WORLD SKI & SNOWBOARD FESTIVAL UPDATE

The time has come. Spring is here, and it’s bittersweet as we switch out snow boots and goggles for flip flops and sunnies. But wait, before you hang up your one-piece, let’s give winter the send-off it deserves at the World Ski & Snowboard Festival (WSSF). Six jam-packed days from April 10-15 bring together athletes, artists, musicians, filmmakers, photographers, and thought-leaders. Here’s who to look out for at this year’s festival, and how you can become one of the glitterati...

Photo by Russell Dalby

Juno Award Winners Play at WSSF
Big Air: Skier’s Plaza: Friday April 13 (Ski), & Saturday, April 14 (Snowboard) / 7 - 10 pm
You’ll start to see the athletes warming up around 6 pm on both nights, and by 7 pm you’ll be surrounded by thousands of people waiting to see what tricks they pull off as they launch into thin air. A Tribe Called Red, who was just awarded Group of the Year at the Juno Awards, will be playing during the final runs around 9 pm on Friday, with the same timing for DJ Jazzy Jeff on Saturday. A mix of DJs will be pumping up the athletes in the earlier rounds, so make sure you’re at Skiers Plaza, at the base of Whistler Mountain, by 7 pm.

Athlete Name Dropping
After a 16-year hiatus, the Saudan Couloir Ski Race Extreme presented by Kokanee is back with over 150 racers registered. There are some big names lined up to test their stuff on this legendary course including Logan Pehota (currently 5th in the Freeride World Tour), and Olympians Robbie Dixon, Simon D’Artois (he’s doing Big Air too), and Marie-Pier Prefontaine. Over to the Big Air comps and we’ve got 2018 Olympic Snowboard Slopestyle silver medalist Max Parrot, and fellow Olympians Teal Harle (5th in Ski Slopestyle, PyeongChang 2018), Yuki Tsubota (6th place in Ski Slopestyle, PyeongChang 2018), Evan McEachran (6th place in Ski Slopestyle, PyeongChang 2018) and Tyler Nicholson (7th in Snowboard Slopestyle, PyeongChang 2018), along with X Games Aspen 2nd place finalist Darcy Sharpe. More athletes are signing up as we get closer to the events - so watch this space!

Photo by Mike Crane / Tourism Whistler

Want Your Name on the Big Screen?
Olympus 72hr Filmmaker Showdown: Film Teams: April 6-9, Event: Wednesday, April 11
The creative playing field is leveled at Whistler’s annual Olympus 72hr Filmmaker Showdown as post-production trickery, exotic locations, superstar talent, and big budget advantages are made irrelevant when filmmakers are tasked to shoot, edit, and produce a 3-5 minute short film, shot within a 100km radius of Whistler over the course of 72 hours. Anyone can register, but those who do must rely on their originality, speed, endurance, and ingenuity as this event distills the art of filmmaking into its purest form – getting a creative vision from concept to reality in record time. With $15,000 in cash and prizes up for grabs, it’s time to register. However, if you’re not one for action behind the camera, you can join the 1500+ strong film-loving audience on Wednesday, April 11. Find out more here: https://goo.gl/B2jhsd

Photo by Mike Crane / Tourism Whistler

For more information on the World Ski & Snowboard Festival and to purchase tickets for the event, visit wssf.com.

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