VAIL, CO ??” Now in its 12th year as professional snow racing’s most prestigious event, the Jeep King of the Mountain Series has formally announced the schedule for the 2004-2005 Skiing and Snowboarding World Championships. Mount Snow Resort in Vermont will host a Jeep King of the Mountain Series event on January 22-23, 2005.

The Jeep King of the Mountain Series, which offers the richest purse in snow racing, will feature the world’s top skiers and snowboarders competing head-to-head to capture the King of the Mountain title for their country, a share of over $450,000 (U.S.) in prize money, $20,000 (U.S.) in bonuses from Paul Mitchell and the keys to a new Jeep Liberty. A national audience will be able to view the King of the Mountain Series on CBS Sports and through nationally syndicated television for a total of six hours of coverage between December 2004 and March 2005.

The 2004-2005 Jeep King of the Mountain Series will feature stops at some of the most spectacular resorts in the world, each providing for a unique and majestic backdrop, world-class recreational facilities and a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts. This year’s events include:

??? November 27-28, 2004 ??“ Telluride Ski Resort ??“ Colorado
??? December 18-19, 2004 ??“ Snowbird ??“ Utah
??? January 22-23, 2005 ??“ Mount Snow Resort ??“ Vermont
??? February 5-6, 2005 ??“ Heavenly Lake Tahoe ??“ California

Formerly a pure downhill series, the Jeep King of the Mountain Series has established a reputation for drawing 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 2004-2005 Series will maintain 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 favorites include 2002 Olympic Snowboard Bronze Medalist Chris Klug of the United States and Olympic Gold and Silver Medalist Karine Ruby of France.

Altogether, sixteen teams of two (one male and one female) will compete in the ski, snowboard, and combined competitions. Twelve teams (six ski teams and six snowboard teams) are invited from around the world, representing the United States, Austria, Canada, France, Germany and Switzerland. The remaining teams will be determined by a National Open Qualifier for top-notch amateur and professional racers that will be held on each event weekend.

Six races will be held over the four different event weekends between November 2004 and February 2005, with each event featuring individual and team competitions. The Series consists of two pure ski events, two pure snowboard events, and two unique events that combine both skiing and snowboarding, making the Jeep King of the Mountain Series the first integrated racing program in North America.

For its 12th anniversary season, the Jeep King of the Mountain Series will again use its innovative racecourse known as ???The Y.??? The unique course design delivers high-speed excitement in a format that combines the technical skill of Parallel Giant Slalom with the cutting edge drama of skiercross and boardercross. The Y has proved ideal for skiers and snowboarders alike, and the Jeep King of the Mountain Series is the only series to combine the racing elements of these two sports into one event. Racers begin on separate courses and must maneuver Parallel Giant Slalom turns. Midway through the course, racers meet at the Y, the point where the two parallel courses merge into one. There, skiers and snowboarders must race side-by-side on a single course while negotiating banked turns and single and double rollers leading to an exciting finish.

The Jeep?В® King of the Mountain was established in 1993. Jeep?В® is the title sponsor for the Jeep King of the Mountain Series. Other marketing partners for this season include: Atomic, Columbia Sportswear Company, Edge Advanced shave gel, John Paul Mitchell Systems, Mopar, Sirius Satellite Radio and Ski Magazine.