SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- 09/16/08 --
ICER is pleased to announce its line-up
of some of the best world-class skiers, snowboarders, freestyle motocross,
and BMX/skate park riders -- as well as exciting musical performers
including The Cool Kids and K'Naan -- for this year's fourth annual
Esurance ICER AIR competition, taking place Saturday, October 18, 2008, at
McCovey Cove's Lot A, along San Francisco's famed waterfront and adjacent
to AT&T Park.
"We are thrilled about the incredible line-up of award-winning athletes
participating in this year's event," said ICER AIR founder Glen Griffin.
"Esurance ICER AIR is a continuously evolving event and this year we are
really excited to be expanding outside of the ball park as well as
welcoming some new competitors to the scene. The returning athletes and
the new guys are just as excited as we are about the event and we are all
looking forward to making this year bigger and better than ever."
The line-up for this year's Ski competition includes 2007 Esurance ICER AIR
winner and nine-time Winter X Games medalist Jon Olsson. Simon Dumont,
overall Halfpipe winner at the 2007 Honda Ski Tour and multiple medalist at
Winter X Games is back for his fourth attempt at an Esurance ICER AIR win.
Sammy Carlson, one of the best freeskiers in the world, will return for his
third appearance, after clinching third place at last year's competition.
Two of the biggest threats to the Big Air podium, Tanner Rainville and Sean
Field will be back for their fourth appearance at Esurance ICER AIR. Mike
Riddle, Superpipe, Slopestyle and Superhit winner at the 2007 World Skiing
Invitational is slated to return for his quest for a podium spot. A
talented field that includes John Spriggs, Colby West, Peter Olenick,
Michael Clarke and Oscar Scherlin will set the stage for another epic
competition at Esurance ICER AIR. New to this year's competition are
Swedish superstars Jacob Wester and Jossi Wells.
The line-up for this year's Snowboard competition includes two of the
biggest names in men's snowboarding, Andreas Wiig, a double gold medalist
at Winter X Games 11 and Chas Guldemond, the current Swatch TTR leader and
third place finisher at last year's Esurance ICER AIR. Tim Humphreys, 2007
Air & Style Rookie Challenge winner will be gunning for his first Esurance
ICER AIR win after coming in second last year. Torstein Horgmo comes to
this event with recent big wins including Big Air gold at Winter X Games 12
and a Slopestyle win at the 2008 Burton New Zealand Open. After an absence
at last year's event, Scotty Lago will be back with a vengeance to
challenge this year's field of riders. Scandinavian newcomers include
Hampus Mosesson, Antti Autti and Chris Sörman, who are all guaranteed to go
Scandinavian BIG over this year's Big Air. No one quite knows what Esurance
ICER AIR veterans Wyatt Caldwell and Ian Thorley plan on throwing down, but
it will most certainly leave the audience in awe.
David Ny of Scandinavian Shaper along with his team will be returning to
Esurance ICER AIR this year to build an even bigger and better ski and
snowboard jump. Ny and his team have designed snowboarding and skiing
venues around the globe, including the Winter Olympic Games in Torino, and
are considered the most experienced jump designers in the world. This
year's jump will rise an additional eight feet in height over last year's,
reaching over 11 stories, and will extend and additional 16 feet in length,
allowing for a longer jump and longer run-out. The jump and run-out will
be covered with nearly 200 tons of snow.
In addition, this year's Freestyle Motocross ramp will be set up to
crisscross over the landing of the ski and snowboard jump, adding an
exciting visual aspect to the competition. Some of the best freestyle
motocross athletes will be on hand to jump over a 70ft gap spanning the
run-out of the ski jump structure.
Esurance ICER AIR 2008, an action sports, music and lifestyle event, is
scheduled to take place on Saturday, October 18, from 12 noon to 8 p.m. at
McCovey Cove's Lot A, adjacent to AT&T Park, on the San Francisco
Embarcadero waterfront. As Esurance ICER AIR continues to evolve, McCovey
Cove's Lot A venue provides the ideal setting along San Francisco's
beautiful waterfront to create a comprehensive lifestyle community,
complete with Esurance ICER AIR's signature big air ski and snowboard
competition.
