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2020 Banked Slalom Events Features News upcoming events

Official GO for SuddenRush Banked Slalom LAAX 2020

The SuddenRush Banked Slalom LAAX 2020 hosted by Terje Haakonsen and Nicolas Müller will take place for the sixth time from the 5th to 8th of March 2020  As we already informed you in this article, where you can find all relevant information.

Safety for all participants is as important as fun in the snow. After application by LAAX and the official risk analysis, the Canton of Graubünden has approved the event. From the first snowboarders of Switzerland*, early contest riders of international level to young park shredders, they come to LAAX to have fun in the course plenty of banked turns up at Crap Sogn Gion mountain.

Who is on the starting list of the popular SuddenRush Banked Slalom LAAX 2020?

For example the slalom ace of the 90s Peter Bauer, defending champion Super Masters in LAAX, and the former boardercross professional Reto Poltera, member of the management of LAAX, the Weisse Arena Group. Or the freestylers Ingemar Backman, who celebrated his first international victory in 1996 in Laax in the halfpipe, and Christian Hitsch Haller, who rocked the halfpipe at the OPEN events from 2005 to 2018. And Ueli Kestenholz, the fast multisportsman, very fast in alpine and BX snowboarding at the turn of the millennium.

In the Ladies Pro and Master category, some famous names also appear: such as the Olympic champions Nicola Thost (Halfpipe 1998) and Tanja Frieden (Boardercross 2006); LAAX BX winner 1997 Nici Pederzolli; Freeride World Tour Champion 2010 Aline Bock; Slopestyle expert Sina Candrian, LAAX OPEN winner 2020 Queralt Castellet, as well as the fastest woman on board in LAAX for three years Ariane Staib-Glaus, twice the age of Chloe Sillieres, who won the Pro category in 2019.

Like the hosts Terje Haakonsen and Nicolas Müller, many of them come from the freestyle snowboard contest scene and earn their money while enchanting their fans with freeriding. Such as the “Ästhetiker” Steve Gruber and Tom Beckna Eberharter, as well as Travis Rice, currently one of the most remarkable and influential snowboarders worldwide. The fact that he will really be competing in Laax in the Banked Slalom 2020 will also be a truly unforgettable highlight for all the many riders from the OPEN, KIDS and JUNIOR categories.

Photos: Ruggli

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Banked Slalom Events Features News report

Banked Slalom Finnish Champs and Finnish spring – what a combo!

On April 6th Banked Slalom Finnish Champs were held in Tahko, Finland in an amazing weather. The event, organized by Finnish Snowboarding Association, was full of joy as the perfect course was enjoyed by nearly 100 riders under a Finnish spring sun.

The annual Finnish Champs were held a second year in a row with lots of riders returing to Tahko. There were pro riders such as Heikki Sorsa, Siv Knudsen and Anton Lindfors, former pro riders like Joni Malmi, Sami Tuoriniemi and Heppu Pentti and a bunch of amazing riders from all ages.

The competition was held in three categories: Open, Rookies and Adaptive. Unfortunately reigning adaptive banked slalom Finnish champ, Paralympic gold winner and X Games gold medalist Matti Suur-Hamari couldn’t compete this year, but it was great to see Tomi Taskinen and a new face Sampsa Kankkunen on course. In the end it was Kankkunen taking gold with a solid run.

In open category it was a tough race. At first it seemed Jenni Viitanen and Anton Lindfors would be having an easy year as they both had straight great runs, but as the two-hour-session got further, other riders began to get better times. Unfortunately for the others, good for Jenni and Anton, but the rest of the field wasn’t fast enough. So boardercross World Cup rider Anton Lindfors took another gold, and so did Jenni Viitanen. Silver medalist in men Heppu Pentti was only 0,5 second behind Anton, and there were five riders inside one second. In rookies it was Roni Aalto and Jasmin Kaikuranta taking the fastest laps.

And not to forget team challenge on day before. With ”Gone Fishin’” theme it was a blast as riders wearing all kinds of funny costumes were killing it on course. In the end it was Team TB (brothers Jari Tuoriniemi and Sami Tuoriniemi) taking the fastest laps and enjoying the victory.

Thank you for all for taking part and see you next year with even better race!

