Team Rampinnng Defends its Title at Taos Ski Valley

Team Rampinng’s Michael Wagner and Keith Christian successfully defended their title at Helly Hansen’s Big Mountain Battle at Taos Ski Valley.

“It was a beautiful day at Taos Ski Valley. The locals came out in full force to compete in the battle,” said Marc Campbell, the organizer behind Helly Hansen’s Big Mountain Battle. “Tao’s ski patrollers created a rigorous course that challenged participants with thigh-burning hikes, required lifts, and required advanced ski runs.”

Team Rampinnng’s Michael Wagner and Keith Christian scored first place in the Advanced Open Class with a time of 1:37:38, winning free entry to the final Battle in the Bowls in Aspen/Snowmass on March 30. Team Just Point It’s Nick and Ted Wolff took second with a time of 1:41:56 while Team Gillens’ Katie and Cameron Gillen nailed third with a time of 1:44:47.

Helly Hansen is the number one apparel choice of premium ski resorts around the world. Its Big Mountain Battle challenges two-person teams to an intense, big-mountain racecourse that spans the entire mountain. Helly Hansen’s technology partner, Flaik, for the fifth year in a row, provided race officials with real-time stats, including location, speed and altitude, on each team with its real-time GPS tracking device.

Skiers and snowboarders can opt to race one of three categories: advanced, intermediate, and 12 and under.

The final competition, Battle in the Bowls at Aspen/Snowmass, will take place March 30. But before that final showdown can occur, the Big Mountain Battle will make stops at Kicking Horse, BC, Feb. 23; Park City, UT, Mar. 2; Mont-Sainte-Anne, QC, Mar. 2; Killington, VT, Mar. 9; and Steven Pass, WA, Mar. 9. Cost for the event is $80 per team. For more info and to register online, please visit
www.bigmountainbattle.com

ABOUT HELLY HANSEN

Founded in Moss, Norway, in 1877, Helly Hansen continues to protect and enable professionals making their living on oceans and mountains around the world. Their apparel, developed through a blend of Scandinavian design and insights drawn from living in some of the harshest environments on earth, helps provide the confidence professionals need to step out into the elements and complete their jobs. The company invented the first supple, waterproof fabrics more than 130 years ago, created the first fleece fabrics in the 1960s and introduced the first technical base layers made with LIFA® Stay Dry Technology in the 1970s. Today, Helly Hansen is the official uniform partner for more than 60 ski resorts and mountain guiding operations and has outfitted more than 33,000 mountain professionals. The brand’s outerwear, base layers, sportswear and footwear for winter, outdoor and water sports are sold in more than 40 countries. To learn more about Helly Hansen’s latest collections, visit www.hellyhansen.com.