Mont-Gabriel (QC), Canada – The Canada Post Freestyle Grand Prix, set for Quebec’s Ski Mont Gabriel Jan. 15-16, 2011 will be the first North American stop on the FIS Freestyle World Cup Mogul and Aerial circuit this season. This will afford an opportunity for Quebec’s boisterous freestyle skiing aficionados a chance to see Olympic champion Alex Bilodeau and his teammates in action at home.nFans from western Canada will also have a chance to see their high-flying heroes live when the tour stops at Winsport’s Canada Olympic Park in Calgary for the Canada Post Freestyle Grand Prix, Jan. 28-29.

Both events will feature mogul and aerial competitions.
The Calgary stop will be the final event in the lead-up to the 2011 FIS Freestyle World Championships being held at Deer Valley Resort Utah.

“There is no question that it would be almost impossible to host two Canadian World Cups without the support of Canada Post. And, the benefits of being a host nation are numerous,” assets Peter Judge, CEO of the Canadian Freestyle Ski Association. “Not only do we have the chance to take advantage of host quota and forerunner spots for our emerging talent, but our home events give us a chance to develop a whole infrastructure of officials and volunteers.”

In all, there are ten mogul stops on the international tour, including new events in China and the Czech Republic. The seven scheduled aerial events include a first-ever World Cup in Belarus, a hotbed of aerial talent that has produced stars like 2010 crystal-globe winner Anton Kushnir and Torino Olympic silver medalist Dmitri Dashinski.

Furthermore, the Italians and the Swiss have both announced plans to begin full-time mogul programs this season.

“New countries and programs contribute to the globalization of freestyle skiing which is crucial to the ongoing development of our sport,” said Judge.