Manitouwadge Skiers/Snowboarders Will Honour Freestyle Skiing Pioneer Sarah Burke Sunday

Written by admin on 21 January 2012

Among those photos Sarah called her 'favourites' from her website www.SarahBurkeSki.com

Another photo from Sarah Burke's "Favourites" collection on her website; www.SarahBurkeSki.com

MANITOUWADGE, ON – Sunday afternoon at 2:30 pm, meet at the top of the Main for the Sarah Burke Memorial Run, all skiers and boarders are invited to participate. Lets honor a great Canadian.

Thursday, January 19th, Canadian Freestyle skier Sarah Burke died in Salt Lake City hospital more than a week after the tragic accident in which the artery that supplies blood to the brainstem was torn during a fall while the athlete was training in the superpipe at Park City Mountain Resort in Utah. Across the country people have been deeply touched and sadned by the loss of the young Canadian and Northshore ski centres are among those remembering her talent, spirit and impact on the sport of Freestyle Skiing. “Sarah Burke was a pioneer for female skiing. If it wasn’t for her, female freestyle skiing would not be involved in X-games and even the Olympics. This is an insane loss for action sports” said Manitouwadge snowboarder Devan Pelletier, organizer of the Annual Big Air Rail Jam a freestyle jumping event for skiers and snowboarders. Pelletier was behind the Sarah Burke Memorial Run being held at Manitouwadge’s Kiwissa Ski Hill this weekend, inspiring the Kiwissa Ski Club and other users of the hill after he suggested the Memorial Run on Facebook.

Burke’s agent Michael Spencer had launched a $550,000 US fundraising effort to help cover the freestyle skier’s outstanding medical costs and other related expenses, following her death in Utah on Thursday, raising questions regarding how her family would cope with a massive bill for her hospitalization in the United States as she may not have been adequately insured. Since that time however, her agent has confirmed that donations from the public mean Burke’s medical bills will not create a financial burden for her family. “Because of the donations in the last day, it is now clear that Sarah’s family will not have any financial burden related to her care,” said the statement, which was issued through the Canada Freestyle Ski Association this following a statement Friday afternoon which had estimated her expected hospital costs to be approximately $200,000.

A website started by Michael Spencer, Sarah Burke’s agent, had raised, by Friday afternoon, more than $194,000. Burke’s husband, Rory Bushfield is listed as beneficiary for the fundraiser however in the same statement quoted above released by Spencer it was noted that “Further contributions will be used to establish a foundation to honour Sarah’s legacy and promote the ideals she valued and embodied,”.

Spencer said Burke’s family was extremely grateful for the outpouring of support from the public, her sponsors, and the hospital.

Those wanting to participate in Manitouwadge’s are to meet for the:

Memorial Run for Sarah Burke at the Kiwissa Ski Centre

Top of the Main Run at 2:30pm
Sunday afternoon (January 22^nd),

All skiers and snowboarders are encouraged to participate in honour of a great Canadian, ALL ARE WELCOME.

Video below from youtube.com/myplash “Compliments of Roxy to MYPLASH have fun and get insane air with professional freestyle skier Sarah Burke. With sponsors such as Roxy and Monster Energy Drink, Sarah Burke is one of the worlds best professional freestyle skiers as shown in this video Roxy LOL. All MYPLASH Media can be viewed at http://www.myplash.com/media.php “