Colorado Ski and Snowboard Expo this weekend, Boston coming up Nov. 8-11

Get ready to hit the slopes by attending the Ski and Snowboard Expo this weekend (Nov. 2-4) in Denver and next weekend (Nov. 8-11) in Boston.

Denver organizers promise it will be the “single largest ski and snowboard sale in the state with 20,000 square feet of gear with prices slashed from 40-75 percent off last season’s equipment, including skis, snowboards, boots, bindings, clothing, and accessories.”

That’s not all. There will be plenty for the kids to do at the Winter Park Kids Learning Center and Keystone KidTopia Play Park, along with cool demos from the likes of The Skyriders! Freestyle Aerial Demonstration team presented by Crested Butte. Adults get demo areas to try slacklining, mountain board, curling, and a climbing wall.

And, oh yeah, the 2nd Annual Rocky Mountain Brew Fest. The event runs from Friday to Saturday at the Colorado Convention Center in downtown Denver. Tickets, hours. 

Next weekend’s event in Boston will include “the region’s most impressive ski and snowboard sale from East Coast Alpine and Eastern Boarder, and resorts around the globe will offer their best pre-season savings on winter vacation packages, lift tickets and season passes.” Live acts, interactive exhibits and ongoing giveaways also will be in the mix. Learn more about Boston.

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FIS denies Lindsey Vonn request to race a World Cup men’s downhill in Lake Louise

Maria Hoefl Riesch isn’t so sure Lindsey Vonn’s bid to race with the men is a good idea.

UPDATE: The FIS has ruled that Lindsey Vonn can not compete in the men’s World Cup downhill in Lake Louise. See why.

Will Lindsey Vonn get to race in a men’s World Cup downhill at Lake Louise? The answer figures to come this weekend when the International Ski Federation (FIS) is scheduled to discuss Vonn’s request when it meets Saturday and Sunday in Switzerland.

U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association spokesman Doug Haney told the Associated Press “the American federation was formally backing Vonn’s plan by submitting the request to FIS.” (Read the story.)

There is no rule against a woman racing with men, but FIS doesn’t allow skiers on a course the week before a race to prevent them from getting an advantage. The women ski the following weekend in Lake Louise, which would appear to be a conflict.

Racing in Lake Louise with the men, then, could cost Vonn two races, because the men ski the weekend of Women’s World Cup in Aspen. Whether the four-time overall champ would want to miss those scoring opportunities is another reason she might not choose to race with the men.

Even Vonn had to admit, in an interview with the Denver Post, that “it’s not looking good.”  (Story) Beyond that, friend and rival Maria Hoefl-Riesch isn’t sure it’s a good idea. See why.

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Ted Ligety blows away the field in first World Cup giant slalom of the season in Soelden Austria

Ted Ligety (U.S. Ski Team)

American Ted Ligety didn’t just win the season-opening Giant Slalom in Soelden, Austria, he won it with the biggest margin in 34 years.

The 2.75-second victory on Sunday (Oct. 28) was the 12th World Cup win of his career, second straight at Soelden and sixth straight podium at Soelden. (Yeah, we’re seeing a pattern here, too!)

Even more amazing? Ligety was in second place after the first run. Read the story on the U.S. Ski Team website.

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Shaun White in the halfpipe? He’s ‘Beyond Reason’

Is there anyone better than Shaun White in the halfpipe? Nope. But the reason’s more than talent. This guy works HARD at being the best in the world.

The proof is in this video, made during a training session at Northstar at Tahoe in California during February and now released as part of Oakley’s “Beyond Reason” campaign. Watch as White, unable to land the alley-oop double rodeo three years before, returns to the trick and masters it.

In addition, here’s a great Q&A with White conducted by Alyssa Roenigk of ESPN.

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Lance Armstrong formally severs ties with his cancer charity Livestrong

Pat McQuaid, UCI president

UPDATE: Lance Armstrong has formally severed his ties with Livestrong, the cancer charity he founded. Story.

(Nov. 2): The World Anti-Doping Agency announced Friday that it would not appeal the decision by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) in its case against Lance Armstrong. Story.

Lance Armstrong has been officially stripped of his seven Tour de France titles and banned for life after the International Cycling Union (UCI) ratified the United States Anti-Doping Agency’s (USADA) sanctions against the American, Reuters reports.

“Lance Armstrong has no place in cycling. Lance Armstrong deserves to be forgotten in cycling,” UCI president Pat McQuaid told a news conference.

Read the article to find out how the USADA and Armstrong responded, as well as who might receive the Tour de France titles won by Armstrong. More.

