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The minute class lets out, University of Utah student Jake Kirshner heads to the hills. He can be found skiing “as long as there’s enough snow to slide on,” he said, often venturing out well after the season is over and even before it begins, which is initially what brought him to Salt Lake from California’s Bay area.

He’s happy as long as he has skis on, but this year, Kirshner, a U.S. Freeskiing Team competitor, is willing to take a break from his famous “JakeCast” head-cam videos, posted on his blog since 2006, and explain the goings-on of the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver – from a different perspective.

“It’s all about being in the right place at the right time,” he said, adding that his video is “pretty wild.”

Kirshner is one of five college student blogging finalists, chosen from hundreds of entries from all over the country to represent students at the games as the ‘Best Blogathlete.’ The contest was open to anyone who has been blogging for the last four months. It doesn’t hurt that they are sports enthusiasts, but the only general requirement is that the bloggers follow the Olympics. Only one student will get the opportunity, with the winner garnering the most online votes. The winner will receive an all-expense-paid trip to Canada, a media pass and other prizes handed out by Microsoft, which is sponsoring the contest to promote its new products.

Microsoft spokesman Brad Marley said the idea of the contest is to use social media outlets to inform the public about the games, giving a personalized look into what goes on during the Olympics.

“The world of media is changing and everyday people can be as influential as people at more traditional publications,” Marley said. The company is hoping the winner is “someone who is passionate about the games, about blogging and who will be able to use new technology” such as their blog, Facebook, and other venues to talk about being at the games.

Marley said semi-finalists were chosen based on a 250-word blog submission which was judged based on the writer’s use of social media and overall creativity and writing skills.

Although he entered the contest “on a whim and didn’t think much of it,” Kirshner, 22, said he’d cover the Olympics “better than anyone else could. I’d be able to give insight to what’s going through a competitor’s mind and I’d definitely provide a lot of pictures and videos.” Every year, Kirshner competes in freeskiing events, which keeps him going back to the hills “for practice.”