The World Heli Challenge freeride and freeski event debuts August 21st to September 5th 2009 in Wanaka, New Zealand.

The World Heli Challenge consists of 3 days of helicopter-accessed competition, staged over a two-week period to allow for perfect weather conditions. Athletes vie for top honors in Extreme, Free Ride and Downhill events and the coveted overall World Heli Challenge Champion. The event is returning to the scene after many years off.

“The World Heli Challenge offers the athletes the best conditions of which to ultimately test their all round ability as a snow athlete. The unrivaled camaraderie among athletes, the two weeks of continuous adrenaline activities that the Wanaka region is renowned for and the incredible helicopter skills of Harvey Hutton and the Back Country Helicopter pilots make this event quite simply one of a kind,” explains event organizer Tony Harrington.

The are 50 spots available for athletes, divided into 18 male snowboarders, 18 male skiers, 7 female boarders and 7 female skiers.

Some of the named athletes to take part in the World Heli Challenge include:
Matthew Annetts, Jackson Hole: Overall title winner of the 2009 North Face Masters
Janina Kuzma: Ski winner of the Engadine Snow in St Moritz
Maria Kuzma: 3rd in the Engadine and 5th in the World Tour Finals in Verbier, Switzerland
Ralph Backstrom: 4th place overall North Face Masters World Tour
Rachel Sheidow: 2x Dicks Ditch J.H. winner and former 3rd Alyeska Extremes, Alaska
Chris Davenport: 2xWorld Champion and inaugural World Heli Challenge Champion

“The World Heli Challenge is my favorite competition on earth. No other ski or snowboard event combines freestyle, extreme and psycho downhill skills like the Heli Challenge,” says Davenport.

Kiwi sensation Jossie Wells had his first taste of international acclaim when he was a forerunner of this event at just 9 years old. This time he’s back as an athlete along with his protégé brother Byron – two of the hottest ski kids in the world making big waves. Confirmed athletes also include Australia’s Chris Booth, Andrea Berchtold, Charlie Timmins and Boen Ferguson and the list is growing daily.

For more info and photos contact Tony Harrington, info@worldhelichallenge.com.

Our latest video, from backcountry footage in late March. For best quality, let the video load fully before watching, click the HD button in the lower right and watch full screen!

We are devastated to learn that Shane McConkey was killed while ski BASE jumping in Italy. This article from ESPN gives some of the details. We are thinking of his wife and daughter, remembering his amazing achievements and his defining sense of humor and missing him deeply.

After years of anticipation it looks like the Legend may have finally completed his first ski film in over a decade. Check out the preview of Greg Stump’s latest film, Legend of Aahhhs.

After hitting a high of $1889 this season, Squaw is finally dropping prices on their season passes! Restricted passes start as low as $369 and a totally unrestricted pass is $949, if you buy before May 11, 2009. Details here.Thanks Squaw!

Here’s video of the Lua’s Lane line, skied last Saturday morning. This is the first time that anyone has dropped in from the very top of the line rather than entering from Mole Chute. Skier two drops in from the top of Lua’s Lane at approximately eight seconds. Skier one was already on the face below, having entered Lua’s Lane from the top of Mole Chute (the chute to skier’s left).

Here are some photos. Click one one to see the high-res versions.

Click the HD button in the lower right for high definition.

Read the sad news about Tram face.

The rain finally turned over to snow and NOAA is calling for more than two feet by Wednesday. The Tram Face comp promoters are saying that the most likely window to unleash the comptetiors on Tram Face is Wednesday afternoon or Thursday morning. If conditions aren’t good enough by Thursday morning, the contest results will be based on the scores from the Silverado runs last Friday.

Tram Face is the ultimate Squaw venue; it epitomizes Squaw’s steep, rowdy terrain and its position just above the parking lot is the perfect arena for competitors to give 1000%  for the crowds and the cameras.  It’s fitting that this long-awaited contest is hinging on Squaw’s fickle weather patterns, where two-days of rain have scoured the area and two days of snow is poised to dump feet and create ideal conditions.