Squaw Valley USA Wraps Up Season with World's Biggest Pond Skimming Contest and Huge Season Pass Discounts

Squaw Valley USA Wraps Up Season with World's Biggest Pond Skimming Contest and Huge Season Pass Discounts

BROADCAST QUALITY MPEG 2 B-ROLL FOOTAGE - Available after 2:00pm PDT, May 7, 2009.

STORY SUMMARY: (Squaw Valley USA, Olympic Valley, California) – Squaw Valley USA will bring the longest season in Lake Tahoe to a close this weekend with superb spring conditions, the world's biggest pond skimming contest, and the final sales days of the dramatically discounted 50/60 Anniversary Season Passes.

FOOTAGE INCLUDES: B-roll video of recent Lake Cushing Crossing pond crossing action.

SUPPORTING COPY: Squaw Valley USA, North America’s Spring Skiing Capital, continues to offer exceptional spring skiing conditions right to the end with a base snowpack on the upper mountain of over 7 feet. Upper mountain lifts will remain open daily through this Sunday, May 10th.

LAKE CUSHING CLASSIC – WORLD’S BIGGEST POND SKIMMING CONTEST - SAT, MAY 9
North America’s original pond crossing, the Lake Cushing Classic, returns to Squaw Valley USA for the 19th consecutive season. This wildly entertaining competition challenges local lunatics and gregarious guests to cross the vast and chilly waters of Lake Cushing on skis, a snowboard or any ski or snowboard-based vessel. Notorious for its colossal crashes, hilarious costumes, and ultra-creative pond skimming contraptions, the 19th annual Lake Cushing Classic is rescheduled for Saturday May 9, 2009.

Pond Skimming has become a fixture on spring event lineups at ski resorts around the world. However, it was at Squaw Valley, 19 years ago, when the event was first conceived. At the end of each ski season, when the large pond at the base of the mountain (“Lake Cushing”) had melted, Squaw Ski Patrollers would attempt to ski across Lake Cushing as a ceremonious goodbye to the season. The ritual developed into a public competition and later, Squaw Valley’s signature spring event. Since then, plenty of ski resorts have their go at pond skimming events, but none do it quite like Squaw Valley. Perhaps it is because the characters at Squaw are a little more daring, a little more agile, and a little bit better on sticks. Or maybe it is because “Lake” Cushing is a real pond, rather than a tarp-lined ditch or kiddie pool. Whatever the reason, the Cushing Classic blows other pond skimming events out of the water, and the thousand plus spectators each year are testament to that.

Registration starts at noon, and the event begins at 2pm. For details visit squaw.com.

LAST DAYS FOR DISCOUNTED SEASON PASSES - SALE ENDS MAY 11
In celebration of two milestone anniversaries – Squaw Valley’s 60th anniversary and the 50th anniversary of the 1960 Olympics, Squaw Valley is offering 2009-10 Season Passes for as low as $369 for adults, $269 for 18 to 22 year-olds and $99 for children. In the past Squaw’s season pass price point kept many snow sport enthusiasts from discovering Squaw Valley’s 4,000 acres of skiable terrain, advanced lift network of 33 lifts, convenient base area parking, free night skiing, a mountaintop lagoon & Spa, and the many other perks afforded to Squaw Valley Passholders. For details and to purchase online, visit squaw.com.

For more information about Squaw Valley call 530-583-6985 or visit www.squaw.com. Spring and summer lodging packages are available now - contact Squaw Valley Central Reservations at 800-545-4350 or visit www.squawvacations.com. Site of the VIII Winter Olympic Games, Squaw Valley USA is located five miles north of Lake Tahoe along the Truckee River on Highway 89. The year-round resort offers 4,000 acres of lift served terrain including half pipes and terrain parks, ice-skating, snowtubing, indoor rock climbing, an Olympic Winter Games Museum, shopping, dining and more. For more information call 530-583-6985, or visit www.squaw.com.
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STILL PHOTO:

Download Full Size Image
Credit: Courtesy Squaw Valley Ski Corp.

LOCATORS:
- Squaw Valley USA, Lake Tahoe, CA.

Footage provided by:
Squaw Valley USA
Contact: Savannah Cowley
(530) 581-7130
scowley@squaw.com

TAPE COPIES AND DUBS: To request a hard copy/dub of any segment on BetaSP or Mini DV, please call (530)583-4206 or email eric@tahoemediacenter.com