U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix circles back to Mammoth

Mammoth Mountain steps to the plate once again in 2011 to host the Sprint U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix, scheduled for March 2-6. This will mark Mammoth’s second consecutive year of hosting the event and its fifth overall.

“Mammoth is truly one of the classic Grand Prix venues, having hosted some of the most noteworthy snowboarding contests over the last 15 years,” said U.S. Snowboarding’s Grand Prix Tour Director Eric Webster in an interview with First Tracks Online Ski Magazine. “Mammoth brings not only perfect venues for halfpipe and slopestyle, but a veteran staff that knows what it takes to host world class snowboarding competitions.”

Mammoth’s own Olympian Greg Bretz will headline the 2011 event. It was at the 2010 U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix that Bretz used big tricks and big air to grab his spot on the 2010 Olympic team.

“It was a great contest last year,” said Bretz, whose father also works at Mammoth. “Hopefully it will be again this year. I’m looking forward to it.”

Tyler Flanagan, another Mammoth talent, hopes to shine in the Paul Mitchell Progression Session portion of the four-day event. Flanagan, 17, won the 2009 Dew Tour contest and is steadily making a name for himself in the slopestyle scene.

According to Mammoth’s new Action Sports Brand Manager, Josh Chauvet, “2011 is going to be a pivotal year for the growth and future of snowboarding. The time is now for the riders to innovate and set the tone for the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi.”

According to First Tracks, “The Paul Mitchell Progression Session will conclude the 2011 Grand Prix series, with Mammoth marking the final stop of the 2011 Grand Prix tour. The event is set to air on two different television dates. Sprint U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix is scheduled for March 12 at 1 p.m. ET on NBC and March 19 at 4 p.m. ET on Versus. The Paul Mitchell Progression Session’s airdate is March 19 at 5 p.m. ET on Versus.”