"If Ullr Was a Girl" Finalists to Face off in Whistler at Telus World Ski & Snowboard Festival

“IF ULLR WAS A GIRL CONTENDERS TO FACE OFF IN WHISTLER AT TELUS WORLD SKI & SNOWBOARD FESTIVAL FOR $25,000 PRIZE PURSE

 Phase Two of Whistler Blackcomb’s Contest for Women Kicks Into Gear With North America’s Top Female Skiers and Riders

WHISTLER, BC, March 13, 2007 – Whistler Blackcomb has kicked off Phase Two of the “If Ullr Was a Girl” contest. Ten invited professional skiers and snowboarders will join the top open athletes from ifullrwasagirl.com to battle it out for an unprecedented $25,000 prize purse. 

Confirmed invited skiers are Jess Cumming, Lynsey Dyer, Grete Eliassen, Michelle Parker and Sarah Burke.  Confirmed invited snowboarders are Leanne Pelosi, Silvia Mittermuller, Bev Vuilleumier, Dominique Vallee and Mercedes Nicoll. 

Open contenders Joanna Dzierzawski of South Lake Tahoe, NV; Vanessa Stark of Whistler, BC; and Pip Hunt of Crested Butte, CO won phase one of the contest and a seven day, six night trip to Whistler Blackcomb from anywhere in North America by getting the most votes on the ifullrwasagirl.com site. They will compete against the invited pro skiers and snowboarders for the massive $25,000 prize purse.

Ash Crist of Snowbird, Meredith Eades of Dewittville, PQ and Angie Seeley of Sun Peaks, BC also won trips and will be competing as amateurs within the contest.  Amateurs will vie for a separate Ullr Girl prize package including a professional photo shoot, inclusion in a Matchstick Productions’ or girl’s snowboard DVD, a new gear set-up and a Whistler Blackcomb season pass.

With all the athletes confirmed for the athletic and mountain culture competitions, Phase Two of the “If Ullr Was a Girl” contest officially began with the launch of the new voting microsite on March 9. The contest will culminate with the on-mountain and mountain culture events at the TELUS World Ski & Snowboard Festival (TWSSF) April 13-22.

“We are proud to have so many of the ski and snowboard industry’s top athletes competing in ‘If Ullr Was A Girl,’” says Meredith Armstrong, Brand Marketing Manager for Whistler Blackcomb. “Our confirmed athlete list reads like a who’s who of North America’s hottest women skiers and riders.  The battle for $25,000 and the Ullr Girl title is going to be a major attraction at this year’s TELUS World Ski & Snowboard Festival.” 

The Ullr Girl finals for both open and amateur categories will consist of the following four event components:

1. Votes on ifullrwasagirl.com. Votes for the final selection were refreshed on March 9 with skiers and snowboarders starting with a clean slate – Voting will end Wednesday, April 18 at 5pm PST.
2. Participation in the Stompede, a sanctioned TWSSF event – Friday-Sunday, April 13-15
3. Ullr Unleashed – an evening of mountain culture. Each athlete will be asked to pick an art form – for example photography, film, art, or music – to present during a special evening event – Monday, April 16 
4. A big mountain competition held in-bounds on Whistler Blackcomb – Wednesday, April 18
5. Ullr Girl crowned and $25,000 grand prize awarded at the Big Air – Saturday, April 21

During the on-mountain events, skiers and snowboarders will be judged by different judging panels and ranked separately. All four event categories will carry equal weight and the finalists will be awarded points for their ranking in each event. The grand prize winners in the open category and the amateur category will be the two athletes who accumulate the most points after all four categories are totaled.

Head to ifullrwasagirl.com to vote for your favourite Ullr Girl or to get full contest information and rules.