St.Moritz joins the TTR in a 4* thriller
The slopestyle course held under crispy cold blue bird conditions at the Stimorol Engadinsnow event in St. Moritz, Switzerland was won by Austrian rookie Mathias Weissenbacher, and Swiss shredder, Isabel Derungs
Both male and female riders took on the 4Star slopestyle course under crispy cold blue bird conditions at the Stimorol Engadinsnow event in St. Moritz, Switzerland. The well-known event joined the TTR tour for the first time this season attracting a long line up of international riders hungry for a piece of the $20,000 USD prize purse. The winners of this year’s event were Austrian rookie, Mathias Weissenbacher, and Swiss shredder, Isabel Derungs, who both took home their first 4Star titles and each bagged 500 Swatch TTR ranking points.
Engadinsnow 2011 mens slopestyle podium
Photo: Marc Weiler
35 eager riders made it through the qualification on Tuesday and embraced the long and well-shaped slopestyle course featuring three perfectly shaped kickers and a varied selection of rails, including an up-box and kinked rail. Each rider had two runs to stomp their tricks. Mathias Weissenbacher took the top spot leaving Swedish duo Isak Björnström in second and Tor Lundström in third place. Mathias nailed his 2nd run with a 50-50 to tailgrab on the up-box, a stylish backside 1080 over the first kicker and a fronside 720 followed by a crowd pleasing double backflip and a 50-50 to fronside boardslide on the kinked rail.
Engadinsnow 2011 mens slopestyle winner Mathias Weissenbacher
Photo: Marc Weiler
With his win today, Mathias moved up the TTR Tour ranking into World No. 27 and was super excited after the prize giving “I am really happy, this is my first 4Star title. Next I head to the 5Star River Jump in Livigno and then I plan to do some more 4Star events, I’m hoping for a chance to ride in the Air & Style Rookie Challenge.” Tor Lundström, who also took third place at the 4Star Horsefeathers Pleasure Jam earlier this season, moved up in the Swatch TTR Tour Ranking to World No. 19 and is another rookie to watch out for in the future.
Engadinsnow 2011 womens slopestyle podium
Photo: Marc Weiler
In the women’s competition it was Swiss ripper, Isabel Derungs, who took the victory and impressed the crowd and the judges with her winning run that included a stylish and lofty switch backside 180, a frontside 360 and a backside 360.
Engadinsnow 2011 woments slopestyle rider Isabel Derungs
Photo: Marc Weiler
She was stoked on her success and said, “The competition was great, the course was a bit difficult to ride today with the wind, but it was good fun.” Earlier this season Isabel took 8th place at the 6Star Burton European Open slopestyle in Laax and she now sits in World No. 26. In second was German rider, Stefanie Hamann, and in third was Elena Könz from Switzerland.
For more information visit www.ttrworldtour.com