Burton U.S.Open Finals: Shaun White bests Ayumu Hirano for halfpipe gold; Mark McMorris tips Torstein Horgmo in Slopestyle;

Here are results from the Burton U.S. Open, which was held in Vail this season after 30 years in Vermont.

HALFPIPE FINALS

Was there ever any doubt? Shaun White took gold in the men’s halfpipe on Saturday (March 2) at the Burton U.S. Open in Vail. But it wasn’t easy, as amazing 14-year-old Ayumu Hirano from Japan was a close second. Louie Vito took third to round out the podium.In Women’s halfpipe, the longstanding leader Kelly Clark defended her U.S. Open crown for her 6th title in this event and and 61st halfpipe win in her career. Hannah Teter earned the

Ted Ligety scores another podium to keep lead in World Cup Giant Slalom

Ted Ligety (US Ski Team photo)

What kind of a season has it been for Ted Ligety? It’s news when he DOESN’T win a World Cup race.

The American has been on fire, dominating the Giant Slalom discipline on the circuit, and in the recent FIS Alpine Ski World Championships Ligety won an astonishing three medals (Super G, Super Combined and Giant Slalom).

But you can’t win ’em all, as Ligety proved by placing third in a Giant Slalom on Sunday (Feb. 24) in Garmisch. Frenchman Alexis Pinturault won the race, followed by Austrian Marcel Hirscher. Read more.

Ligety’s result does mean he has finished on the podium in all six of this season’s giant slalom races (4 wins, 2 thirds) and leads (520-415) Hirscher in GS discipline standings.

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Tina Maze wins World Cup Super Combined, clinches Overall title after Maria Hoefl-Riesch skis off course

Tina Maze resumed her World Cup dominance with victory in Super Combined on Sunday in Meribel, France.

The Slovenian won the morning downhill by a large enough margin that it removed much of the mystery from the subsequent slalom run. She has now won both Super Combined races this season.

Maze now has 1,844 World Cup points, which gives her an unassailable lead in the Overall competition (more than 1,000 points with nine races left over Maria Hoefl-Riesch) and a great shot at being the first woman to crack the 2,000-point barrier in a season. Points standings.

Austrian Nicole Hosp earned second, while her teammate Michaela Kirchgasser took third. Hoefl-Riesch, who won the Super Combined at the World Championships, was third in downhill but skied off course in slalom. Read more.

Julia Mancuso raced

The latest on Lance Armstrong, from Tour de France to doping allegations

The United States Anti-Doping Agency presented evidence about Lance Armstrong’s doping.

UPDATE, March 6: Lance Armstrong gives an exclusive sit-down interview with Sports Illustrated. Check it out.

The downfall of seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong has been one of the most compelling stories of the past year.  Bookmark this page to keep up with the latest news and find previous reports on the disgraced cyclist.

• Armstrong’s use of performance enhancing drugs and other techniques were detailed in Tyler Hamilton’s book The Secret Race. More.
• The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency released its doping evidence against Armstrong in October. Read the evidence.
• Numerous sponsors dropped Armstrong in the wake of the USADA evidence was released. More.
• Armstrong stepped down as chairman of his influential non-profit, Livestrong. More.
• The cyclist, now stripped of his seven Tour De France titles, appears in a two-night interview with Oprah Winfrey. More.
• SCA Promotions Inc., which paid Armstrong $12 million in bonuses for three Tour de France victories, filed suit in February, 2013, for the return of its money in the wake of his doping admissions. More.
• The Justice Department, on Feb. 22 of 2013, joins a lawsuit filed in 2011 by another disgraced cyclist, Floyd Landis, which could claim $100 million in damages caused by his used of PEDs while riding with the U.S. Postal Service Pro Cycling Team. More.
• In late February two more lawsuits are filed against Armstrong, including one from an insurance company. More.

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

Everyone loves the Swany G-Cell, the glove that’s also a phone

Let’s face it: No one can resist the G-Cell, the glove that’s a phone.

Need  proof, just look at these two videos. Above, the good folks at Freeskier take the glove for a test-ride at the recently completed SIA Snow Show in Denver.

Or watch Bill Dzierson from Swany illustrate how to use G-Cell at the Snow Show in this AOL Skiing Video.

Want one? Of COURSE you do. Here’s where to buy it.

Want to win a G-Cell? Enter here.

Swany Gloves is dedicated to bringing you the best of outdoor adventure. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, enter our Outdoor Adventures Video Contest.

World Championships results, from Ted Ligety to Mikaela Shiffrin, Marcel Hirscher to Tina Maze

Here are complete results for the FIS Alpine Ski World Championships, which were jam-packed with great performances, as well as the frightening crash of Lindsey Vonn in Super G that ended her season.

