NEWRY, Maine — Sunday River is working overtime to prepare for one of the largest events of the season. The Visa U.S. World Snowboarding Cup is scheduled at the resort February 26 ??“ 28 and brings with it internationally acclaimed Olympic athletes and coaches, national news coverage, and a sponsor village.

Olympic and World Cup contenders will compete in Parallel Giant Slalom (PGS), Snowboardcross (SBX), and Team Snowboardcross (TEAM SBX). In PGS, riders race head to head on side-by-side giant slalom courses. SBX includes riders racing against each other in groups of four on a specially built course that includes banked turns, jumps, rollers, and varied terrain. TEAM SBX pairs two riders on a team. One races the course against three to five other competitors and when they cross the finish line, the gate at the start triggers for the teammate to begin racing.

The SBX course will be constructed based on Olympic designer Jeff Ihaksi’s plans. Ihaksi, a former World Cup circuit competitor, was responsible for the course at the 2006 Torino Winter Olympics where SBX debuted as an Olympic sport. He will also design the SBX course at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver.

On Thursday, February 26, such ranking PGS competitors as Michelle Gorgone (Boston, MA) and Tyler Jewell (Steamboat Springs, CO) will tear up Monday Mourning at Sunday River between 1??“3pm in an effort to obtain top position. Saturday, February 28, holds action-packed SBX racing on Sunday Punch and Rocking Chair between 10am??“12pm and 1??“3pm with 2006 Olympic gold medalist and Maine native Seth Wescott (Sugarloaf, ME) as well as silver medalist and current dominating female SBX racer Lindsey Jacobellis (Stratton, VT). Awards will be presented slopeside after the races.

Throughout the weekend, Barker Base Lodge will host a United States Ski & Snowboard Association (USSA) sponsor village where Paul Mitchell, SmartWool, Nature Valley, XBox, Alka-Seltzer Plus, Sorel, Yahoo., and the Chris Klug Foundation will be offering free swag and contests. Plus, Sunday River guests will have opportunities to meet the athletes at autograph-signing sessions throughout the week.

Sunday River is located minutes from picturesque Bethel Village in western Maine’s Mahoosuc Mountains. A true four-season destination, the resort offers eight interconnected peaks of world class skiing and snowboarding, two Grand Resort Hotels and golf at the acclaimed Sunday River Golf Club. www.sundayriver.com or call 800-824-2SKI.

For more information on the Visa U.S. World Snowboarding Cup including media credentials, visit the media center at www.sundayriver.com.