PARK CITY, UT (Jan. 28) - A freestyle competition of epic proportions descends upon Park City Thursday as the 2009 Visa Freestyle International World Cup brings aerials and moguls to Deer Valley Resort, and the first World Cup ski halfpipe competition to happen in the USA to Park City Mountain Resort.

The event is a ramp up for the 2011 FIS Freestyle Ski World Championships. Deer Valley Resort will become the first site to repeat as a World Championship host - it first hosted the event in 2003.

"We love competing here so much. Not only are most of us coming home because we live here, but Deer Valley does such an incredible job with the site. The volunteers have come out every year since the Olympics in 2002 and they are just amazing," Emily Cook (Belmont, MA) said. "It's a hometown crowd and our friends and family cheer us on. The site is perfect and for me this is my favorite stop on the World Cup."

The action gets underway Thursday with moguls at Deer Valley with reigning national champions Emiko Torito (Denver) and Michael Morse (Duxbury, MA), and Hannah Kearney (Norwich, VT) who has been on the World Cup podium twice this season, including a win in France.

According to Torito, having the World Cup in Park City where she resides will offer a chance for her friends and family to support her at the event she looks forward to most every year.

"I think it is the most anticipated event of the year because the course is perfect. It's super challenging, but it's do-able," Torito said. "I have a great support system in Park City. I work at Dolly's Bookstore and all the people there will be here supporting me, and my family is going to come out. It's just the place where everyone is."

Following the moguls competition, the musical styling of Michael Franti and Spearhead will rock out at the bottom of Park City's historic Main Street as a kickoff to the weekend.

Friday, the flips and twists get huge as World Cup winners Jeret "Speedy" Peterson (Boise, ID), Ryan St. Onge (Winter Park, CO) and Cook look for their next podium during the nighttime aerials competition on the White Owl run at Deer Valley.

"I'm really excited to be back here in Park City. The crowd is always awesome and we always perform here," Peterson said. "As far as my game plan goes, I don't want to give all my secrets away. I want everyone to go up and check out the competition. But, I will say that it's going to be a fun event and as long as the weather cooperates then they'll have a great show to watch."

The weekend wraps up with twice the excitement as the day starts at Park City Mountain Resort for ski halfpipe and shifts to Deer Valley for a dual moguls competition under the lights.

Straight from the snow at Aspen's X Games, halfpipe athletes including Jen Hudak (Park City, UT), Colby West (Dillon, CO) and Peter Olenick (Carbondale, CO) are ready to take home the World Cup win.

"This is really exciting. This is the first halfpipe World Cup that the U.S. has hosted and for it to be in my hometown is a really exciting thing," Hudak said. "My parents and my sister will be able to come and watch. It's something that we are all looking forward to."

The excitement begins Thursday, Jan. 29. Dual Moguls and halfpipe will air on NBC Feb. 7 at 3:00 p.m. ET. Versus will broadcast moguls Feb. 8 at 5:00 p.m. ET and halfpipe Feb. 15 at 4:00 p.m. ET

2009 Visa Freestyle International Schedule (all times MT):

Thursday, Jan. 29
9:30 a.m. - Women's moguls qualifications
11:30 a.m. - Men's moguls qualifications
1:15 p.m. - Men's and women's moguls finals at Deer Valley
7:00 p.m. - Michael Franti and Spearhead at Main Street

Friday, Jan. 30
1:00 p.m. - Women's aerials qualifications at Deer Valley
3:45 p.m. - Men's aerials qualifications at Deer Valley
6:30 - Women's aerials finals at Deer Valley
7:00 p.m. - Men's aerials finals at Deer Valley

Saturday, Jan. 31
9:30 a.m. - Men's and women's halfpipe qualifications at Park City Mountain Resort
12:30 p.m. - Men's and women's halfpipe finals at Park City Mountain Resort
4:45 p.m. - Women's dual moguls qualifications at Deer Valley
5:45 p.m. - Men's dual moguls qualifications at Deer Valley
8:00 p.m. - Men's and women's dual moguls finals at Deer Valley