Bleiler Wins CoverGirl Snow Angels

ADMIN

• April 06 2008
• 499 views
• 2 comments

Check the “Photo Galleries” section on the home page for coverage by TWS‘ Christy Chaloux.

Aspen/Snowmass, CO, April 5, 2008–Gretchen Bleiler took home a significant $10,000 today, Saturday, April 5, for dominating the inaugural CoverGirl Snow Angels Invitational.  The competition was fierce, with nearly fifteen of the world’s best women snowboarders competing for over $20,000 in prize money.

Final results:

1st – Gretchen Bleiler, Aspen, CO. – $10,000

2nd – Kelly Clark, Mount Snow, VT – $4,500

3rd – Elena Hight, South Lake Tahoe, CA – $2,000

4th – Hannah Teter, Belmont, VT – $1,000

5th – Manuela Pesko, Lenzerheide, Switzerland – $500

Best Trick – Kelly Clark with a frontside nine hundred

Highest Air – Kelly Clark

Most Progressive Riding – Gretchen Bleiler

Best Trick, highest air, and most progressive award winners received a spa therapy and massage treatment good for the Snowmass Club during the ESPN Winter X Games 13, January 22-25, 2009.

In addition to these awards, every athlete who competed received a portion of the $20,000 prize purse.  The competition included an hour and fifteen minute jam session with full superpipe runs.

“This first year has been above and beyond all my hopes and expectations,” said Bleiler.  “We had amazing weather, a perfect halfpipe, an extremely progressive session in the park and relaxing off-the-hill activities.  I couldn’t ask for anything more.”

The Snow Angels Invitational began on Friday, April 4 and continues this evening with the Oakley’s Girls Night Out at Fly Lounge, opening to the public at 11 p.m. with a $5 cover charge.  The proceeds will benefit Aspen Skiing Company’s Environmental Foundation.

Tomorrow, Sunday, April 6, is final day of the event with a photo shoot from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. in the Snowmass Park.  The Snow Angels Terrain Park Boot Camp is also tomorrow from 12 – 3 p.m. with Gretchen Bleiler, Ellery Hollingsworth and Meg Pugh instructing beginner park riders on how to hit rails and boxes on Fanny Hill in Snowmass.

The world’s best snowboarders are in attendance, including Bleiler, Hannah Teter, Kelly Clark, Tricia Byrnes, Elena Hight, Clair Bidez, Soko Yamaoka, Kaitlyn Farrington, Shiho Nakashima, Ellery Hollingsworth, Paulina Ligocka, Lizzy Beerman, Meg Pugh and Manuela Pesko.

The CoverGirl Snow Angels Invitational is more than a simple superpipe competition.  The weekend features spa activities, yoga, environmental workshops and cooking workshops.

Aspen/Snowmass would like to thank the partners that made this event possible: CoverGirl, Oakley, Herbal Essences, Dr. Hauschka Holistic Home Remedies, Mission Product, Nike, Snowmass Village, the Snowmass Club and The Villas at Snowmass Club.

CoverGirl has committed to support the event in future seasons.  An announcement will be made soon regarding next year’s event.

The eighth annual Bud Light Spring Jam is the Rocky Mountains’ premier spring celebration with concerts, competitions and parties March 21-23, March 28-30 and April 4-6.  For more information please visit www.aspensnowmass.com.