World Snowboarding Championships Line Up Announced – Torstein’s In!
February 4th, 2012
TTR and WSF are pleased to announce the confirmed rider field for the World Snowboarding Championships taking place February 10th-19th in Oslo, Norway.
Over 200 men and women from over 25 countries around the world, including 3-times TTR World Tour winners Peetu Piiroinen (FIN) and Jamie Anderson (USA), 2012 X-Games winners Mark McMorris and Torstein Horgmo (NOR) as well as Olympic gold medallist Kelly Clark (USA), will compete for the Slopestyle and Halfpipe World Champion 2012 titles and $500,000 in total prize money.
With this immensely strong gathering of athletes in competitive snowboarding, spectators around the globe can expect a massive dose of action in the halfpipe and on the slopestyle course. More than a 100 independent TV stations will broadcast the WSC worldwide. TTR Pro Snowboarding, World Snowboard Federation and the WSC organizers in Oslo are pleased to welcome the athletes to the first World Snowboarding Championships for snowboarders by snowboarders since 1999.
A final round of Wildcards for influential riders, who weren’t able to qualify through competition in the past year, were handed to: Olivier Gittler and Arthur Longo from France to enter the Halfpipe contest. The Women’s Halfpipe contest sees Elena Hight (USA) join the start field.
The confirmed riders have been anticipating the World Snowboarding Championships for over a year now and can’t wait to drop in and ride the world-class Slopestyle course and Halfpipe. ‘The WSC is the most prestigious competition in Freestyle snowboarding in 2012, and I am very honored to be a part of it. We have all been focusing on this the whole season, it’s that time to show your stuff’ says Belgian Seppe Smits.
Hosting country Norway will warmly welcome many of their favorites in the Oslo Vinter Park Arena, such as Torstein Horgmo, Gjermund Braaten and Stale Sandbech in the men’s field, and Kjersti Ostgaard-Buaas, Silje Norendal and Linn Haug in the Women’s competition.
Henning Andersen, event director: ‘Oslo is ready for the action: The snowpark is in good condition and the final phase of the shaping process has started. The city of Oslo is welcoming everyone to the biggest sports event in 2012.’
The complete overview of all confirmed athletes can be found at: www.wsc2012.com
Top riders set off to compete in 2012 Burton Canadian Open
February 3rd, 2012
BURLINGTON, VT (February 2, 2012) – Top slopestyle and halfpipe riders are at WinSport Canada’s Canada Olympic Park (COP) this week to compete in the fourth annual Burton Canadian Open (CANO), presented by MINI, including Rockstar’s Chas Guldemond. World famous riders like three-time Olympian Kelly Clark (USA) and current TTR Halfpipe World Tour leader Benji Farrow (USA) will join local favorites like Robby Balharry (CAN) and Brooke Voigt (CAN) to battle it out in one of Canada’s premier snowboard competitions. The Canadian Open is the second stop of the Burton Global Open Series (BGOS), and the entire event is free and open to the public with halfpipe finals taking place on Friday, February 3 at 7:00p.m. (Mountain Time) and slopestyle finals going down on Saturday, February 4 at 11:00a.m. (Mountain Time).
Hit the jump to read on…
At CANO 2012, the women’s field is loaded with big-name competitors from all over the world. Topping the list is Kelly Clark, the reigning 2011 BGOS Champion. After winning her 13th contest in a row at X Games this past weekend, Kelly Clark will be the rider to beat in the CANO halfpipe this year. Gretchen Bleiler (USA), Hannah Teter (USA), Cilka Sadar (SLO), Castellet Queralt (ESP), Linn Haug (NOR) and Mercedes Nicoll (CAN) are also strong contenders coming into this year’s Canadian Open. On the slopestyle side, Silvia Mittermuller (GER), who is currently ranked third in the TTR Slopestyle World Tour ranking, will give last year’s CANO slopestyle winner Jamie Anderson (USA) some tough competition.