On Oct. 23, former Armstrong teammate Steffen Kjaergaard, who rode on the U.S. Postal Service team in the Tour de France in 2000 and 2001, admitted to doping and was placed on leave as Norway’s cycling federation sports director. Read more.

The UCI decision is the latest development in the Armstrong investigation that exploded on Oct. 10 when USADA released all of its evidence against Armstrong, more than 1,000 pages and sworn testimony from 26 people, about the cyclist’s doping activities while racing with the U.S. Postal Service Cycling team. A 200-page document was made public. Read the document.

Over the course of the following week the fallout continued as Nike ended its contract with Armstrong and a number of other sponsors, including Radio Shack, Trek, Oakley and Anheuser-Busch, followed suit. In addition, Armstrong stepped down as Chairman at Livestrong, his cancer-fighting charity. Read more.

Riders who testified included Armstrong teammates such as Tom Danielson, Tyler Hamilton, George Hincapie, Floyd Landis, Levi Leipheimer, Christian Vande Velde, Jonathan Vaughters and David Zabriskie. Armstrong attorney Tim Herman called the report “a one-sided hatchet job” that used the testimony of  “serial perjurers.”

The allegations will seem familiar to anyone who has seen recent interviews with Tyler Hamilton or read his book The Secret Race about his life in bike racing before and after he tested positive in 2004 for having someone else’s blood in his system. Among many other things, the book undercuts the argument that, just because someone has passed a drug test, he or she is clean. Read an Outside Magazine Q&A with Tyler Hamilton.

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Loveland Ski Area opens in Colorado for skiers and snowboarders

UPDATE: Check out this photo from opening day.

Loveland Ski Resort will become the second ski resort to open in Colorado when it drops the ropes on Tuesday (Oct. 23) to launch its 75th season.

Here’s what the resort is reporting it will have for skiers and snowboarders: “Our opening day run will consist of Catwalk, Mambo, and Home Run, for a combined total of nearly 1,000 vertical feet.  The opening day run will be from tree-to-tree with an 18 inch base.  We will also have 5 terrain park features ready to go on opening day.” Get more details.

Loveland joins Arapahoe Basin, which became the first Colorado resort to open for the season on Oct. 17.

Wondering how much snow we might get this season? Here’s the forecast.

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Complete results of Dew Tour’s awesome inaugural visit to San Francisco

The Dew Tour’s Toyota City Championships in San Francisco drew big crowds to see the likes of FMX Triple Threat, Skate Street and many other competitions.

Winners over the weekend included Adam Jones (FMX Triple Threat) and Ryan Sheckler (Streetstyle Skate).  Here’s where to find stories and photos of all events. Find videos here. For complete results, go here.

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Ryan Decenzo talks about defending skate street title at Dew Tour this weekend in San Francisco

Are you ready for the Toyota City Championships, the next stop on the Dew Tour this weekend (Oct. 18-21) in San Francisco? We can’t wait.

Here’s where to find a schedule of live events and TV coverage, as well as videos, photos and news about the (Lil Wayne is performing!). Find it here.

And we’ve included the video above of Ryan Decenzo talking about defense of his skate street title. That event starts at 4:30 p.m. EDT on Thursday.

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Arapahoe Basin opens the ski season in Colorado

Snowmaking is in high gear at Loveland Ski Area  in the Colorado high country.

UPDATE: They are making snow like mad at Loveland Ski Resort. Look here to see the progress.

you ready to ski and ride? Starting Wednesday (Oct. 17), you’ll be able to start your season at Arapahoe Basin when it becomes the first Colorado resort to open for the season.

A-Basin wasn’t the first resort to make snow this season — that was Copper Mountain — but they get to the “start” line first, edging their friendly rivals at Loveland Ski Area, which expects to open later in the week.

Read the Summit Daily News for how much terrain will be open and more information about opening day.

Wondering how much snow we might get this season? Here’s the forecast.

Swany Gloves is dedicated to bringing you the best of outdoor adventure. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter.

Video: Watch Felix Baumgartner jump from 128,000 feet above earth and land safely

VIDEO: Felix Baumgartner skydives from 128,000 feet

Felix Baumgartner achieved his goal on Sunday (Oct. 14), jumping from 128,000 feet above earth and landing safely on Sunday. Watch the video.

The Red Bull Stratos project might sound like a lot of hype to see an energy drink, but Baumgartner’s hair-raising leap of 23 miles (which topped the speed of sound, about 700 mph) also has many scientific applications. Read more.

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