Billabong Flaunt it Finals at Sierra-at-Tahoe is April 9.

The finals of this North American women-only snowboard series is a Swatch Ticket To Ride World Tour rated event, so expect high-level femme riding from some of the best snowboarders in the industry.

Sierra Resort’s Jamie Anderson, currently ranked one of the top female snowboarders in the world, will be throwing down on the custom Slopestyle and Rail Jam course.

This event always brings tons of great female energy to Sierra Resort.

For more information, go online or call (530) 659.7453.

By U.S. Ski Team

SPINDLERUV MLYN, Czech Republic -– Reigning Audi FIS Alpine World Cup overall champion Lindsey Vonn of Vail rocketed to the first World Cup giant slalom podium of her career Friday to make a bold move toward her fourth consecutive season-long title.

Vonn, who wrapped up the super combined, downhill and super G titles last weekend, finished third and has now earned a World Cup podium in every discipline. In doing so, she trimmed German Maria Riesch’s overall lead to just 38 points with five races remaining in the season. World Cup giant slalom leader Viktoria Rebensburg of Germany captured the win with Julia Mancuso of Squaw Valley sixth and Sarah Schleper of Vail 20th.

Official results, Audi FIS Alpine World Cup, Spindleruv Mlyn, Czech Republic, Giant Slalom

1. Viktoria Rebensburg, Germany, 2:15.22

2. Denise Karbon, Italy, 2:16.48

3. Lindsey Vonn, Vail, CO, 2:16.67

–

6. Julia Mancuso, Squaw Valley, CA, 2:17.03

20. Sarah Schelper, Vail, CO, 2:18.57

–

Did not qualify 1st run:

Laurenne Ross (Klamath Falls, OR), Mikaela Shiffrin (Vail, CO)

Blue skies fill the Lake Tahoe Basin.

Here is the ski report from Curtis Fong, the Guy from Tahoe.

Wind hold on some lifts at Heavenly and Squaw. Call the resort or go online to know what’s running.

Here is the sski report from Curtis Fong, the Guy from Tahoe.

By Bettina Boxall, Los Angeles Times

The House spending bill passed last month wouldn’t just chop $60 billion from the federal budget — it seeks to cut a broad swath through environmental regulation.

From fish protections in California to water pollution limits in Florida and regulation of greenhouse gas emissions nationwide, environmental programs were targets of the Republican budget resolution, which appears to have been as much about setting a political agenda as about deficit reduction.

Democrats have promised to block the environmental and other cuts in the Senate, where they hold a slim majority, and President Obama has raised the threat of a veto, making it unlikely that many of the hits in the proposal will survive. Lawmakers last week passed a stopgap measure to keep the government operating while they hash out a compromise.

But few expect the recently elected and highly motivated GOP majority in the House to give up. “I think they’re going to try and use every tactic in the book,” said Nick Loris, a research associate with the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. “This is largely what they came into office saying they were going to do.”

The continuing resolution adopted by the House two weeks ago swings a much bigger ax than similar proposals that helped stall a spending measure, resulting in a government shutdown in 1995. “I’ve never seen anything remotely like this. The sheer scope of it is overwhelming,” said Sean Hecht, executive director of the UCLA Environmental Law Center.

Read the whole story

Jamie Anderson of South Lake Tahoe made history today by clinching her second Swatch TTR World Tour Champion title at the 6Star Burton US Open. She is the first woman to win two TTR World Tour titles.

Anderson qualified first in today’s slopestyle semi-finals and will move on to the slopestyle finals as a favorite to win on March 11. Anderson was in contention for the TTR Tour title with fellow American, Kelly Clark, who has dominated every halfpipe competition she entered this season, but Clark did not compete in slopestyle today and no longer has the opportunity to take the World No. 1 position from Anderson.

Anderson will be awarded the TTR World Tour Champion trophy and $50,000 USD at the close of the Burton US Open on March 12 following halfpipe finals.

Clark still has the opportunity to finish in the TTR top 3 if she places well in Saturday’s halfpipe finals, in which case, she will be awarded with a sizable portion of the $200,000 USD TTR prize purse.

The Heavenly Ski and Snowboard Foundation will host the Shredtacular Rail Jam event at the American Legion on Highway 50 in South Lake Tahoe  on March 11 from 4:30-10pm.

pen to skiers and snowboarders of all ages, the Shredtacular will be on a feature built by Rob Giustina of On Course Events.

Entry is $20 and includes a goodie bag and a raffle ticket for a chance to win tons of prizes.

The Shredtacular Rail Jam is a fundraiser for the Heavenly Snowboard Team’s trip to USASA Nationals in Copper Mountain, Colo., in April. The team expects to send 15 athletes to compete in the national event.

Registration will be at the American Legion beginning at 4:30pm. Practice begins at 5pm. Divisions include female, male skier and snowboarder, 12 and under, 13 to 17, and 18 and over. There will also be a Money Jam open to all participants for an additional $10; winner takes half the pot.

South Lake Tahoe’s community pool is closed today until at least 1pm.

Call (530) 542.6056 before heading to the facility to confirm it is open.

Looking for the blue sky.

Here is the ski report from Curtis Fong, the Guy from Tahoe.

By Ted Parkhill

This past weekend the Tahoe Grizzlies Pee Wees (ages 11 and 12) played the Cupertino Cougars in Cupertino. The Pee Wees had never won on Cupertino ice. It was an exciting game and was tied 2-2 in the third period.

The Grizzlies broke the streak with Matt Newberger, No. 87 center, of South Lake Tahoe scoring with 50 seconds left in the game. From the slot Newberger used his solid wrist shot and fired the puck into the goalies blocker side upper corner of the net. The Cupertino goalie was clearly their MVP; stopping a barrage of Grizzly shots. On Sunday they played their last regular season game against the San Jose Junior Sharks. The Sharks just returned from winning gold at the California State Winter Games in San Diego.

It was a close game and the Grizzlies’ Reiss Jensen, No. 9 center, from Reno was on fire and scored a natural hat trick.

However, Jensen’s three goals were not enough. The game was tied in the third period 3-3.

Once again the Grizzlies showed their desire and Spencer Lloyd, No. 24 of Reno, scored with a beautiful shot with just 37 seconds remaining in the game.

With the two wins on the weekend the Pee Wee Grizzlies rounded out the season with a league leading record of 11 wins, three losses and two ties. They will be playing next at the NORCAL youth hockey playoffs in Vacaville March 19-20.

The Tahoe Grizzlies Squirts (ages 9 and 10) recently played at in the California State Winter Games in San Diego where they won the silver medal. Over this past weekend they also faced the Cupertino Cougars on Saturday. It was a physical game and one of the Cougars was tossed out for punching one of the Grizzlies who stepped in to defend his teammate after he was illegally checked into the boards.

Despite the powerplay at the end of the game the Cougars remained ahead 4-3.

On Sunday the Squirts played the Roseville Capital Thunder and it was their last opportunity to clinch first place in their division. The Thunder rolled in and over the Grizzlies and Roseville won 2-1. The Squirts ended the season in second place overall with 11 wins and five losses. They are also headed to the NORCAL playoffs in Vacaville on March 18–20.

Ted Parkhill is with the South Tahoe Amateur Hockey Association.