On the men’s side, Scotty James (AUS) is in fine form and looking to better his second place halfpipe podium finish from 2011. In slopestyle, Chas Guldemond (USA) will be looking for a spot on the Canadian Open podium. Janne Korpi (FIN), Manual Pietropoli (ITA) and Ryo Aono (JPN) are also all planning to compete this year.
All of these riders are in strong contention for earning a piece of the Canadian Open’s prize purse of $70,000, not to mention valuable points towards the Burton Global Open Series 2011/2012 Halfpipe and Slopestyle titles, which are each worth $25,000. Moreover, riders can earn valuable points that count towards the TTR Halfpipe and Slopestyle World Tour titles.
Riders at CANO will also be competing for the Creative Use of Space (CUOS) Award, presented by MINI. The male and female rider with the most creative and progressive tricks in the halfpipe and slopestyle will each win $2,500. Additionally, $5,000 will be awarded at the end of the BGOS season to the resort shape crew that built the most creative CUOS slopestyle features during the 2011/12 Burton Global Open Series. And lastly, riders at CANO will be earning points toward winning a brand new MINI Countryman, which will be awarded at the US Open in March. The male and female rider with the best overall results across all of the BGOS events will drive away with a MINI.
Not only will the Canadian Open host world-class competitive snowboarding, there will also be some next-level entertainment on hand. Due to the overwhelming success of the nighttime halfpipe finals last year, the 2012 CANO halfpipe finals will once again take place under the lights tomorrow at 7pm hosted by Terry and Deaner from the cult films “Fubar” and “Fubar 2″. After attendees watch the biggest halfpipe competition hosted in Canada, they are invited to stick around and celebrate to the sounds of DJ Hedspin on the deck of the main lodge at COP. All are welcome, and admission is free.
On Saturday night, CANO will throw an official bash to celebrate a great week of competitions at the Ship & Anchor in downtown Calgary on 17th Avenue. Well-known Canadian bands, Forbidden Dimension and Nightseeker will keep the house rocking all night long. On top of that, the finale to CANO 2012 will feature drink specials and appearances by Terry and Deaner from “Fubar”. Doors open at 9pm and entry is first-come, first-serve.
For Burton fans that can’t make it to Calgary, watch the slopestyle semi-finals as well as the halfpipe and slopestyle finals live on redbull.tv. Webcast airtimes are listed below in local Calgary time (Mountain Time):
Friday, Feb 3
9:30am – 3:00pm MT: Women’s and Men’s Slopestyle Semi-Finals
6:30pm – 10:00pm MT: Women’s and Men’s Halfpipe Finals
Saturday, Feb 4
10:30am – 2:00pm MT: Women’s and Men’s Slopestyle Finals
Torstein Horgmo wins TW SNOW’s 13th Annual Riders’ Poll Presented By New Era
January 30th, 2012
Denver, CO – Snowboarding’s stars came out in force Friday night, rocking The Fillmore Auditorium for the 13th Annual TW SNOW Riders’ Poll Awards Presented by New Era. Infamous emcee GT and Signal’s Dave Lee presided over the biggest night in snowboarding as the best riders of 2011 took the stage to receive their awards.
In the Women’s Rookie Of The Year category, Finnish phenom Enni Rukajärvi accepted the well deserved win after placing first in both the Winter X Games slope style and the Burton US Open slope style in 2011. The Men’s Rookie Of The Year title went to Mark McMorris for a breakout season that included landing the first backside 1440 triple cork and placing second at the X Games slope style.
Women’s Video Part Of The Year was handed to self proclaimed loose cannon, Jess Kimura, for her part in Capita’s Defenders Of Awesome. Men’s Video Part Of The Year was picked up by Eric Jackson who threw down a solid five minutes of footy in People’s Good Look. E-Jack’s part came together after working hard to recover from injuries that left him couched for the previous season.
In recognition of the growing trend away from traditional DVD video parts, this year an Online Video Project Of the Year category was added. Nominees included Xavier De Le Rue’s TimeLine and Devun Walsh and Iikka Backstrom’s Polar Opposites, but it was Jake Blauvelt’s Naturally series that claimed the new title. Jake’s five-part webisodes premiered throughout the winter on TWSnow.com culminating with a full part released online and for TransWorld SNOWboarding’s Mag+ iPad app.
