Inaugural 'Jeep(R) Adventure Comp' Is a Big Hit at ESPN's Winter X Games VIII

Jeep Brand Awards $1,000 to Winner's Favorite Charities

* Tucker Hibbert, Power Sports * Keir Dillon, Men's Board Sport Division * Cameron Steele, Media Division * Marisa Funiciello, Women's Board Sport/Media Division

ASPEN, Colo., Jan. 28 -- So, what's it really like when Winter X Games athletes race Jeep(R) Wrangler Rubicons up and down a snow-covered mountain?

"Dude, that was a riot!" exclaimed Mike Metzger, freestyle motocross superstar and X Games gold medalist, as he brought his Jeep Wrangler Rubicon to a skidding stop after blasting down the slopes of Buttermilk Mountain last Friday.

It was all part of Jeep Adventure Comp, a first-of-its-kind, two-day event prior to the ESPN Winter X Games VIII. Metzger was among an all-star group of athletes from every spectrum of the highly popular Winter X Games in an on- hill racing competition featuring the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon in a timed race up Buttermilk Mountain.

Bringing home top honors in the four divisions -- and, more importantly, $1,000 each from the Jeep Brand to their favorite charity -- were snowboard superpipe star Keir Dillon (Boarding for Breast Cancer); former snocross gold medalist Tucker Hibbert (Clayton Foundation); women's snowboard slopestyle competitor Marisa Funiciello (Boarding for Breast Cancer); and, in the media division, ESPN announcer Cameron Steele (Aspen Community Foundation).

"We knew that everyone would get a kick out of this," said Jeff Bell, Vice President Jeep/Chrysler. "And the proof came in the 'wow' reactions of the athletes. They just charged up and down Buttermilk Mountain in the new Jeep Wrangler Rubicon -- full force -- and loved it."

"That was so cool of Jeep to put this together for us," said snocross racer Blair Morgan, another Winter X Games multi-gold medalist. "It's great to see one of the X Games sponsors put an event together like this for us. That was a lot of fun and I'll definitely look forward to doing it again next year."

Jeep -- in cooperation with Aspen/Snowmass -- had Jeep Wrangler Rubicons for athletes and media to race up and down Buttermilk Mountain in a timed charity event.

Beginning with a steep hill climb, snowboarders, skiers, dirt bike jumpers, snowmobile racers and others all hammered the pedal and put the Wrangler Rubicons through their paces. They raced up the face of a steep ski hill, then back down through a windy slalom course that tested the abilities of the athletes. "The superior suspension of the rugged Wrangler Rubicon withstood every challenge," said Bell.

"We've enjoyed a great relationship with the X Games," said Bell, "and this year we decided to do more to complement our relationship with the Winter X Games that would also showcase the synergy between the Jeep product and the amazing athletes here in Aspen. We feel with the legendary Jeep vehicles we have a product that plays right into the lifestyles of these athletes. And it was fun for us to see what a great time everybody had with the inaugural Jeep Adventure Comp."

"Dude, I can't believe we got to do this ... this is so rad," said snowboard superpipe competitor Tommy Czeschin. His buddy Andy Finch, also a superpipe competitor, was in full agreement. "We were haulin'. What was my time?," said Finch. Noteworthy: Finch, who finished third overall in the men's board sports category, may have finished higher had he not showed up to race in sandals! Overall the event was a great success, according to all participants.

  Photos available at media.daimlerchrysler.com

  Results

  Men's Board Sports
  Charity: Boarding For Breast Cancer

  Athlete                     Discipline
  1.  Keir Dillon             Snowboard Superpipe
  2.  Mike Rosengren          Boarder X
  3.  Andy Finch              Snowboard Superpipe
  4.  Nate Holland            Boarder X
  5.  Tommy Czeschin          Snowboard Superpipe
  6.  Zach Crist              Skier X
  7.  Elijah Teeter           Snowboard Superpipe
  8.  Reggie Crist            Skier X
  9.  Steve Fisher            Snowboard Superpipe
  10. Jayson Hale             Boarder X

  Men's Power Sport
  Charity: Clayton Foundation

  Athlete                     Discipline
  1.  Tucker Hibbert          Snocross
  2.  Beau Beauberg           Moto X
  3.  Blair Morgan            Snocross
  4.  Ross Bauerly            Snocross
  5.  Trevor Vines            Moto X
  6.  Paul Bauerly            Snocross
  7.  Doug Parsons            Moto X
  8.  Mike Metzger            Moto X
  9.  Dave Damangos           Moto X
  10. Todd Hicks              Moto X

  Women's Board Sports/Media
  Charity: Boarding for Breast Cancer

  Athlete/Media Personality   Discipline/Media Outlet
  1.  Marisa Funiciello       Snowboard Slopestyle
  2.  Joanne Engels           ESPN
  3.  Sara Guttman            KSPN Radio
  4.  Maggie Piveronas        RSN
  5.  Meg Curran              RSN

  Men's Media Charity:
  Aspen Valley Community Foundation Media Personality

  Athlete                     Media Outlet
  1.  Cameron Steele          ESPN
  2.  Brad Williamson         RSN
  3.  Bill Farwig             Ski Racing Magazine
  4.  Dylan Merium            Grass Roots TV
  5.  Corby Anderson          KSPN Radio
  6.  John Alvo               Warren Miller Entertainment
  7.  Chris Wight             Pulse TV
  8.  Brad Manosevitz         Grass Roots
  9.  Josh Taylor             KMGS Radio
  10. Max Bervy               Warren Miller Entertainment