10th Burton European Open Confirms Top Riders

Thu 18 December 08

Olympic gold medalist Shaun White will be joined by an armada of former BEO winners including Keir Dillon, Nicolas Müller, David Benedek. For the ladies Kelly Clark is joined by Jamie Anderson and the only invited Brit Jenny Jones

The 10th annual Burton European Open (BEO) is gearing up to be one of the season’s most exciting snowboard events as many of the world’s best riders get ready to compete in LAAX, Switzerland from Jan. 9-16, 2009. The third Burton Global Open Series event of this season and a 6Star Swatch TTR event, the BEO offers a prize purse of US $125,000 and two new Volvo XC 60s for the male and female overall winners.

All invited riders are confirmed and all open spots have been filled. Around 300 riders from 24 different countries – from amateurs to rookies to pros – registered online for a spot in the halfpipe and slopestyle disciplines. Riders from Europe, USA, Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and even Israel are expected to join this year’s anniversary event.

BEO 08 Slopestyle finals
Photo: ttrworldtour

All riders who make it through the qualification will have the chance to battle with the world’s top riders, among them last year’s Swatch TTR World Champion 07/08 and defending BEO Halfpipe Champion Kevin Pearce from the US. Olympic gold medalist Shaun White, who just won the Nissan X-Trail Jam in Tokyo last weekend, is defending his BEO 08 Slopestyle title and will be going after the BEO Halfpipe crown this year. Last year’s BGOS Champion Peetu Piiroinen will be one of the hottest candidates for a podium spot in both Halfpipe and Slopestyle, especially after his 2nd place finish in the Big Air competition at last weekend’s Nissan X-Trail Jam. Shaun, Kevin and Peetu will be joined by an armada of former BEO winners including Keir Dillon/USA, Nicolas Müller/SUI, David Benedek/GER, Heikki Sorsa/FIN, Mikkel Bang/NOR and Andy Finch/USA.

For the ladies, two-time BEO winner and Olympic gold medalist Kelly Clark/USA will try to earn her third BEO victory. Kelly has gotten off to a strong start this season with a 3rd place finish in the New Zealand Open halfpipe event and a first place title at the season’s first Grand Prix at Copper Mountain last weekend. Also confirmed is reigning Swatch TTR World Champion 07/08 Jamie Anderson, who is currently in first place for the 2009 BGOS $100,000 title after three first place finishes at the New Zealand and Australia Opens in August.

If you can’t make it to Switzerland, watch the BEO semi-finals and finals live on Go211.com, where webcasts and highlights of the competitions will also be available for on-demand viewing once the event is over.

For more information about this year’s BEO, check out www.opensnowboarding.com.

Event Schedule for the Burton European Open 2009:
Friday, Jan. 9: Slopestyle Juniors & KIDS PARTY
Saturday, Jan. 10: Halfpipe Juniors
Tuesday, Jan. 13: Slopestyle Semi-finals Women/Men; live in concert: STEREO TOTAL
Wednesday, Jan. 14: Halfpipe Semi-finals Women/Men
Thursday, Jan. 15: Slopestyle Finals Women/Men & BIRTHDAY BASH
Friday, Jan. 16: Halfpipe finals Women/Men; live in concert: THE STREETS

Contest Location: Laax, Crap Sogn Gion mountain (2200 m)
After Parties Location: Riders Palace

