Taos Ski Area has announced the dates for the 2009 Salomon New Mexico Extreme Freeriding Championships. The event will take place from March 4 – 7, 2009

We are looking forward to hosting New Mexico’s most prestigious skiing event again,” says Taos’ Alejandro Blake. “The Salomon Extreme Freeriding Championships attracts athletes from across North America and is one of the highlights of our season.”

With more than 100 skiers and snowboarders chasing a $10,000 purse, there’s no doubt that next year’s installment of the Salomon Extreme Freeride Championships will be one of the most competitive ever. Top athletes expected to attend include Colorado’s Cliff Bennett, who stormed back into contention on the final day of last winter’s event to take a hard fought 3rd place; Head Skis International Team member Tyson Bolduc, who is one of the most consistent athletes on the North American competition circuit, with numerous top ten finishes and victories at Jackson Hole and Crested Butte to his name and defending 2008 champ, Jake Cohn, who exploded on the competition scene last year.

For the women, look for Utah’s Alaina Huestis to defend her 2008 title, against local powerhouses Katie Gillen (2nd in 2008) and Andrea Krejci (4th in 2008).

“Every year the competition gets tougher,” says Chief of Race, Tom Winter. “We’ve seen athletes from as far away as Japan come here to test their luck, proving that Taos is one of the top stops on the North American freeride competition circuit.”

With venues ranging from the spines and cliffs of the West Basin to the wide open run and gun terrain of Kachina Peak, Taos offers a unique combination of intense terrain with easy spectator access. And with the venues changing each day of the competition, there’s always something new for both the athletes and those in the crowd.

To learn more about this event, make reservations or to see results from past competitions, please visit www.skitaos.org.