Seeking out the best amateur snowboarders and freeskiers across the country this winter, the Gatorade Free Flow Tour has announced the complete schedule for the inaugural 2010 season. The Tour will kick off the weekend of January 9-10 with competitions at both Big Boulder Ski Area in Lake Harmony, Pennsylvania and Vail Ski Resort in Vail, Colorado. Eight other events will follow (full schedule below) on the weekends of January 16-17, January 23-24 and January 30-31.

Brendan Wall at Loon Mountain, New Hampshire. photo: Dan Brown

“Being able to bring amateurs in snowboarding and freeskiing the same stepping stone to the pros we offer skateboarders and BMX riders through the summer Free Flow Tour is something we are really excited about,” said Kenny Mitchell, Gatorade action sports team manager. “We want to do everything we can to support action sports at a grassroots level, and we’re looking forward to seeing these dedicated freeskiers and snowboarders out there competing.”

Mike Gallaher at Big Boulder, Pennsylvania. photo: Jason Wagner

The first ever winter season of the Gatorade Free Flow Tour will showcase the top amateur winter athletes competing in snowboarding (slopestyle and superpipe) and freeskiing (slopestyle and superpipe). Snowboarding disciplines will have separate competitions for men and women, while the freeski contests will be open to both.

Kim Lamarre at Mount Snow, Vermont. photo: Dan Brown

The 10-event schedule, which boasts between three and six winners per stop, will include resorts in all areas of the United States – the East (3) and West Coasts (3), the Midwest (1) and the Rocky (2) and Wasatch Mountains (1). Open to all amateur snowboarders and freeskiers 21 and younger, registration for the Tour is now available at gatoradefreeflowtour.com.

The winners in each of the 51 contests (30 slopestyle and 21 superpipe) will be flown to the Gatorade Free Flow Tour Finals, taking place in conjunction with the Winter Dew Tour’s Toyota Championship, February 5-7 at Mount Snow Resort in Vermont. Encompassing the “Flow to Pro” theme that is the cornerstone of the Gatorade Free Flow Tour, the two overall snowboard superpipe and slopestyle champions and the overall freeski superpipe and slopestyle champions earn a spot to compete against the pros at the first stop of the 2010-11 Winter Dew Tour the following season.

Tucker Perkins at Dew Tour Vermont. photo: Dan Brown

In addition to the main contests, each stop of the Gatorade Free Flow Tour will also include a Junior Jam division, open to all competitors 13 and under. The Junior Jam will take place prior to each of the Gatorade Free Flow Tour’s Open Division competitions, giving young amateurs valuable contest experience.

Willie Borm at Mammoth Mountain, California. photo: Jeff Schmuck

The complete 2010 Gatorade Free Flow Tour schedule includes the following dates and locations. Please note that the schedule is subject to change, and most events include both slopestyle and superpipe competitions. Exceptions are Big Boulder, Mountain High and Brighton, where only slopestyle contests will be held.

January 9th - Big Boulder Ski Area, Lake Harmony, Pennsylvania (slopestyle only)
January 9th-10th - Vail Ski Resort, Vail, Colorado (slopestyle & pipe)
January 16th-17th - Tyrol Basin Ski and Snowboard Area, Mount Horeb, Wisconsin (slopestyle & pipe)
January 17th - Mountain High Resort, Wrightwood, California (slopestyle only)
January 23rd-24th - Killington Resort, Killington, Vermont (slopestyle & pipe)
January 23rd-24th - Keystone Resort, Keystone, Colorado (slopestyle & pipe)
January 23rd-24th - Bear Mountain Resort, Big Bear Lake, California (slopestyle & pipe)
January 30th - Brighton Resort, Brighton, Utah (slopestyle only)
January 30th-31st - Loon Mountain Resort, Lincoln, New Hampshire (slopestyle & pipe)
January 30th-31st - Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, Mammoth Lakes, California (slopestyle & pipe)
*February 5th-7th, Mount Snow Resort, West Dover, Vermont (slopestyle & pipe)

*Gatorade Free Flow Tour Finals will be held in conjunction with the Dew Tour’s Toyota Championship

Registration Details
All competitions are open to male and female amateur competitors 21 and younger for all snowboard and freeski disciplines. There are limited spots for all competitions, so register early. There is a $20 entry fee that does not include a lift ticket, and all participants under the age of 18 must bring a parent or guardian to the event to sign a liability waiver. Contest registration forms, waivers and detailed information are available at gatoradefreeflowtour.com.

About The Gatorade Free Flow Tour
The Gatorade Free Flow Tour, the official amateur series of the Winter Dew Tour, holds competitions at resorts across the country throughout the month of January, providing a platform for amateur freeskiers and snowboarders to showcase their skills. The inaugural winter leg of the Tour consists of 10 regional events across the U.S., featuring freeskiing (superpipe and slopestyle) and snowboarding (superpipe and slopestyle). The winners of each regional event earn a trip to compete in the Gatorade Free Flow Tour Finals held in conjunction with the Dew Tour’s Toyota Championship, Feb. 5-7, 2010, and the overall champions in the four disciplines automatically earn a spot to compete against the pros in the first stop of the 2010-11 Winter Dew Tour. Gatorade’s partnership with the Free Flow Tour began in 2009 and its presence and commitment to uplift amateur freeskiers and snowboarders and provide an extended platform to grow action sports enabled the creation of the winter season of the Gatorade Free Flow Tour. Fuel TV will broadcast select coverage of the Gatorade Free Flow Tour and allisports.com will be the home of all digital content and Tour information.