February 21, 2009. Today in the Rila Lakes region of Bulgaria Eli Lee won the Red Bull Powder Kick. After two days of constant snow the venue was buried in over two feet of dry, light powder. The skies cleared and allowed organizers and athletes to finally see the what the storm had put down.

Тhe weather was threatening all day with heavy, dense fog that forced the judges to become quite mobile in order to see the venue. But the sun finally prevailed and organizers were excited to push the day forward with two runs. the forcast was for more weather so it was mandatory to get this event done with the only good weather of the week.

Head Judge, Jim Jack enjoying another day in the Rila Mountains.

Every feature of the venue was loaded with powder allowing athletes the opportunity to do what ever they chose. Big air to fluid and technical lines, competitors tore the mountain a part. But it was Eli Lee who proved to the judges that his strength and experience was what it would take to win this event. starting out with one of the biggest airs of the day he landed with speed, narrowly avoiding disaster as he negotiated another rock out cropping to then flow effortlessly over another feature before slashing it to the bottom. This line put him in second after the first run but it would not keep him from stepping it up one more time for the final. This time Eli dropped the same cliff but with more control and a display of technical perfection.

The people we have met in Bulgaria are warm and passionate mountain people who live their lives searching for the high mountain energy that fuels their needs for adventure. Happy and excited the organizers and the Bulgarian extreme and freeskiing association(BEFSA) put on an outside party filled with Love, laughter and lots of Red Bull to keep us partying late into the night. Thank you to all at the event for taking such good care of us and showing us how similar we all are as skiers around the globe. Bulgaria is a special place, with some of the most beautiful mountains in the world and the potential is great for this country to host many more new and exciting big mountain freeskiing events in the future.

IFSA
www.freeskiers.org

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