Colorado Ski & Snowboard Expo

Press Release

• October 19 2009
• 5 views
• add a comment

The energy, excitement, and anticipation are palpable when the doors finally open for the 18th ANNUAL Colorado Ski & Snowboard Expo.  Scheduled for November 13-15, 2009, this year’s super-sized event at the Colorado Convention Center in downtown Denver retains its distinctive claim as the single largest ski and snowboard sale within the single biggest temporary ski shop in Colorado.  The Expo features 20,000 square feet of equipment, clothing, and accessories like hats, goggles, glasses, and gloves for men, women, adults, kids, skiers, and riders.

Consumer demand to get great value for every retail dollar spent is expected to attract more than 30,000 people to this year’s Expo. In addition to taking advantage of the discounts ranging from 40-75 percent on all the great gear—from last season as well as the 09-10 models, all the Colorado resorts will be on site selling season passes and lift tickets while a variety of lodging properties from around the region will be offering early-bird lodging packages and incentives.  As in past years, Expo is the last chance for procrastinators to buy season passes and daily lift tickets at pre-season prices. Resorts will also provide “must have” information about on-mountain improvements, strategies for finding lodging deals, insider tips for dining, and lots of souvenirs and giveaways.

Two new “center ring” attractions will provide extra incentive for attending this year.  The first “newbie” to Denver is the “Eliteam” Training Center, a hands-on, interactive, physical-fitness fun area where kids of all ages can play, train, and challenge themselves on specialized training apparatus. Led by Olympian Doug Lewis, the new attraction will provide valuable training advice for youngsters eager to get on the slopes—and make the most of their time. “Measuring sticks” will show participants how their results compare to World Cup alpine ski champions Bode Miller and Lindsey Vonn.

For the young, energized, and bullet-proof generation, the arrival of the MBS Mountainboards Big Air Show at this year’s show will stop shoppers in their tracks. As the old cliché goes…this is not your daddy’s (or mama’s) skateboard and this is certainly not the way he used to ride it.  The MBS Demo Team puts on a high energy show with plenty of flipping, spinning, and rail sliding using ramps and rails as these talented mountainboarders launch themselves over obstacles and through the air—often with the same kind of huge air exhibited by snowboarders. This show is an exuberant display of fun-to-watch, but hard to emulate tricks and stunts using the speed of the boards and the athleticism of the team members.

In a salute to the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, B.C. in just a few short months, many Olympians (former and present–including medal winners) will be on hand to sign autographs and share with their fans a few of their Olympic adventures including Hall of Famer and freestyle gold medalist Donna Weinbrecht. As host of the Expo’s Olympic theater, Weinbrecht will describe her path to Olympic gold, while fellow teammates and Olympians will join her in celebrating the Olympic spirit.

The depth and variety of shopping at hard-to-resist prices is what brings skiers and snowboarders back year-after-year but the dynamic, energetic atmosphere with live entertainment, activities, sideshows, and light-hearted competitions are staged throughout the weekend.  In addition to everything else, the enormously popular, into the rafters Flying Ace All Star trampoline athletes will be knocking on the ceilings with their stunt-laden performances that include such athletes as freestyler and three-time Olympian Kris (Fuzz) Feddersen; former U.S. Gymnastics team member Casey Finley; current U.S. Ski Team aerialist and Olympic hopeful Dylan Ferguson, former U.S. National Trampoline team and Junior National aerialist Austin Cummings; and Colorado native and Colorado Ski Country USA Athlete of the year for 2009 Walter Wood—the only athlete to ever complete 4 and a half spins in the halfpipe during competition.  Kids and adults can stretch their arms and legs on the popular climbing wall, while “never-ever” kids and can learn the basics of sliding down a gentle slope on the Breckenridge Kids Slope. And despite the manic pace and sometimes confusing rules, the unpredictable antics and contests supervised by “Uncle E” on Center Stage demand their own brand of attention and remain a beloved tradition of the weekend’s events. Additional details, featured performers, athlete appearances, and schedules will be available online at www.skisnowboardexpo.com.

Admission is $12 for adults or $10 with a discount coupon available in The Denver Post or at any Colorado Ski & Golf store or for tickets purchased in advance online at www.skisnowboardexpo.com.  For even bigger savings and the most updated details about schedules and appearances, Expo visitors can keep up on Twitter@SkiSnowExpos or become a fan on the Expo’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/SkiSnowboardExpos. This family-friendly event is also budget friendly since kids 12 and under are free.

The Colorado Ski & Snowboard Expo at the Colorado Convention Center is open from noon to 10 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 13.  Saturday’s hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.