Angel Fire, NM – February at New Mexico’s Angel Fire Resort means one thing: competitors of all ages are once again waxing up their snow shovels for the legendary Angel Fire Shovel Race Championship on February 8.

The challenge is fairly simple. Competitors sit on the scoop of a standard aluminum snow shovel, handle pointed downhill, and then lift their hands and feet to allow gravity to take them for a ride. Each rider gets two shots to clock the fastest time down the front of the Angel Fire ski mountain. Top speeds regularly exceed 60 miles per hour.

This year the resort is expanding the weekend to include a winter carnival complete with snow art competitions, a showing of Warren Miller Entertainment’s current movie “Ticket to Ride”, live music and a Dummy (Gelande) Launch event.

Shovel racing began as a simple contest in the 1970’s when lift operators would ride their shovels down the mountain at the end of their shifts.

“The Shovel Racing event has grown into a crazy competition on the mountain that includes speed suits, costumes and radar guns! No year is ever the same, as competitors always try and out do each other every season,” explains Dan Swanson, director of marketing, Angel Fire Resort. “This year we’re carving out more events and launching our first Winter Carnival that will last the whole weekend.”

The organized competition of Shovel Racing has been held for over 30 years at Angel Fire Resort, and racers are expected from all corners of the country. National news outlets including ESPN, ABC Sports, MTV and The Travel Channel have even featured the event. Shovel racing was also once a featured sport during the early years of the Winter X Games.

This year the event will include the Second Annual Women in Media Shovel Race Competition – where women in New Mexico television and print media will compete for bragging rights and the fastest time down the hill on a shovel. Last year’s winner, KOAT-TV’s Angela Brauer, will be competing to hold her title against several media members including Marisa Maez of KOAT, Kristen Van Dyke from KASA, Kim Holland and Katie Kim of KRQE, and over a dozen more.

Children as young as age 6 are invited to participate in the “Little Scoop” race category. Cash and prizes will be given to the fastest competitors in all age-specific categories. The weekend events will include a practice course, food and drink specials and live music.

This year, the Shovel Races will also include a Dummy Launch (also known as a Dummy Gelande) and Winter Carnival. The Dummy Launch is on a special course with a big jump to launch the man-made, full size Dummies on any sliding device, including a snow shovel, skis, snowboard or sled. There is a crash zone at the end for the dummies to land in. All events are open to the public. Cash prizes will be awarded for best design, best crash and most air.

For more details about the Angel Fire World Shovel Race Championship registration, visit www.angelfireresort.com or call (800) 633-7463.