Wanaka, New Zealand – The 2014 FIS Snowboard World Cup season gets underway next week with a star-studded field in New Zealand competing in both slopestyle and halfpipe.
The world’s best snowboarders will battle it out at Cardrona Alpine Resort near Lake Wanaka in one slopestyle and one halfpipe, with competitions taking place from August 16th through 24th. Both competitions are part of the 2013 Audi Quattro Winter Games New Zealand, the biggest event of the Southern Hemisphere winter season featuring snowboard, cross-country, alpine skiing, freestyle skiing and curling competitions. The who’s who of the international snowboarding scene will compete for not only valuable World Cup points, but also qualification slots for the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia.
“The 2013 Games is a vital stepping stone to Sochi and the importance of Olympic qualification is clearly attracting all the top names to New Zealand,” explained Audi Quattro Winter Games NZ chief executive, Arthur Klap. “I would expect many of the medal winners here in the Southern Alps to be on the podium in Russia next February and this is our chance to see them compete first-hand.”
The halfpipe field is led by reigning Olympic Champions Torah Bright (AUS) and Shaun White (USA), who will meet the other 2010 Winter Games medalists Hannah Teter (USA) and Kelly Clark (USA) as well as Peetu Piiroinen (FIN) and Scott Lago (USA) in Cardrona’s 22-foot superpipe. The impressive halfpipe line-up also features the likes of 2013 FIS Snowboard World Champions Arielle Gold (USA) and Iouri Podladtchikov (SUI), as well as former champions Jiayu Liu (CHN), Holly Crawford (AUS), Ryo Aono (JPN), Nathan Johnstone (AUS) as well as Queralt Castellet (ESP), Sophie Rodriguez (FRA) and Louie Vito (USA).
“Shaun White’s performance in 2009 will long be remembered and it’s a testament to our position as one of the world’s top five winter sports events that he is scheduling a trip down under along with so many other top athletes as part of their Olympic preparations,” says Klap.
The crème de la crème of the slopestyle world is heading down under, too. In addition to reigning World Champions Spencer O’Brien (CAN) and Roope Tonteri (FIN), the USA’s Jamie Anderson and Ty Walker will be joined by Enni Rukajarvi (FIN), Jenny Jones (GBR), Kjersti Buaas (NOR), Torah Bright (AUS) as well as Seppe Smits (BEL), Mark McMorris (CAN), Sebastien Toutant (CAN), Jamie Nicholls (GBR), Yuuki Kadono (JPN), Torstein Horgmo (NOR), Eric Willet (USA), Charles Guldemond (USA) and Shaun White (USA).
The 2014 FIS Snowboard Freestyle World Cup consists of three events: halfpipe, slopestyle and big air. The season calendar features a total of 11 competitions, including halfpipes at Ruka (FIN), Copper Mountain (USA), Stoneham (CAN) and La Molina (ESP). Other slopestyle events will be held at Copper Mountain, Gstaad (SUI), Stoneham and Kreischberg (AUT). The World Cup season’s sole big air contest will fly at Stoneham.
The Audi Quattro Winter Games NZ will kick off Wednesday with cross-country skiing at Snow Farm, where the U.S. will be well represented by two-time Olympian Andy Newell and 2012 national champion Noah Hoffman. The Games also include a full Downtown Sessions festival program featuring films, live music and entertainment in both Queenstown and Lake Wanaka.
2014 FIS Snowboard World Cup
Cardrona Alpine Resort – Wanaka, New Zealand
Preliminary Schedule
- August 16: Slopestyle training
- August 17: Slopestyle training
- August 18: Slopestyle qualification
- August 19: Slopestyle finals
- August 20: Halfpipe training
- August 21: Halfpipe training
- August 22: Halfpipe qualification
- August 24: Halfpipe finals