Subaru to Sponsor First Major U.S. Freeskiing Series

- Company returns as title sponsor for U.S. Skiercross series and presents new freeskiing stops at Telluride and Jackson Hole -

CHERRY HILL, N.J., Jan. 5 -- Subaru of America, Inc. today announced that it will return as title sponsor for U.S. Skiercross series and present the new U.S. Freeskiing series in 2006.

"Subaru is proud to be the title sponsor of both the U.S. Freeskiing and U.S. Skiercross series," said Rick Crosson, vice president of marketing, Subaru of America, Inc. "These tours bring the top Big Mountain and Skiercross competitors in the world to center stage at some of the best resorts in North America."

Over the years, these competitions have helped launch the careers of skiing legends such as Shane McConkey, Kent Kreitler, Ingrid Backstrom, Seth Morrison, Hugo Harrison, and Reggie and Zach Crist. This year skiers from around the globe will raise the bar of freeskiing in pursuit of a $100,000 overall prize purse.

SUBARU U.S. FREESKIING SERIES

The 9th Annual U.S. Freeskiing Nationals (Snowbird, UT) and 6th Annual North American Freeskiing Championships (Kirkwood, CA) will join the inaugural Telluride Freeskiing Open and Jackson Hole Extremes to comprise the inaugural Subaru U.S. Freeskiing Series.

"We're very excited about the continued growth and success of freeskiing. The U.S. Freeskiing Series is the first major U.S.-based freeskiing tour, and we're honored to have Subaru step up as title sponsor. New stops at Telluride and Jackson Hole, combined with huge increases in prize money, will bring the sport to a whole new level," says MSI founder and president Adam Comey.

SUBARU U.S. SKIERCROSS SERIES

The Subaru U.S. Skiercross Series enters its third year with an increased prize purse and more focused schedule. The three-stop series will consist of the U.S. Skiercross Nationals (Snowbird, UT), Rocky Mountain Skiercross Classic (Steamboat, CO), and North American Skiercross Championships (Kirkwood, CA). In addition to a $30,000 prize purse for the series, the overall top five men from the Skiercross tour will earn spots to the 2007 X Games in Aspen, CO.

"Our goal this year is to strengthen the tour by focusing our resources into three major events-to create solid, packed competitions that will form a strong core for the growing sport of Skiercross," says Comey.

MSI will be posting online, video-on-demand footage of all events on the 2006 tour, which will be uploaded daily to www.usfreeskiing.com and www.skiercross.com. In addition, MSI has secured television coverage on OLN and Rush HD for the Snowbird and Kirkwood events.

2006 FREESKIING & SKIERCROSS COMPETITION SCHEDULE & PRIZE MONEY BREAKDOWN

  * SUBARU U.S. SKIERCROSS SERIES
    Overall Tour Winner Prize Money: $5,000

  * SUBARU U.S. FREESKIING SERIES
    Overall Tour Winner Prize Money: $5,000

    Subaru US Skiercross Series (Stop #1)
    Subaru US Skiercross Nationals
    Snowbird, UT
    February 1
    Prize Money: $7,500

    Subaru US Freeskiing Series (Stop #1) - Freeskiing World Tour (Stop #1)
    Subaru US Freeskiing Nationals
    Snowbird, UT
    February 1 - 5
    Prize Money: $12,500

    Subaru US Skiercross Series (Stop #2)
    Subaru Rocky Mountain Skiercross Classic
    Steamboat, CO
    February 11
    Prize Money: $7,500

    Subaru US Freeskiing Series (Stop #2)
    Subaru Telluride Freeskiing Open
    Telluride, CO
    March 2 - 5
    Prize Money: $7,500

    Subaru US Freeskiing Series (Stop #3)
    Jackson Hole Extremes Presented by Subaru
    Jackson Hole, WY
    March 21 - 23
    Prize Money: $7,500

    Freeskiing World Tour Finals and US Freeskiing Series Finals (Stop #4)
    Subaru North American Freeskiing Championships
    Kirkwood, CO
    March 29 - April 2
    Prize Money: $12,500

    Subaru US Skiercross Series (Stop #3)
    Subaru North American Skiercross Championships
    Kirkwood, CA
    April 2
    Prize Money: $10,000

  REGISTRATION INFORMATION AND ATHLETE INQUIRIES CONTACT
  Barb Hamblett and Nicole Leitner
  Registration Team and Athlete Liaisons

  Barb Hamblett
  Mountain Sports International
  East Coast Logistics Manager
  office: 603.552.2474
  mobile: 603.502.1034
  barb@mtsports.com

  Nicole Leitner
  Mountain Sports International
  National Logistics Manager
  office: 801.485.7669
  mobile: 801.712.5289
  nicole@mtsports.com

  About Subaru of America, Inc.

Subaru of America, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. of Japan. Headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J., the company markets and distributes Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive vehicles, parts and accessories through a network of nearly 600 dealers across the United States. Subaru makes the best-selling All-Wheel Drive car sold in America based on R.L. Polk & Co. new vehicle retail registration statistics calendar year-end 2004. For additional information visit www.subaru.com.