FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MATT LIEBSCH ON TOP AT TOUR DE TWIN CITIES

Minneapolis, MN -- Matt Liebsch (Team Strong Heart / Team Birkie) of Orono, Minnesota, firmly secured his position as the leader in the Tour De Twin Cities by placing 2nd on Saturday and 2nd again on Sunday at Green Acres in Lake Elmo, MN. Matt's Saturday result was impressive when you realize that only 100 meters from the start he was at the bottom of a pile of 7 or more skiers as a result of a crash. This meant instead of skiing the race from the front, he found himself near the back and had to ski through the field to miss victory by 0.1 seconds.

The Tour de Twin Cities is part of the nation-wide USSA SuperTour sporting a mini-tour format. Racers compete is 5 races over 9 days with points assigned to the top 20 in each race. The skier finishing with the highest point total takes home a $3000 pay check!

Liebsch has shown top form all season taking first place in the 10k classic and the 15k freestyle at the Mayor's Challenge at Wirth Park in Minneapolis, MN on January 21st and 22nd, and a 5th place in the Mayor's Challenge Sprint Prologue on January 25th against some of the fastest skiers in the country.

Liebsch, already well-known for winning The American Birkebeiner in 2009, the first American to do so in 17 years, is having a stellar season. He skied to a second place finish in the 15 kilometer men's freestyle competition at the U.S. Cross Country Ski Championships in Rumford, Maine on January 5th and won the 42k freestyle race at the SISU Ski Fest in Ironwood, Michigan, on January 14, 2012.

We had a good strategy that Matt executed perfectly. Today was an affirmation that Matt was by far the strongest and most consistent skier during the mini tour. It took a lot of determination, but Matt brought his "A" game each race. Hopefully this type of consistency in all disciplines will bring Matt the awareness that he deserves on the national team level." said Liebsch's coach, Jacob Beste.

Liebsch, who works at Gear West Ski and Run in Long Lake, MN and is married with two children is supported by Gear West and Team Birkie, a team of masters skiers who believe in making Olympic Dreams come true by supporting elite athletes and in growing and energizing the sport of Nordic skiing by giving kids from low-income families the opportunity to ski and learn the tools they need to achieve their individual Olympic-level" dreams.

Skiers of all levels can take advantage of Matt's expert race knowledge at Gear West. He hand selects skis to fit each individual and can offer computer analysis on Gear West's new state-of-the-art Nordic ski flex tester, which precisely measures the ideal weight range for a ski and the exact conditions under which it will perform the best. Wax clinics are also offered to show skiers how Matt's winning skis were waxed for the conditions.

For more information on Matthew Liebsch and Team Birkie please contact: Bruce Wain at 440-343-4628 OR Call Gear West at 952-473-0377.