big media coverage and girls tearing up the slopes. Girls and boys ages 10-16 can spend time with the pros on Sunday at the Ride-With-A-Pro event from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm - registration is from 8:00 am to 9:30 am at the Yurt and space is limited so get there early. This is a free event but the Women's Sports Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of healthy, active lifestyles for women, will be on hand accepting donations.

After these girls show you what they know you may want to compete in the Amateur Rail Jam from 1:00 - 2:00 on Sunday and stick around for the Pro Rail Jam at 2:30.

To kick this entire weekend of fun off Kristi will be in the Willi's Castle Shanon store signing autographs from 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm. Willi's has coupons for a $20 lift ticket at Seven Springs so you can bring the whole family to ski, snowboard and be part of a MONSTER event!

Hope to see you there and...See ya on the slopes!

Kjerstin

The Kristi Leskinen Monster Homecoming Invitational 2009

I'm not exactly letting the cat out of the bag since we have been working on this for weeks now but I finally have some details to share for the Kristi Leskinen Monster Homecoming Invitational being held at Seven Springs March 13th-15th, 2009.

We at Willi's are excited to be part of this world class event as it is a chance to showcase our region to some of today's top female names in ski and snowboard slopestyle.

Kristi Leskinen, a pioneer in women's freeskiing conceived of this one-of-a-kind event to raise the profile of women in skiing and snowboarding. To date this is the only All Girl, Ski and Snowboard, Slopestyle Event and Rail Jam.

The event is actually 3 days worth of on and off the slope fun, complete with a professional, cash prize slopestyle event, interactive opportunities for the fans and an amateur rail jam.

As fun as it all will be it would never have come together with out the enthusiastic support of Seven Springs Park Manager Joel Rerko and the commitment Seven Springs has made to the project. The excitement is building and more details will be posted as we nail the schedule down but for now here is a list of the confirmed competitors.

Skiers
Kaya Turski
Sarah Burke
Keri Herman
Meg Olenik
Athena Bronson
Jess Cumming
Jen Hudak
Rosalind Groenewoud
Grete Eliassen
Ashley Battersby
Angeli VanLaanen

Snowboarders
Kimmi Fasani
Chanelle Sladics
Leanne Pelosi
Silvia Mittermueller
Raewyn Reid
Bev Vuilleumier
Hana Beaman
Tara Dakides
Alexis Waite
Megan Ginter
Izzy Lalive

This will be a really great event – come out and watch the girls compete on Saturday March 14th, get autographs and join them for the Ride-With-A-Pro for those 16 years old and under on Sunday March 15th.

See ya on the slopes!

Kjerstin

Willi's Salomon Jib Academy Rocks Seven Springs

Seven Springs was jumping with activity this weekend but it was the Salomon Jib Academy that finally blew the doors off.

Riders and coaches from the Salomon Team swooped down to coach over 70 10-16 year olds all day on Saturday, February 7th, 2009. The kids learned slope style tricks and jumps then wowed the crowd with an amazing competition to determine who would win the big trip to live like a rock star with the big dawgs at Mammoth Mountain for a week in May.

Since there are only 3 Jib Academy events in the USA the Seven Springs kick off event drew kids from as far as Colorado, Michigan and North Carolina. As to be expected it was the local crew that made up the bulk of the kids and the WPRC Freestyle team showed up in force and now will be a force to be reckoned with at their next comp at Seven Springs on March 7th and 8th. After competing in Rails and Air it was local hero Noah Killen who took home the big prize but there isn't a kid who came that didn't leave with a great memory and a few new tricks up their sleeve.

It was an incredible day for everyone involved. The amazing thing was how easily the kids, pros and coaches mixed. There was a lot of camaraderie and on the slopes it appeared as if they were all just a bunch of friends doing what they love to do.

Of course none of this could happen without the team effort of Salomon, Willi's and Seven Springs - Special kudos goes out to the park crew for creating the most amazing park on the East Coast bar none.

There are tons of pix and videos to be seen so check them out at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/Willisski/TheSalomonJibAcademy200902?feat=email#
http://www.7springs.com/page/category.detail/nav/5348/Community.html





So until next time - See ya on the slopes!

Kjerstin

Rockin' and Rollin' At Seven Springs

It has been an amazing 10 days at Seven Springs! There has been so much going on I couldn't get to it all!

Last Saturday WPRC held the Snow Capitol GS and when I got up to get my racers to the hill it was -18 degrees! President Ken Fedorek was contacted by many of the parents to find out if the race would still be held - his answer? "Well, it is a winter sport."

It turned out to be an incredible race with racers coming from Ohio, Maryland and all over Pennsylvania.

The weather only warmed up a little by mid week when Willi's hosted the annual Head Women's Day. Lisa Densmore signed autographs as the ladies gathered to head out for a day on the hill.