Banked Slalom Finnish Champs were supported by Burton Snowboards, Tahko, Tahko Chalet, SkiOne.fi and Vision Fly Fishing

Open, men:

1. Anton Lindfors 33,45

2. Heppu Pentti 33,96

3. Panu Ruotsalainen 34,20

Open, Women:

1. Jenni Viitanen 37,71

2. Siv Knudsen 38,37

3. Heidi Latola 38.95

Adaptive:

1. Sampsa Kankkunen 43,47

2. Tomi Taskinen 1.10,71

Rookies, boys:

1. Roni Aalto 35,83

2. Elias Hämäläinen 36,85

3. Roomeo Aalto 37,08

Rookies, girls:

1. Jasmin Kaikuranta 41,09

2. Ronia Welling 41,86

3. Sara Nybäck 41,87

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Banked Slalom Events Features News report

Landing Snowboard Banked Slalom was a blast!

Last Saturday March 23 took place the first edition of the Landing Snowboard Banked Slalom organized by the pioneering company specialized in snowboard and splitboard, Landing Snowboard, in collaboration with the World Snowboard Federation (WSF).

A first edition loaded with adrenaline and lots of fun, in which 142 participants of all ages were able to enjoy the Banked Slalom circuit in the Era Marmota snowpark at Baqueira Beret resort.

The day began at 8 am with the collection of bibs at the base of Beret and eagerly, participants both young and old, were accredited according to 4 categories: Groms (< 12) and Rookies (< 18) with number of 16 participants per category, Seniors (< 40) with 60 participants and Legends (> 40) with 50. Among the participating snowboarders were the riders of Quiksilver, pro snowboarder Mathieu Crépel and pro surfer Aritz Aranburu.

From 9 a.m. onwards, the first participants could be seen practicing and enjoying the circuit located in the Era Marmota snowpark, designed by the Baqueira – Beret Stadium team, led by Quique Quintero and in collaboration with Oriol Rosell, the builder of Landing Snowboard.

The competition started at 11 am sharp, with two rounds of the race the snowboarders were classified according to their best times. The opener of the circuit was Igor Domínguez, founder of Landing Snowboard, followed by the number 1 bib, the smallest participant with only 8 years.

Throughout the day, the riders have enjoyed a very technical circuit for those who aspired to reach the top positions but also suitable for all levels.

Among the participants, snowboarders from France, Andorra and different points in the center and north of the peninsula.

It was 16:00h when the awards ceremony was held at the Beret base, more than 8,000€ in sports equipment delivered in order of categories:

 

Groms – Women

1st Itziar Pérez

2nd Chloe Fábrega

3ª Clementine Wall

 

Groms – Men

1st Axel Domínguez

2nd Pantxo Wall

3rd Martxelo Udruzola

 

Rookies – Women

1st Uxue Domínguez

2nd Anne Ripa Tous

3rd Danae Sanllehy

 

Rookies – Men

1st Pau Riba

2nd Dani Panera

3rd Javi Acha

 

Senior – Women

1º Diana Álvarez

2nd Daniela Zwerger

3rd Galatea Spain

 

Senior – Men

1st Mathieu Crépel

2nd Jon Arribas

3rd Alfons García

 

Legends – Women

1st Elena González de Murillo

2nd Danni Wall

3rd Maria del Carmen Gonzalez

 

Legends – Men

1st Lluc Navarro

2nd Garry Wall

3rd Manuel Palacios

 

“It has been a very technical and explosive circuit but also very fun, in which all the participants have been able to feel comfortable and enjoyed a lot. We are very happy with the number of participants who came to enjoy the circuit with us. Comments Javi Guimont, founder of Landing Snowboard, organizers of the race.

 

For this first edition of Banked Slalom, Landing Snowboard has the support of sponsors such as: Quiksilver, Salomon Snowboards, San Miguel 0.0, Ajuntament Naut Aran, Val d’Aran and Baqueira – Beret.

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Banked Slalom Events Features News report

SuddenRush Banked Slalom LAAX 2019 hosted by Terje Haakonsen und Nicolas Müller: An intergenerational snowboarding race

The fifth edition of SuddenRush Banked Slalom LAAX (7-10 March) brought together professionals, legends from the past, snowboarding fanatics, rising stars and kids. 400 riders ranging from 4 to 56 lined up this weekend full of anticipation. 

The fascination of Banked Slalom remains undiminished. The fifth edition in LAAX has once again shown that this is more than just a race, but is about seeing friends again and meeting up with the whole snowboarding family. Beaming faces and good moods are everywhere to be seen, as stories are regaled and new memories created. Everybody here shares the same enthusiasm. Xavier De Le Rue, former Freeride world champion and appearing at the SuddenRush Banked Slalom for the first time, sums it up perfectly: “I think my biggest satisfaction of the weekend is to see the snowboarding vibe so alive here in Laax. This event is so refreshing, it’s just heartwarming and I wanna come back and do more events like this.” 

