Watch TTR Air and Style highlights from Innsbruck

Watch TTR Air and Style highlights from Innsbruck
Photo: Carlos Blanchard, TTR

Tue 08 December 09

Marko Grilc sticks a switch backside double corked 1080 to take the 6*TTR Air & Style title at the weekend, and now leads the World Tour

After a night full of action on the big air jump at the 6Star Billabong Air & Style 2009/II at the Bergisel Stadium in Innsbruck, Austria, Marko Grilc (SLO) took the top spot on the podium and is now the new leader on Swatch TTR World Tour. Grilc was not on the original invite list, but after two injures during practice for the main event, he was given a spot in the legendary competition. 2008/2009 Swatch TTR World Champion, Peetu Piiroinen (FIN), took second place at the Air & Style and Andreas Wiig (NOR) rounded out the podium in third.

With the first 6Star result of the season registered, there were many changes in the TTR Top 10. Marko Grilc, the new TTR World No. 1, really shook up the Swatch TTR Rankings as he bumped Sebastien Toutant, who could not compete this weekend, down to World No. 2. Other big movers in the ranking include Torstein Horgmo (NOR) who jumped up to No. 3 and Peetu Piiroinen who moved up to World No. 4. Antti Autti, Tim Humphreys and Chas Guldemond all moved into the TTR Top 10.

Air & Style 09 - Peetu Piiroinen
Air & Style 09 - Peetu Piiroinen
Photo: Carlos Blanchard, TTR

Big Air and Big Podium

The head-to-head knock out format for the big air competition made the contest quite the nail biter for the large crowd in attendance. The long in-run, poppy jump and steep landing was a perfect combination for Grilc to throw down a switch backside double corked 1080 in the super finals to take the Air & Style 2009/II title. “This is the best day of my life by far. I never even thought that this could happen. I am just very stoked” says an overwhelmed Grilc after the prize giving. “I went to Australia and New Zealand and then today I am Number one. I don't even know what to say. It came out of fun and pleasure and now I am here and I am stoked.” He was up against Peetu Piiroinen in the final round who was able to stomp a backside double corked 1080 for the second place finish. Andreas Wiig laid down a clean fronside 1080 double flip in the final for the third place spot on the podium.

Next On The TTR Tour

The TTR Tour takes a break for a couple of weeks and things will resume with another major event, the 6Star Oakley Arctic Challenge, taking place in Norway over the New Year’s holiday weekend. With some familiar faces from the Air & Style slated to attend the Arctic Challenge, including Peetu Piiroinen, Antti Autti and Torstein Horgmo, the race for the TTR World Title is already heating up. After the Arctic Challenge wraps up, the TTR Tour moves on to Davos, Switzerland for the 6Star O’Neill Evolution. And, the ladies have a big contest on the horizon with the 6Star Roxy Chicken Jam Europe at the beginning of January.
 

Air & Style 09 - winner Marko Grilc
Air & Style 09 - winner Marko Grilc
Photo: Carlos Blanchard, TTR

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Innsbruck, Austria
European capital of Snowboarding, but you need to travel to the slopes
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