LG FIS Snowboard World Cup Halfpipe 08, Cardrona

6-7 September 08

The first stop on the 2008/09 LG FIS Snowboard World Cup tour will take place on 6 September with over 100 athletes from 18 countries competing in the Southern Hemisphere’s only 22-foot halfpipe at Cardrona Alpine Resort.

The event has attracted a ‘who’s who’ of snowboarding, featuring high ranking riders as well as previous halfpipe World Cup winners, including Ryo Aono (JPN) who is currently ranked No. 1 in the world and who took out the men’s halfpipe World Cup title in 2007. Iouri Podladtchikov (SUI) won the title in 2008 and is currently ranked just behind Aono as the world’s No. 2.

An extremely strong women’s field features the top five ranked women in the world. Manuela Pesko (SUI) is currently ranked No. 1 and has won the women’s halfpipe title each of the last two years. She is tied in first place with Liu Jiayu (CHN) who is relatively new to the World Cup circuit and has been impressing judges with her massive amplitude and consistent riding. Current world No. 3 is Holly Crawford (AUS) and tied fourth are Paulina Ligocka (POL) and Soko Yamaoka (JPN), all within easy reach of a victory at this first event of the season.

New Zealand riders are ready to take on this impressive international field on their home turf with Kendall Brown and Juliane Bray leading the way in the women’s field, both looking to improve their current top-20 standings. James Hamilton and Ben Stewart will also be looking to move up the ladder from their current top 40 positions in the men’s field.

Completing a week of world-class snowboarding action, the LG FIS Continental Cup Slopestyle will precede the LG FIS World Cup on September 3, the first event of its kind in Australasia, also at Cardrona Alpine Resort.

The LG FIS Snowboard World Cup will start with the qualifications from 9.55am on Saturday September 6 with semi finals starting at 10.00am on Sunday September 7 and finals scheduled for 12.00pm

Lake Wanaka resorts all go for winter
Snow Park opens with a new beginner park with its own tow lift. Cardrona's new lift has been unveiled. Treble Cone opened with a new airbag jump, and all resorts have reported some decent opening snow -30Jun10
Wanaka to host 2010 FIS Junior World Championships
Snow Sports New Zealand announced today that all three Wanaka-area ski fields will share the spotlight for this Augusts 2010 FIS Snowboard & Freestyle Junior World Championships -14Feb10
New chairlift & expanded terrain at Cardrona
Cardrona's lift-serviced vertical will increase by 250 metres and the ski area will grow to a total size of 345 hectares -29Jan10
Zoe Gillings 6th in Bad Gastein
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Zoe Gillings takes 2nd in PGS in Chile
Considering that Zoe doesn't really compete in the Parallel Giant Slalom, and that she's only had 4-days training on the snow this summer, it's a dam fine result. -7Sep09

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Cardrona, New Zealand

Okay all round resort

Freeriding: 55% - No trees & some good off-piste
Freestyle: 80% - 2 Terrain parks & 4 pipes
Pistes: 55% - Some okay slopes

FIS

Read all about the FIS, past events, news, and what is coming up

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FIS Snowboard Junior Championships 2010 19-31 August
The event, scheduled for 19-31 August, marks the first time a FIS World Championship will be staged in New Zealand, and also marks the first time that snowboarding and freestyle skiing will share the same stage in a World Championship.
Freeze Festival 2010, London 29-31 October
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3*TTR Slopestyle event held in Mt. Buller, Australia
Burton New Zealand Snowboard Open 2010 10-14 August
the 2010 event will again be hosted at Cardrona Alpine Resort in the Cardrona Valley of Wanaka NZ
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