Squaw Valley, CA (Monday, February 20, 2006) - The Jeep King of the Mountain Series, now in its 13th season, will head to Squaw Valley USA Feb. 25-26 for the grand finale of the 2005-2006 Professional Skiing & Snowboarding World Championships. In tow will be a star-studded line-up of athletes just returning from the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy. Held in conjunction with the finals will be the new Jeep Terrain Park Challenge National Championship.

The Jeep King of the Mountain Series, which offers the richest cash purse in snow racing, will feature 32 of the world’s top skiers and snowboarders competing head-to-head to capture the coveted title of World Professional Champion as well as a share of the record prize payout topping $450,000 (U.S.) plus $20,000 (U.S.) in additional bonuses from John Paul Mitchell Systems. Adding to the allure of the event, this year the keys to four new 2006 Jeep Commanders will be presented to the men’s and women’s ski and snowboard champions.

The event will begin with a National Open Qualifier on Saturday morning, Feb. 25, allowing top-notch amateur and professional ski and snowboard racers to earn a spot against the world’s best for a shot at the title of World Professional Champion. National Open Qualifier registration information can be found at www.jeepsports.com. Then on Saturday evening, organizers will kick off the Professional Skiing & Snowboarding World Championships. Highlights of the evening will include opening ceremonies, a torchlight parade, fireworks show and the skiing portion of the competition. On Sunday, the snowboarders will take center stage to complete the competition. At the end of the day, World Professional Champions will be crowned as King of the Mountain.

Running from December 2005 through February 2006, the Jeep King of the Mountain Series features races at some of the most popular ski and snowboard resorts in the U.S. and Canada. In December, the season kicked off at Crested Butte, Colo., before beginning the New Year with an event at Sunshine Village, Banff. The most recent event took place earlier in February at Sunday River, Maine.

Formerly a pure downhill series, the Jeep King of the Mountain Series has established a reputation for drawing some of the most elite skiers and snowboarders of the sport, and carries with it a rich history of past Olympic champions, such as Jean-Luc Cretier ('98 Nagano), Tommy Moe ('94 Lillehammer), Josef Polig (’92 Albertville), Pirmin Zurbriggen ('88 Calgary), Bill Johnson ('84 Sarajevo), Leonard Stock (’80 Lake Placid), and Franz Klammer ('76 Innsbruck). The 2005-2006 Series maintains that legacy, with a line-up that has produced Olympic medals, world championship titles, national titles and numerous world cup victories between them. Among the rosters in the men’s and women’s skiing and snowboarding competition include at least five athletes that will have competed in the 2006 Winter Olympics at Torino.

For 24 athletes from across the U.S., the weekend of Feb. 25-26 in Squaw Valley USA will offer an opportunity to make history in one of the nation’s fastest growing sports. At stake is the title of Jeep Terrain Park Challenge National Champion, and all of the bragging rights associated with this event in its inaugural year of competition.

The Jeep Terrain Park Challenge challenges amateur skiers and snowboarders to showcase their best moves in some of the nation’s best terrain parks, full of jumps, rails and other obstacles. The competition began with 50-plus resorts around the county hosting local qualifiers for thousands of eager participants. This group was then whittled down to the top 24 athletes through six Regional Qualifiers spanning from the East and West Coasts to the Rocky Mountain and Midwest regions.

Following are the 20 athletes already confirmed for the National Championship with four more to be decided on Feb. 20 at Bear Mountain, Calif.

Stevens Pass, Wash.
Men’s Skiing: Coby Trudell - Wenatchee, Wash.
Women’s Skiing: Allison Long - Everett, Wash.
Men’s Snowboarding: Marcus Stephens - Leavenworth, Wash.
Women’s Snowboarding: Megan Ginter - Carnation, Wash.

Giants Ridge, Minn.
Men’s Skiing: Tony Seyffer - Red Wing, Minn.
Women’s Skiing: Kristen Strobel - Northfield, Minn.
Men’s Snowboarding: Mark Wilson - Virginia, Minn.
Women’s Snowboarding: Annie Berres - Stillwater, Minn.

Angel Fire, N.M.
Men’s Skiing: Nick Chemiske - Angel Fire, N.M.
Women’s Skiing: Stevie Lund - Eagle Nest, N.M.
Men’s Snowboarding: Jon Long - Silverthorne, Colo.
Women’s Snowboarding: Whitney Rezendes - Englewood, Colo.

Boyne, Mich.
Men’s Skiing: Spencer Milbocker - Otsego, Mich.
Women’s Skiing: Haley Kanaskie - Traverse City, Mich.
Men’s Snowboarding: Carson Pippin - Holly, Mich.
Women’s Snowboarding: Ashley Meer - Caledonia, Mich.

Sugarbush, Vt.
Men’s Skiing: Ted Carrick - Stowe, Vt.
Women’s Skiing: Veronica Kelly - Lanesboro, Mass.
Men’s Snowboarding: Ben Sullo - Bristol, Vt.
Women’s Snowboarding: Elizabeth Slattery - Burlington, Vt.

Proceeds from the Jeep Terrain Park Challenge will benefit The Heuga Center, a non-profit organization founded in 1984 by former Olympic ski racer, Jimmie Heuga, that improves the lives of people with multiple sclerosis. Several of the Jeep Terrain Park regional competitions have coincided with the Heuga Center’s Vertical Express for MS (VEMS) program events.