January 23, 2007 (Las Vegas, NV) – With Day One of the SIA.07 SnowSports Trade Show under their belts, the snowsports industry went about the business of reconnecting with industry friends at celebrations up and down the Vegas strip last night.

To set the mood for the evening, live music capped off Day One in SIA’s new neighborhood “the YARD” while over in the convention hall’s Main Lobby a reception was held to honor the 2006 inductees into the U. S. National Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame. Later that evening, Burton hosted their annual Fashion Show Party – the much talked about event was held at the Palms’ Rain club, where party guests previewed Burton’s 07/08 line while male and female contortionists dangled from the ceiling on hoops and flowing fabric.

Back to business this morning, SIA presented the winners of the 2007 SIA SnowSports Retailer of the Year, 2007 SIA Canadian SnowSports Retailer of the Year and 2007 SIA Canadian SnowSports Rep of the Year. And the winners were…

U.S. Retailers of the Year

– New England — Ski Haus (Salem, NH)
– Mid-Atlantic — Alpin Haus (Amsterdam, NY)
– South Central — St. Bernard Sports (Dallas, TX)*
– North Central — Viking Ski Shop (Chicago, IL)*
– Pacific (tie) — Footloose Sports (Mammoth Lakes, CA)
– Porters Sports (Truckee, CA)
– Mountain — Aspen/Snowmass Four-Mountain Sports/D&E Ski & Snowboard Shop (Aspen, CO)
– Southeast — Peter Glenn (Atlanta, GA)
*Note: winners for second year in a row.

Canadian SnowSports Retailers of the Year

– Quebec — Empire Sports, Inc. (Ste Julie)
– Alberta — Ski Cellar Snowboard (Calgary)
– British Columbia — Snow Covers (Vancouver)
– Manitoba/Saskatchewan — Gord’s Ski Center (Winnepeg)
– Ontario — Sporting Life (Toronto)
– Atlantic — Ballistic Skate & Snow (St. John’s, Newfoundland)

Canadian Rep of the Year

– Ontario — Rob Madill
– Quebec — André Dallaire
– British Columbia — Andy Martin
– Manitoba/Saskatchewan — Derek Hale
– Alberta — Jay Woon
– Atlantic — Charlie Leblanc

Elite Wintersport athletes can be found around every corner at SIA.07. Resort Sports Network’s onsite show “The Goods” is co-hosted by Olympian Doug Lewis and former US Ski team member Pam Fletcher. The half-hour program showcases the latest winter sports product trends in equipment, fashion and accessories. And for a close-up look at 44 elite athletes, SIA attendees can stroll through the “Locker Project” — an exhibit of select Olympic, XGames, and current action sports athletes making its debut at SIA.07. The Locker Project makes its first stop of four on a national tour at the SIA.07 Show – next stop is the Winter XGames in Aspen, Colorado.

There’s a long list of events scheduled for this evening and tomorrow including the 7:30AM breakfast ceremony for the U.S. National Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame and Museum where they will honor three former members of the U.S. Ski Team that have been elected to the Class of 2006. Freestyle skiers Jonny Moseley and Trace Worthington, along with alpine ski team member, Julie Parisien, will have their names added to the Honor Roll of the Hall of Fame at Induction Ceremonies taking place for the first time ever at the SIA Show. This will bring the number of Honored Members recognized by the Ski Hall of Fame to 349. The ceremony will be held at the Tradewinds meeting room at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, tickets are available in the Main Lobby.

For more news and highlights from each day of the show, use the following link: skipressworld.com/snowpress to read the official SIA.07 SnowPress Show Daily.