European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 12, 1995, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Less extreme extreme skiing gaining fans in . By Mike Romano Scripps Howard news service extreme skiing a once the province of Only the most hard Core european Mountaineer alpinist a is developing much More than a cult following in some areas of the nation particularly Colorado. Since coming into Vogue in the late 1980s, America s fuhed Down version of extreme skiing a safer Saher and less stressful than the european counterpart a has been embraced by participants spectators and sponsors what s More International equipment manufacturers eager to exploit any new Market segment Are jumping on the c bandwagon offering skis poles and apparel for a sport some adherents expect to become a worldwide sensation in the next several years. \ Quot this could be a huge new sport for spectators and participants said Jean Pavillard chief judge of last year s . Extreme ski championships at crested Butte Colo. Quot suddenly skiing is survival a it s a new generation on the ski slopes and a new generation of Spectator sports the potential Market for the sport has rapidly evolved since 1991, when the first world extreme ski championship was \ held in the rugged Churach Moutain Range near Valdez Alaska. In fact it was born As a marketing ploy rather than an athletic Endeavor created by the owner of a nearby Lodge in the Thompson pass who wanted to promote skiing a and business a in the area. Quot it s a new exciting sport a fast action thrills and spills Quot said John Mccune director of the Valdez event. Quot it s not like watching somebody ski Gates Over and Over that gets Boring extreme skiing is never  one year after the worldwide. Competition attracted about 35 competitors to Alaska Colorado s crested Butte ski resort a site of about 650 acres of Tough ung roomed terrain a labelled the Quot extreme  a Quot it s just a glamorous sport a it s on the Edge and that s what people Are after Quot said John Santucci the owner of a Denver based production company who has a filmed both the . And world extreme ski championships since 1992. Quot i was involved with the Early Days of freestyle skiing in the Early 1970s, and this is very Simitar i see a tour being put together. Extreme is a big seller a look at the magazines the manufacturers the great interest in helicopter skiing. The ski Industry is really embracing this sport Quot the Bottom line is that it s going to take off a and it s going to take off in a big  \ / /. V. In Europe top flight alpinist who hit the extremes Are primarily mountaineers who also know How to ski very Well. Among them Anselmo baud considered by Many to be one of the fathers of extreme skiing in France. Quot first Yod must go up the Mountain Quot said baud. Quot and then you go Down. We go up the Mountain slowly because we want to know exactly what the terrain is and the difficulty. You Are an alpinist.  no lifts no   has made some harrowing runs Down some of the longest steepest and. Quot toughest terrain in Europe 50-degree to 60-Ciegree slopes with up to 3,000 vertical feet of descent. To has conquered some of the toughest slopes in the world including. The  Ridge and. Mont Blanc. A. A a a a a a a Quot you can not make a mistake in that terrain Quot he says. A  a a much of the nation was introduced to extreme skiing in the late 1900s, when filmmaker feg stump filmed his Liz Zane. Of of a journey through some of Europe s toughest terrain through the eyes of three hot dog american skiers. Unlike the out of Bounds skiing made famous in Europe by baud and his fellow extremists America s version is comparatively Tamo confined As it is basically to double Black Diamond terrain at places such As crested Butte. Though there Are widely varied definitions extreme skiing typically Means taking the Quot rowdies Quot line Down the most dangerous terrain available hurtling through tree lined Rock strewn chutes and taking Quot air Quot Over Cliff bands and other a launching pads along the Mountain \ a a Quot basically America s version is free. A. G a that s the right word Quot said Pavillard of the Type of Quot extreme Quot skiing a a a a usually done in crested Butte and other areas of the Continental . Quot but that. Phrase. A free skiing a won t sell like a extreme skiing Quot  course at Valde however does approach the level of danger in Europe. One skier died last year when lie tumbled off a Cornice Kim Reichhelm the top women competitor at the inaugural world a. Competition in 1991, says Quot Alaska is definitely different than crested Butte. I lore even if you take a big risk you re not.  die a you re not going to go for the slide of your life , you re surrounded by those kinds of situations you can easily fall to your  How big can the fledgling sport become already countries such As Argentina Australia f Ranee and Germany want to join the United states in International Competition. Several ski resorts in the Western United states including Jackson i Lole Wyo also want to play Host to competitions. Quot my expectation is that Well have seven major competitions in seven countries within the next few years Quot said Tim , race director for the crested Butte event and safety coordinator for the world Competition at Valdez. Quot there could also to a few feeder events in places like Aspen a Basin a Squaw Valley i expect Well have a. Worldwide tour that culminates in the. World championships each year it s. Obviously a Good television event. People la to on the Edge of choir seals watching  a mix Tomono to a  toe the Rocky a a a Moun Nln a cwt in Denvor. _ open monday january 16th .1 to in be i Wei. Or a a a. A a a a a a f /  is Ixta is Tifer in a a Quot Martin Luther King Quot Holida y Sal save up feb 75% on selected fall / Winter fashion clothing and shoes o bar. / a is. 0/%/ on selected Fine jewelry a. Tru 1 on selected ski boots. Is. I if 2 a in z a  s k u r yet a it o a Kirton selected k2, Panasonic and Scott bikes a items priced As Mark a limited quantities Quot Fuerth main Exchange Wald Strance 90-100, fourth phone 0911 97020 army s air Force Exchange service your preferred place to shop Voa 22 stripes Magazine january 12, 1995