“Ripzone is committed to giving the athletes an event that they want and need to be part of. The event is designed by athletes for athletes,” said Adrian Millar, Ripzone Marketing & Late Night Drive Thru Manager. “Ripzone’s sponsorship of the annual Snowboard Invitational is the highlight of our year and our goal is to make it that way for the athletes as well.”

“This event was created to give riders exactly what they wanted – a massive Superpipe pushing the boundaries of what’s humanly possible and a return to the nighttime Big Air in front of a huge crowd in the heart of Whistler Village,” said Doug Perry, Chairman of the TELUS World Ski & Snowboard Festival. “We’re proud to continue working with Ripzone on this event; which launches the Festival in style.”

The full athlete line-up for the Ripzone Snowboard Invitational include:

Big Air Invitations - Men
#
LAST NAME
FIRST NAME
SPONSORS

1
CONNOLLY
NEIL
Elan, Billabong

2
FELICIANO
JOSH
Sims

3
HARDINGHAM
ANDREW
Ride, Drop, Etnies, 32, Technine, Oakley, Rudeboys

4
HJELMSTADSTUEN
ROGER
Head, Helly Hansen, Airwalk, Dragon, Dakine

5
HUFFMAN
LUKAS
Nitro, Legion, Northwave, Drake, Bakoda, Anon

6
MASSEY
TYLER
Nitro, Oakley

7
MONTOYA
MARC FRANK
Sims

8
MORISSET
GUILLAUME
Salomon, Savier

9
NIEMELA
EERO
Rossignol, Volcom

10
OEDEGAARD
HENKI
Ripzone, Rome SDS, Version, SP

11
OSACHUK
MIKE
Forum, United, DC, OGIO, Stunt Wax, Boardzone

12
PARIS
RYAN
Flow, VonZipper, Windell's, RideNH, Clive, GMC Gloves, Ragged Mt.

13
RENCZ
MIKEY
Burton, Electric, Gravis, 2MC, Neff, Circle

14
RITCHIE
BENJI
Rossignol, Billabong

15
SHEEHAN
NATE
Artec, Ripcurl, Version, Savier, DaKine

16
TARTE
MARC-ANDRE
Westbeach

17
TIKKANEN
PAAVO
Endeavour, Volcom, Iris, Drop

18
WILLIAMS
TRAVIS
Option/NFA, APX, Drake, VonZipper, OGIO, Freestyle Watches, Evolution

19
Ripzone Sponsor spot - TBD

Ripzone

20
Ripzone Sponsor spot - TBD

Ripzone





Big Air Stand-by Riders – Men (in order)

#
LAST NAME
FIRST NAME
SPONSORS

1
DUFFICY
CHRIS
Sims

2
TRINIDAD
DARYL
Sims, SPY, Technine, Helly Hansen, Vital Snowboard Shop, Osiris

3
SANSALONE
KEVIN
Option/NFA, Dragon, Etnies, 32, RDS, Whistler Blackcomb, CTI Knee
Braces, Grenade

4
BACKSTROM
IIKKA
Sims

5
DELESALLE
DIONNE
Sapient, 32, Etnies, Drop, Sessions, Wildcats

6
LAMOUREUX
JUSTIN
Head Snowboards, Reef, CFR Sled Racks, Rude Boys, MGT

7
ROTH
JON
Sims, Volcom, Savier Shoes, Active Ride Shop

8
SCHOVANEK
KELLY
Academy Snowboards, Mission 6, Frozen Ocean, Arnette, Grenade, Technine

9
GAFFNEY
SCOTT
Ripzone, Giro, Nixon

10
BROWN
CHRIS
Salomon, Volcom, The Circle, Wildcats

11
DESCHENES
GUY
The Circle, Scott USA

12
McCARTHY
PATRICK
Option/NFA, Technine, Northwave, Defcon, Dragon, Snowboard Connection

13
GREGORY
NICK
Endeavour, Billabong, Electric, Red Bull, Nixon, DVS, Drake, Northwave

14
MELANCON
DAVID
Helly Hansen, Oakley, Drop, WE, Bluebird, Technine, Base, Empire,
Jeenyus

15
TETER
ABE
Palmer




Superpipe Finals - Men
#
LAST NAME
FIRST NAME
SPONSORS

1
CARRIER-PORCHERON
DAVID
Burton, Spy, Hurley, Empire

2
DESCHENES
GUY
The Circle, Scott USA

3
DILLON
KEIR
Burton

4
DUNCAN
JOSH
Endeavour, Grubwear, Boris Brother's Clothing, Canadian National Team,
The Source

5
FISHER
STEVE
Head Snowboards, Smith,

6
HARDINGHAM
ANDREW
Ride, Drop, Etnies, 32, Technine, Oakley, Rudeboys

7
KASS
DANNY
Grenade

8
KINGWILL
ROB
Arbor, Giro, Swix, Red Bull, Jackson Hole

9
KOKUBO
KAZUHIRO
Burton

10
LAMOUREUX
JUSTIN
Head Snowboards, Reef, CFR Sled Racks, Rude Boys, MGT

11
LIPSCOMB
CRISPIN
Elan, Westbeach, Vans, Spy, Pryme Helmets

12
MELANCON
DAVID
Helly Hansen, Oakley, Drop, WE, Bluebird, Technine, Base, Empire,
Jeenyus

13
MICHAELIS
JAN
Head Snowboards, Oakley Apparel & Eyewear, Ratiopharm, Toyota

14
MIGNEAULT
DANIEL
Oakley, www.danmigno.com

15
MORISSET
GUILLAUME
Salomon, Savier

16
TETER
ABE
Palmer

17
TETER
ELIJAH
Palmer, US Snowboard Team, Oakley, Nixon

18
WYNEN
LUKE
Unity Snowboards, Smith, Jays Snowboard Shop, KINeSYS, Jedidiah Casual
Clothing

19
RIPZONE SPONSOR SPOT - TBA

Ripzone

20
RIPZONE SPONSOR SPOT - TBA

Ripzone





Superpipe Stand-by Riders – Men (in order)

