America (South & North)

Grand Targhee teams startThe first ever teams race on US soil was held at Grand Targhee, WY, on Satuarday the 13th Jan. Almost 40 racer's showed up at battle it out in deep, new snow that made for hard skinning and challenging skiing.

Scott Coldiron and Brendan French took out the honours finishing first with the next 3 placing being decided in the final ski descent, making for a tight race.
On Sunday a short singles race was held. The "Free Style" race included 2 short "boot packs" (by foot, not skinning) and a long steep ski decent. This kind of race is aimed at introducing those with out all the super light, race gear into racing and was won by Brendan French, who used 190cm long, 98mm fat skis!

The Colorado season starts soon, to enter and learn more about the races please go to www.cosmicski.com. Coming up:

USSMAThe United States Ski Mountaineering Association (USSMA) announces the 2008 race calendar: comprised of 15 races including new events at Grand Targhee, Whitefish and Whitewater Canada. For the first time on the US race calendar there are team events: at Grand Targhee and the Silverton Mt. COSMIC race at Silverton.

PodiumThe II South American Continental Championship of Ski Mountaineering U.I.A.A., organized by the “Federación Chilena de Andinismo”, took place on September the 23rd 2007 in the ski center Termas de Chillan.
The race started at 10.30 am, all the 62 racers from the Open Internacional, the Chilean championship, and the South American Continental Championship enjoyed the sunny and beautiful day, 28 racers participated in the championship11 came from Argentina, 2 from Venezuela.

The opening of the II South American Cup of Ski Mountaineering U.I.A.A., organized by the “Club Andino Bariloche” and the “Federacion Argentina de Ski y Andinismo”, took place on September the 2nd 2006 in Chall Huaco Mountain.

Corbett's Couloir Conquered by Competitors in the Mountain Hardwear Life-Link/Dynafit Ski Mountaineering America's Cup

Jackson Hole, Wyoming-Ski Mountaineering competitors from all over North America convened at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort to compete for the first ever America's Cup. Organized and sanctioned by the United States Ski Mountaineering Association (USSMA), the America's Cup race was the culmination of an eight race series that spanned from Whistler, Canada to Sugarbush, Vermont including races in the Sierra Mountains, the Rocky Mountains and finally The Tetons in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Jackson Hole, WY-Canadian Andy Traslin won the Outdoor Research Randonnee Rally Race at Alpental, Washington in a time of 1 hour 44 minutes and 24 seconds just 33 seconds ahead of second place finisher Zahan Billimoria of Driggs, Idaho. Kevin Grove finished third in a time of 1 hour 47 minutes and 27 seconds.

Jackson Hole, Wyoming-February 11, 2006 - Crested Butte Ski Patrolman Ethan Passant won the third stop on the Mountain Hardwear, Life-Link/Dynafit Ski Mountaineering Race Series held in Crested Butte, Colorado. Passant beat Chris Kroger, from Jackson Hole, Wyoming, last years overall race series winner, by just 24 seconds, finishing in a time of 1 hour 54 minutes and 25 seconds. Pete Swenson, of Boulder, Colorado, was third, in a time of 2 hours 2 minutes and 5 seconds.

Jackson Hole, Wyoming-February 9, 2006 - Despite low snow and gushing rain, thirty-six competitors braved the elements to participate in the inaugural east coast Mountain Hardwear / Life-Lin k/ Dynafit Ski Mountaineering Race held on February 5th, 2006. The eleven mile course started at Mad River Glen, traversed a section of the historic Long Trail to Mt. Ellen, descended into the Slide Brook area then finished at the Sugarbush Mountain Resort. The event featured men's and women's categories in both competitive and recreational divisions. A strong contingent of local New England racers was supplemented by a handful that traveled from as far away as Utah and Quebec to compete.

Jackson Hole, Wyoming-Carey Smith of Jackson Hole, Wyoming and the USSMA team, won the men's racing division of the Arc'teryx Randonnee Rally ski mountaineering race at Whistler Blackcomb, Canada in a time of 1 hour 33 minutes and 3 seconds just seven seconds ahead of three time winner Greg Hill of Revelstoke, Canada. The Arc'teryx event is the first race in the 2006 Mountain Hardwear/Life-Link-Dynafit Randonnee Rally Race Series. The course was shortened slightly due to avalanche safety considerations, however it was still hotly contested by the top three men's racers including Chris Kroger also from Jackson Hole, Wyoming the overall winner of the 2005 Race Series who finished third in a time of 1 hour 34 minutes and 56 seconds.