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WHISTLER, BC – April, 5th 2017 – Junior National Freestyle Skiing Championships will be making their debut on the WSSF event schedule that will take place in the terrain park on Blackcomb Mountain, April 6th - 9th. Monster Energy returns with its Boarderstyle Tour Finals on April 14th – 15th  and the fan favourite, Gibbons Style Session joins forces with Whistler Blackcomb's Fire and Ice team for an epic jump competition on April 15th at the base of Whistler Mountain. As always, the on-hill events will draw some of the top ski and snowboard athletes from North America and around the world to Whistler.

The Canadian Junior Freestyle Championships will be held April 6th-9th. This event challenges 80 of Canada's best freestyle skiers 12-18 years old to shred the Whistler Blackcomb Terrain Park, in Slopestyle, Big Air and Halfpipe. Qualification for an invitation to the Championship event is performance based after a series of provincials held across Canada. Award Ceremonies will be held on the Fido Main Stage at the base of Whistler at 5pm on April 7th, 6pm on April 8th and at the base of Blackcomb at 4pm on April 9th.

“We're stoked to have The Canadian Junior Freestyle Championships during the festival this year,” says Sue Eckersley, Executive Director for the World Ski & Snowboard Festival. “It's the first time we've had a national freestyle championship event in Whistler and we're stoked to feature the future generation of top skiers. These junior athletes are truly talented and we're looking forward to seeing what they throw down on the first weekend.”

The Monster Boarderstyle Tour Finals will take place in the terrain park on Blackcomb Mountain. The event puts four riders against each other in a head-to-head boardercross-style race integrated with big air features. In previous years, the event was a standalone contest in Whistler during WSSF. This year, the Monster Boarderstyle hit the road with national events across Canada. Winners from Nationals will be flown to Whistler to compete in the Monster Boarderstyle Tour Finals for cash prizes on April 14th – 15th. The event is open to anyone, with registration currently available online at http://wssf.com/Monster-Boarderstyle.

Gibbons Style Session is joining forces with Whistler Blackcomb's Fire and Ice team to put together a fiery jump competition at the base of Whistler Mountain beside the Fido Main Stage on April 15th. Professional athletes will be sure to put on a show with live dancers, master DJs and stunning fireworks. Along with entertaining the crowd, the Gibbons' athletes will be paired up and judged on their jumping and choreographic skills, and the winning pairs in both male and female categories will walk away with cash prizes. http://wssf.com/Gibbons-Style-Session

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The World Ski & Snowboard Festival (WSSF) is produced by Watermark Communications, a Whistler‐based event production & communications company, and presented in partnership with Tourism Whistler and Whistler Blackcomb. Having grown over 22 years into the largest annual celebration of snow sports and music in North America, WSSF is a 10 day and night showcase of some of the best of mountain culture, music, arts and snow sports. Featuring the largest annual free outdoor concert series in Canada, ski and snowboarding competitions, photography and film showcases, and spring skiing at Whistler Blackcomb, the World Ski & Snowboard Festival is the poster child for the ultimate ski and snowboard festival experience. In blazing the way for the youth of tomorrow, the World Ski & Snowboard Festival embodies the mantra: 'Party in April. Sleep in May.'

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