NEW WORLD ROOKIE TOUR CHAMPIONS CROWNED

One hundred young snowboarders fought for the titles of World Rookie Halfpipe and Slopestyle Champions 2023 at the World Rookie Snowboard Finals in the Kitzsteinhorn – Kaprun/Zell am See, Austria. Exceptional talents between the ages of 7 and 18 have represented a total of 24 Nations: from New Zealand to Europe, from Japan to Australia. All had secured a starting place for the finals at the Kitzsteinhorn Snowpark at the World Rookie qualifying events around the world. The contest is considered the most important event for upcoming professional snowboarders worldwide.

The program of the 2023 World Rookie Finals included Slopestyle and Halfpipe contests and many lifestyle activities: opening ceremony, social dinners, tattoo workshop, WSF Anti-Doping workshop, and more.

The Superpipe at the Kitzsteinhorn Snowpark was the perfect spot to get the Rookies and Groms to compete for the halfpipe champion titles. Cam Melville Ives from New Zealand could convince the judges, becoming the new HP World Rookie Champion 2023, followed by Florian Lechner (GER) and Raffael Schütz (SUI).

Switzerland was generally the dominating Nation this season. Janett Soha (SUI) won the Rookie Girls category while Reef Matt Hasler (SUI) and Lura Wick (SUI) conquered the World Rookie Grom Halfpipe Champions titles, boy and girl.

Male Rookies were challenged for the 2023 Slopestyle World Rookie Champion title on a slopestyle course consisting of two tables with different kickers and a massive jib section at the end. Judges scored each rider using overall impression.  Chaeun Lee (KOR) (the current World Champion) conquers the victory and the World Rookie Champion title. Chaeun was awarded a ticket to the Swatch Nines, the Spring Battle 2024, the Rock a Rail in Innsbruck and an Invitation to the Prime Park Session 2023. Romain Allemand (FRA) and Gabriel Kreienbühl (SUI), got second and third and completed the male rookie podium.

In the female rookie category, Lucia Georgalli from New Zealand won the 2023 World Rookie Champion title with a solid run. Next to the Swatch Nines, Spring Battle, Rock a Rail and the Prime Park Session, she received an invitation to the Future Queen Session with Anna Gasser.

In the grom category, Hiroaki Nagara and Niina Sakakibara, both from Japan, conquered the World Grom Champions title, boy and girl. 

Download all the results here

Halfpipe video highlights here: vimeo.com/811598143
Slopestyle video highlights here: vimeo.com/811787547

Video by Andreas Monsberger 

Photogallery on WRT Facebook Fanpage by Ania Grzelka and Andreas Amplatz

Day 1 – World Rookie Snowboard Finals 2023
Day 2 – World Rookie Snowboard Finals 2023
Final Day 1 – World Rookie Snowboard Finals 2023
Final Day 2 – World Rookie Snowboard Finals 2023

For Snowboard, Freeski and Skateboard Calendar, please check the last online version here.

Follow the World Rookie Tour
Web: www.worldrookietour.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/worldrookietour
Instagram: www.instagram.com/worldrookietour @worldrookietour #worldrookietour
Vimeo: www.vimeo.com/channels/worldrookietour
email: info@worldrookietour.com

ABOUT THE WORLD ROOKIE TOUR
The World Rookie Tour is organized by the Black Yeti ssrl in collaboration with World Snowboard Federation, National Snowboard, Ski and Skateboard Associations, and selected action sports agencies. It was born in 2005 as a series of youth snowboard events and it consists now of a selection of high-quality International events for snowboard, Freeski, Skateboard and Surf, the so-called “Rookie Fests”, reserved for riders under 18’s only, in Europe, North and South America, Oceania and Asia. The World Rookie Tour consists not only of competitions: it also features loads of other activities to help rookies to grow in the field of professional action sports, such as photo & video shootings, avalanche, and rescue clinics, meetings with photographers, and international team managers, parties and English talks. Since year zero, it awards tickets to world-class events such as X Games Norway, Audi Nines, The Arctic Challenge, The Air & Style, The World Snowboarding Championships, Red Bull Roller Coaster, Simple Session, Mystic Sk8 Cup, invitations to professional photo & video shootings, and shooting trip all around the world. Every year the tour crowns the World Rookie Champions at the end of the season, during the World Rookie Finals, a unique event format where the best youngsters from almost 30 countries compete and have fun. More information at www.worldrookietour.com.

Author: Tricia