This past weekend, April 16-18th, ski patrollers from around the world went head to head at Palisades Tahoe USA during the first ever nation-wide Professional Ski Patrol Olympics.

Teams made up of patrollers from regions across the United States, Canada, and even Australia, competed in a series of original events, including sled races, bamboo throws, avalanche transceiver searches and a hairraising giant slalom race down "The Slot", some of Palisades Tahoe’s steepest terrain off of Headwall chairlift.

Spectators and patrollers alike took in the exhilarating competitions at a temporary mid-mountain bar and barbeque area where they watched the country’s best patrollers duke it out on the mountain.

After two days of close competition, the Mammoth Mountain/June Mountain patrol team claimed the Gold Medal and the title of the 2010 North American Patrol Champions. Palisades Tahoe USA took the Silver Medal and Alpine Meadows claimed the Bronze.

Marcus Waring of Whistler Blackcomb was awarded the Gold Medal in the individual male category after an awe-inspiring randonee race and Palisades Tahoe’s own Lori Gunderson took home the Gold in the women’s category.

Winners each took home healthy portions of the $1,500 Helly Hansen cash purse along with prizes from Alpha Explosives, Alpine Traverse, Helly Hansen and Palisades Tahoe USA.

Organizers are already looking at dates and plans for next season, and hope to attract even more teams to the events.

Official Results
Overall Team
1 Mammoth Mountain 31

2 Palisades Tahoe USA (B) 29
3 Alpine Meadows 24

Overall Individual
Men
1 Marcus Waring, Whistler Blackcomb 

2 Zebulon Blais, Palisades Tahoe USA (B)

3 Chris Lizza, Mammoth

Overall Individual
Women
1 Lori Gunderson, Palisades Tahoe USA (B)
1 Michaela Adrien, Mammoth Mountain
3 Amanda Martin, Big Sky

Randonee Race
1 Marcus Waring, Whistler Blackcomb

2 Zebulon Blais, Palisades Tahoe USA (B)

3 Steve Keller, Alpine Meadows

Avalanche Transceiver Search
1 Lel Tone, Palisades Tahoe USA (B)
2 Chuck Megivern, Mammoth/June 

3 Robert Wood, Big Sky

Big Mountain GS
1 Chris Lizza, Mammoth/June

2 Aaron Barnett, Palisades Tahoe USA (A)

3 Zebulon Blais, Palisades Tahoe USA (B)

Bomb Toss
1 Matt Calcutt, Palisades Tahoe USA (A)

2 Matt Shelton, Mountain High 

3 Nick Dulemba, Palisades Tahoe USA (B)

Bamboo Toss
1 Eric Diem, Mammoth

2 Andy Peek, Palisades Tahoe USA (B)

3 Ben Leech, Palisades Tahoe USA (B)

Toboggan Race
1 Alpine Meadows (2)
2 Mammoth/June (2)
3 Alpine Meadows (1)