Starting with a wine and cheese party the night before and closing with coctails Apres Ski the event was focused on the lifestyle of skiing as much as skiing itself. The ladies were treated to lessons with the Seven Springs instructors and worked in groups with Lisa throughout the day. As cold as it was everyone had a blast.

By Friday night the temperature was back down below zero but that didn't stop all of the weekend events. WPRC Alpine Team hosted a two day PA Cup slalom race on Saturday and Sunday while the Freestyle Team tore it up with a two day, UPMC sponsored Mogul Challenge.

Sandwiched in between was the kick off of the Red Bull Buttercup - a new contest series on the East Coast. The lights were on and the tricks were hot.

This next weekend WPRC will hold the CTR GS so hold on to your hat - there's is more to come!

See ya on the slopes!

Kjerstin

Willi's Line Rail Jam At Seven Springs

Here is a little taste of the few pix I took at the Willi's Line Rail Jam held at Seven Springs outside of the Foggy Goggle on Decembe 20th, 2008.

Check out the rest of the photos

Willi's Line Rail Jam At Seven Springs and leave me some comments - I'd love for someone to enter the names of the competitors as I did not get a chance to personally meet them all!

Thanks to everyone who came out to compete that day and hope to see you at the Salomon Jib Academy!

See ya on the slopes!

Kjerstin

Taking A Breather!

I am finally taking a second to catch my breath. With the mountain opening in mid November and the busy holiday season I feel like I have been running Mach Schnell. I’m lucky that the lines between work and play are so blurred because I have been at it hard for 6 weeks now and it is beginning to take its toll – it would be nice if things could slow down just a tad for a few days.

It feels good to be sitting to write at my computer for a few minutes – both the sitting part and the writing part! Oddly enough the best place for me to get an internet connection here at Seven Springs is up here in the Foggy Goggle Bar – but as I said the lines between work and play are blurred – often VERY blurred!

So I have yet to post the pictures from the Line Rail Jam on December 20, 2008. I am having some technical difficulties. That is the smooth way of saying that I forgot my cables in the city when I packed and my computer won’t read the card from the ‘good’ camera that I used for the day. I have some good shots and it was a great day so I will get them up as soon as possible.

The mountain has been fantastic – even those four lousy days we had right over Christmas were better than some of the mid season days we had last year. I chalk that up to the excellent job the snow making and grooming team did – those boys have the hardest job on the mountain. You know I can tell they have the most fun though – I am usually here in the Goggle working in the morning when they come down each day – they are in their jump suits riding their shovels like sleds cheering each other on. They get such a good ride that I think maybe I’ll trade in my skis for a shovel!

I’ve been lucky enough to be up on the hill for at least part of everyday. We spent most of the day in the park yesterday as the kids didn’t have race training due to the holiday. I am taking a few minutes off just to do some catching up but it is so beautiful out there I am feeling a bit sorry for myself. I’ll be out there later though as we have our consumer demo here today. Just pop into the store and pay the $10 demo fee and you will get a sheet for the reps to record all of your demos and comments on. Drop the sheet and a photo id at the tents and you can spend the day on new product from Head, Nordica, K2, Rossignol, Atomic, Volkl, Salomon and Line . I’m hoping the weather will hold since tomorrow, Sunday, I’ll be helping out with the WPRC Ohiopyle Slalom Race and cheering my son Dylan on in his first race of the season.

It has been a great holiday break and I want to make the best of what is left of it so…

See ya on the slopes!

Kjerstin

Seven Springs Hosts Subaru, Burton and Line

What a day here at Seven Springs! The conditions are pretty good considering yesterday's rain and the wide spread power outage.

Lots of people are out having a great time at the Subaru tent, getting set up with Burton demo boards or competing in Willi's Line Rail Jam.

Subaru has got all kinds of great giveaways, they are play great music and giving away free mini lessons.

The Burton guys are turning screws to set up bindings for riders to try out this seasons new boards. With a photo ID and a credit card anyone can come and try a Burton demo board (if you are under 18 bring your parent to sign the waiver for you!).

The Line Rail Jam is just getting underway - there are at least 20 hot competitors duking it out for a new pair of Line skis, helmets, googles, hoodies and t-shirts. Even better, the Foggy Goggle bar is now filling up with spectators!

All in all it is a great day - if you're not here where are you?!

See ya on the slopes!

Kjerstin

The Line Rail Jam At Seven Springs December 20th 2008

All was quite this morning in the park outside of the Foggy Goggle at Seven Springs Mountain Resort. That will change this weekend when Willi's Ski Shop hosts the Line Rail Jam! Check out photos from last year at CU On The Mountain.

This should be an incredible event for competitors and spectators alike. Having the competition right outside of one of Pennsylvania's most famous bars will bring a packed audience ready for a great show.

With the level of comptetion that is expect they should not be disappointed. There are several competitive catagories and anyone is welcome to join the fun. Competitors should show up for registration between 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM. Practice will be from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM and the competition will start at 1:00. Registration is $10.

See ya on the slopes!

Kjerstin