Summit County — With opening day a week away, Breckenridge Ski resort is gearing up for a jam-packed winter sports schedule including the Hartford Disabled Sports Ski Spectacular, the AST Winter Dew Tour, the North American Open, snow camps and the end-of-season’s Spring Massive.
“We are opening Peak 8 this year instead of 9,” Ryan Whaley, communications coordinator for Breckenridge Ski Resort, said. “That hasn’t happened since 1981.”
Highlighted events
The Hartford Disabled Sports Ski Spectacular, held from Dec. 7-14, is in its 21st year as the nation’s largest winter sports festival for people with physical disabilities. The week-long event, including learn-to-ski and race programs, youth development camps, sanctioned USSA races and corporate race, is hosted by Disabled Sports USA.
According to Jessie Paige, Breck Resort’s special events manager, attendees include recently disabled veterans.
“It’s just a huge event for the disabled community,” Whaley said. “We love to put it on. ... It does certainly attract a lot of diversity to the mountain.”
The AST Winter Dew Tour, scheduled for Dec. 18-21, comes to Breck for its inaugural event with halfpipe and slopestyle competitions for skiers and riders. The four-day event will be held at the Freeway Terrain Park on Peak 8.
“It’s huge this year,” Whaley said. “It’s the first-ever Winter Dew Tour. It’s normally a summer competition with BMX and skateboards. There’s also going to be events downtown as well — bands and movies. It combines the town and mountains. ... This is the biggest event we’ve ever had at Breck. It’s going to be live on NBC (a first for Breck Resorts).” For more information, visit
www.ast.com.
The girl’s only beginner’s snow camp on Dec. 13 is a one-day camp open to never-ever and novice females that want to learn to snowboard or ski. This clinic is open
to women ages 7 through adult.
“It’s in its second year and it’s a great way for novice skiers and snowboarders to get up on the mountain,” Whaley said.
It’s a good opportunity for girls to learn the sport in a same-sex environment with others at the same level, Whaley added. Female instructors run the clinic, too.
Other camps include the Women’s Ski Camp (Jan. 27-30), the Prime Time camp for 50+ skiers (Feb. 5-6), the Women’s Park and Pipe Snow Camp (Feb. 7-8), the Working Women’s Ski Camp (March 6-7) and the Rocky Mountain Park and Pipe Camp (March 7-8).
The North American Open, featuring Jon Olsson and Simon Dumont, is scheduled for Jan. 29- Feb. 1 in the Freeway Terrain Park on Peak 8. Olsson and Dumont are bringing back the North American Freeski Open for the second straight year, using a format designed for fairness and creativity — an open jam session where top athletes freestyle and bibs are handed out to top performers. The NAO will host halfpipe and slopestyle competitions for three days and boasts of a strong prize purse. Registration is open at
www.opensfreeski.com.
According to Whaley, the NAO ran on fuel TV last year and brought many pro athletes to Breck.
Spring Massive, set for April 1-19, is an annual festival including music, family activities and on-hill competitions. Events include the Bite of Breckenridge, Massive Comedy Nights, Massive Brewfest, Massive competition weekend and the ever-popular season finale ... Massive Music Weekend.
All dates and events subject to change. For more information, visit
www.breckenridge.snow.com.
Winter Events Calendar
Nov. 7 — Breckenridge Ski Resort Opening on Peak 8
Dec. 7-14 — Hartford Disabled Sports Ski Spectacular
Dec. 13 — Girl’s Only Beginner’s Snow Camp
Dec. 18-21 — AST Winter Dew Tour, Freeway Terrain Park, Peak 8
Jan. 3-4 — Colorado Jr. Ski Cup, Open Junior FIS Series – GS
Jan. 23-25 — J4 Super G, Cimarron Peak 10
Jan. 27-30 — Women’s Ski Camp
Jan. 29- Feb. 1 — North American Open featuring Jon Olsson and Simon Dumont, Freeway Terrain Park, Peak 8, Prime Time (50+ Skiers)
February 5-6, 2009 — Women’s Park & Pipe Snow Camp
February 7-8, 2009 — Working Women’s Ski Camp
March 6-7, 2009 — Rocky Mountain Park & Pipe Camp
March 28-29 — Kombi, J4/J5, American, Peak 9
April 1-19 — Spring Massive
April 3-4: GS, April 7-8: SG — Surefoot Colorado Ski Cup Championships, Cimarron, Peak 10
April 19 — Breckenridge Ski Resort Closing Day
Caitlin Row can be reached at (970) 668-4633 and
crow@summitdaily.com.