Continuing in the video category, Brain Farm’s epic The Art Of Flight was awarded Video Of The Year. Filmed in some of the most remote locations to yet be ridden and with next level production value, director Curt Morgan’s project made a decisive victory.
The Stand Out Performance Of Year went to Xavier De Le Rue for his ice ride in the Alps.
For the New Era Women’s Readers’ Choice Award, Jess Kimura’s savage approach to the streets won the readers hearts, placing the second trophy of the night in her hands. For the men it was Torstein Horgmo who rallied the most votes to win the category. Despite no full video part, Torsteins’ X Games Big Air gold and a strong web video presence helped him maintain exposure.
The man, the myth, the Legend Award winner Jamie Lynn was in person to collect his due for a nearly double decade contribution to the style and culture of snowboarding. Long live the king of style!
For the final presentation of the evening Jess Kimura took the spotlight for the third time to accept the Women’s Rider Of The Year Award. She was followed by Travis Rice who won Men’s Rider Of The Year for his groundbreaking riding in The Art Of Flight.
Winners of the Riders’ Poll Awards are determined by polling more than 100 professional snowboarders worldwide. In addition, thousands of TransWorld SNOWboarding readers vote for the winners of the New Era Men’s and Women’s Readers’ Choice awards.
Winter X Games 2012 Competition Schedule
January 25th, 2012
It’s that time of year again. The biggest contest of the winter season is about to kickoff in the picturesque town of Aspen, Colorado. Throughout the next four days, over 200 world-class athletes will be competing in ski, snowboard and snowmobile events at Buttermilk Mountain during Winter X Games 2012.
With that many athletes and events going on, it’s easy to lose track of what’s going on, at which venue and when. Never fear, we’ve compiled the schedule of events for the next four days to make sure you don’t miss out on any of the action.
Check out the schedule below:
Ski Legend Sarah Burke Passes Away
January 20th, 2012
We’ve been given the following statement from Nicole Wool, publicist to Sarah Burke.
Groundbreaking Canadian freestyle skier Sarah Burke passed away at 9:22AM January 19, 2012 at the University of Utah Hospital from injuries sustained in an accident on the Eagle Superpipe at Park City Mountain Resort on Tuesday, January 10, 2012. She was training for upcoming winter events.
As the result of Sarah’s fall, she suffered a ruptured vertebral artery, one of the four major arteries supplying blood to the brain. The rupture of this artery led to a severe intracranial hemorrhage, which caused Sarah to go into cardiac arrest on the scene. Emergency personnel responded and CPR was administered on the scene during which time she remained without a pulse or spontaneous breathing. Studies in the University of Utah Hospital Emergency Department indicated that she retained brainstem function. She was placed on life support and a protocol of therapeutic hypothermia was initiated to protect her brain. An angiogram indicated the site of arterial bleeding, and on Wednesday, January 11 the injured artery was successfully repaired.
After the operation, numerous neurological examinations, electrodiagnostic tests and imaging studies revealed that Sarah sustained severe irreversible damage to her brain due to lack of oxygen and blood after cardiac arrest, resulting in hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy. Sarah passed away peacefully surrounded by those she loved. In accordance with Sarah’s wishes, her organs and tissues were donated to save the lives of others.
While early reports in the media stated that Sarah’s injury was a traumatic brain injury, it is important to note that Sarah’s condition was the result of a lack of oxygen to the brain during cardiac arrest.
The family wishes to express their deep gratitude to Sarah’s dear friends for their love and support, and for traveling to Salt Lake City to comfort the family.
They would also like to thank the University of Utah Hospital and her physicians and care team in the Neuro Critical Care Unit for their incredible care and compassion.
The family was moved by the sincere and heartfelt sympathy expressed by people inspired by Sarah from all around the world. They have received a substantial number of inquiries from those who would like to make a contribution on behalf of Sarah. For more information, please go to http://www.giveforward.com/sarahburke.
A public celebration of Sarah’s life will be held in the coming weeks.