March 26, 2008 (Montreal, QC.)
— As one of 3 marquee ski events at this year’s Telus World Ski and
Snowboard Festival The Orage Masters is back and ready to rock
Whistler, BC on Saturday April 12, 2008. After four seasons’ in Mammoth, CA the “Anti Comp” has moved to
Whistler and is packing major party favors. Celebrating the 5th
anniversary of skiing’s most well known head to head team based
slopestyle event, the stage has been set.


Making up the
competition roster will be team Volkl (the champs from Masters IV), as
well as teams from Salomon, Dynastar, Rossignol, 4 Front, Line, K2 and
Armada. Each team consists of 3 men and one female athlete, and with
names like Sammy Carlson, Jacob Wester, Phil Casabon, Jen Hudak, Kim
Lamarre, Tim Russel, Colby West, Ashley Battersby, Sean Petit, PK
Hunder, Sean Decker, Charles Gagnier, Matt Hayward, Mike Riddle and
Justin Dorey there’s no better place to witness skiing’s best.


The
Orage Masters has built a reputation for it’s off hill antics just as
much as it’s on course mayhem. The Masters is a celebration of the new
ski lifestyle and its athletes… aside from the costume clad
competitors, the Masters madness will be hosted by the one and only MC
extraordinaire and official ski motor mouth, Luke Van Valin (who this
year will be accompanied by legendary KISS front man, to time). God
only knows what will come out of their mouths.


Up for grabs is
a prize vault unlike any other event, with snowmobiles from Arctic Cat,
all expenses paid vacations to anywhere on planet earth, Wii
entertainment systems, Sirius Satellite Radios, Telus Mobile phones
with 2 year service contracts, and loads of electronic digital goodies
from Olympus.


Also new this year, (due to a recent injury)
will be the first ever appearance by Orage team rider and X Games gold
medalist TJ Schiller sitting proudly behind the wheel of the snowcat.
Out of commission and recovering from surgery TJ will be acting as the
Armada team captain and course design guest of honor.


Adding
to the festivities will be the Orage / Freeskier Heaven and Hell Party
Presented by Kokanee and Monster energy drink, a two level fire
breathing post event bash taking place at The Savage Beagle on Sunday
night April 13th in the Whistler village. And last but not least, also
worthy of mention are Orage’s 30 man village assault team, the live
event webcast on Newschoolers.com and the on site jumbo-tron insuring
that the 250,000 festival goers have no potential to escape the
clutches of the Masters.


See you at the Festival…




I went to the Masters in Mammoth three years ago, and it was the most fun event of the winter. With any luck, I'll figure out a way to get to Whistler for it again.