PRESENTED BY STIKEMAN ELLIOTT LLP
Canada’s Longest Running Big Mountain National Championship

The Canadian Open Freeskiing Championship presented by Stikeman Elliott LLP is coming back to RED Mountain featuring some of North America’s top and upcoming free skiers. The Open Finals will be held on legendary Mt. Roberts which boasts some of the best freeskiing terrain in North America and one of the longest, most challenging venues on the big mountain competition circuit. The event starts with the Junior competition January 15 - 16, followed by the Open Senior event January 21 - 23. A handsome cash purse of $10,000 will be awarded to the top Open Senior skiers.

The event also boasts a new presenting sponsor, Stikeman Elliott LLP. "We welcomed the opportunity to sponsor the Canadian Open Freeskiing Championship,” said Ross MacDonald, Managing Partner of Stikeman Elliott's Vancouver office. “Supporting Canadian athletes in local events coincides with the firm’s overall commitment to strengthen the communities we work and live in.”

The format of the competition will follow the International Free Skiers Association’s (IFSA) Big Mountain Freeskiing guidelines. Participating athletes will be judged on ski route choice, fluidity, technique, aggression and control and the IFSA recognizes the Canadian Open Freeskiing Championship as an important venue. “Athletes come to RED confident they are going to be judged at the same level and with the same criteria and format consistent with the IFSA and its standards. The athletes that show up for this one are the core of our sport and you feel that year after year.” noted Jimmy Jack, IFSA President and Head Judge of the Freeskiing World Tour.

The International Free Skiers Association (IFSA) will qualify the top 3 Men & top 3 Women for the World Freeskiing Tour (WFT), but to qualify for the WFT you must register as an IFSA member. To become an IFSA member go to: http://www.freeskiers.org/license.php.

The event is dedicated to Captain Jack Carey, the competition’s Event Director for the last 8 years, who died tragically in a road cycling accident this summer. A memorial to honor Captain Jack will be held at 2:30pm on Saturday Jan. 23 at the top of RED’s new run “Captain Jack’s Trees”. This run was cut in memory of Captain Jack, on terrain that Jack loved to ski.

The presenting sponsor of the event is Stikeman Elliott, LLP of Vancouver and in part by The Friends of Jack Carey, Kokanee, Elan Skis, Fresh Skis, Smith Optics, I/O, Dakine, O’Neill and SBC Skier Magazine. Registration for the Senior Open event is limited to skiers 19 years and older and closes January 15, 2010. The Junior event registration is now full and registration is complete! For registration and event information, please visit www.canadianfreeskiing.com.