You probably already know the name Mike Wiegele. If not, to sum up his legendary business/career in a few words, he is one of the pioneers of helicopter and powder skiing.

His company, Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing is celebrating their 50th season this year. To mark the occasion, they’re bringing back a legendary competition- The Powder 8 World Championships.

Here’s a blurb from Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing’s website about the history and reemergence of the event.

“From the very beginning, Mike Wiegele wanted to find a way to encourage people to learn, and to love skiing in pristine, ungroomed snow.   Powder 8s were a way to showcase what great powder skiing looks like, as well a path to perfecting and evolving the art of powder skiing.   

Launched in 1980, the annual MWHS Powder 8 World Championships was – for two decades – widely heralded as the pinnacle showcase event for synchronized powder skiing, where teams of two competed head-to-head in creating perfect ‘8s’ in deep powder snow.” 

This competition sounds like a dream to watch. Basically, pairs of skiers try to make the most perfect figure 8s down a slope in deep powder.

Teams can register for the Pre-Qualifiers that will take place with the assistance of Powderbird in Utah. The Powder 8 World Championships will take place March 21-April 3, 2020 in Blue River, BC. I can’t wait to see the footy of this competition!