San Leandro, CA–February 2006– The North Face athletes Ingrid Backstrom, Sage Cattabriga-Alosa, Jeremy Nobis and Dana Flahr dominated the 6th Annual Powder Magazine Reader Poll and Video Awards presented by Jeep on January 28. With Aspen, Colorado as the setting, the world’s finest of the ski industry gathered to celebrate the best of the best documented achievements of the 2004-2005 season.

Ingrid Backstrom once again stole the show, winning Best Female Performance, The Hit List and ranking first for Favorite Female Skier in the Reader Poll. In 2005 she took Best Female Performance, Breakthrough Performance and held the second spot in the Reader Poll for Favorite Female Skier.

Sage Cattabriga-Alosa was awarded the coveted Best Powder Award, presented to him by David Moe, the founder of Powder Magazine. Cattabriga-Alosa also took home the honor of the 2006 Powder Magazine Photo of the Year, shot by Tony Harrington, featuring Cattabriga-Alosa who rules as fifth Favorite Male Skier in the Reader Poll.

Jeremy Nobis landed Amstel Light’s Full Throttle Award for his performance in The Tangerine Dream, and Dana Flahr following in Backstrom’s footsteps winning Best Breakthrough Performer, The Tangerine Dream. “Winning this [award] moves me forward as a skier. The Powder Awards are really respected in the industry,” says Flahr. “It was awesome to be a part of the event, especially winning an award, it’s an honor.”

The Powder Video awards honor the ski world’s best filmmakers and top athletes in categories such as Best Line, Best Male Performance, Movie of the Year, Photo of the Year, Best Breakthrough Performance and the Full Throttle Award. Additionally, the show features the Reader Poll Awards, which name skiing’s top 10 male and top five female skiers of the year as determined by votes from the readers of Powder Magazine.

More than 30 ski films and videos were released in 2005, taking two months of deliberation by Powder Magazine staff and a 25-person industry-wide panel to determine the winners and honorees. For full awards coverage check out www.powdermag.com/events/powpoll06.

About The North FaceŽ

The North Face, a subsidiary of VF Corporation, was founded in 1966. Headquartered in San Leandro, California, the company offers the most technically advanced products in the market to accomplished climbers, mountaineers, extreme skiers and explorers. The company's products are sold in specialty mountaineering, backpacking and skiing retailers, premium-sporting goods retailers and major outdoor specialty retail chains. Additional information about The North FaceŽ can be found on the company’s website, www.thenorthface.com