The 2012 Rahlves Banzai Tour, one of the most exciting winter event series to hit the snow in recent years, will kick off Saturday and Sunday, February 11-12, at Kirkwood with a brand new course.

After postponing the Alpine Meadows' Beaver Bowl Banzai, originally scheduled as the first stop on February 4-5, Daron Rahlves announced today that the Kirkwood event would assume the first-stop position for this year's series.

The Kirkwood competition, originally known as the Eagle Bowl Banzai, will also undergo a change of venue, with the course being moved to an alternate location due to low snow conditions in Eagle Bowl.

"After a snow/venue check, it was apparent that we couldn't run the Eagle Bowl venue due to low tide conditions," said Rahlves. "I liked what I saw off Lower Wall, skiers' left of Chair 10, into Snow Snake Gully and worked with (Kirkwood) Ski Patrol and Event Marketing laying out the track and dialing in the flow."

In spite of the series of changes, Rahlves is confident that this first event will live up to the Banzai standards set last season.

"With two runs it got more and more fun and I wish I had the rest of the day to ski it," said Rahlves.  "This is going to be a sweet track." 

Rahlves' Banzai - Kirkwood Schedule
Saturday Feb 11th
Qualifying day solo timed runs 
4-7pm Rahlves' Apres Party at Bub's Pub presented by Sierra Nevada Brewing Company

Sunday Feb 12th - Finals
Top 32 men and top 16 women from Saturday's qualifiers.
Awards party immediately following.

Early registration for competitors can be done online up to 48 hours prior to the event at www.rahlvesbanzai.com.  Entries under 48 hours prior to the event can be done at the venue on Saturday morning, and include an additional $10 fee.

Following the Kirkwood event, the tour resumes at Alpine Meadows on February 23-24, then at Palisades Tahoe on March 3-4. The finals will be held at Sugar Bowl with the original Silver Belt Banzai on March 10-11.