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Show Page The Ogden Valley news Volume XV Issue VI March 1, 200 XTERRA cont. from page 1 miles from downtown Salt Lake City and 17 miles from the adventure capital of Ogden, it is easy to access and has a wide and plentiful range of accommodations in nearby Ogden. A special “Fire and Ice” award will be presented to the men’s and women’s pro and amateur racers with the fastest combined times from the 2007 XTERRA World Championship in Maui and Winter Worlds in Utah. “Not unlike what XTERRA brought to the world of “summer” triathlon by creating an off-road version of that sport, the XTERRA Winter World Championship will be just that much more than the usual winter triathlon,” said Dave Nicholas, the managing director of XTERRA. “The XTERRA Winter World Championship has four disciplines rather than the usual three of Winter Tri. We’ll do alpine touring or ski mountaineering rather than cross country skiing, and we’ll put in a snowshoe leg that will truly be deep snow running and we’ll also do trail running and mountain biking on packed trails. Distances will be approximately 5K for the run, bike will be 10K with a few “features” included. The ski will be about 8K and include two climbs during the lap and the snowshoe will be 5K and designed to be in deep snow so snowshoes will be mandatory. Every discipline will come back to the same transition area so there will be nonstop action for spectators.” Other featured events include the 2008 PowerSox U.S. National Snowshoe Championship to be held on Sunday, March 9. The USSSA Nationals are expected to attract several hundred qualified and recreational runners as the last stop in the 20+ race series that stretches across the nation. “We are extremely excited as TEAM Unlimited has extensive event production experience, and Snowbasin is an awesome site with amazing facilities,” said Mark Elmore, the Sports Director for the USSSA. “We’re looking forward to an outstanding National event that will bring unprecedented recognition and participation to snowshoeing.” There will be several USSSA National Titles up-for-grabs including the boys’ and girls’ junior national 5K, senior women’s national 10K, and senior men’s national 10K. In order for athletes to be eligible to compete in the Junior or Senior National Championship events, they must first qualify at one of more than twenty Regional Qualifier events the USSSA is coordinating across the U.S. beginning in January of 2008. In addition to the aforementioned invite-only snowshoe races; a citizen’s 5K, kid’s kilo, and 10K team relay races will also be available to all-comers. For the more radically inclined, there’s the XTERRA Snowboard Scramble (Dash for Cash) where riders take the lift to the top of Snowbasin for the LeMans style start. Following an initial short climb up the mountain with their board, racers strap-in and race to a spot one-fourth of the way down the slopes for the next short ridge climb. Riders will have three checkpoints where they’ll have to do a short climb then strap-in and race back down. The first male and female racers to cross the finish line at the lodge win $500 each. There’s also an XTERRA Ski Mountaineering race that combines alpine skiing with an uphill ingredient. Using sticky wax, climbing skins, or special xcountry skis riders will climb their way up the mountain then race back down. A host of fun activities for kids will find its way on the schedule with lighthearted and inspiring races ranging from winter tubing to running to snowman building fun. The ambiance of Snowbasin Resort creates the backdrop for this weekend adventure. Earl’s Lodge, the main chalet, will be home to registration and race headquarters. An awards stage will be just off the outdoor patio near sponsors, partners and vendor displays. A “hall of fame” walkway just uphill from Earl’s Lodge will lead to the start and finish lines, transition areas, timing and spectator viewing. The exquisitely groomed and maintained Nordic trails of Snowbasin will provide the basis for the mountain biking and running events. The snowshoe, backcountry skiing and snowboard scramble events will primarily be using the vertical slopes directly adjacent to the start and finish area. Each night in Ogden, the XTERRA Winter World Championship will host parties that will feature video highlights along with food, music, and the opportunity to get together with other athletes. For a full schedule of events, or more info, call 877-751-8880 or visit <www. xterrawinter.com> Ogden Marathon Early Registration Ends Soon — Register today! The Greater Ogden Athletics Legacy Foundation (GOAL Foundation) is proud to present the eighth annual Zions Bank Ogden Marathon and Spring Run-Off, which will be held Saturday, May 17, 2008. To guarantee entry to run this beautiful course that sold out in 2007, be sure to register early. The Ogden Marathon has become one of the largest sporting events in northern Utah. Early registration for the race is only $60 for the Marathon and $40 for the Half Marathon. Five-Leg Marathon Relay early bird registration closes March 30, 2008 and is only $40 per team member, and the 5K is only $25 before May 2, 2008. Prices will increase March 1 for the full and half marathon. A 2008 winter racing circuit is available for those training courtesy of STRIDERS, a marathon sponsor. The training is intended to help runners prepare for the Ogden Marathon. Striders has created a circuit series which consists of five races in the foothills of Ogden City and Ogden Valley. For more information, visit www.stridersrunning.com or call (801) 728-9121. The Ogden Marathon is certified and sanctioned through USATF and is a qualifier for the Boston Marathon. For more information about the marathon and to register, visit <www.ogdenmarathon.com> For more information about GOAL, visit <www.goalfoundation.com> Register today to secure your spot! The Ogden Marathon Race Committee and the GOAL Foundation would like to say, “Thanks, and happy training!” Park City Mountain Resort Hosts the Sixth Annual World Superpipe Championships—All three ski and snowboard competitions in one day Park City Mountain Resort is hosting the world’s best skiers and snowboarders, including Shaun White, Torah Bright and Simon Dumont, in the sixth annual World Superpipe Championships on Saturday, March 8, 2008. This year, the invited skiers and snowboarders will all compete on the same day for a piece of the $90,000 prize purse in Park City Mountain Resort’s Eagle Superpipe, North America’s largest superpipe and the site for the 2002 Winter Games. “The 2008 World Superpipe Championships is going to be the biggest single-day snow event of the year with both skiing and riding taking place in one day,” said Jim Mangan, director of action sports marketing for Park City Mountain Resort. “You’ll see the best athletes in the world like Tanner and Shaun going huge in the pipe all on the same day.” On Saturday, March 8, all of the top athletes in the world, including male and female snowboarders and male skiers, will compete in the Eagle Superpipe in a best of three-run format for a piece of the $90,000 prize purse. Confirmed athletes include Shaun White, Tanner Hall, Torah Bright, Simon Dumont, Mason Aguirre, Jossi Wells, Hannah Teter, Keir Dillon, J.J. Thomas, and Kelly Clark, among many other star athletes. The 2008 World Superpipe Championships is free to the public and will include live music, food, and giveaways. The event is held in Park City Mountain Resort’s Eagle Superpipe, which is located just above the First Time and Three Kings Lifts. Park City Mountain Resort’s World Superpipe Championships is a Swatch TTR FIVE(5)STAR Event. For more information call 435-6475410 or visit <www.worldsuperpipe.com> |