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The biggest question is the hardest one to answer: Is the Westbeach Classic still the Westbeach Classic? It's still called the Classic, but this seminal event is late this year, having been booted out of its prime April timeslot this year by the Sims World Snowboarding Championships Invitational, for which a gaggle of top European pros made the cross-Atlantic journey. Will they come back? Does it matter? Last year's top podium spots went to Yankees (Tricia Byrnes, Abe Teter, Jamie MacLeod and Jason Brown). There are some Whistler locals who are out of commission, like Mike Michalchuk and Maelle Ricker, but plenty of others are in prime condition, including Natasha Zurek and Drew Neilson. We'll have to wait and see who shows up and who throws down. There's $15,000 to be won in halfpipe and $10,000 in big air.

Of secondary importance in the burning questions category (but probably of supreme importance to some spectators): Will there be go-go dancers? They made a debut at the Classic last year, and then came out for the Sims session in April, but those two big air events were held at night. Will they make it up the hill for a mid-day, high-altitude dance party?

There's really no need to ask about the level of reveling. It's not just the riding that makes the Classic so classic. The aprés sun scene is the stuff of legends. Last year's late night big air was punctuated by money-filled rolls of toilet paper being strewn amongst the merrymakers.

Oh, and will the late-May snow prove worthy? No question. The comp is being held high on Whistler mountain this year. There should be plenty of sun and slush. Huck-dilly-icious.

So settle in for a good show. The halfpipe jam starts today and we'll be there, pipe-side, for Saturday's finals. Big air practice starts Saturday night and culminates at the top of Whistler Sunday afternoon. Then the real party starts.

An early-morning amateur slopestyle session will ring in the new week (it's a holiday for the Canucks - Victoria Day) and then any pro athlete who manages to rouse him- or her- badself will enter the Westbeach skate jam.

Check back for the Classic coverage. All your questions will be answered. We hope.

— Mary Catherine O'Connor, wondering where Whistler's mother is for MountainZone.com