2008 Paul Mitchell Opens Freeski Tour Starts with a Bang at the North American Open

Breckenridge Freeski Competition Nets Record Participation in Men/Women’s Slopestyle and Superpipe Events

BRECKENRIDGE and CHICAGO (MARCH 6, 2008). — If the early feedback from the athletes is any indication, the 2008 Paul Mitchell Opens Freeski Tour’s first event, the North American Open, has officially changed the landscape for freeskiing in the United States.  The North American Open took over Breckenridge Ski Resort from February 21-24, 2008, as hundreds of amateur and professional freeskiers, as well as media and industry members descended upon Breckenridge to see how this breakthrough open event would run.  Produced by world renowned freeskiers Simon Dumont and Jon Olsson in conjunction with rEvolution, a Chicago-based sports marketing and media agency and Freeskier magazine, the three-day weekend event consisted of Slopestyle events on Saturday, and the Superpipe competition on Sunday. 

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(Simon Dumont and Jon Olsson At NAO Rider Meeting)

“I think everyone was part of something special here,” said Dumont, a multi-winning X Games medalist who is considered one of the best superpipe riders in the world.  “I’ve had more fun [at the NAO] than I’ve ever had at an event.  Hopefully we’ve set a precedent – it’s only going to get bigger and better.”

Together with Paul Mitchell and Breckenridge Ski Resort, rEvolution teamed up with Simon Dumont and Jon Olsson to develop a new judging format for the North American Open.  This qualifying “jam session” format was widely praised by the athletes and sets Opens Freeski tour apart from other freeski events.  The judges awarded bibs to those competitors, pros and amateurs alike, that they felt were worthy of moving on to the finals.  The selected athletes joined a small cast of invited athletes in the finals, including Jon and Simon, with a more traditional, three-run final to decide the overall winners.

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(Jon Olsson and Simon Dumont Hand Out NAO Bibs)

“I’m not going to put my name on something unless I get up there at 6:30 in the morning and shape those jumps,” said Olsson, a multi-winning X-Games medalist. “We wanted to create an event that was as good as open event could be…and I think we succeeded.”Of this format change, another athlete remarked on her blog that the format, “…is way better than the traditional two runs like at the US Open and all the other major opens because you get more time to have fun and throw down all your tricks.”

Jon and Simon’s involvement went way past having their name on the event and participating in the preliminary judging.  Jon was spotted every morning preparing the jumps and the course to ensure that it was one the safest for all the competitors – even when Mother Nature wasn’t cooperating.

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