[Squaw Valley USA] April 7, 2009- Tahoe’s longest season, the Swimming Lagoon & Spa at High Camp, superb ski conditions, and the best party scene on the Lake are all reasons why skiers and riders flock to Squaw Valley in the spring. A tribute to springtime goodness, Squaw Valley USA is hosting Peaks & Lagoons, a weekend-long celebration taking place April 11-12, 2009. Live music at the pool, the Hatchett Brothers Metal Bash, Toyota Sick & Twisted Slopestyle and Jibbing-for-Jacksons rail contest are all part of Peaks & Lagoons Weekend, April 11-12 at Squaw Valley USA.
On Saturday, April 11, Monster Energy and Squaw Valley USA are hosting the wildly popular Jibbing-for-Jacksons rail contest, followed by a DJ Pool Party. Jibbing-for-Jacksons is open to 50 skiers and 50 snowboarders, male and female (100 total competitors). This Best Tricks Jam Session contest has no losers, but can have many, many winners. Each time a judge sees a skier or rider stomp a trick worthy of a “Jackson,” Monster officials hand the competitor a $20 bill. Registration is from 9 to 11 am, outside the side exit of the top terminal of the Funitel. Practice starts at 11:30 am and the competition begins shortly after. Entry fee for all riders is $20 (it’s about the Jacksons) and helmets are mandatory. Athletes under the age of 18 must have a parent or guardian present at registration to sign a liability release form.
On Saturday afternoon the action moves to High Camp, el. 8200,’ for the Monster Energy DJ Pool Party featuring DJ Max, beginning at 1 pm at the Lagoon and Spa. Spring breakers can shred the mountain in the morning and spend the afternoon poolside, sipping on a cold one and dancing to fresh beats until 4 pm.
The night of Saturday, April 11, Standard Films and Squaw present Hatchett Brothers’ 80’s Metal Bash featuring FORTRESS at the Olympic Village Lodge. Doors open at 8 pm and the show starts at 9 pm. Fronting FORTRESS is Jeff Martin from Racer X and Whitfield Crane from Ugly Kid Joe. Together their vocal talents can shatter a beer mug. FORTRESS members Mike and Dave Hatchett (guitar) will also be joined by special guests Scott Travis from Judas Priest and Klaus Eichstadt from Ugly Kid Joe. Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the door, and are on sale now at Porter’s in Tahoe City and Truckee (cash only). Partygoers must be 21 or older and are strongly encouraged to "dress metal."
Toyota’s Sick & Twisted Freestyle Tour is amping up Peaks & Lagoons with a slopestyle competition on Sunday, April 12 in the Monster Park at Riviera. Snowbomb will crown the best men and women in ski and snowboard in pro and amateur categories. With cash prizes for pros and great flow from the sponsors for ams, the best of the best in local talent come out for Sick & Twisted. Registration is from 9 am to 10:30 am at Dave’s Deli. Practice is from 10:30 to 11:30 am and the competition starts at 12 pm in the Monster Park at Riviera. There is a $10 entry fee for ams and $20 for pros plus lift ticket or season pass. Helmets are required for all competitors and a parent/guardian must sign a release form for competitors who are under 18. www.snowbomb.com
Peaks & Lagoons Event Schedule (events are subject to change due to weather)
SATURDAY, APRIL 11
Jibbing for Jacksons presented by Monster Energy
9 - 11 am – Registration @ top terminal of the Funitel
11:30 am – Practice @ Monster Park at Riviera
12 pm – Competition @ Monster Park at Riviera
Peaks & Lagoons DJ Pool Party presented by Monster Energy
1-4 pm @ Lagoon & Spa at High Camp, el. 8200’
Hatchett Brothers’ 80’s Metal Bash
Doors open – 8 pm @ OVL
Show Starts – 9 pm @ OVL
Squaw Valley USA Annual Tent Sale
This amazing sale event offers with up to 70% off North Face, Patagonia, Burton and more!
Sale will be held all Easter weekend from 10 am-4 pm
Location: in front of the North Face Store at Squaw Valley.
SUNDAY, APRIL 12
20th Annual Billy Dutton Uphill Race
7 am – Registration @ Olympic Plaza
8 am – Race Starts @ the Funitel
Toyota Sick & Twisted Slopestyle presented by Snowbomb
9 – 10:30 am – Registration @ Dave’s Deli
10:30 – 11 am – Practice @ Monster Park at Riviera
12 pm – Competition starts @ Monster Park at Riviera
EASTER CELEBRATIONS
Easter Sunday Service
8 am – Service begins @ High Camp, el. 8200'
Guests attending the service can ride the Cable Car from 7-8 am and return afterward (skis and snowboards are not permitted).
On-Mountain Easter Egg Hunt
9 am- 4 pm – Easter Egg Hunt on the Mountain
Find any of the 30 magnetic & colorful eggs hidden throughout the mountain and receive a great prize! (Hint: think beginner lift areas). Prizes can be redeemed from 2 to 4 pm in the Village Events Plaza.
