Freesking is the most exciting, progressive and youthful aspect of skiing today, fueling the growth of the sport and garnering the attention of more than 12 million active winter enthusiasts. Twin tip skis are the hottest product in winter sports and have finally allowed young skiers to express themselves the way snowboarders have for years. Tearing through terrain parks, once solely considered the domain of snowboarders, skiers have pushed the limits of gravity, going higher, faster and farther, transcending skiing’s old boundaries and gaining national audiences through events like the X Games and the American Freeski Tour (AFT).

Having just completed its third season, ASA Events’ American FreeSki Tour (AFT) is redefining the freeski competition landscape for the thousands of “groms” who are choosing two planks over one. With events at premier resorts Breckenridge, Aspen and Bear Mountain in Southern California, the AFT has provided the platform and structure for the freeskiing movement to expand and explode.

The 2006 AFT events saw a huge rush of new talent to challenge the established crew, and some of the sickest tricks ever witnessed on a ski hill. Breckenridge hosted the first stop of the 2006 AFT. After receiving more than three feet of snow just prior to the event, the Breckenridge park staff pulled out the big cats and groomed out its always-epic park for a sick slopestyle contest. Fresh off twin victories at X Games and US Open Big Air, Canadian TJ Shiller was the man to beat in Breckenridge. And Peter Olenick was up to the challenge, lacing a run that included a corked 9 tail, switch 10 and a switch right-side mute on the last jump.

The AFT is not all work on the hill because when nighttime comes, the party is on. The Breckenridge event was no exception thanks to local watering holes, Sherpa and Yeti’s where the “Souls of Mischief” threw down some freestyle as well as some tight beats that got the crowd into the flow. Slopestyle winner Peter Olenick was spotted grinding with numerous girls at once while enjoying his “King for a Day” status.

Following Breckenridge, the AFT crew headed to Aspen to help with the 1st ever Aspen Snowmass Open. Using the X Games slopestyle course and huge halfpipe, young guns got their chance to go for the AFT gold. Peter Olenick remained hot, scoring his second big win of the season.

Finally, the AFT headed to the sunny slopes of Bear Mountain in Southern California, where the unflappable and shirtless Rex Thomas held court with 3,000 of his closest friends on the giant Bear Mountain sun deck. With an amazing course pouring down into the base area, So Cal was treated to an airshow like the Blue Angels. 15-year-old phenom, Tosh Peters showed that he has what it takes, edging out X Games golden boy TJ Shiller to take home the Gold.

Plans are already underway for 2007 with an opening season event at Breckenridge, a return to Lake Tahoe and back to So Cal to get a suntan. The AFT will be elevating the bar in winter event production, prize money and competition venues for 2007 adding huge nighttime Big Air contests in Lake Tahoe and at Bear Mountain.