Ski 4 Yellow Benefitting LIVESTRONG Debuts in Steamboat Springs, CO

Ski 4 Yellow, the first on-snow fundraising event benefiting LIVESTRONG®, offers a chance to ski and ride with Olympians, World Cup, X-Games and professional athletes in the fight against cancer while enjoying some of the best terrain in North America at the Steamboat Ski Area from March 25-26, 2011. Ski 4 Yellow is the new winter counterpart of the massively popular Ride 4 Yellow mountain bike event this past August.

“Each of us is driven to make a difference in the fight against cancer whether it’s atop a mountain bike traversing the Continental Divide in August or atop a set of skis or snowboard through Champagne Powder® snow in March,” said Kerry Shea, event co-chair for Ski 4 Yellow. “Ski 4 Yellow carries the same momentum and commitment as Ride 4 Yellow, but now to the deep snow-filled slopes of Steamboat for the very first time.”

The event kicks off on Friday night, March 25, with a star-studded gala and live-auction affair featuring Olympians, World Champions professional athletes and special keynote speaker, Dhani Jones, a 10-year NFL star currently with the Cincinnati Bengals and LIVESTRONG Global Envoy. In addition, Dave Wiens (6-Time Leadville 100 champion and Ride 4 Yellow pacesetter) has given the nod to be on hand.

Then on Saturday, March 26, Ski 4 Yellow tackles the slopes of Ski Town, U.S.A. as participants ski and ride their way across six peaks and nearly 3,000 acres. In addition to the experience of spending time with the world’s best athletes, several Ski 4 Yellow Challenges will also test skills with Mountain Challenges and NASTAR racing. Later that afternoon, the event culminates with a free concert by the John Popper Project as part of the Bud Light Rocks the Boat Series.

More than 20 Olympians are currently scheduled to be on hand and participants can anticipate sharing the day with Bill Demong (Olympic gold & silver medalist and World Champion); Deb Armstrong (Olympic gold medalist); Todd Lodwick (Olympic silver medalist & World Champion); Travis Mayer (Olympic silver medalist); Johnny Spillane (3x Olympic silver medalists & World Champion); Billy Kidd (Olympic silver medalist & World Champion); Nelson Carmichael (Olympic bronze medalist); Erin Simmons Nemec (3x X-Games silver medalist); and Ann Battelle (World Champion) just to name a few.

“We set our sights high for the Ride4Yellow and succeeded. The trend continues with our inaugural Ski 4 Yellow campaign,” continued Shea. “Steamboat’s Champagne Powder® snow is known around the globe. Combining this with its 75-year tradition of producing winter Olympians along side the commitment of the entire Steamboat & LIVESTRONG communities made Ski Town, U.S.A. ® the ideal location for the first-ever partnered LIVESTRONG snow event.”

To register, each participant commits to fundraising a minimum of $500 and pay a registration fee of $75 which includes the Friday evening Gala Affair, lunch on Saturday and event memorabilia. Registrants can form teams, or individuals will be grouped into teams for the Mountain Challenges. Registration will open by January 1, 2011 with a complete list of participation costs, donation requirements, sponsor levels and challenges through Ski4Yellow.

Half of the proceeds raised during the Ski 4 Yellow will go directly to LIVESTRONG , the organization founded by cancer survivor and champion cyclist Lance Armstrong to serve people affected by cancer and empower them to take action. The remaining half of the proceeds will go to The 4 Yellow Foundation set up through the Yampa Valley Community Foundation to address local cancer needs across the Yampa Valley.

The granting cycle for funds raised during Ride 4 Yellow is currently open beginning December 1through January 31, 2011. See the Yampa Valley Community Foundation for more information ( www.yvcf.org). The first grants from this newly established fund will be allocated in conjunction with Ski 4 Yellow in March.