The Austrian Freeski Open in Kaprun (skier: Elias Ambuehl; file photo: Matthias Rhomberg)

Austrian Freeski Open 2013 Draws Strong Field

Kaprun, Austria –  Freeskiers Bobby Brown, TJ Schiller, Andreas Hatveit, Nick Goepper, and Gus Kenworthy have all been drawn to the 11th Austrian Freeski Open by Atomic (AFO), a slopestyle set to go off at Snowpark Kitzsteinhorn in Kaprun, Austria, from Feb. 27 through Mar. 3.

The Austrian Freeski Open in Kaprun (skier: Elias Ambuehl; file photo: Matthias Rhomberg)
The Austrian Freeski Open in Kaprun (skier: Elias Ambuehl; file photo: Matthias Rhomberg)

A gold-level stop of the Association of Freeskiing Professionals’ (AFP) World Tour, the AFO welcomes more top-notch riders this year than ever before. After injury breaks Schiller, the American 2010 X Games slopestyle winner, and Germany’s Bene Mayr will make their comebacks, with Schiller participating in the AFO for the first time ever. Other fan favorites include this season’s shooting star James Woods, the American skier who took the bronze medal at the 2013 X Games in the slopestyle discipline, as well as Switzerland’s Elias Ambuehl, the 2009 AFO winner. Katie Summerhayes of Great Britain, who recently got second in the Silvaplana FIS World Cup, is the favorite in the women’s division. She’s challenged by 11-year-old freeski wunderkind Kelly Sildaru of Estonia and German skier Lena Stoffel, the 2011 AFO winner.

After heavy snowfalls in recent weeks, all is set to offer the riders excellent conditions at Snowpark Kitzsteinhorn. In order to satisfy the strong international field, the park will be revised and adapted to the needs of the slopestyle stars. At Kitzsteinhorn, they will find the ideal setting to show their best performances and their most impressive tricks.

The Austrian Freeski Open 2013 by Atomic will kick off with the Freeski Night Show at Zell am See next Wednesday. The women and rookies contests will follow on Thursday, while the qualification with 80 male riders will begin on Friday. The 15 best riders of the qualification will meet the seeded pros in the finals on Saturday, March 2.

Spectators can watch the action at Snowpark Kitzsteinhorn from a terrace made of snow. On Saturday, kids and youth younger than 19 will get the day ticket for Kitzsteinhorn for only 10 EUR.

Further highlights of the Austrian Freeski Open 2013 by Atomic are the side events, like the After Show Party at Insider, Zell am See, on Wednesday night, or the Red Bull Brandwagen live concert with Austrian hip-hop crew LinksabbiegA at Kaprun on Friday afternoon. AFO will conclude with the big FM4 Downdays Party featuring Taktattackers at Baumbar Kaprun on Saturday.

Bobby Brown, TJ Schiller, Andreas Hatveit, Nick Goepper, and Gus Kenworthy: the 11th Austrian Freeski Open by Atomic at Snowpark Kitzsteinhorn, Austria, presents the cream of the international freeskiing scene. From February 27 to March 3, 2013, the action is on at one of the world’s most prestigious slopestyle events.

A gold-level stop of the Association of Freeskiing Professionals’ (AFP) World Tour, the Austrian Freeski Open 2013 by Atomic (AFO) welcomes more top-notch riders than ever before, including 4-time Winter X Games champion Bobby Brown (USA), 2013 Winter X Games slopestyle winner Nick Goepper (USA), 2-time overall AFP World Tour winner, Gus Kenworthy (USA), and reigning AFO champion Andreas Hatveit (NOR). After injury breaks, Bene Mayr (GER) and 2010 X Games slopestyle winner TJ Schiller (USA) will make their comebacks, with Schiller participating in the AFO for the first time ever. Further favourites include this season’s shooting star James Woods (USA), who took the bronze medal at the 2013 X Games in the slopestyle discipline, as well as Elias Ambuehl (SUI), the 2009 AFO winner. Katie Summerhayes (GBR), who recently got 2nd in the Silvaplana FIS World Cup, is the favourite in the girls’ division. She’s challenged by 11-year-old freeski wunderkind Kelly Sildaru (EST) and Lena Stoffel (GER), the 2011 AFO winner.

After the heavy snowfalls of the last weeks, all is set to offer the riders excellent conditions at Snowpark Kitzsteinhorn. In order to satisfy the strong international field, the park will be revised and adapted to the needs of the slopestyle stars. At Kitzsteinhorn, they will find the ideal setting to show their best performances and their most impressive tricks.

The Austrian Freeski Open 2013 by Atomic will kick off with the Freeski Night Show at Zell am See on February 27, 2013. The ladies and rookies contests will follow on Thursday, February 28, while the qualification with 80 male riders will begin on Friday. The 15 best riders of the qualification will meet the seeded pros in the finals on Saturday, March 2. Spectators can watch the action at Snowpark Kitzsteinhorn from a terrace made of snow. On Saturday, kids and youth younger than 19 will get the day ticket for Kitzsteinhorn for only 10 EUR.

Further highlights of the Austrian Freeski Open 2013 by Atomic are the side events, like the After Show Party at Insider, Zell am See, on Wednesday night, or the Red Bull Brandwagen live concert with Austrian hip-hop crew LinksabbiegA at Kaprun on Friday afternoon. AFO will conclude with the big FM4 Downdays Party featuring Taktattackers at Baumbar Kaprun on Saturday.

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