Confirmed Invited Riders List

MEN

*Name*	*Surname*	*Sponsor*	Nation	SS	HP
Jason	Dubois	Rossignol	CAN	SS
Charles	Reid	Burton	CAN	SS
Sebastien	Toutant	Nitro	CAN	SS
Antti	Autti	Flow	FIN	SS	HP
Janne	Korpi	KISSMARK	FIN	SS	HP
Markku	Koski	Stepchild	FIN		HP
Joel	Lahti	Flow	FIN	SS
Markus	Malin	Salomon	FIN		HP
Risto	Mattila	Drake	FIN	SS	HP
Peetu	Piiroinen	Burton	FIN	SS	HP
Sami	Saarenpää	Burton	FIN	SS
Heikki	Sorsa	Burton	FIN	SS
Ville	Uotila	Atomic	FIN	SS
Mathieu	Crepel	Quiksilver	FRA	SS	HP
Olivier	Gittler	Burton	FRA		HP
Arthur	Longo	Apo	FRA		HP
David	Benedek	Salomon	GER	SS
Manuel	Pietropoli	Burton	ITA		HP
Fredrik	Austbo	Quiksilver	NOR		HP
Mikkel	Bang	Burton	NOR	SS
Kim Andre	Eliassen	K2	NOR	SS
Per Iver	Grimsrud	Nitro	NOR	SS
Kim Rune	Hansen	Burton	NOR	SS	HP
Roger	Kleivdal	K2	NOR		HP
Ben	Stewart	Nitro	NZE		HP
Daniel	Friberg	Burton	SUI		HP
Stephan	Maurer	Burton	SUI	SS
Nicolas	Müller	Burton	SUI		HP
Iouri	Podladtchikov	Santa Cruz	SUI	SS	HP
Chris	Sörman	Burton	SWE	SS
Keir	Dillon	Burton	USA		HP
Andy	Finch	Palmer	USA	SS	HP
Tim	Humphreys	Flow	USA	SS
Jack	Mitrani	Burton	USA		HP
Pat	Moore	Forum	USA	SS
Kevin	Pearce	Burton	USA	SS	HP
Shaun	White	Burton	USA	SS	HP

Ladies

*Name*	*Surname*	*Sponsor*	Nation	SS	HP
Lisa	Filzmoser	Elan	AUT	SS
Claudia	Fliri	Völkl	AUT	SS
Spencer	O´Brien	Burton	CAN	SS
Marie France	Roy	Rome	CAN	SS
Meri	Peltonen	Protest	FIN	SS
Margot	Rozies	Roxy	FRA	SS
Jenny	Jones	Salomon	GBR	SS
Silvia	Mittermüller	Rome	GER	SS
Cheryl	Maas	Nitro	NED	SS
Kjersti	Buaas	Roxy	NOR	SS	HP
Linn	Haug	Burton	NOR		HP
Paulina	Ligocka	Roxy	POL		HP
Sina	Candrian	Burton	SUI	SS	HP
Manuela	Pesko	Ftwo	SUI		HP
Jamie	Anderson	Salomon	USA	SS	HP
Kelly	Clark	Burton	USA		HP

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Related categories

:: TTR World Snowboard Tour stories
:: Burton European Open 2009 stories
:: Laax stories

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Burton European Open 2009

9-16 January 09

Its back at Laax for another year

Laax, Switzerland

Excellent snowsure resort with a good long season. The slopes are great for freestylers and freeriders alike, as well as suiting beginners. The resort can be slack at opening lifts and the off-piste gets tracked out within hours of a dump.

Freeriding: 80% - Trees & some good off-piste
Freestyle: 85% - 2 terrain parks & huge halfpipe
Pistes: 80% - Great condition & variety

Main headlines

TTR Tour Standings

SWATCH TTR WORLD SNOWBOARD TOUR TOP10 MENS
1. Braaten Gjermund 581.08
2. Seppe Smits 468.76
3. Sebastien Toutant 395.30
4. Stale Sandbech 360.36
5. Mikkel Bang 337.94
6. Marko Grilc 337.74
7. Tore Holvik 331.37
8. Roope Tonteri 323.22
9. Iouri Podladtchikov 320.87
10. Christian Haller 315.08
SWATCH TTR WORLD SNOWBOARD TOUR TOP5 WOMENS
1. Rukajärvi Enni 364.22
2. Silvia Mittermueller 346.21
3. Sina Candrian 297.98
4. Rana Okada 264.90
5. Shelly Gotlieb 263.62
SWATCH TTR WORLD SNOWBOARD TOUR TOP5 MENS
1. Burton (686.66)
2. Oakley (509.13)
3. Nike6.0 (381.79)
7. DC (234.21)
9. Sweet (198.82)
SWATCH TTR WORLD SNOWBOARD TOUR TOP5 WOMENS
1. Burton (511.47)
2. Flow (428.44)
3. DC (296.18)
4. Voelkl (94.67)
5. Zimtstern (45.17)