Get Your Photo Taken with the Easter Bunny
10 am-2 pm: Easter Bunny Photos @ the Big Chair in the Village Events Plaza
Easter Sunday Special Mountain Top Service
2 pm - @ the top Link's Chair Easter
FREE Children's Entertainment with Todd Wees' Big Ideas and Live Music
2-4 pm - @ Village Events Plaza
Easter-themed Candle Making at Waxen Moon
All-day - @ Waxen Moon
Squaw Valley USA Annual Tent Sale
This amazing sale event offers with up to 70% off North Face, Patagonia, Burton and more!
Sale will be held all Easter weekend from 10 am-4 pm
Location: in front of the North Face Store at Squaw Valley
The most up-to-date resort conditions, operation schedules, events and live mountain cams are available on www.squaw.com.
“Peaks & Lagoons Weekend” Brings Spring Parties, Concerts, Competitions & Easter Festivities to Squaw Valley, April 11-12, 2009
Monster Energy’s Hill, Jonnier, Fairclough & Graves Open Nissan UCI World Cup MTB Tour In S. Africa
Monster Energy’s Hill, Jonnier, Fairclough & Graves Open Nissan UCI World Cup MTB Tour In S. Africa
Monster’s World Cup mt. bike racers Sam Hill and Sabrina Jonnier look to regain WC DH titles they’ve once owned, while Jared Graves is one of the favorites in 4x
Photo: Monster Energy’s Brendan Fairclough (left) and Sam Hill, courtesy of Fraser Britton
CORONA, Calif., (April 7, 2009) – Monster Energy’s global representatives on the Nissan UCI World Cup mountain bike tour are in South Africa for the World Cup opener this weekend (April 10-12) in Pietermaritzburg. Leading the Monster Army in hopes of regaining their UCI World Cup downhill champion status are Sam Hill, the 2007 men’s elite WC DH champ, and Sabrina Jonnier, a three time women’s elite WC DH champion.
Hill, running the new Specialized Demo 8 bike, is one of the odds-on favorites to capture the men’s elite title this season. Last year the Australian great held the series’ overall points lead for the longest out of any rider, but sketched at the second-to-last round on his home turf in Canberra (Australia) and lost out to Greg Minnaar.
“I’m pretty excited the World Cup is starting again and we've got all our new bikes,” said Hill. “It’s gonna be good to do some runs with Brendan again and see how we size up compared to all the others on Sunday. Hopefully we come out good.”
Monster Energy’s Jonnier, who rides for Maxxis, has been – by far – one of the most successful women downhill racers in the history of UCI World Cup competition. Along with her three WC DH titles (2003, ’05 & ’07) the France native has also been the series’ runner-up four times (2002, ’04, ’06 and ’08).
“I’m entering the World Cup season healthy and feeling good about things,” said Jonnier. “It’ll be interesting to see who’s fast at the South African opener, check out the new talent and how they do against the racers that have traditionally gone fast. My plan is to just keep the mental errors to a minimum and ride like I know how.”
Joining Hill and Jonnier in the DH starting gate will be Hill’s Monster Energy teammate on the Specialized bikes, Brendan Fairclough – the 2006 Junior World Cup champion. A UK native, Fairclough is looking at a breakout year as he begins his third year racing the men’s elite class on the World Cup DH circuit.
“I've taken a bit of a different approach in the off season, so I’m interested to see how it turns out with the racing,” said Fairclough. “Like Sam said, I'm just keen to get out there and see how we perform against those other boys. I'm excited about it. I'm stoked on the look of the new bikes, kit and how well they ride. I'm just excited to get going again, really.”
The Pietermaritzburg downhill is reported to be quite technical on the upper third portion of the 2.8km course, dropping quickly (in elevation) during the initial phase before mellowing out on what race officials call the “mildly sloping” middle section – featuring jumps and tight turns. The course then cascades into the third and final section, which works in the last 500 meters of the 4x course into the finish area, hosting a sizable crowd of UCI World Cup race fans.
The final Monster Energy-backed athlete competing on in Pietermaritzburg will be newly-signed Jared Graves. The DH and 4x specialist from Australia should make an immediate impact on the standings with Monster as he’s well-versed in numerous forms of cycle racing at top levels, including representing Australia in the Beijing Olympics in BMX.
For more information on the Monster Energy mt. bike racers competing at the UCI World Cup opener in Pietermaritzburg, catch a link to: http://www.nissan-ucimtbworldcup.com/
Monster Energy supports the sport. Be it MTB, SX, rally, insane distance jumping, MX, MotoGP, road racing, supermoto, off-road, FMX, skate, NASCAR Trucks, rock crawling, wake, mini bikes, surf, snow, BMX – name it – the athletes are rockin’ Monster Energy more than anything these days. Check out all the types – Original Monster Energy, Monster Lo-Carb, Monster Assault, Monster Khaos, Monster’s fruit juice hybrid dubbed “M-80,” the party-friendly MIXXD, the ground-breaking Java Monster premium coffee & cream drink line supercharged with our Monster Energy blend, along with the new Monster Energy “Hitman” energy shot. Our mt. bikers rock ‘em – so will you. On the ‘Net at www.monsterarmy.com and www.monsterenergy.com