Esurance ICER AIR 2008 includes a star-studded line-up of Olympic and X
Game athletes in the arenas of ski, snowboard, skate, BMX and FMX
Motocross, as well as interactive exhibits and a beer garden. General
admission tickets are $28; family four packs offer a $24 savings and are
available for $88. All tickets can be purchased at www.icerair.com.
Esurance ICER AIR is committed to being a responsible leader in
environmental conservation and is planning the following for the event: a
solar powered music stage, an extensive onsite recycling program; all
marketing materials printed on recycled paper; plates, napkins and cutlery
made from recycled materials; onsite bicycle valets; an extensive public
transportation program; a "click 'n' print" ticket program to eliminate
unnecessary delivery; and much more.
Partners for Esurance ICER AIR 2008 include: Esurance, Virgin America,
Chipotle, True Anthem, Head Skis, Skullcandy, Heavenly Valley, Whistler
Blackcomb, The Stone Clinic, Right to Play, Comcast Sports Net, YourTV20,
Wild 94.9, Freeskier, Transworld Snowboarding, Spin, SF Weekly and San
Francisco magazines. A portion of the proceeds generated from Esurance
ICER AIR 2008 will benefit City of Dreams, a San Francisco Bay Area
non-profit organization dedicated to helping low income youth through
mentorship and youth development.
About ICER AIR
The idea of skiing San Francisco became a reality three years ago. On
September 29, 2005, 15,000 people watched history being made as ICER AIR
took to Fillmore Street for the first-ever urban big air ski and snowboard
competition. Realizing the potential for this type of event and always
wanting to push the limits of creativity, ICER AIR creator Glen Griffin
moved the jump to AT&T Park in 2006 for the first big-air stadium ski and
snowboard competition in the United States. Esurance ICER AIR has since
evolved into an action sports, music, and lifestyle experience featuring
skiing, snowboarding, skate, BMX and headliner music acts. In 2007, the
event expanded again to include freestyle motocross. Continuing the
mission of bringing the mountains to the city, Esurance ICER AIR 2008 will
be held October 18, and will again feature action sports, concerts, and
parties. For 2009 and beyond, ICER AIR intends to grow into other cities
and will announce its future plans soon. http://www.icerair.com.
About Esurance
Esurance, a subsidiary of White Mountains Insurance Group, Ltd. (NYSE: WTM), provides personal auto insurance direct to consumers online and
through select online agents. Through Esurance's award-winning website,
customers can obtain quotes, compare rates, buy policies, and manage their
auto insurance quickly and easily. Committed to innovation and healthy
competition, Esurance is proud to support unique, one-of-a-kind events like
Esurance ICER AIR. For more information on teams and sporting events
sponsored by Esurance, visit: http://www.esurance.com/aboutus/sports.asp.
About ICER
ICER began in 2000 as a small ski and snowboard products company with
aspirations to grow into a global sports brand. ICER entered the
marketplace by introducing a revolutionary new pocket-sized, spray-on
liquid wax for skis and snowboards. Building on the success of the ski and
snowboard product lines, ICER plans to expand by offering products for
sailing, surfing, wakeboarding, water-skiing, skateboarding and biking.
http://www.icersport.com.
About City of Dreams
City of Dreams is a volunteer based youth development and mentorship
program dedicated to helping youth living in low income housing build
brighter futures. Every year, City of Dreams takes youths on 24 events,
each infused with 12 simple lessons aimed at providing young people with
life skills. Through experiential learning, mentorship and community
development days, City of Dreams promotes self-esteem and expands the
perspectives of young people, helping them to pursue their dreams and make
healthy choices in life.
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Press Contact
Sian Parry
Glodow Nead Communications
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