NEWS: El Nino to Blame For Scheduling Changes at ESPN/Airwalk Freeride Snowboard Championships by Press Release SOUTH LAKE TAHOE (Feb. 6, 1998) � Heavy Snowfall and gusty winds have forced organizers of the ESPN/Airwalk FreeRide Snowboard Championships to postpone competition in the Boarder X event after completing several men's and women's heats at Sierra at Tahoe Friday afternoon. The men's competition finished the first two rounds of heats up to the second qualifying rounds. The women were able to run through the competition to the quarter-final rounds. ��The conditions today were less than ideal to run a safe and exciting competition,'' said Tour Director Jeff Grell. ��We are hoping that the weather will let up on Saturday to run the semi- finals and finals of the Boarder X in the morning and then move right into the finals for the Triple Big Air and Slopestyle.'' The ESPN/Airwalk FreeRide Snowboard Championships will award Overall All-Mountain titles to the top male and female competitors as well as 1997-98 discipline titles (Boarder X, Triple Big Air and Freestyle, which includes Halfpipe and Slopestyle). The Sierra at Tahoe event is the third and final event of 1997-98 ESPN/Airwalk FreeRide tour. Competition will resume tomorrow morning after an event organizers's meeting scheduled for 8:00 a.m. at Sierra at Tahoe. Because of uncertain weather conditions, organizers will announce the official competition schedule following the meeting. OTHER NEWS Hetzel and Epperson Overcome Odds Winning Boardercross Sun. (Feb. 08 @ 3:53:AM est) The ESPN Freeride Is Off To A Slow Start Fri. (Feb. 06 @ 1:40:PM est) FREERIDE COVERAGE: Aspen | Killington | Sierra-at-Tahoe SOL NAVIGATION: SOL | Scoop | Hardware | Industry | Circleplus | Push | Travel | Interact | School | Weather | Terrain | Compete | Mediator SPONSORED BY: 1-800 Collect | ESPN | Airwalk | USASA © 1997, InterZine Productions. All rights reserved.