3rd Annual “Powder to Prosecco” Event
3rd Annual “Powder to Prosecco” Event
Mud Sweat N’ Gears Brings Women2Women Event Back to HoliMont, Feb. 22nd & 23rd
Now in its third year, Powder to Prosecco is returning to HoliMont for an exciting two days of education, skiing, community, and fun! Mud, Sweat n’ Gears owner Kim Reading is looking forward to celebrating the camaraderie of women skiers with Leslie Baker Brown, three-time NCAA All American, 1982 NCAA GS Champion, Middlebury Hall of Famer and the global leader of Blizzard Tecnica’s Women 2 Women Project. The fun kicks off Thursday, February 22nd at 6:00pm at Mud, Sweat n’ Gears and continues all day on Friday, February 23rd at HoliMont.
The program begins at Reading’s store with a relaxed information session. “On Thursday night, we have wine and cheese for the ladies, and Leslie comes in and talks about the Women 2 Women program and the new equipment from Blizzard Tecnica,” Reading explained. “It’s a great little social gathering afterwards where the women can talk to Leslie directly.”
So what exactly is the Women 2 Women project? Founded in 2015, Women 2 Women is a global Blizzard Tecnica program whose mission is to create “a diverse and engaged community of female skiers and outdoor enthusiasts by being a trustworthy and credible source for product, education and inspiration.” In addition to being the global leader of this program, Leslie Baker-Brown is also the North American marketing manager for Blizzard Tecnica. “She’s one of the only female product developers in the industry,” Reading noted. “She’s sort of like the pioneer behind women-specific skis… She kind of broke through that glass ceiling and is very well known in the industry for developing women-specific products.”
The program provides annual opportunities for women to apply for scholarships to further their education in the snowsports industry. One of last year’s recipients was Hanna Lee, who has worked as a boot fitter at Mud, Sweat n’ Gears for 10 years. This scholarship gave her the opportunity to attend ski boot fitting school in Waitsfield, Vermont just this past September. “I’ve been able to use the skills I worked on at boot school to help me become a better boot fitter at MSG,” said Lee. “That training definitely helped me become a little more confident in selling and fitting ski boots!”
Lee’s learning opportunity wasn’t limited to her boot fitter school experience, though. She explained, “For the past three years, Leslie and her colleague at Blizzard Tecnica, Sam Tischendor, have spearheaded a series of women’s boot fitting Zoom meetings, which I have participated in. It’s a great way to meet and talk to other female boot fitters in the ski industry. Sam is a clinical sports podiatrist and works as a boot fitter in Telluride, Colorado so she has a lot of knowledge and experience as a female boot fitter. She and Leslie make a great team and are doing an excellent job of reaching and connecting women in the industry.”
Powder to Prosecco is the perfect event to connect with this incredible community of women, and Reading invites all women - regardless of ability - to join in! After Thursday night’s gathering, participants convene at HoliMont from 10:00am-3:00pm for a full day of demos and skiing. Baker-Brown and local Blizzard women ambassadors will be demonstrating the award-winning collection of women’s skis from their 23/24 lineup. “What made the Women 2 Women program famous was the Blizzard Black Pearl 88, so we’ll have those on-hand, but then they also have a new ski,” Reading explained. “It’s called the Blizzard Sheeva 9, which is a really fun kind of all-mountain ski that the ladies can try out.”
No Powder to Prosecco event is complete without some time on the slopes! Skiing with Baker-Brown is one of the highlights of the event, noted Reading, and it’s this camaraderie that Lee enjoys the most. “My favorite part of Powder to Prosecco is always the spirit of the group,” said Lee. “Everyone is so curious and eager to learn. I think it's awesome that these women are taking the time to learn for themselves about skiing and having the proper equipment.”
Friday’s activities also include a break for lunch at HoliMont and, new for 2024, an apres party at Villaggio with giveaways and a raffle. Tickets are limited to 50 participants and are on sale now at MSG and online through their Facebook event: https://fb.me/e/1HUtDKjTj. Discounted lift tickets can be purchased separately at HoliMont for those who are not members. To learn more about Women 2 Women, visit https://www.blizzard-tecnica.com/us/en/about-w2w or search Mud, Sweat n’ Gear’s on social.