Battle of the Bands field set for Jan. 25 Nature Valley Big Air Challenge

Jan. 11, 2011 - PRLog -- Some of the top brands in freeskiing will battle head-to-head in the Nature Valley Big Air Challenge on Tuesday, Jan. 25, part of the Denver Big Air presented by Sprint. The Denver Sports Commission and the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) announced the lineup for the “Battle of the Brands,” featuring teams of three riders that will represent some of the most recognizable brands in the ski industry.

The  athletes  representing  the teams will put on an incredible duel, executing amazing aerial tricks that hold the highest levels of difficulty off the 102-foot high ramp that will be in Denver’s Civic Center Park. Entering the fray are the following teams:

4FRNT Skis
Armada
Colorado All-Stars
Full Tilt Boots
Head
Icelantic
K2
Line Skis
Marker - Volkl
Moment Skis
Nordica
Technica Blizzard
USSA Revolution Tour

The Nature Valley Big Air Challenge's “Battle of the Brands” format will consist of five rounds of head-to-head competition to crown the champions. A seeding and elimination round will set the stage for the evening event with quarterfinals, semifinals and finals. In addition, judges will award a “Best Trick” prize. Each team will have three riders competing for a total of 39 competitors. Fans will be able to take it all in starting with practice at 5:00 PM on Jan. 25. National recording artists and Grammy nominated band Switchfoot will also play a set before the Nature Valley Big Air Challenge's finals on the Bud Light mobile stage at the foot of the ramp.

"The freeskiing industry is really energized about this opportunity to showcase its leading brands at one of the most spectacular events in our sport," said USSA Chief Revenue and Marketing Officer Andrew Judelson. "The Nature Valley Big Air Challenge Battle of the Brands will showcase these companies and their athletes in front of thousands of spectators on an amazing, massive aerial jump in downtown Denver."

The impetus for the unique head-to-head battle between the sport's leading brands came from SnowSports Industries America, which opens its annual Snow Show in the Denver Convention Center that same week. "The ability for key SIA members to show off their brands on this national stage is a great way to kickoff our SIA Snow Show in Denver," said SIA President and CEO David Ingemie. Over 20,000 persons will attend the SIA Snow Show Jan. 27-30.

“The tricks that the athletes in the ‘Battle of the Brands’ will pull off are  as  world-class as the brands they are representing,” said KieAnn Brownell, President of the Denver Sports Commission. “This will be a great competition and fans will see these athletes do things on a pair of skis that are unimaginable.”

Participating  brands  are  finalizing  their  rosters  of athletes in anticipation of the Downtown Denver event on Jan. 25.

ABOUT  DENVER BIG AIR PRESENTED BY SPRINT: Denver Big Air presented by Sprint is a two-day event on Jan. 25 and 26 that promises to be one of the most amazing athletic spectacles ever staged in Downtown Denver. The event revolves around world-class skiers and snowboarders flying off an amazing 102-foot high ramp that will be built and covered with snow in the heart of Downtown Denver at Civic Center Park between the Colorado State Capitol building and the Denver City and County building. World-class competitors
will zoom down the 102-foot high ramp and launch themselves in the air to execute gravity-defying, breathtaking acrobatics on snowboards and skis in the Nature Valley Big Air Ski Challenge on Jan. 25 and the International Ski Federation (FIS) LG World Cup Snowboard Competition on Jan. 26. Tickets are on  sale  now  starting at just $45. To purchase tickets, and for more information, visit http://www.Denversports.org/denverbigair.