Korbel American Ski Classic celebrates 30th anniversary in style at Vail's Golden Peak

America's original celebrity pro/am ski event takes Vail Mountain's Golden Peak by storm beginning Wednesday, March 21, as the Korbel American Ski Classic celebrates its 30th anniversary with four days of fast and furious ski racing action, coupled with off hill festivities and gala celebrations.

“The Korbel American Ski Classic is the premier event of the ski season,” explained Michael Imhof, Vice President of Sales and Operations for the Vail Valley Foundation. “We look forward to celebrating 30 years of Korbel American Ski Classic memories with a great week of competition and camaraderie that has always been the foundation of this tremendous event.”

The 2012 on-hill competitions will officially get underway Wednesday with the third installment of the Conway Cup community team race, presented by Korbel. Racing action will also include the Volvo Legends Giant Slalom on Thursday, March 22;Korbel Ford Cup celebrity team racing on Friday and Saturday, March 23-24; and the Future Legends Race on Friday afternoon, March 23.

The 30th anniversary festivities off the racecourse will be equally enjoyable, with a special Ski Classic Bud Light Street Beat free concert, featuring G. Love & Special Sauce on Thursday evening, March 22; the Gorsuch Tea Dance and Hold ‘Em for Hope benefit dinner and auction on Friday, March 23; and the Legends of Skiing Banquet, Saturday evening, March 24.

“Since its inception, the Korbel American Ski Classic has been a true celebration of the sport of skiing,” continued Imhof. “At the end of the day, the Korbel American Ski Classic is all about having fun, which is the true essence of skiing.”

The 30th anniversary Korbel American Ski Classic will kick off on Wednesday, March 21, with the Conway Cup community team race, presented by Korbel. In addition to the competition, the day will also feature anHawaiian-themed beach post-party, with prizes for the team with the most spirit and best costumes, DJ Mo Rockin and more. The winning team will earn the right to advance to a spot in the Korbel Ford Cup celebrity team competition.

Up next on the schedule will be the Volvo Legends Giant Slalom on Thursday evening, March 22, a head-to-head competition, featuring some of the greatest names in ski racing history. Past Olympians and World Champions will rekindle old rivalries on the racecourse as five generations of skiing legends collide for the right to once again stand on the top step of the podium, including rookie Legends such as Sarah Schleper and Marco Buechel.

If the fast-paced action on-course isn't enough to get the festive juices flowing, the Bud Light Street Beat free concert, featuring the bluesy hip-hop sounds of G. Love & Special Sauce, will provide a rocking conclusion to the racing action. The free concert will take place in the Golden Peak Finish Stadium immediately following the Volvo Legends Giant Slalom award ceremonies.

The legends will need to rein in their party instincts, to a certain extent however, as they move into the role of team captains and coaches for the final two days of the Korbel American Ski Classic as the Korbel Ford Cup celebrity team competition takes center stage at Golden Peak on Friday, March 23, and Saturday, March 24.

Five-member teams will attempt to work their way through a maze of head-to-head competition over the course of the two days, emerging with not only the team title, but a year's worth of bragging rights to boot.

Participants and guests will once again have the opportunity to showcase their casino prowess Friday evening as the fifth annual “Hold ‘EmFor Hope” benefit dinner and auction headlines the night's social festivities. Hosted at the Sebastian Vail, Hold ‘EmFor Hope will feature a Las Vegas-style buffet, live and silent auctions and a wide array of casino games. Ticket and auction proceeds from the evening will benefit the overarching mission of theVail Valley Foundation.

A very special ceremony will round out the Korbel American Ski Classic social calendar Saturday evening as one of the greatest all-around ski racers of all time will be honored when Luxembourg's Marc Girardelli is inducted into the International Ski Hall of Fame at the Legends Banquet.

Over the course of his 17-year career on the World Cup circuit, Girardelli accounted for a total of 46 individual victories and a record five Overall World Cup titles in addition to a pair of Olympic silver medals and 11 World Championships medals, four of them gold.

The 30th anniversary Korbel American Ski Classic is a project of the Vail Valley Foundation. For additional information on the Ski Classic or the Foundation, contact (970) 949-1999 or visit www.vvf.org.

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