Presented by Xperia Sony Smartphone 4Star World Snowboard Tour event which wrapped up at Snow Park, New Zealand today.

Zee’s winning run was the very first of the final, the local favorite registering 79.30 points from the judges. He began with a gnarly cab 270 gap to the down rail, followed by a frontside 720, a backside 900, switch backside double cork 1080 and a switch 50-50 on the final feature which Zee said he was “actually surprised” he landed.

“Good times! It was a fun event, I’m stoked to ride away and stoked to ride with some solid riders, the boys were killing it so I’m happy to be a part of that,” said Zeestraten.

Zee now has 500 valuable World Tour ranking points next to his name, US$5,000 in prize money and a swag of prizes that included a state-of-the-art NEXF3 single lens kit camera Sony Camera.

Japanese rider Yuki Kadono (JPN) was second on the final start list and the 16 year-old answered back immediately, locking in the second highest scoring run of the final 78.20 points (petrol pump tap, frontside lipslide to fakie, cab 540 underflip, front 1080 tail grab, back double 1080 and a nice little 50-50 frontside 540 to wrap up the run). But as happy as Kadono was, the score fell a little short, coming in behind Zee by just over a point.

Defending Billabong Bro Down Champion Roope Tonteri of Finland landed his run no problem, but fell just shy of the top spot on the judges sheet by two points. Three days of riding into a 90-day stint in New Zealand and competing in his first event of 35 scheduled in his itinerary, Tonteri has a long season ahead with plenty to look forward to.

“It’s early in the season for me and I know who is going to pay tonight at the bar, so no problem,” he joked.

Today’s result is a personal best for Open Women’s Division winner, Christy Prior (Auckland, NZL); the 23 year-old only began competing internationally last season and she has already secured a wildcard for the upcoming invite-only 5Star Burton High Fives (Snow Park, NZ, Aug 15^th-18^th).

Prior’s run included an air over the petrol tank, a boardslide onto the rail, a frontside rodeo 540, a cab 540, backside 360 and then a method air off the pole to finish. Prior achieved a mini milestone with her win, placing on the podium’s top spot ahead of experienced local Wanaka local and Qualifying winner Shelly Gotlieb (Wanaka, NZL).

Canadian Tyler Nicholson (CAN) managed what Tonteri hoped for by going back-to-back in the Men’s Junior division. The 17 year-old 2011 Bro Down winner was going to enter the Open Men’s but decided against it following seven months rehab off the snow, and instead won the Junior Men’s Division.

The Junior Women’s division was decided on Day 1 with Aussie Alex Fitch (AUS) placing first ahead of Biba Turnbull (AUS) and Kiwi Fiona Brunton (NZL).

The Billabong Bro Down presented by Xperia Sony Smartphone is the first southern Hemisphere stop on the 2012/13 World Snowboard Tour.

Final Results 
Billabong Bro Down presented by Xperia Sony Smartphone
Snow Park, NZ Aug 3^rd - 4^th, 2012
Open Men’s
1^st Stef Zeestraten (NZL) 79.30pts
$5,000, plus Sony NEXF3 single lens kit camera valued at $999.95, 500 World Tour ranking points
2^nd Yuki Kadono (JPN) 78.20pts
$3000 plus Sony HDRPJ200 projector Handycam valued at $899.95, 471.15 World Tour ranking points
3^rd Sven Thorgren (SWE) 77.70pts
$2,000 plus Sony DSCHX20V Cybershot camera valued at $599.95, 450 World Tour ranking points

Womens
1^st Christy Prior (NZL) 51.10pts
$2,500 plus Sony NEXF3 single lens kit camera valued at $999.95, 500 World Tour ranking points
2^nd Shelly Gotlieb (NZL) 471.0pts
$1,500 plus Sony HDRPJ200 projector Handycam valued at $899.95, 471.15 World Tour ranking points
3^rd Panka Gyarmati (HUN) 38.00pts
$1,000 plus Sony DSCHX20V Cybershot camera valued at $599.95, 450 World Tour ranking points

Junior Boys
1^st Tyler Nicholson (CAN) 72.60pts
$300 plus Sony MDRPQ2 Headphones valued at $129.90
2^nd JJ Rayward (NZL) 54.00pts
$200 plus Sony MDRPQ2 Headphones valued at $129.90
3^rd Tim Herbert (NZL) 52.40pts
$100 plus Sony MDRPQ2 Headphones valued at $129.90

Junior Girls
1^st Alex Fitch (AUS) 37.25pts
$300 plus Sony MDRPQ3 Headphones valued at $69.95
2^nd Biba Turnbull (AUS) 35.50pts
$200 plus Sony MDRPQ3 Headphones valued at $69.95
3^rd Fiona Brunton (NZL) 16.50pts
$100 plus Sony MDRPQ3 Headphones valued at $69.95