Big air on the horizon for San Fran's Icer Air 2006

The San Francisco Giants may have packed it in for the winter, but AT&T Park is just heating up. When the second annual Esurance Icer Air Festival takes flight on Saturday, the plush Major League Baseball venue will serve as the site of the nation’s first-ever stadium ski and snowboard big-air competition.
THE SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS may have packed it in for the winter, but AT&T Park is just heating up. When the second annual Esurance Icer Air Festival takes flight on Saturday, the plush Major League Baseball venue will serve as the site of the nation’s first-ever stadium ski and snowboard big-air competition.
    “Our mission is to bring the mountains to the city and showcase these amazing [skiers and riders] in an urban environment,” said Glen Griffin, Icer founder and president.   
    Building on the success of the inaugural Icer Air competition a year ago, which consumed two blocks on one of San Francisco’s steepest streets, organizers have turned the event into an all-day stadium extravaganza. Olympic freestyle gold medalist Johnny Moseley and pro skateboarding great Tony Hawk will play masters of ceremony, hosting more than 20 athletes —including Olympic and X Games medalists Danny Kass, Jon Olsson and Peter Olenick — competing for $100,000 in cash and prizes. To complement the big-air antics, old-school hip hopsters Jurassic 5 headline the stellar list of live bands performing.
    “Last year’s event was amazing … but we knew that we had to do something different and more outrageous this year,” Griffin said.
    The 2005 Icer Air jump spanned from Pacific Heights to Cow Hollow on Fillmore Street. Athletes launched more than 70 feet against a surreal backdrop of the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz, and more than 12,000 cubic feet of snow was put down to pull it all together. “The crowds were great, the weather was perfect and the competitive level was top-notch,” said Icer spokesperson Moseley of last year’s event.
    Constructed by 100 people throughout the course of three days, this year’s jump will be covered with more than 200 tons of snow, standing 100 feet tall and extending 350 feet from the AT&T Park scoreboard.
    In addition, Icer Air features the inaugural San Francisco Ski & Snowboard Festival. The SF Ski Fest, co-organized with SnowBomb.com, will spotlight the best new gear from industry leaders around the globe. Every major ski resort from the Lake Tahoe region will be on hand with special promotions for attendees.
    “Tickets include unparalleled views of the jump, world-class athletes competing in a never-been-done-before venue, headliner bands, lift tickets and the latest and greatest ski and snowboard gear at incredible discounts,” Griffin said.
    Ticket prices start at $10. For more information about the 2006 Esurance Icer Air competition and the San Francisco Ski Festival, go to www.icerair.com.

— Glodow Nead Communications contributed to this report