Snowboard World Champs under way in Stoneham

The 10th edition of the FIS Snowboard World Championships kicked off on 19th January with a massive big air competition held in Quebec City in front of thousands of cheering spectators.

Held in unpredictable weather conditions with unusually warm weather prior to the event followed by suddenly freezing conditions, the first competition weekend was dedicated to the freestyle snowboarding events of big air, half pipe and slopestyle:

Four riders have been crowned FIS Snowboard World Champion for the first time in the five events so far: Roope Tonteri (FIN – men’s slopestyle and big air), Spencer O'Brien (CAN – ladies’ slopestyle), only 16-year-old Arielle Gold (USA – ladies’ halfpipe) and Iouri Podladtchikov (SUI – men’s halfpipe).

The Finnish rider Tonteri competed in two contests, slopestyle and big air and successfully defended his country’s tradition of triumphing at the medals events. All in all, the Finns led the charge of the Northern Europeans clinching a total of four medals (2 gold, 2 bronze), and currently lead the medals table.

While freestyle snowboarding was central on the first weekend of the World Championships, the speed events consisting of snowboard cross, parallel giant slalom and parallel slalom are now taking the centre stage.

The first medal event will be held on Friday, 25th January with the parallel giant slalom finals. The snowboard cross medals will be fought out the day after while on Sunday, 27th January, a parallel slalom will wrap up Stoneham 2013.

To stay tuned, visit fissnowboard.com and snowjamboree.com

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