The six-day invitational marks the start of Burton’s Winter 2014 Global Event Series and is a key stop for Olympic hopefuls on the road to Sochi.

This year’s unique competition brings together 60 of the world’s top snowboarders for halfpipe and slopestyle contests, along with Kiwi-inspired, adventure-filled off-snow team challenges. Here’s a quick look at this year’s schedule in New Zealand:

2013 Burton High Fives presented by MINI Competition Schedule

Sunday, September 8^th: MINI Snow Drive Challenge

Monday, September 9^th: Off-Snow Team Challenges

Thursday, September 12^th: Slopestyle Finals

Friday, September 13^th: Halfpipe Finals

To kick things off, on Sunday, September 8^th, High Fives competitors will participate in the MINI Snow Drive Challenge, a speed, style and skill-focused challenge where riders will drive MINI Countryman ALL4 vehicles in snow and on ice. On Monday, September 9^th, riders will be divided into 12 teams to compete in adrenaline-packed, off-snow challenges in the adventure capital of the world. New this year is a New Zealand-inspired farming event with exotic wildlife and other top-secret Kiwi thrill sports that will be more exciting than ever.

Next up, classic snowboarding events will take center stage with riders competing in world-class slopestyle and halfpipe competitions from September 12^th– 13^th.  The top three men and women from each discipline, along with the best overall team of riders from the on and off-snow events, will take home a piece of the $80,000 USD prize purse. More info on how to vote for your favorite team will be available soon.

The best way to experience this incredible event is in person, and there are two great ways to win a trip down under. Check out MINI’s epic High Fives Adventure and enter here to win an adrenaline-filled trip for you and a friend. And don’t forget to check out the aspiring photographers here who entered for the chance to join Nokia’s official photography team on their road trip to New Zealand. A big thanks to MINI and Nokia for their support of the second annual High Fives event.

Top riders confirmed for the Burton High Fives half pipe competition include 2014 Olympic hopefuls Kelly Clark (USA), Ayumu Hirano (JPN), Kohei Kudo (JPN), Danny Davis (USA), Scotty Lago (USA), Arielle Gold (USA), Elena Hight (USA),Ellery Hollingsworth (USA), Gretchen Bleiler (USA) and Cilka Sadar (SLO). Thesloplestyle list is also stacked with riders who will show off their new skills as they prepare for Sochi now that slopestyle is an official Olympic discipline. Confirmed riders include 2012 High Fives Slopestyle Champion Mikkel Bang (NOR), PeetuPiiroinen (FIN), Silje Norendal (NOR), Tyler Nicholson (CAN) and Charles Reid (CAN), as well as local favorites Cameron Stavely (AUS), Rebecca Torr (NZL), Christy Prior (NZL), Shelly Gotlieb (NZL) and Stefi Luxton (NZL).

For more information about the 2013 Burton High Fives, including a comprehensive run down on format and schedule, as well as daily highlight videos showcasing on and off-snow events, follow the hashtag #BurtonHighFives and head to www.Burton.com/HighFives.  And stay tuned for plenty of exciting news to come about confirmed riders and the live webcast schedule.