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Invited riders confirmed for WSSF events

Top pro skiers, boarders expected for invitational events

The organizers off the Telus World Ski and Snowboard Festival released the pro lineups for the World Skiing Invitational and World Snowboard Invitational, which are running concurrently from April 12 to 16.

The list of athletes includes Olympians and World Cup stars, X-Games champions, Gravity Games medallists, and some of the top snow pros in the world, as well as past winners from WSSF events.

The field for the World Skiing Invitational will include:

• Charles Gagnier of Orford, Quebec who was first in the X-Games and U.S. Open slopestyle events, third in the Gravity Games, and third in last year’s invitational.

• Sweden’s Jon Olsson who was third in the X-Games and U.S. Open slopestyle contests, third in the X-Games superpipe, first in the World Superpipe Championships, and first in the 2004 WSI big air.

• Vernon’s TJ Schiller who was first in the Gravity Games slopestyle and third in the 2004 WSI Big Air.

• CR Johnson, who was fourth in the X-Games superpipe.

• Ontario’s Sarah Burke who was second in the U.S. Open slopestyle, first in the U.S. Open superpipe, second in the X-Games, and second in the 2004 WSI superpipe.

Tanner Hall and Simon Dumont, arguably the biggest stars in freeskiing and past champions of the WSI, are both out with injuries. Hall has two broken heels while Dumont is recovering from a broken pelvis.

Men’s Slopestyle Invite List: Josh Bibby, Sammy Carlson, Tom Dolezel, Pep Fujas, Charles Gagnier, Andreas Hatveit, CR Johnson, Peter Olenick, Jon Olsson, Tanner Rainville, TJ Schiller, Henrik Windstedt, plus Japan’s Canada Cup winner and the top seven men from the qualifier.

Women’s Slopestyle Invite List: Ashley Batttersby, Sarah Burke, Grete Eliassen, Virginie Faivre, Beth Fletcher, Jen Hudak, Heather La Hart, Kristi Leskinen, Lisa Solberg, Jamie Sundberg.

Men’s Superpipe Invite List: Josh Bibby, Sean Field, Pep Fujas, Charles Gagnier, Andreas Hatveit, Scott Hibbert, CR Johnson, Arnaud Kugener, Dan Marion, Peter Olenick, Jon Olsson, TJ Schiller, John Spriggs, John Symms, Stefan Thomas, Greg Tuffelmire, Chris Turpin, Yuta Ueno, Corey Vanular, Andrew Woods, and the top-10 from the qualifier.

Women’s Superpipe Invite List: Sarah Burke, Grete Eliassen, Virginie Faivre, Jen Hudak, Kristi Leskinen, Marie Martinod, Jamie Sundberg, and the top-three from the qualifier.

The World Snowboarding Invitational (WSBI) field is also strong with names like:

• Keir Dillon, the 2005 World Superpipe Champion and third in the 2004 X-Games

• Crispin Lipscomb, the 2004 WSBI champion and 2005 Gravity Games winner

• Snowboard legend Todd Richards

• Hannah Teter, the 2005 World Superpipe Champion and Gravity Games runner up

There’s no qualifier, but you can vote for your favourites online at Snowboard.com.

Men’s Slopestyle Invite List: Dennis Bannock, Neil Connolly, Dustin Craven, Jesse Fox, Etienne Gilbert, Roger Hjelmstadstuem, Guillaume Morisset, Mike Page, Jeff Pepperdine, Mikey Rencz, Todd Richards, Benji Ritchie, T.J. Schneider, Logan Short, Marc-Andre Tartre, Aleksi Vanninen, Travis Williams, and seven from the slopestyle qualifier.

Women’s Slopestyle Invite List: Erin Comstock, Tara Dakides, Jana Meyen, Spencer O’Brien, Leanne Pelosi, Marie-France Roy, Hannah Teter, Emily Thomas, Marni Yamada, Natasza Zurek and three spots from the slopestyle qualifier.

Men’s Superpipe Invite List: David Aubry, Dustin Craven, Brendan Davis, Guy Deschenes, Keir Dillon, Mike Gotuaco, Andrew Hardingham, Rob Kingwill, Giacomo Kratter, Justin Lamoureux, Hugo Lemay, Crispin Lipscomb, Brad Martin, David Melancon, Jan Michaelis, Mike Michalchuk, Guillaume Morisset, Jamie Parker, Rio Tahara, Abe Teter, Elijah Teter, Matt Thompson, Louie Vito, Luke Wynen, and the winner from the April 3 Sprite Series, first to third from the Canadian Senior Nationals, and the winner of the Snowboard.com poll.

Women’s Superpipe Invite List: Molly Aguirre, Gretchen Bleiler, Kelsey Borsa, Tricia Byrnes, Kelly Clark, Sarah Conrad, Anne-Marie Gauthier, Natalie Gough, Elena Hight, Charmaine Ironside, Caylynn Irwinn, Mercedes Nicoll, Maëlle Ricker, Hannah Teter, Katie Tsuyuki, Dominique Vallée, Doriane Vidal, Koko Wright, plus the winners from the Canadian Senior and Junior Championships and the winner of the Snowboard.com poll.

For more information on the athletes and a schedule of events visit www.whistler2005.com.