STRATTON, Vermont ??” Longtime Stratton skier and founder of Siver Cartel, Mike Nick, has been quoted saying, “I’ve actually met kids who think skiing was invented after snowboarding.” On March 11, 2006, as Stratton hosts the Siver Cartel Young Gun Open, more and more people will understand exactly what Mike means.

Mike Nick is an X-games Medalist, a strong advocate of freeskiing, and a dad. His company, Siver Cartel, can be described as a lifestyle clothing company that supports freeskiers as real athletes and freeskiing as a state of mind. He declares, “Skiing is what snowboarding was 15 years ago, the outlaw sport??В¦the fresh movement. Nowadays, everyone and their mother are riding a snowboard. Skiing is the new sport now, and freeskiing is its fastest growing category. It’s amazing.”

The Young Gun Open at Stratton is the final stop of Nick’s sold-out Siver Young Gun Tour. Amateur freeskiers will compete in the fourth competition in the series that has also made its way to Copper Mountain, CO, Mt. Seymour, BC, and Mt. Avila, QC for qualifying events. The “Final Showdown” including the top three competitors from all four national events will also be at Stratton following the qualifier round. The champ will receive an all-expense-paid trip to the VT Open, another freeskiing event to be held at Stratton on March 22-26. The Siver Young Gun Open and the VT Open are two out of three of Stratton’s “Rides of March.” The third is the 24th annual US Open Snowboard Championships, the most original and prestigious event in Snowboarding, on March 13-19.

After the Young Gun Final Showdown, the party will move to Stratton’s new recreation center for the “Rockin’ Your Stinkin’ Socks Off Tour-Ending Bash” from 8-11 p.m. Nick says, “The recently opened Stratton Wreck Center is every action sports kids dream facility. Not only the top notch mini, but also the climbing wall, b-ball court, arcade games, pool tables and big screen TV make the Wreck any kids dream home away from home. Siver can’t wait to break the place in.” The party will include live music from Bishop and access to all the equipment at the Wreck. The bash is free for competitors and open to the public for $10.

The Wreck, Stratton’s new recreation center, held its grand opening over President’s Weekend this February. The facility is open Fridays and Saturday’s from 3:30 to 10:00 p.m. and Sunday from 3:30 to 9:00 p.m. Available activities include climbing wall, indoor halfpipe for skateboarding, pool tables, air hockey, Playstation, basketball, ice-skating and hockey. Admission is $5 and skate rentals are $3. Ages 14 and up are welcome with a waiver signed by a guardian for first-visits, and all skateboarders must wear helmets.

For more details, visit www.stratton.com or www.sivercartel.com.