The 400-metre course beneath the Crap Sogn Gion, featuring 21 banked turns, took centre stage over three days. Numerous helpers spent weeks shovelling snow to get the course in shape, including the event hosts Terje Haakonsen and Nicolas Müller, co-organiser Chris Bachmann from SuddenRush and US pro rider Nick Geisen. 

“The snow work is better than ever. It’s perfect. The banks are just the right height. The course is built for all classes. It’s the same for everyone, for masters, open riders, kids and professionals. This is important. This ensures that everyone has fun and will come back,” says the experienced event participant Virgilio Crivelli. 

The Pro class and Masters (40+), Grand Masters (45-49) and Super Masters (50+) were the first to take on the course on Friday. Host Terje Haakonsen showed his class once again and emerged triumphant in the Pro category. In the women’s event, Chloe Sillieres, former LAAX Open participant, secured first place on the podium: “I used to compete in Slopestyle competitions, but now I only take part in Banked Slaloms. I love the atmosphere, everybody just wants to ride and have fun. Here in LAAX, especially, everything is very familiar. It’s just a cool resort.” Also worth mentioning is the Super Masters class (50+), which is like a ‘Who’s Who’ of snowboarding legends and pioneers from the past. Peter Bauer, who dominated the alpine snowboarding scene in the 1980s, came out on top here yet again. 

The Open category followed on Saturday. Laax local Tiziana Casutt won the women’s category, while David Birri was victorious in the men’s. The top 3 or top 5 in each category went up against one another again at the end of the day. This was to establish the fastest woman and fastest man across all categories. The riders in the Pro class showed their skills here. Swiss rider Ariane Staib-Glaus and Canadian boardercross World Cup rider Elliot Grondin secured victory. 

It was the turn of the kids to make their way fearlessly through the course on Sunday. It is always refreshing to see the enthusiasm the little ones bring to the event and how naturally they traverse the course on their snowboards. Even the juniors, who subsequently lined up, were amazed. Siria Poltera and Jonas Hasler, participants in the Halfpipe Burton US Open, put in dazzling performances here. They recorded times that would have seen them make the top 10 in the adults’ events. Almost 80 children and teenagers reached the finish line in total. The Fakie race, where participants ride “backwards” through the course, brought the event to a close. Terje once again showed that he is a master of his trade here, scooping his second victory of the weekend. 

Respect the Nature – the focus on sustainability is a mission from both SuddenRush and LAAX. The Laax Greenstyle Initiative was clear for all to see all weekend. Recycled bib numbers from old banners from previous events as well as living trophies in the shape of the Swiss stone pine tree, which is native to Laax, for the winners to take home with them are just two such examples. The course was also completely shaped by hand without the use of any machinery. Part of the entry fee goes to the Greenstyle Foundation and to the Atlantic Rainforest Organisation, which Chris Bachmann, the man behind SuddenRush and co-organiser of the Banked Slalom, helped to establish. Worn Wear Repair Tour from Patagonia was also on hand in Laax, repairing outdoor clothing of any brand free of charge. 

This was SuddenRush Banked Slalom LAAX 2019 – a tribute to the origins of snowboarding! A guarantee for the future of snowboarding. 

 

Photo Credit: Philipp Ruggli and Sam Oetiker

 

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Banked Slalom News upcoming events

Zuoz Rocks Banked Slalom

THE WILD RIDE IN ZUOZ

The “Zuoz Rocks Banked Slalom 4 Charity” on February 16th stands for three things: action, a good time and a good cause. Whilst a good time filled with action doesn‘t need an explanation, here‘s some information on the event!

 

ACTION

Banked Slalom stands for the beginnings of snowboarding: a race against time, where participants have to complete a wild off-piste route. Back to the roots baby!

 

 

A GOOD CAUSE

You‘ll alway come down somehow, but can you get up too? The good cause part is about raising awareness at eye level. And the topic? Surprise Surprise: it’s Sexual Health! So it’s not just about being safe on the mountain, but also at the after party.

 

GOOD TIME

With GummiLove, a good time is guaranteed! To ensure this, there is a big party tent with the band KingZebra rocking it!

 

Programme

  • 09:00 – 12:00 o’clock start numbers issue at the start
  • 09.00 – 12.00 Training
  • 12.00 – 16.00 Race
  • 4:00 pm Ranking at the start
  • from 8.30 pm CONCERT Purtum from 8.30 pm with the legendary KingZebra

 More Information:

gummilove.com/zuoz-rocks-banked-slalom-16-februar/

www.kingzebra.ch

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Banked Slalom Events News upcoming events

Audi Snowboard Series – Banked Slalom in Gstaad

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Banked Slalom Events Features News upcoming events

Hochkeil Banked is going down on January, 26th 2019!