The home country Austrians claimed the most overall medals (6) during the events held in the town of Schladming. The Americans were second with 5 medals, but claimed the most Gold meals (4)  thanks to Ted Ligety’s astonishing string of victories (Super G, Super Combined and Giant Slalom) and precocious teen Mikaela Shiffrin’s win in Slalom. Julia Mancuso took bronze in Super G.

Slovenian star Tina Maze, who has been dominating

Mikaela Shiffrin’s Gold in Slalom at World Championships continues her historic season

Mikaela Shiffrin continued her amazing season with Gold in Slalom at the 42nd FIS Alpine Ski World Championships in Schladming, Austria.

The victory on Saturday (Feb. 16) means the 17-year-old from Colorado now has four slalom victories this season and has stamped herself as both the world’s top World Cup slalom racer and the favorite headed into the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. (And she might be a contender in Giant Slalom after a strong sixth-place finish at the championships).

Shiffrin was third after the first run to  leader Frida Hansdotter, but out-skied her in the second run to relegate Hansdotter to silver. Home country favorite Michaela Kirchgasser took the bronze. Read more.

MEN’S SLALOM

Ted Ligety will just have to “settle” for three golds at the World Championships after the American popped out of his ski on the first run in Men’s Slalom on Sunday (Feb. 17).

Defending overall World Cup champ Marcel Hirscher delighted the home country faith with the win, while countryman Mario Matt added to the fun with bronze.  Felix Neureuther took home the bronze. Read more.

FIND COMPLETE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS RESULTS HERE.

Swany Gloves is dedicated to bringing you the best of outdoor adventure. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, enter our Outdoor Adventures Video Contest.

Ted Ligety wins Giant Slalom to make history at World Championships

Ted Ligety’s winning has become historic, thanks to a victory in Giant Slalom on Friday (Feb. 15) that earned him his third gold at the FIS Alpine Ski World Championships in Schladming, Austria.

The medal means Ligety is the first man to win three golds (he previously won Super G and Super Combined) at a single World Championships in the modern era. He’s also making American ski history, since his four career gold medals at Worlds now ties him with Bode Miller for most overall.

Ligety, who has dominated Giant Slalom this season to the point he has been dubbed “Mr. GS,” locked up Friday’s race after securing a huge 1.30 second lead in the first run. He ultimately won by .81 over Marcel Hirscher and Manfred Moelgg. Norway’s Aksel Lund Svindal just missed a medal. Read more.

FIND COMPLETE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS RESULTS HERE.

Swany Gloves is dedicated to bringing you the best of outdoor adventure. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, enter our Outdoor Adventures Video Contest.

Support “Can Do Multiple Sclerosis,” score a free pair of Swany Gloves

We’re supporters of the great work done by Can Do Multiple Sclerosis, the nonprofit that provides innovative programs for people living with MS.

So we’re doing what we can to bring attention to the group’s great Vertical Express fundraising program (learn more here) as well as help raise the funds required to continue their work.

During February that means giving a pair of Swany Gloves to everyone who brings in three new supporters for this great nonprofit. The rules are below, but here’s the bottom line: This is a great cause that EVERYONE should support anyway. So why not do it now and get some free gloves?

If you refer 1 friend, you get a free copy of the Art of Flight DVD. If you refer 3 or more friends, you’ll win Art of Flight and a pair of toasty Swany Gloves. Thanks for supporting Can Do Multiple Sclerosis.

THE RULES

During February you can win prizes for getting your friends to sign up and raise $50 towards their fundraising minimum.

• A new referral must register online between 12:01 a.m. MST Feb. 1, 2013, and 11:59 p.m. MST on Feb. 28, 2013.
• She/he must provide name and email of referring friend at time of registration.
• New referrals must raise $50 via online donations by Feb. 28 at 11:59 p.m. MST to be counted towards the refer-a-friend program.
• Once $50 has been raised the referring friend will be contacted with prize information.
• Please note: Individuals are only eligible to win one pair of Swany gloves and one DVD, even if they refer more than three friends.
• Click here to register.

Swany Gloves is dedicated to bringing you the best of outdoor adventure. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, enter our Outdoor Adventures Video Contest.

Tessa Worley tops Tina Maze to win gold in women’s Giant Slalom at World Championships

Tessa Worley put together a pair of great runs to win the Women’s Giant Slalom on Thursday (Feb. 14) at the 42nd FIS Alpine Ski World Championships in Schladming, Austria.

The competition was fierce, including Tina Maze, the current leader in World Cup giant slalom standings. But in the end, Worley took the gold by a solid 1.12-second margin. The Slovenian star was left to settle for second, while Austrian Anna Fenninger gave the home country a podium finish in third.

Rising American star Mikaela Shiffrin didn’t get a podium but did make some waves with a strong sixth-place finish. Teammate Julia Mancuso wasn’t so fortunate, finishing outside the top 20. Read more.

FIND COMPLETE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS RESULTS HERE.

Swany Gloves is dedicated to bringing you the best of outdoor adventure. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, enter our Outdoor Adventures Video Contest.