U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for March 12

WASHINGTON, March 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the daily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090226/CENSUSLOGO)

FRIDAY, MARCH 12: SKI JORING

Profile America — Friday, March 12th. The National Ski Joring finals begin today in Red Lodge, Montana. You ask: "ski what?" Ski Joring — j-o-r-i-n-g. What happens is that a horse and rider tow a skier behind on a rope, something like water skiing. The idea started several hundred years ago in Scandinavia, with people who had to cover large distances in heavy snow. Now, competitors steer through slalom gates and off jumps that keep them airborne for up to 60 feet. It all adds up to winter fun in a sport that now holds events in five states. Across the U.S., more than 12 million people enjoy alpine and cross country skiing, or the increasingly popular sport of snowboarding. Profile America is in its 13th year as a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.

Sources: Statistical Abstract of the United States 2010, t. 1212

Profile America is produced by the Public Information Office of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look under the "Newsroom" button).

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau