Even with the summer heat pumping in full affect, we all know winter is closing in ahead. With a new lift and memories of last winter's epic snowfall, we're looking forward to it with huge anticipation. We've just launched our winter site for '06/07, with more info being added daily. Check it out at Whistler Blackcomb, and we'll see you this winter...

TOP-LEVEL SKIERS AND SNOWBOARDERS TO COMPETE AT NZ FREE SKI OPEN’S DOWN-TOWN RAIL JAM

A selection of national and international snowsports superstars will display the art of street rail riding at this month’s inaugural NZ Free Ski Open Base Down-town Rail Jam on Friday August 25. The invitational competition will feature 10 elite free skiers and snowboarders, who will take on the massive BASE rail and perform their slides, rotations and big air in front of a panel of judges, all vying for the $2000 cash prize. Several truck loads of snow will be brought down into Wanaka courtesy of Snow Park NZ, who will ensure this impressive rail meets the exacting standards of the international competitors.

The Freeskiing World Tour is here once again... who's ready for Snowbird? The Subaru U.S. Freeskiing and Skiercross Nationals will return to Snowbird, UT, February 1-5, 2006, to kick off the Freeskiing World Tour, the Subaru U.S. Skiercross Series, and the inaugural Subaru U.S. Freeskiing Series.

The first on-demand source for high quality interactive action sport video content on the web is in search of the perfect on air personality for the Rip.TV Original series 'The News' and 'The Talk Show' (working title). The search is on for a beautiful female who has experience in front of the camera to deliver the news for the Action Sport world.

RedBull is going big as usual with a huge action sports photography contest that's shaping up to look pretty sweet, and they've just extended the deadline to August 1, 2006.

The Red Bull Illume Image Quest will spotlight the individual behind the camera, praising the triumphs achieved in action and adventure sports photography.

Red Bull Illume Image Quest 2006 is the first-ever international photography competition that celebrates the world of action and adventure sports, inviting both professional and talented emerging photographers to participate. The quest will honor the unique expression and skill of the photographer, as well as the spirit of the action sports community. The top 50 finalists will have their work exhibited in larger-than life outdoor venues across the globe, providing the most dramatic compilation of action and adventure sports imagery ever assembled.

Plehouse Films is proud to announce the release of "Skimatic", the ski machine.

It's almost that time of year again. Just when the ski season starts to wrap up and thoughts of summer sports, skirts, and sunshine cloud your brain, our pals in the ski video industry start leaking teasers to the upcoming films for next year, and the stoke begins again...

To kick it up a notch, Teton Gravity Research started spreading the word a bit early this year, with their Teaser for the Teaser. Their upcoming film is called Anomaly, and here's the teaser of the teaser, enjoy.

Somber news spread quickly around the ski industry earlier this week - we've lost a legend. Legendary ski mountaineer and guide Doug Coombs of Jackson Hole, Wyoming died earlier this week on April 3rd while skiing in La Grave, France along with Thomas VanderHam, 31, of Colorado.

Various online reports explain that Doug was skiing the Couloir de Polichinelle (a steep couloir that requires a traverse at the end to avoid a 60m cliff below) with three other Americans, Chad VanderHam, Matt Farmer and Christina Bloomquist. Reportedly, VanderHam slipped on an icy section, falling over the 60m cliff. In an effort to help, Doug skied to the edge of the same cliff to look for VanderHam, and likely lost an edge on snow covered rock, resulting in a fall down the same cliff. Both skiers fell over 450 meters down cliffs and rocks - Coombs was reportedly found by search and rescue with no breathing or pulse, and although VanderHam was found breathing with a pulse, he could not be revived.

Mountain Sports International (MSI) is proud to announce the inaugural Subaru Jackson Hole Freeskiing Open, March 22-24, 2006, at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort in Wyoming. The Open will be Jackson Hole's first big-mountain competition in 10 years - with over 100 of the world's top athletes gunning for the $7,500 prize purse and a shot at the overall Subaru U.S. Freeskiing Series Title.

Storytellers in the visual medium are once again invited to make history creating their own individual expressions of life during the Filmmaker Showdown, at this year's TELUS World Ski and Snowboard Festival in Whistler, B.C. The call for participants is now underway, open to anyone who loves to make films - amateurs and professionals, teams or individuals. Then on April 18th at the TELUS Conference Centre, the gala Showdown event is open to anyone who wants to witness the cutting edge of creative filmmaking. The infamous competition, now in its 5th year, is a major event at the TELUS World Ski and Snowboard Festival's legendary 10-day celebration fusing music, arts and sports from April 14-23.