Since January, teams have been competing in qualifiers around the country to make it to the big time; the No Tall T’s Just Short Skis crew earned its slot with a first-place win at Winter Park. The team’s leader is 21-year-old University of Colorado student Micah Starkey, who feels like he missed out by not being alive in the ’70s – and is going all out now. The team name is a crack at his roommate, a pro snowboarder who wears really long “gangster” T-shirts, as well as a nod to the tiny snow blades they race in. And for the Old School Air contest, team members actually found old-school ’70s skis. “We went to this shop in Breck and the owner took us around back, and there was a pile of old skis,” Starkey says. “We found some and put bindings on them. They’re a good foot and a half longer than what I’m used to.”

Look for Starkey at today’s opening ceremony. He’ll be the guy parading in blue bell-bottom ski pants, a tight red and black sweater, a ’fro and a “really gross mustache.” On Saturday, the games coincide with Sunsation – Copper’s end-of-season bash that celebrates sunshine and snow with free live music, including Mix Master Mike at 3:30 p.m. and DJ Z-Trip at 5:30 p.m. For all the details, go to www.coppersunsation.com or www.redbullusa.com/1976games.
April 11-12; Fri., April 17; April 18-19, 2009