** Satellite Availability Thursday, Feb. 10 ** Live From Keystone Resort in Keystone, Colo.

** Satellite Availability Thursday, Feb. 10 ** Live From Keystone Resort in Keystone, Colo.

Creator of Sports Illustrated For Kids NextSnow SEARCH Discusses the Growth of Youth in the Action Sports Movement and This Weekend's Freeride Competitions at Keystone Resort

* Jack Turner, founder and president of SnowMonsters (the national ski and snowboard program for kids) created the Sports Illustrated For Kids NextSnow SEARCH, the only event of its kind for skiers and snowboarders, boys and girls ages 9-13.

* 150 up-and-coming young athletes from across the continent land this weekend at Keystone for three days of snow sports competition. Two of the finalists share their secrets about competition and why their goal is to win a spot on the NextSnow Team.

KEYSTONE, Colo., Feb. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- The Sports Illustrated For Kids NextSnow SEARCH Finals mark the culmination of a series of freeride competitions that have been taking place at U.S. and Canadian resorts throughout the winter. The top finalists from those nationwide events qualified for the NextSnow SEARCH finals. Nearly 150 young snow sports enthusiasts (ages 9-13, have been selected from more than 70 ski areas across the continent. They will compete in such events as big air, slopestyle, park and pipe, bumps, freestyle and big mountain skiing. Girls and boys, skiers and snowboarders will all compete together. Besides their on-snow performance, they're judged on attitude and character as well. This is the only event that mixes the sports, genders and disciplines in this format.

ESPN jump-started the action sports movement 10 years ago with the Summer X Games, followed by the Winter X Games in 1998. The movement has defined a generation and has seen unprecedented growth in everything from motocross to snowboarding. Two years ago, seeing a need for an event that caters to the youngest demographic of this movement, Jack Turner created the NextSnow SEARCH. This event illustrates that the action sports movement has crossed over to all ages and areas of the country.

To arrange interview opportunities, contact Tracy Acord, 412-600-7953 or email tacord@cox.net.

Keystone Resort will be providing the satellite truck and crew for live programming.

Media Contacts: Lisha Burnett, (970) 496-4253, lburnett@vailresorts.com

Nicky Deford, (970) 845-5721, ndeford@vailresorts.com


Source: Keystone Resort

CONTACT: Lisha Burnett, +1-970-496-4253, lburnett@vailresorts.com; or
Nicky Deford, 1-970-845-5721, ndeford@vailresorts.com, for Keystone Resort

Web site: http://www.multivu.com/


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