TATSUNO CHECKS IN FROM THE POWDER HIGHWAY

Chris Tatsuno, Ultimate Ski Bum

Hey fans of Teton Freeride!

The Freeskiing World Tour is here in Revelstoke, BC, right smack dab at the top of the Powder Highway.  A day of venue inspection has been skied, and the first of many athlete meetings has been held; veteran competitors and talented newcomers mingling in the midst of a safety oriented speech.  We like to be safe here at the FWT.

Colors are in this season, as this crop of qualifiers stands out as a strong group with some wild style.  One competitor with some sweet sleeves tattooed on his arms (names will not be named here, Dex), was even overheard asking when Skittles ‘began sponsoring the athletes’ outerwear.  Some chuckles later, and with the energy of the area running strong, excitement is humming through the veins of just about eh-ver-ry body on the hill – whether they be athlete, organizer, liftie, or regular vacationer – the buzz is on with the FWT in town!  Revelstoke has been so welcoming; for the tour and its athletes, we feel like a new home has opened its berth to us.

I got a chance to rip around the hill with some fellow competitors and Teton Freeride athletes today, and they were strong like only laps on Togwotee Pass will do.  Mike Leake is leading a team of shredders including the likes of Jacqui Edgerly, Crystal Wright, Jess McMillan, Jedidiah Getzlaff, Griffin Post, and other obvious headliners into the heart of the Canadian Kootenay Rockies, where mountains tower over a small town with a train industry history.  The Teton presence is indeed felt, as athletes all around the venues are inspecting with intense focus.  One missing link may be the trio of Vermonters-turned-ski bum transients with their powder magnets pulling them towards the Grand Teton in all her bosomy glory.  Yup, engine trouble has delayed the arrival of Lars CK, Ryan Hawks, and Dylan “wildman” Crossman.  Best of luck to you boys on your way up to BC, and we’ll see you soon.

Qualifier day is scheduled for tomorrow, and with a late venue switch, anticipation of a mellow-ish terrain substitution has softened the usually hardened edges of some of the veteran competitors.  I have offered up the floor space of my room to help warm some boots of fellow shredders sleeping in their cars…nothing like warm boots when the snow’s crunchy from the humid cold frosting the air we breathe.  Tonight we toast to a new year, a new tour, and adventures that can only be dreamed of.  And then skied.  With Julie Weinberger keeping the team glued together, and snapping some shots along the way, we’ll get to see some moments of awesomeness happen.

Watch the Freeskiing World Tour on a live webcast feed and help support my sponsor, Backcountry.com, by watching it on their hub.  The action starts tomorrow here in BC, live coverage online begins Friday and continues through Saturday.  Hope to see ya on the road, somewhere it’s snowing!

Skittles, nor its parent company Mars, does not currently sponsor any freeskiing athletes.  If you represent Skittles or its related brands, please feel free to contact Jim Jack at freeskiers.org about sending some clothes to the Junior Freeskiing Series.  Give a kid a break, eh?