Black Diamond Equipment announced that their Wasatch PowderKeg event for 2004, Sponsored jointly with Patagonia,
will be the third and final stop on the International Council for Ski Mountaineering Competitions (ISMC) World Cup Tour. The date of the PowderKeg, a backcountry endurance point-to-point race between Alta and Brighton, is slated for March 20, 2004.
Working with ISMC Technical Director Jordi Canals, Black Diamond was able to
secure World Cup status for the singles event (as opposed to team events)
due to the nature of the strenuous up and down course. In order to qualify
for ISMC ski mountaineering status, the course skied by racers must meet
certain criteria in terms of vertical gain and descent. The fact that the
PowderKeg covers terrain both on and off piste and is a point-to-point style
race best matched the criteria used in Europe where the sport is more
technically demanding.
