Sierra-at-Tahoe Resort Host 5th Annual Buckle Up Slopestyle Print-version

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SIERRA-AT-TAHOE® RESORT RAISES AWARENESS FOR SEATBELT & DRIVING SAFETY

5th Annual Buckle Up Slopestyle in Memory of Greg Smith, March 19, 2011

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – March 9, 2011- Sierra Resort™ is building awareness for seatbelt and driving safety on March 19th with the 5th Annual Buckle Up Slopestyle competition for Greg Taylor Smith (G.T.S.). According to statistics for the U.S., teen drivers are 3 times more likely to be involved in a fatal car crash than any other age group.  Moreover, car accidents are the #1 cause of death for people 16-20 years old.  Sierra Resort hosts the Buckle Up event annually to try to reduce these numbers through fun and education.  The event is a full day of activities including a slopestyle contest in jam format, an on the snow barbeque, a raffle with prizes for almost everyone, vendor booths, music, and California Highway Patrol safety presentation. There are both cash and prizes for competitors and the event is open to skiers and snowboarders, both pro and amateur.

The event was inspired by the tragic loss of Greg Taylor Smith, a 16 year old Sierra Resort Freeride skier and team athlete, who was thrown from a car and killed in 2006. Each year the event grows, in turn growing awareness amongst youth about seat belt safety,which is the primary purpose of the competition. Sierra Resort will host the event in a spectator friendly venue so that anyone who wants to can participate in the festivities. Resort guests who don’t want to compete can still enjoy the food, music and spend the day watching skiers and snowboarders compete.  

This year’s event will be held in the newly built Aspens terrain park featuring a variety of jibs and jumps. The jumps can be seen from the deck & roof at the Tiki Bar at the base lodge. With the intention of educating young people on the facts of seatbelt and driving safety, G.T.S. Buckle Up Slopestyle creates a fun and cool environment to convey this important message in a way that garners the attention of both teens and adults.  Proceeds from the barbeque sales go to the Sierra-at-Tahoe Education Foundation, which supports Sierra Resort Team athletes.

Event Schedule:

Registration: Aspen Cafe 7:30 to 10:00 a.m.
Practice: 10:00am - 10:30am
Competition starts at 11:00am followed by awards

Cash Purse: $1,500.00

Sponsors:  GoPro, Sentury Snowboards, Von Zipper, Shoreline of Tahoe, South Shore Bikes, Powder House, Moment and more.

Cost:Amateur divisions is $25, Pro Division is $40.
Lift tickets for competitors can be purchased at registration for $35. 

Divisions: Open to first 200 total Skiers and Snowboarders in the following divisions:
15 & Under SB, 16 & Over SB, Open SB, 15 & Under Ski, 16 & Over Ski, Open Ski, Women’s SB/Ski

More about Sierra Foundation:http://www.sierrafoundation.org/

More about Sierra-at-Tahoe Resort: Keepin’ It Real

With over 100 acres of dedicated beginner terrain, four beginner-only conveyor lifts, a $35 adult beginner package, and a full compliment of multi-lingual PSIA Certified Instructors, Sierra Resort is one of the top places to learn to ski or ride in the western states. For freestylers, a commitment to innovative terrain parks has led to Sierra Resort being recognized by TransWorld SNOWboarding as a Top 10 Overall Resort and Top 10 Best Parks and Pipes in the nation. And for all-mountain skiers and riders, wind-protected slopes, incredible tree skiing, and 320 acres of backcountry terrain out the Huckleberry Gates make Sierra Resort a bastion of the authentic California ski experience. Easy to get to and always welcoming, Sierra-at-Tahoe Resort embraces skiers and snowboarders who want to escape from everyday life and enjoy the simple pleasure of winter in the mountains. Sierra Resort is a partner in recreation with the Eldorado National Forest.

The closest major resort to Sacramento, Sierra-at-Tahoe Resort is located just 12 miles west of Lake Tahoe and receives an annual average of 480 inches of snowfall.

For more information, visit www.SierraAtTahoe.com or call 530.659.7453.

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