#
LAST NAME
FIRST NAME
SPONSORS

1
LEMAY
HUGO
Flow, Scott, Canadian National Team

2
AUBRY
DAVID
Ride, Oakley

3
BANNOCK
DENNIS
Ripzone, Atomic, Nixon, Technine, Grenade, 32, Etnies, OGIO, Ca$hle$$
Inc.

4
MARTIN
BRAD
Rossignol, Spy, Arson, Giro, Corbetts

5
JENNINGS
TREVOR
Head Snowboards

6
KUMLEA
JESSE
Ride Snowboards, Planet Earth Outerwear

7
MICHALCHUK
MIKE
Nike

8
SCHOVANEK
KELLY
Academy Snowboards, Mission 6, Frozen Ocean, Arnette, Grenade, Technine

9
RAYMOND
DAN
Flow, DaKine, Arnette, 661, Sombrio, Whistler Summer Snowboard Camp

10
GOLDBERG
RUBE
Nitro, Billabong, Dragon, Drop, The Circle, DMK Global




Superpipe – Women
#
LAST NAME
FIRST NAME
SPONSORS

1
BLEILER
GRETCHEN
K2, Oakley Eyewear & Apparel, Aspen Ski Co., Red Bull, Giro, Dakine,
Polar Revolution

2
BYRNES
TRICIA
Cold As Ice, Bolle, Stratton, Kombi, CLif Bar

3
CLARK
KELLY
Burton

4
CONRAD
SARAH
Ride, Nixon, Proskates, EC Lips

5
HELLMAN
ANNA
Head, Oakley, Pinkfling Bitchwear

6
MACKENZIE
AVERY
Endless

7
NICOLL
MERCEDES
K2, 32, Clive, Drake, The Circle, Velvet

8
RICKER
MAELLE
Oakley, Head, Whistler Blackcomb

9
TETER
HANNAH
Burton, US Snowboard Team, Nikita, Mountain Dew, Nixon

10
VALLEE
DOMINIQUE
Oakley Eyewear & Apparel, Prior Snowboards

11
ZUREK
NATASZA
Burton, Nikita

12
RIPZONE SPONSOR SPOT - TBA

Ripzone




Superpipe Stand-by riders – Women (in order)

#
LAST NAME
FIRST NAME
SPONSORS

1
McKENNA
LESLEY
Roxy, Nidecker, Nokia, Smith

2
MOURANT
AMANDA
Burton, Smith, Mocca Forte

3
FORD
MICHELLE
DIZ Skate & Snow Shop, Gauge Clothing, ICA Head Wear, Volcom

4
KOPINYA
SARAH
Burton, Anon, Vital Boardlife

5
LUNDMARK
HANNA
Nitro, Ripcurl, Frontline, Spy, Pinkfling Bitchwear

The Competition Design Team – consisting of top athletes and snowboard industry leaders, including Justin Lamoureaux, Kevin Sansalone, Maelle Ricker, Tara Teigen, Adrian Millar and Brandon Wong – awards the athlete invitations. Invitations are granted based on results from the season’s most prestigious events, including last year’s Ripzone Snowboard Invitational, as well as athlete achievements and overall performance in the snowboard community.

Riders who did not receive an invitation but still wish to compete can enter the Superpipe Qualifier for a chance to do battle in the Superpipe Finals. To register for the Superpipe Qualifier, please visitHere

Ripzone presents the Snowboard Invitational in association with Transworld Snowboarding, Crest Night Effects, Panasonic Shockwave, Snowboard.com, Davidoff Cool Water, and Gillette Xtreme.

The Ripzone Snowboard Invitational and the TELUS World Ski & Snowboard Festival are produced by W1 Inc. – Whistler’s largest sport and entertainment marketing company. The 2004 TELUS World Ski & Snowboard Festival takes place April 16-25. Known as the world's most intoxicating mix of high-octane music, art, and sports, the Festival also features the World Skiing Invitational featuring Salomon Big Air and Superpipe, the DKNY//Jeans
Outdoor Concert Series, the Kokanee Freeride Club Concerts, the Panasonic Pro Photographer Search and Showdown and the Panasonic Filmmaker Showdown.
For information, visit www.whistler2004.com, or contact W1 at 604-938-3399.


-30-



Media Notes:

The attached photo from last year's Ripzone Snowboard Invitational is
available for editorial use.



A summary of the Ripzone Snowboard Invitational schedule of events appears
below. For complete event details, visit www.whistler2004.com/ripzone.html

Friday, April 16
Training Day – Superpipe & Big Air

Saturday, April 17
Superpipe Qualifier
Nighttime Big Air

Sunday, April 18
Superpipe Finals
Superhit Contest