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Elite meet on Mount Washington for Afterdark Invitational

Top skiers and snowboarders vying for a $3,000 cash purse on Saturday
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THE AFTERDARK INVITATIONAL is Mount Washington's must-see event of the winter season.

 

Mount Washington hosts an invite-only list of skiers and snowboarders this Saturday night at the ninth annual Islander Afterdark Invitational. And with another 50 centimetres of new snow falling in the last 24 hours, mountain crews have all the material they need to put the finishing touches on the massive Afterdark Invitational step-down jump.

“We've been working on the best jump designs with our Terrain Park crew over the last month,” explains outdoor event coordinator Amanda Ridgway. “We can now enhance the jump and make it even bigger with the new snow at the site.”

To give the event site a test run, Mount Washington built a smaller version of the Afterdark booter last week at the Pepsi Big Air contest. The event was a precursor to the big show this Saturday night and two of the top riders from the Pepsi Big Air, snowboarder Brandon Lyon and skier Trent Gammon, both received a coveted invite to the Afterdark Invitational.

The list of riders this year is considered the best Afterdark invite list to date. It includes snowboarder Darcy Sharpe of Comox, who attended the LG World Cup Slopestyle event in Stoneham, Quebec last weekend. He achieved an amazing sixth place result at the event.

Skiers and boarders will be vying for a $3,000 cash purse with the top skier and boarder hauling in $1K each for their best judged runs. All competitors get to choose their favourite skier and boarder of the event which will earn two lucky individuals $500 in cold hard cash.

“This is definitely the must-see event of the winter season,” explains event coordinator Marina Stevenson. “The best riders from Vancouver Island and their friends from Whistler and the Lower Mainland will be throwing down huge tricks under the lights.”

The Islander Afterdark Invitational starts at 7:30 p.m. The event takes place on the flats at the bottom of the Whiskey Jack Chair. Just look for the massive booter, the Islander beer garden, and listen for the beat of the Naked DJ's!

The Islander Afterdark Invitational is supported by Vancouver Island Brewery, The North Face, The Zone at 91.3, Dakine, Bula, Electric, Pilon Tools, AFA Fireworks and Celtek. For more information on the event, check out mountwashington.ca.

 

– Mount Washington Alpine Resort