COAST TO COAST WINNERS ADDED TO FINALS ROSTER FOR GATORADE FREE FLOW TOUR

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Six Snowboarders and Three Freeskiers Earn Trip to Snowbasin Feb. 9-12

Burr Ridge, Ill. - January 30, 2012 - The third weekend of the Gatorade Free Flow Tour hit mountain resorts across the country with slopestyle events at Mount Bachelor and Okemo and a superpipe event at Killington Resort. From Oregon to Vermont, the competitors came out gunning for a win and hoping to secure their spot in the Finals, taking place in conjunction with the Winter Dew Tour Toyota Championships this February in Utah. Victories went to Kent Callister, Devyn Schnake and Max Heard at Bachelor, while out East snowboarders Lauren Tamposi, Jack Dawe, Maggie Leon, and Owen Dayton, and freeskiers Logan Dobson and Tyler Duncan, took the top spots.

Following a recent record-setting snow, the park at Mt. Bachelor was primed for a heavy contest. What the snowboarders were putting down earned impressive marks from the judges, but at the end of the day local shredder Callister's run, with a boardslide to fakie at the top, cab 7 indy, switch backside 9 and finished things off with a boardslide 270 out on the cannon rail stole the show. Close behind was Alex Kollar and Ben Ferguson, who completed the podium in second and third. The entire top five were Oregon-bred boarders.

"I can't wait for the Finals," said first-time Finalist Callister. "It's going to be so much fun."

Taking the win for the ladies and also hailing from Bend, Schnake used a boosty nose grab and backside 180 melon to lock herself into first, with Alexandra Morris, who took third place last weekend at Mt. High, and Kelly Underwood, a 2011 Finalist, her top competition for the spot. "Today was fun, I'm really looking forward to the Finals," Schnake said after the day's events.

After 48 competitors were whittled down to the top ten, the freeskiers gave the judges a show as they rode the course for their trip to the Finals. Claiming the win, British Columbia's Heard scored big with a slide to 270 out up top, a right seven and left 900 tail on the jumps, and s killer slide to 450 out on the cannon. Throwing it down for second place was Carson Lehouillier, while Chris Verrue took third for the day.

"This made my trip from BC well worth it!" said an excited Heard. "I'm so psyched for Snowbasin."

Over 2,000 miles away on the East Coast, competitors vying for their shot into the pro circuits took to the slope course at Okemo and the superpipe at Killington, freshly used by the pros at the Winter Dew Tour. Snowboarders Tamposi and Dawe earned bragging rights at Okemo, facing tough competition from second and third place finishers Sophie Anderson and Maggie Leon in the women's competition and Eric Cerra and Jed Sky in the men's.

Eager to get to Utah, Tamposi was grateful for the opportunity, saying, "Big thanks to Gatorade for putting on this awesome contest!" Expressing similar sentiments, Dawe said, "Today was a super fun day. I'm so psyched Gatorade is sending me to compete with the Dew Tour at Snowbasin!"

With nearly fifty competitors in freeski alone, it was up to Duncan, who used consistency and smooth style to land his spot atop the podium at Okemo. Runner-up Freddie Brideweser, a former Finalist, couldn't top Duncan's 450 onto the stairs with 270 out, blind 450 out of the a-frame, switch on switch off the kink rail, a switch cork 720 japan to switch bio 900 safety grab. Rounding out the podium was Erik Lukkari.

"The contest was really fun, and I'm glad the weather was nice," said Duncan Saturday afternoon. "I'm psyched to go to Utah!"

Killington held a strong pipe contest Sunday, with contenders coming from all over the northeast and beyond for the contest. Leon earned her trip to the upcoming Finals with a frontside indy 360, topping Abby Lancour and Sophie Anderson in the pipe, while Dayton's frontside 720 and 540 rounded out with a cork 540 landed him just above Randall Reynolds and thirteen-year-old Austin Rebetz, who finished second and third respectively.

Representing for the mountain, Leon feels comfortable advancing to more of the professional level pipes. "Since this is my home mountain, I felt pretty good about riding in a 22-foot pipe. I'm super psyched Gatorade puts on this contest and is sending me to Utah!"

"This was my first Gatorade Free Flow Tour event, and it was awesome!" said Dayton after his win. "This was a great event - the Gatorade Yowie is sweet - and I had a killer day."

Freeskiers flocked to the Killington pipe, where Canadian competitor Dobson cleaned up with a first place run. Earning a close second place was Nick Rosenburger, while Ari Schneider secured a third place finish.

With their wins, all nine contestants earn an automatic bid into the Gatorade Free Flow Tour Finals, taking place in conjunction with the Winter Dew Tour's Toyota Championship, February 9-12, 2012 at Snowbasin Resort in Utah.

Saturday and Sunday, January 28-29, 2012

Mt. Bachelore, Ore.

Men's Snowboard Slopestyle

1. Kent Callister, Bend, Ore. 2. Ben Ferguson, Bend, Ore. 3. Alex Kollar, Banks, Ore. 4. Jeff Hopkins, Clackamas, Ore. 5. Nathan Jacobson, Bend, Ore.

Women's Snowboard Slopestyle

1. Devyn Schnake, Bend, Ore. 2. Alexandra Morris, Danville, Calif. 3. Kelly Underwood, Welches, Ore. 4. Zoe Kern, Bend, Ore. 5. Sage Allen, Bend, Ore.

Freeski Slopestyle

1. Max Heard, Canada 2. Carson Lehouillier, Incline Village, Nev. 3. Chris Verrue, Truckee, Calif. 4. Keith Forsyth, Prosser, Wash. 5. Trevor Hattabaugh, Boise, Idaho

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Okemo, Vt.

Men's Snowboard Slopestyle

1. Jack Dawe 2. Eric Cerra 3. Jed Sky 4. Erik Fahie 5. Jack Greffin

Women's Snowboard Slopestyle

1. Lauren Tamposi, Holis, N.H. 2. Sophie Anderson, Littleton, Mass. 3. Maggie Leon, Simsbury, Conn.

Freeski Slopestyle

1. Tyler Duncan 2. Freddy Bridewiser 3. Erik Lukkari. 4. Christian Franchino 5. Sam Parker

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Killington, Vt.

Men's Snowboard Superpipe

1. Owen Dayton, Bradford, N.H. 2. Randall Reynolds, Higganun, Conn. 3. Austin Rebetz, Ludlow, Vt. 4. Jack Valentine, Sparta, N.J. 5. Emmett Ellmaker, Erwinna, Pa.

Women's Snowboard Superpipe

1. Maggie Leon, Simsbury, Conn. 2. Abby Lancour, Rutland, Vt. 3. Sophie Anderson, Littleton, Mass.

Freeski Superpipe

1. Logan Dobson, Canada 2. Nick Rosenberger, Beverly, Mass. 3. Ari Schneider, Rutland, Vt. 4. Mark Spinney, North Conway, N.H. 5. Gideon Le Gros, Jackson Hole, Wyo.

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