Park City, UT – The Sprint U.S. Grand Prix returns to Utah’s Park City Mountain Resort this week for this season’s second stop with halfpipe snowboarding and freeskiing featuring 2002 Olympic gold medalist Kelly Clark, of West Dover, Vt.; defending freeskiing champion Maddie Bowman, from South Lake Tahoe, Calif.; and Utah local and four-time Grand Prix champion Louie Vito.
“I love coming back to Park City, home of the 2002 Olympics, for a Grand Prix. You take a great contest series like the Grand Prix and put it where the historic USA Olympic Sweep happened and it is just a cool feeling being there,” Vito said.
Now in a record 17th season, the event opens with the Paul Mitchell Progression Session Big Air contest, followed by the Sprint U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix halfpipe and Visa U.S. Freeskiing Grand Prix halfpipe finals. Both of the latter are FIS World Cup events and will count towards qualification for the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. The Sprint U.S. Grand Prix is also a 5Star World Snowboard event and the Visa U.S. Freeskiing Grand Prix is a Platinum AFP event.
Also expected to be in attendance are two-time X Games medalist Brita Sigourney, of Carmel, Calif., and two-time X Games medalist David Wise, of Reno, Nev. Snowboarding halfpipe stars Elena Hight, of South Lake Tahoe, Calif., and New Hampshire’s Scotty Lago will be competing alongside Clark and Vito. Returning to the competition circuit right at home in Park City is five-time X Games medalist Jen Hudak following her recovery from a knee injury over a year ago.
“This will be my second competition back after my injury and I am so excited to get back on skis,” said Hudak. “Park City Mountain Resort’s pipe is one of the best in the world and now that it is my official home resort, I am even more proud to compete here.”
The weekend will be televised on NBC and the NBC Sports Network, plus live coverage of halfpipe finals for freeskiing and snowboarding on the USSA Network.
The event is part of an action-packed weekend in Park City Sprint U.S. Grand Prix events during the daytime and night events for the Visa Freestyle International at neighboring Deer Valley Resort.
VISA U.S. FREESKIING GRAND PRIX SCHEDULE
Wed. Jan. 30 – Halfpipe snowboarding qualifiers, 8:15 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. MT
Wed. Jan. 30 – Paul Mitchell Progression Session big air, 5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. MT
Thur. Jan. 31 – Halfpipe skiing qualifiers, 8:15 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. MT
Fri. Feb. 1 – Sprint U.S. Grand Prix, halfpipe snowboarding finals, 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. MT
Sat. Feb. 2 – Visa U.S. Freeskiing Grand Prix halfpipe skiing finals, 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. MT