More than twenty ambitious shred heads showed up for the free snowboard pro coaching sessions on Saturday and more than fifty snowboarders between the ages of 7 - 37 from all over Europe, USA, Russia and Canada battled it out in the open slopestyle contest on Sunday. Zillertal resident Englishman Rowan Coultas took victory in the Rookie Class, Joanna Dzierzawski from Poland won the girls contest and Canadian snowboarder Jordan Phillips took home the men´s gold medal.

The recap video just makes you want to go ride more and more!

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On October 26th and 27th the Zillertal VÄLLEY RÄLLEY hosted by Ride Snowboards kicked off with a premiere event on Hintertux Glacier. Under blue skies and sunshine, more than twenty ambitious shredders of all riding levels gathered on Saturday at the Betterpark Hintertux to ride and learn something new at the freestyle coaching sessions with the Ästhetiker crew. Ride Snowboards was set up all weekend long for riders to test/demo the latest gear, sip a Red Bull and listen to some good jams. At the end of a perfect day, the Tourism Association Tux Finkenberg donated free drinks and snacks for everyone at the get-together on the sun terrace of the restaurant Hochleger at Sommerberg.

Even strong winds could not prevent the riders from giving their best, setting high standards in the open slopestyle contest on Sunday at the Betterpark Hintertux. Snowboard pros, amatures, rookies, girls and boys between the ages of 7 and 37 battled it out in a common session on the Medium Line. Everyone was being judged in their own category with their best run of three runs scoring the points. Zillertal resident Englishman Rowan Coultas won in the Rookie Class and made it up to second place on the overall men´s podium just behind the winner Jordan Phillips from Canada. Rowan´s fellow countryman Jamie Trinder took 3rd place in the men´s contest while Tit Stante from Slovenia scored second in the Rookie category and Ride Snowboards team rider Maximilian Preissinger from Germany took 3rd place on the young guns podium. Joanna Dzierzawski from Poland won the girls contest, while Adéla Kreisingerová from Czech Republic scored second and Austrian talent Birgit Rofner landed in third place. “The contest was really fun and I think it's great to have Pro's and the kids riding together, as long as they are judged separately,” said Joanna, “Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, weather played a big role in the event but looking around everybody seemed to have a smile on their face and pumped to be there!”

Men´s winner Jordan Phillips from Canada was stoked about the contest: ”I heard about it from a friend. He lives in the Zillertal valley and since I was visiting he told me I should come out and ride with the kids for this event the Ästhetiker crew is putting on. The contest was really a fun time. Everyone had a lot of opportunity to ride and learn. It really felt like it was all about getting people more stoked on snowboarding. The park up at Hintertux is so sick. It has a little bit for everyone. I trained there for the Olympic Games in Sochi.”

British ripper Lewis Courtier-Jones won the best trick award with his stylish Switch Backside 900. Beside the original Ästhetiker medals, the winners took home great fame and glory, prize money and mad-prizes. Ride Snowboards sponsored snowboards, bindings and backpacks, while the Online Snowboard Pro Shop HOTZONE.TV gave out free shopping vouchers.

By participating, riders collected valuable points for the overall Zillertal VÄLLEY RÄLLEY tour ranking. All final rankings after the first tourstop are posted up on www.ralleyvalley.at The overall tour winners will be awarded after the final tourstop when a Prince, Queen and King of the VÄLLEY will be crowned. All three overall tour winners qualify for the National Championships N.ASA Shred Down Austrian Masters Slopestyle and the overall Rookie Tour Champion wins a starting spot for the N.ASA organized World Rookie Finals. As a 1Star Event of the World Snowboard Tour, all riders gain valuable points for the World Snowboard Tour Ranking as well.

Sarah Moser, Marketing Hintertux Glacier was happy about the successful kick off event: “The demand for coaching and contest was tremendous and the high number of international riders has even impressed us! A great number of young and motivated snowboarders were giving their best at the Betterpark Hintertux and we look forward to the three upcoming tourstops in the valley.”

Until December, the Betterpark Hintertux will be shaped daily. With 8 kickers from 4 to 18 metres table, it’s probably the best glacier terrain park in the European Alps and offers the best riding conditions for every level. More than 30 jib obstacles, boxes, rails, tubes and tanks don´t leave any room for boredom. When the Betterpark Hintertux falls into hibernation in December, the new Familypark Hintertux opens it’s doors for all rail jibbers and motivated shred heads at the Sommerberg. Spring time is „Big Air Time“ again and the Betterpark Hintertux strikes back with the popular extra large setup that will be shaped daily from March until June. All info is available on www.betterpark.at and www.hintertuxergletscher.at

After the kick off in Hintertux, the Zillertal VÄLLEY RÄLLEY hosted by Ride Snowboards will travel through the valley with three more tourstops at Kaltenbach Hochzillertal, Zillertal Arena and Mayrhofen. The next stop will take place on December 21st and 22nd at the Betterpark Hochzillertal. All info and registration on www.valleyralley.at