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WSSF brings back top athletes, old favourites

Olympians and big-name pros to vie for thousands in cash prizes throughout festival
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wssf rundown

The sport schedule for this year's World Ski and Snowboard Festival (WSSF) will be action-packed once again, drawing Olympic-level athletes and other top pros to vie for huge cash purses.

Old favourites like the Monster Energy Shred Show and the World Skiing Invitational are back, and will provide the majority of the 10-day festival's highlights once again, though there are other exciting events, both new and returning, to keep your eye on.

So without further ado, here's the full list of sporting events that will keep you busy during another great edition of the WSSF.

MONSTER ENERGY SHRED SHOW

The snowboarding extravaganza returns with many of the world's best riders battling it out for $50,000 in cash prizes. The Shred Show is a 5-Star event on the World Snowboard Tour calendar, and presents the last chance of the winter for competitors to earn points towards their rankings in big air and slopestyle.

Riders expected to attend include Canadian Olympians Maxence Parrot, Sebastien Toutant and Charles Reid, plus other heavy hitters like Eric Beauchemin, Gjermund Braaten, Carlos Gerber, Kyle Mack, Tyler Nicholson, Aleksander Ostreng, Ryan Stassel, Emil Ulsletten and more.

April 12 – Big Air

Defending champion: Maxence Parrot

The big Saturday night showcase at Skier's Plaza features a 70-foot table jump with a $15,000 grand prize. Gets underway at 6:30 p.m.

April 13 – Slopestyle

Defending champion: Emil Ulsletten

The action moves up into Blackcomb's Nintendo Terrain Park, with riders hitting a course featuring three rail options up top and three booters at the bottom, finishing with the 75-foot Kong jump. First place takes home another $15,000. Qualifiers begin at 11 a.m.

April 14 – Boarderstyle

Defending champion: Jon Versteeg

This unique mash-up of snowboard cross and slopestyle pits riders against each other, head-to-head, on the Blackcomb snow cross track. Local rider Versteeg has won two of the past three years. Time trials begin at 11 a.m.

WORLD SKIING INVITATIONAL

A platinum-level Association of Freeskiing Professionals World Tour event that also serves as the AFP World Championships. Olympic medallists and other top skiers will be looking to grab their share of the prize purse, totalling more than $33,000. Athletes expected to compete include Bobby Brown, Joss Christensen, Vincent Gagnier, Nick Goepper, Gus Kenworthy, Alex Schlopy, Beau James Wells, Jossi Wells, James Woods, Simon d'Artois and more for the men; Dara Howell, Yuki Tsubota, Kim Lamarre, and more for the women.

April 19 – Gibbons Life Big Air

Defending champion: Vincent Gagnier

Be among the crowd of thousands that will take in the action from Skier's Plaza as the top 20 men in the AFP rankings spin and flip off a massive jump in Whistler Village. The winner takes home $6,000. Finals begin at 8 p.m.

April 20 – Samsung Slopestyle Finals

Defending champions: Gus Kenworthy, Maggie Voisin,

Blackcomb's Nintendo Terrain Park hosts slopestyle's first Olympic medallists and other big-time performers, with $6,000 awarded to the top male skier and $5,000 to the winning woman. Men's qualifiers get underway April 18, eliminations and finals on April 20 start at 10:45 a.m.

EVERYTHING ELSE

April 19 – King of Diamonds Poker Rally

A new event in support of the Whistler Blackcomb Foundation open to all aged 19 and older. Competitors ski or ride 10 different black-diamond runs on Whistler and Blackcomb, receiving a playing card at the end of each completed run. The participant with the best five-card Texas Hold 'Em poker hand at the end of the day will be declared the winner.

The top-five finishers will receive swag, including a grand prize of a 2014-15 Whistler Blackcomb season pass to the winner. Check in at Merlins at 7:30 a.m.

April 20 – Super Brawl Sunday

Black Diamond Betties vs. Sunshine Coast Roller Girls

Flat track roller derby returns to the Whistler Conference Centre for the second year in a row. Whistler's Black Diamond Betties welcome a new opponent after topping Squamish's Sea to Sky Sirens during the 2013 festival. This will be one of the WSSF's hottest tickets, so don't miss out. Opening whistle at 7 p.m.