The Grenade Games got underway on Wednesday with the "Search and Recovery Mission" scavenger hunt and mini contest, before progressing to the dual slalom and moguls competition on Thursday on Davies Dervish. Riders will be tested for speed and style from noon to 2 p.m., before the finals getting underway.
Friday is the superpipe competition, which gets underway with an open jam session at 11 a.m. It starts off with the qualifier before progressing to the final eliminations rounds. Spectators are welcome to check out the pipe, which is the largest ever built on Blackcomb with 22 foot walls.
The last competition is the biggest, the Grande Finale at the base of Whistler Mountain. This unique slopestyle competition runs under the lights from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday.
This is the second year that snowboard legend Danny Kass has brought the Grenade Games to the Telus World Ski and Snowboard Festival, and this year an incredible 325 people signed up for one or more events. The Grande Finale is the only invite event, although additional invites will be handed out at the other contests.
The athlete list has some big names, including members of the national halfpipe team like Justin Lamoureux, Brad Martin, Dustin Craven, Brenden Davis and Mercedes Nicoll; top pros like Kevin Sansalone, David Carrier-Porcheon (a.k.a DCP), Andrew Geeves, and festival stalwarts Craig Beaulieu and Dave Fortin; Showcase Showdown winner Jesmond Dubeau; international riders like Josh Teter, Scotty Lago and Eero Neimela, among others. The complete list is available at www.wssf.com.
There are prizes for every event as well as overall performance over the week of the Grenade Games, a grand prize for the Grande Finale and a chance for athletes to drive away a Chevrolet Camaro.
