Vernon - Mountain Creek has announced the return of the Chevrolet U.S. Snowboard Grand Prix on Saturday, Jan. 21. This year’s event will include the final halfpipe qualifier and naming of the U.S. Olympic snowboard team. The three-stop Grand Prix series, now in its tenth year as the premier snowboard series in North America, will open Dec. 13-17 in Breckenridge, Colo., then move to Mt. Bachelor, Ore., Jan. 5-8, before concluding at Mountain Creek. The excitement will build throughout the series as results from the first three halfpipe contests will determine the elite field of riders at Mountain Creek, where the 2006 U.S. Olympic snowboard team (including Alpine and snowboardcross riders) will be announced. The 2006 Grand Prix season features one of the largest overall purses for a snowboarding series. Prizes total more than $340,000 and include two new Chevrolet Colorado trucks awarded to the male and female overall winners. NBC will air a one-hour special of the Mountain Creek Grand Prix and Olympic announcement the following day, at 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 22. The OLN network will televise more of the action on its Ten Weeks to Torino program at 5 p.m. Sunday. Pat Malendoski of Planet Snow Designs, who was responsible for shaping the 2002 Olympic halfpipe, will build the pipes at all three Grand Prix venues. The U.S. Olympic snowboard halfpipe team will qualify exclusively through the three Grand Prix events, with scoring based on the best two of five contests. Fields for Breckenridge and Mt. Bachelor will be made up of about 100 men and 50 women. The elite field at Mountain Creek will include approximately 20 men and 10 women best qualified to make the Olympic team. Athletes expected to compete at Mountain Creek include several 2002 Olympic medalists, including Danny Kass of Vernon (silver); Ross Powers of South Londonderry, Vt. (gold), and Kelly Clark of Mount Snow, Vt. (gold). “The Grand Prix series has been the cornerstone of U.S. snowboarding competition for 10 consecutive years, “ said Eric Webster, director of the Grand Prix series. “We are fortunate to have three great host resorts that support U.S. snowboardings goal of fielding the best possible team at the Olympics. The excitement at Mountain Creek will be centered around qualification for the Olympic halfpipe team. Deciding who goes to Torino will definitely come down to the last event.“ “ Mountain Creek is thrilled to host our third Chevrolet U.S. Snowboard Grand Prix, and this year the excitement is greater than ever,“ said Shannon McSweeney, the resort’s communications manager. “Were honored to host the live naming ceremony for the US Olympic snowboard team and to have the opportunity to provide this once in a lifetime experience for our guests to see an Olympic preview right in their own backyard!“ For information, call 973-827-3900 or visit on line at mountaincreek.com.