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BURTON NZ OPEN UP-AND-COMING SNOWBOARDERS TO RIDE WITH THE BEST AT TOMORROW’S HALFPIPE FINALS DAY

By Press Release

Friday, 4 August 2006


Lake Wanaka, New Zealand – August 4 2006 - A selection of up-and-coming snowboarders will go head-to-head with some of the world’s best at tomorrow’s halfpipe finals day at the Burton NZ Open.

Five female riders and 11 male riders qualified for the Open’s major event at the halfpipe prelims at Snow Park NZ today. They, and 48 seeded riders (riders with automatic entry), will take on the 150m-long half-pipe at the last day of the Burton NZ Open.

Today’s event saw some talent amongst the qualified riders that will make for an interesting competition tomorrow, Burton NZ Open head judge Jason Grossi, from the United States, said. Judges saw some technical tricks, including a front-side 900 on their toe-edge (spinning 900 degrees on their toe-edge), as well as one entrant completing a 1080 (three-and-a-half 360 degree rotations on a toe-edge).

The halfpipe finals day begins with the semi-finals event, where 21 women and 42 men fight for eight and 16 places, respectively, in the finals.

“Usually the semis are the hardest because we have such a good field of riders, and we have to make that cut from 42 to 16. It’s a huge cut,” Grossi said.

James Hamilton, of Auckland, was the only New Zealander to qualify in today’s event. He, and fellow Kiwis who automatically qualified - Tim and Will Jackways, Jah Harris, Mitchell Brown, Roland Morley-Brown and Quentin Robbins will compete against elite international riders, such as Luke and Jack Mitrani, Mason Aguirre and Kevin Pearce. Former World Cup snowboard champion Julianne Bray, of Wanaka, will battle it out with pro female riders, such as Kelly Clark, Molly Aguirre, and Torah Bright.

Burton NZ director Guy Alty said the Open had met and beaten organisers’ expectations: “The commitment from the venue, the riders, and the crew that have made it happen has been amazing.”
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