January is dominated by the joy of snowboarding at our 100% natural snow area Hochkeil. At the kick-off of the Banked Slalom World Tour, we are looking forward to welcome a lot of riders and maybe another snowboard legend. This weekend, the banked slalom race is not just about speed, the average time and the funniest old-school rider are just as awarded as the winners of the “Snurfer Class” without bindings. Kids and Families are welcome! Beside the Banked race you will surely find time for a few runs in the fresh POW at Hochkeil.


Key facts:
Hochkeil Banked Slalom
When: Saturday January, 26th 2019
Where: Hochkeil, Mühlbach am Hochkönig, Salzburg, Austria
Who: All Snowboarders – from kiddies to grandmas

Timetable:
Friday, January 25th
from 1pm: Get together at Arthurhaus hotel
2.3pm – 4pm: Inspection at the Banked Course
5pm: Presentation of the exhibition at Snowboardmuseum at Team-Hostel Hochkeilhaus

Saturday, january 26th
9am – 10.30am: Inspection and training on the Banked course
11am – 3.30am: Hochkeil Banked Slalom race
4.30pm: victory ceremony
Aftershowparty by Sledgehammer Skibikes + Get together at Hochkeilhaus


Starting fee:
– Kids up to 10 years: Euro 5.-
– Youth up to 15 years: Euro 10.-
– Adults 16 years and older: Euro 15.-
+5 Euro for last minute inscriptions on race day

Special lift ticket fees for competitors- SuperSkiCard and SkiAmade tickets are valid at Hochkeil

Find out all the information:

www.facebook.com/events/317747815739815
www.hochkeil.at

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Banked Slalom Events News upcoming events

SHRED DOWN – BÄNKED SLALOM

Westendorf will host the Shred Down Bänked Slalom 2019!

Narrow, steep turns are what a Banked Slalom need to allow the best show and fight against time, allowing everybody to challenge their personal limits. It is mandatory to find the perfect combination of physical characteristics, material features, weather conditions and most importantly: the fun of snowboarding is the most important ingredient when riding down a Banked Slalom course.

Perhaps the oldest discipline, in snowboarding history, celebrates another comeback in the Boarders Playground in 2019. Professionals and amateurs will fight for the best time on a very demanding, but fun slalom course. The smallest shredders made the biggest show during last year´s edition and showed their great talent at the Shred Down´s 20thanniversary.

After twenty years of Shred Down, the organizers are still excited to create a snowboard event, able to inspire children and young people to snowboard more and have fun together. Thus, the Shred Down 2019 will again be a cross-generation snowboard competition where the sport, snowboarding, is what truly matters.

Infos und Registration at  www.shreddown.rocks

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Banked Slalom Events News upcoming events

Brelok Banked Slalom

Brelok Banked Slalom” is an event organised by a Polish half-pipe tree time Olimpian Michał “Brelok” Ligocki who is very into promoting snowboarding nowdays in Poland.

The main goal is to have a good time, meet old friends and challenge with them on a friendly and fun banked slalom course. The event is held in Czarny Gron – one of the best Polish ski resort with a very good snowpark too.

Last year belong 220 competitors we had amateurs, pros, parends, kids, olimpians and a few handicap boardes too.

Every one is welcome to take part in our event.

Program: 
– 16.03.2019: Amateurs Men and Women
– 17.03.2019: Pro Men and Women & Juniors Boy and Girls born 2003 and earlier
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Banked Slalom Events News Para-Snowboarding upcoming events

Metts Banked Slalom

The banked slalom track will be one of its kind, sour legs at the end of every run guaranteed and the BEST beard in snowboard competition will make Santa Claus jealous. Everybody can win at the beard comp…just be creative! The bankes wil be build for a World Cup para-snowboarding event and we’ll use the same course!

Location: Snowworld, Netherlands – Witte Wereld 1, 6372 VG Landgraaf

Categories:

  • Girls and boys till 16
  • Ladies and gents 16 till 25
  • Women and men Seniors 25+

Costs: €20,-

Thanks to all our sponsors: Holmenkol, Rise & Shine Gear, Flow, Nidecker, Spy and JONES!

SIGN IN: www.mettenmaas.nl/mettsbsl.html

 

Contacts:
Email: info@mettenmaas.nl
Instagram: coachmetts_ned