By USSA

PARK CITY – Young riders and skiers eager to make an impression on the world of competitive winter action sports are gearing up for the Dec. 19 start of the U.S. Revolution Tour. The well-established series will feature snowboarding and freeskiing events at each stop.

In its eighth year, the Revolution Tour is a proving ground for up-and-coming athletes looking for a chance to compete against their peers on the national stage. The 2012 Tour will feature two new venue stops, bookended by returning resorts Copper in December and Mount Snow in March.

“With the addition of slopestyle skiing and snowboarding, and halfpipe skiing to the Olympics, it’s definitely making this coming season exciting for the Revolution Tour because the kids have an understanding that if they do well on the Tour, they have a direct path to Olympic qualification,” U.S. Snowboarding and Freeskiing Event Manager Nick Alexakos said. “Athletes competing at the Revolution Tour have a shot at qualifying for the Sprint U.S. Grand Prix series, which is an Olympic team qualifier.”

The tour kicks off Dec. 19 at Copper Mountain in Colorado’s Summit County with halfpipe skiing and snowboarding and slopestyle competitions held the week after the Sprint U.S. Grand Prix series.

“The 22-foot-pipe is a huge, early-season advantage that Copper has. Summit County is the epicenter of the snowboarding and freeskiing world early season and it’s great to have the first stop of the Tour in December when everyone is there,” Alexakos said.

Following its stop at Copper, the Revolution Tour moves farther west to Northstar on Jan. 9 where, in addition to halfpipe skiing and snowboarding and slopestyle events, the event will also feature skicross and snowboardcross.

“Northstar brings a world-class venue and it’s Shaun White’s new home mountain reiterating the quality of that venue for Revolution Tour competitors,” Alexakos said.

On Jan. 29 the Revolution Tour makes a Midwestern stop at Otsego Resort in Michigan where halfpipe, slopestyle and cross sports will all be on tap for skiers and snowboarders.

“It’s an Olympic-training style venue with a 22-foot pipe and it’s going to be a great place for us to be,” Alexakos said.

The tour touches down for its final stop at Mount Snow in Vermont on March 13 for halfpipe skiing and snowboarding and slopestyle. Mount Snow will mark its third year as the final stop on the Revolution Tour in 2012 where the overall champions will be crowned.

The Revolution Tour’s top male and female athletes have the chance to qualify for the Sprint U.S. Grand Prix, USASA Nationals spots, the US Open, the Aspen Open and Project Gold Team.

2012 U.S. Revolution Tour Schedule:

Dec. 19-22 Copper, Colo.

Halfpipe snowboarding, slopestyle snowboarding, halfpipe skiing, slopestyle skiing

Jan. 9-13 Northstar, Truckee

Halfpipe snowboarding, slopestyle snowboarding, halfpipe skiing, slopestyle skiing, skicross, snowboardcross

Jan. 30-Feb. 3 Otsego Resort, Mich.

Halfpipe snowboarding, slopestyle snowboarding, halfpipe skiing, slopestyle skiing, skicross, snowboardcross

March 13-16 Mount Snow, Vt.

Halfpipe snowboarding, slopestyle snowboarding, halfpipe skiing, slopestyle skiing.