Canada Post Freestyle Grand Prix at Ski Mont Gabriel
The organizing committee rallies its troops!

Sainte-Adèle, Quebec, Monday, October 22, 2007 – Ski Mont Gabriel is pleased to announce the return of the Canada Post Freestyle Grand Prix, next January 25 to 27. With barely three months before the first leg of the FIS World Cup on Canadian soil, teams are hard at work preparing the competition sites, resources are being mobilized, and the programming is being fine-tuned.

Veronica Bauer

Ski Mont Gabriel is in the third year of its agreement as official site of the Canada Post Freestyle Grand Prix. With the solid experience acquired in the last two years as host, the Laurentians ski centre is already in preparations for this high-flying event. “We managed to pull off quite a feat, last year, with the remarkable presentation of the Grand Prix moguls competition under difficult climatic conditions, when there was no snow in January,” said Ski Mont Gabriel director Normand Daigneault. “This year, we’re praying for better weather conditions and we guarantee an exciting spectacle.”

Bruce Robinson, COO and Event Director for the Canadian Freestyle Ski Association, is extremely enthusiastic about holding the World Cup at Ski Mont Gabriel. “Last year, we had 8,000 spectators for the Aerials event,” he said. “The Quebec public has always been great supporters of our athletes and sport, and we hope to attract some large crowds again this year. The Canadian team has a lot of athletes from the Laurentians and from Quebec so there will be lots of local heroes to cheer on.”

Three days of intense showmanship
The weekend festivities get off to a start on Friday, January 25 with the opening ceremonies. The moguls’ events take place on Saturday, January 26, followed by aerials on Sunday. A number of social activities are being organized in tandem with the competitions, such as a ski competition at Mont Saint-Sauveur on Thursday night, opening ceremonies on Friday evening at Ski Mont Gabriel, and a special evening for the region’s residents. More details will be available shortly. The organizing committee wants to turn this international competition into a huge celebration of freestyle skiing in the Laurentians and hopes that it will become the pride of local residents and businesses.

Looking for volunteers
The organization of an event this large demands considerable human resources and could not achieve as much without the help of generous, dedicated people. The committee is currently looking for some 50 volunteers who will be available in the weeks leading up to the event or on the competition days themselves. Anyone who’s tempted by the idea of being part of the team can contact Lise Prévost, volunteer coordinator, by email at (marc.routhier@videotron.ca) or by phone at 819-213-6355. For all additional information, please visit www.freestyleski.com.

Non-stop winter action
Ski Mont Gabriel will also be hosting two other major freestyle ski competitions this winter. Earlier in January, the ski area will be the setting for the Canada Post NorAm Freestyle Frenzy (two aerials competitions in the NorAm circuit) and then, in March, the National Championships, which will close the freestyle season for the national team.

-- Posted October 22, 2007