LAAX is proud to announce the next great freestyle event, the Orage European Freeski Open by Swatch 2009, taking place from March 17 to 21, 2009. The highlight event of the European freeski season offers a total prize purse of US$ 50.000. Featuring slopestyle and halfpipe competitions the European Open will give local and amateur riders the chance to compete with some of the best pros in the sport and will award equal prize money to male and female riders. High level action in pipe and park, incredible tricks performed by international riders and suitable side-events will guarantee a terrific freeskiing event in a spring-like ambience amid the impressive Alps of Grisons.
The challenging open contest will be held at Crap Sogn Gion mountain where Europe’s only on-hill in-dirt Superpipe is enthroned, and the high end slopestlye course is built by a shaper elite supported by pro freeskiers. The former winners of the European Open are coming from all around the globe to LAAX: Canada’s halfpipe specialists Sarah Burke and Mike Riddle, US boy Simon Dumont, Candide Thovex and Marie Martinod from France, Norvegians PK Hunder and Grete Eliassen, Jossi Wells/NZE and Russell Henshaw/AUS from Down Under, and over all, the unbeatable queen of the LAAX slopestyle contest three time winner Virginie Faivre out of Switzerland.
The 4th Orage European Freeski Open by Swatch 2009 is an open event which means anyone can enter the contest. The online registration for competitors is open until February 23, 2009 on www.laax.com/freeskiopen .
The hosting resort and event organizer LAAX would like to thank Orage and Swatch for their support of the European Open as well as the industry partners Völkl-Marker, Giro, K2, Smith, Salomon and Calanda.
Orage European Freeski Open by Swatch 2009 – the program:
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
08h30-16h00 Qualifications Slopestyle, Crap Sogn Gion
Thursday March 19, 2009
09h00-15h00 Qualifications Halfpipe Crap Sogn Gion
21h30-23h00 Riders Welcome Party, Crap Bar
Friday, March 20, 2009
09h00-13h35 Semi Finals Slopestyle, Crap Sogn Gion
14h00-15h45 Finals Slopestyle, Crap Sogn Gion followed by Prize Givings
21h30 DJ Party Night Riders Palace
Saturday, March 21, 2009
09h00-13h35 Semi Finals Halfpipe, Crap Sogn Gion
13h45-15h30 Finals Halfpipe, Crap Sogn Gion followed by Prize Givings
21h30 Live Concert & DJ Party at Riders Palace
