It's the final stop of the Grand Prix here in Sunday River, Maine. The boys and girls aren't just fighting for the 10 grand win this weekend, they're also fighting for the final title and, well, eventually a big ol' Chevy "Like a Rock" truck (it's all about who, in any discipline, has the most podiums). Word on the street is that Ross Powers is already picking out his color.

Frosty on roids

I confess I haven't been to Sunday River since I was skiing on my annual family vacation way too long ago to discuss here. The mountain I remember resembles little of the spread that encompasses "The River" of today. Little Bethel Maine not only supports the biggest snowman (113'+), but now supports seven peaks, three main lodges and two Grand Hotels. They have the night park and new Palmer Boardercross Park. The river itself allows for the biggest snowmaking on the East Coast and, well, they don't need to rely on Mother Nature all that much.

The scary thing is the future. The American Skiing Company has seen what a village can do and have planned to blow out Sunday River to resemble Whistler Village, BC, but with a New England flavor (chowdah?). It remains unclear as to when this metropolis will rise up, but the plaza, restaurants, shops, galleries, conference center, health center, expedition center and 18 hole golf course are all laid out and designed.

So the let the races begin. The Giant Slalom begins NOW. The American women will be battling each other again and I couldn't be happier. American female GSers have the tightest field of competition. This is gonna be good. The Canadian men will show up and with the latest exchange rate in mind again; it's been either Fawcett or Jasey Jay for the past few years and I don't see anyone in line to change that.

Thursday is the submarine holder training session and snowboardcross timed trials. Friday brings us the finals in the cross and more U-pipe training. Saturday we "weed out the weaklings" in the trench and Sunday brings out the monster trucks and the Super Finals. So stay tuned and step down because the Americans are launching big here on the ice coast. So I'm wearing my wrist guards even to type here.

Oh yea...the storm I just left in Copper, CO, is meeting me here tonight. This could make everything just a bit more entertaining. We'll be live all weekend to bring you the best riders North America has to offer.

— Hans Prosl, back to his roots for The Mountain Zone

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