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Big Air show revamping old-school idea

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Created on Sunday, 23 January 2011 20:04

Written by Dena Rosenberry

Competitors in this week's Denver Big Air competition may think they live on the cutting edge of cool, but the ultimate old-school ski sport was putting on urban exhibitions when big-band swing music was in vogue and dancers did the jitterbug.

Chicago's Soldier Field hosted annual ski jump competitions in the 1930s on ramps supported by wooden scaffolding, much like the steel structure that has risen on the west end of Civic Center Park.  Ski jumping also came to Wrigley Field, the old Madison Square Garden, the Boston Garden and the Los Angeles Coliseum.

(Look for Out There Colorado at the Big Air exhibition Tuesday and Wednesday in Denver's Civic Center Park. Stop by and see us to get a gift, share snow tips and sign up for a Breck ski&stay trip.)

The Metro Denver Sports Commission is using Big Air to promote Denver and Colorado skiing while impressing visitors from the ski industry trade gathering, the SIA's "Snow Show" at the Colorado Convention Center.

Read here about the controversy regarding the caliber of talent at Big Air. Organizers say you may not recognize the names now, but you soon will.

Denver Sports is building a track record of hosting national and international sports events to foster goodwill, should it choose to bid for an Olympics someday.