A World Cup event boasting the top male and female aerialists and mogulists in the world, including U.S. stars Jeremy Bloom and Toby Dawson, is just one of many fun and exciting winter events taking place in New York State this week and next.

January 14-16, the Village of Lake Placid, home of the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics, welcomes the Nature Valley Freestyle Cup, with breathtaking mogul skiing at Whiteface Mountain and aerial skiing at the Mackenzie-Intervale Ski Jumping Complex. It's a thrill-packed weekend of huge air, off-axis rotations, high speed bumps and triple kickers. For more information, call (518) 523-1655. Also at Whiteface Mountain this weekend is the Whiteface Rail Jam, on January 15. Skiers and riders are invited to throw down their slickest moves at Whiteface's 79 Railpark, an enclosed railpark with multiple lines and a sound system. On January 17, check out Whiteface's Up & Comers Series second competition in its season-long series for age 14 and under skiers and riders. Entries are limited; call (518) 946-2223 for more information on this and the Rail Jam.

On January 17, Whiteface will host a qualifying round for Sports Illustrated for Kids' Next X Snow Search, a quest to find the �neXtreme� generation of skiers and snowboarders. It's the first all-mountain, all equipment, all person snow sports competition. All participants compete together in the same class, including boys and girls, skiers and snowboarders and adaptive athletes. Contestants must be 9 through 13 years of age (born 1991-96) to compete. One skier or rider will be picked to represent Whiteface at Keystone, Colorado from February 11-13 in the Next X Snow Search. For registration information call (518) 946-2223.

Elsewhere in the Adirondacks, in Malone, Titus Mountain will be holding 2-day snowboard camps for beginners, January 15 and 16 (ages 10-16) and January 22 and 23 (ages 17 and older), 9 a.m.-4 p.m., with a 1-hour lunch break. The cost is $180 ($225 Canadian) per student. The price includes lift pass, lessons and rentals. For more information and pre-registration (required), call (518) 483-3740 or (800) 848-8766.

In the Hudson Valley, head to Catamount Ski Area, in Hillsdale, for Rock & Ride with Mountain Dew on Saturday, January 15. There will be a Rail Jam for all ages and levels at 7 p.m, with DJ dancing in the Berkshire Room from 6-9 p.m. For more information, call (800) 342-1840 or (518) 325-3200 or visit www.catamountski.com.

In the Catskills, the Town of Windham and Windham Mountain are celebrating the ski area's birthday week with a winter carnival. The fun starts on January 18 and is capped off with fireworks Saturday, January 22 at 9 p.m. Windham Mountain will also be holding qualifying round for Next X Snow Search (skiers and riders ages 9-13) on Monday, January 17. Registration starts at 8 a.m. on the 2nd floor of the base lodge. For more information on these events, call (800) 754-9463 or (518) 734-4300, or visit www.windhammountain.com.

In the Chautauqua-Allegany region, Holiday Valley, in Ellicottville, holds the Racer X Series, Sunday, January 16. The series, three modified GS races for kids, is at 10 a.m. on Holiday Valley's Cindy's Run. There is a $5 entry fee per race. For more information, call (716) 699-2345 or visit www.holidayvalley.com.

The National Ski Areas Association's (NSAA) sixth annual National Safety Awareness Week, part of its Heads Up Safety Initiative, will take place Jan. 15-21. Throughout the week, ski areas across New York State will advocate slope safety by promoting the NSAA's �Your Responsibility Code� to guests and resort staff. For information on participating New York ski areas, contact NSAA at (303) 987-1111 or visit nsaa.org.

A celebration of mountaineering, the Adirondack International Mountainfest, takes place in Keene Valley, January 14-16. This charitable event includes a variety of ice climbing and mountaineering clinics, slide shows and demos, and supports the Access Fund, local search and rescue groups, and the New York Ski Educational Foundation. For more information call (518) 576-2281.

Winter revelers will want to join in the fun at Long Lake's 4th Annual Winter Carnival, January 15. This family-friendly day includes games throughout the day at the Mt.Sabattis Recreation Area, with skating races at the Will Geiger Skating Rink. In the evening, enjoy a roaring bonfire and fireworks. For more information call (518) 624-2332.

In the Finger Lakes region, the Greater Rochester area is celebrating winter with Coldrush 2005, a wide variety of hundreds of great indoor and outdoor events. For more information, call (585) 546-3070 or (800) 677-7282, or visit www.goforthecold.com.

The Can Am Sled Dog Races come to Allegany State Park, in the Chautauqua-Allegheny region, January 15 and 16. Come out and enjoy the competition, beautiful trails and more. For additional information call (716) 354-9101. And, in the Thousand Islands-Seaway region, the Tug Hill Try-it Race 25k/12k Classical Race will be held January 15 in Boylston at Winona State Forest. For registration information, call (315) 298-6993 or visit www.tughillskiclub.com.

For the sixth year, Empire State Development's I LOVE NEW YORK campaign is partnering with Ski Areas ofNew York for the 4th Grade Ski & Ride Passport program, which introduces fourth-grade students to winter mountain recreation in New York State.

With the 4th Grade Ski & Ride Passport program, any fourth grade student - from any state - can take advantage of unmatched and unprecedented skiing and snowboarding values from the New York State mountain resort industry for the 2004-05 winter season. Eligible students will receive a �Passport� book containing three coupons for free skiing and/or snowboarding at each of the participating ski areas in New York State. The only cost is a $15 processing fee.

This ski season, I LOVE NEW YORK is giving away a free pair of Rossignol skis. To enter for the giveaway, visit iloveny.com.

For more information on the 4th Grade Ski & Ride Passport program, up-to-the-minute cross-country and downhill ski reports, a free 2004-05 I LOVE NEW YORK WinterTravel and Ski Guide, and New York State events, attractions and lodging information, dial (800) CALL-NYS or visit the I LOVE NEW YORK Web site at iloveny.com.

Press Contact: Scott Flaherty sflaherty@empire.state.ny.us +1 (518) 292-5131

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