Kaprun, Austria - A new superpipe will be the newest addition to the Kitzsteinhorn Mellow Park in Kaprun this winter. Additionally, in the 2008-09 ski and snowboard season the ski resort's three terrain parks -- DC Central Park, Roxy Park and Glacier Park -- will be optimized and the Easy Cross course will be rebuilt at a new location.

McLean, VA - SnowSports Industries America (SIA) this week announced the winners of the 2008.09 SIA SnowSports Regional Rep of the Year Award. In its third year, this award recognizes those sales reps in the ski and snowboard equipment industry who have successfully fostered relationships with retail storefronts to help move winter sports products.

Carrabassett Valley, ME - The future of U.S. snowboarding will be on display at Sugarloaf this winter as the nation’s top up-and-coming riders gather at the northwestern Maine ski and snowboard resort for the fourth and final stop on the 2009 U.S. Snowboarding Revolution Tour, March 9-11. The USSA tour will crown its overall champions for the season at Sugarloaf, and the winners will qualify for a Chevy U.S. Snowboard Grand Prix event the following weekend.

Taos Ski Valley, NM - After welcoming snowboarding for the first time last spring, New Mexico's Taos Ski Valley (TSV) will this winter open to snowboarders for a full season, with opening day scheduled for November 27. New events have been added to the ski area's calendar to welcome snowboarders with open arms this winter.

Big Sky, MT - The Yellowstone Club, an uber-exclusive private skiing and golf community outside of Big Sky, Mont., this week announced that it has entered into a long-term operational management joint venture with Scottsdale, Arizona-based Discovery Land Company to manage the Yellowstone Club and further expand the Club’s residential community, infrastructure and Club amenities.

Montreux, Switzerland - A new Swiss ski manufacturer, heidiskis, has introduced their debut retail collection: a trio of Austrian handmade, high-performance wood core skis.

Wakefield, MI - A trio of ski and snowboard resorts in Michigan's western Upper Peninsula announced their merger on Wednesday, indicating that market conditions made a merger a more sensible option than continuing to go it alone.

Methven, New Zealand - Skiers and snowboarders are in for a treat this weekend at New Zealand's Mt. Hutt ski area with fresh snow on a three-meter base and the promise of fine weather.

Perisher Valley (NSW), Australia - Crowds flocked to Australia's Perisher Blue ski resort on Thursday to watch the Burton Australian Open final men's and women's halfpipe competition. Always a crowd favorite, a field of impressive names in snowboarding threw down runs that were equally as impressive.

St. Joseph, MN - For the U.S. Ski Team's Sarah Schleper (Vail, CO), the best summer cross training happens in Minnesota, or at least on 200 acres of family land on Big Watab Lake, just northwest of Minneapolis.

Stevens Pass, WA - Washington State's Stevens Pass Winter Resort is the latest U.S. ski area to turn to a resort-wide RFID solution to manage its lift tickets and provide hands-free convenience for their guests. The system from RTP, which will be implemented in time for the 2008-09 ski and snowboard season, will automatically scan lift ticket products in the lift lines at each ski lift.

Montpelier, VT - Ski Vermont, the marketing arm of the Vermont Ski Areas Association, has released its roster of improvements to the state's ski and snowboard resorts due for completion in time for the coming winter season.

Rangeley, ME - Maine's Saddleback ski resort announced on Wednesday that it has named Warren Cook its new chief executive officer. Effective immediately, Cook is responsible for all aspects of Saddleback, including major new upgrades planned for the resort, guest services, and real estate development.

Livigno, Italy - For seven days, the XV International Telemark Festival, La Skieda, will return to the Italian ski and snowboard resort of Livigno March 28th to April 5th, 2009.

Chapelco, Argentina - One meter of fresh powder on the ground just after landing in Argentina isn't exactly the way U.S. Snowboarding's snowboardcross athletes expected their Southern Hemisphere camp to start out. But, after a couple more meters of snow fell, the athletes took the storm as an opportunity to have some free riding time on the hill.

Mammoth Mountain, CA - Although it is Mid-August and there are no signs of snow on the ground, the crew of Mammoth Mountain ski area's Unbound Terrain Parks is as busy as ever preparing for the upcoming season. Mammoth Mountain has made $750,000 in capital investments in its parks for the 2008-09 ski and snowboard season, including improved grading and expansion of current terrain, new “Adventure Zones,” enhanced snowmaking and two brand-new Pisten Bully 400 Park Bully snowcats.

Niseko, Japan - Hilton launched the Hokkaido region's newest premium mountain ski resort in July, taking on established ski and snowboard destinations in Europe and the Americas, but this time with a Japanese twist including palate-pleasing local cuisine and deeply therapeutic thermal spring baths.

Wanaka, New Zealand - World Cup snowboarders will get back on their boards Saturday as the 2008/2009 LG Snowboard FIS World Cup opens its new season. As took place last year, the freestylers will kick off the international competition series with a halfpipe contest at New Zealand's Cardrona Alpine Resort. Qualifier heats for both men and women are scheduled for Saturday ahead of Sunday's finals in the ski resort's new 22-foot superpipe.

St. Paul, MN - In celebration of the 30th anniversary of its Thinsulate insulation brand, 3M is offering consumers a chance to win a trip to see the 2008 Birds of Prey World Cup Ski Race at Beaver Creek Resort in Colorado.

Petite-Rivière-St.-François (QC), Canada - Quebec's Le Massif ski area garnered the Canadian Ski Council (CSC) Industry Recognition and Excellence Research Award for Mountain Operations and Guest Satisfaction at the Annual Canadian Ski Council Symposium held at British Colombia's Sun Peaks Resort in July.