Jordan Manley Takes 'King of Storms' Title for Second Year in a Row at The 3rd Annual Deep Winter Photo Challenge

WHISTLER, BC, January 12, 2009 – Pro photographer Jordan Manley has proven his talents once again, winning the Deep Winter Photo Challenge, presented by ARC’TERYX for a second year in a row and receiving accolades for the ARC’TERYX Image of the Show. His photos ranged from close-ups of patrol dynamite to skiers bursting through powder filled trees to macro shots as intricate as a skier reflected in an icicle.

"Chad Sayers, Dave Short and I had a great three days putting our ideas together. Fortunately we had new snow prior-to and during the event,” says Manley, who won the $3,000 first prize. “Of course the weather is always a challenge at this time of year, but that is the point after all. It pushed us to be as creative as possible and keep our heads down, plugging away, trying to pull together a compelling show. I tried to tell the story about not just skiing in Whistler at this time of year, but also about the work that Whistler Blackcomb Ski Patrol has been doing to keep the resort safe during a season when Mother Nature has showed us who's boss, not just in Whistler but throughout North America. "

This year’s pro photographer roster included snowboard photographers Crispin Cannon and Brian Hockenstein and ski photographers Andrew Bradley and Dan Carr. They wowed the crowd with fantastic slideshows that truly captured the essence of winter at Whistler Blackcomb. Cannon and Hockenstein placed second and third respectively winning $3,000 in prize money between the two of them. Their “a day in the life” themed slideshows were both entertaining and comical.

"The Deep Winter Photo Challenge was the perfect early warm-up for the season. It was the most nerve-wracking, exhausting and fun project I've done,” says Cannon, whose slideshow featured stop-motion photography; a very time-consuming method that plays out almost like a movie. “There is so much pressure knowing no matter what, everyone is going to see your successes and failures. My crew and I took three 18-hour days to make it happen and we are all proud of what we accomplished. Congratulations to Jordan, the show was inspiring."

The judging line-up included iconic photographers Dano Pendygrasse, Paul Morrison and Eric Berger, as well as Tom Duguid of Arc’Teryx and Mike Berard, who is photo editor of SBC Skier Magazine and works at Origin Design.

“The third annual Deep Winter Photo Challenge was another big success. Great photography and excellent slideshows entertained the sellout crowd,” said Morrison, who won the first ever ‘King of Storms’ title. “Jordan Manley proved to be a worthy winner once more. All the competitors worked extremely hard in tough conditions and deserve the thanks of everyone in attendance for five great presentations.”

The Deep Winter Photo Challenge, presented by ARC’TERYX kicked off the GORE-TEX Deep Winter Experience, which continues until January 18 and features avalanche awareness tours, Extremely Canadian clinics and 25 per cent discounts off all GORE-TEX outerwear jackets. Guests who want to come to Whistler and celebrate the rest of the week can pay for two nights and receive their third night free, starting from $179 per room per night. Guests can book by calling 1.888.403.4727 or by visiting whistlerblackcomb.com/3nightfree.

GORE-TEX Deep Winter Experience events:

-Avalanche Awareness Tours:

January 13&18 on Whistler: Guests meet in the Guest Communication Centre (GCC) in the Roundhouse at 10:30am. No pre-registration or deposit is required. The tours are approximately three hours long and they can accommodate up to eight guests.

January 15&17 on Blackcomb: Guests pre-register, pay a $10 cash refundable deposit and meet at 8:45am at the Blackcomb Daylodge.

-25 per cent off all GORE-TEX outerwear jackets - Purchase any GORE-TEX jacket between January 9th and 18th and receive a 25 per cent discount. Valid at CanSki, Showcase, Whistler Heli and The North Face Store. Not valid on sale items or in conjunction with any other offers or discounts.

-Extremely Canadian ‘Deep Winter’ Clinics - Jan. 15-16 - This is not your average clinic. Whistler’s finest ski pros, with their extensive knowledge of Whistler and Blackcomb’s best “off piste” terrain, will guide guests through some of North America’s wildest in-bounds terrain. Visit www.extremelycanadian.com or call Ski School Sales on 1.800.766.0449 for more information and registration details.

For more information on the GORE-TEX Deep Winter Experience line-up of events please visit www.whistlerblackcomb.com/deepwinter.

Consistently ranked as North America's top ski and snowboard resort, Whistler Blackcomb continues to raise the level of mountain excitement for its guests. With the landmark PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola opening December 12, the return of the popular Symphony Amphitheatre, and a host of other on-mountain improvements, this winter promises to be one of the most exciting yet. Located a scenic two-hour drive north of Vancouver, Canada up the spectacular 'Sea to Sky' Highway, this resort is home to Whistler and Blackcomb mountains, which boast one vertical mile of incredible skiing. With over 16 alpine bowls, three glaciers, 200 trails, and 8,171 acres of skiable terrain, the choices of where and what to ski/ride at Whistler Blackcomb from beginner to advanced terrain are staggering. Joined at the base by a vibrant pedestrian village filled with award-winning après bars, restaurants, patios, cafes, shops, galleries and spas, and surrounded by breathtaking scenery, this four-season resort is spectacular. For more information www.whistlerblackcomb.com.

About Intrawest ULC
Intrawest is a world leader in experiential destination resorts. The company has interests in ten resorts at North America’s most popular mountain destinations including Whistler Blackcomb, a host venue for the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Intrawest network also includes Canadian Mountain Holidays, the largest heli-skiing operation in the world, Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort in Florida and Club Intrawest—a private resort club with locations throughout North America. In addition, Intrawest develops real estate at its resorts and at other locations across North America and in Europe. Intrawest is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia. For more information, visit www.intrawest.com