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Recent FIS News
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Successful Snowboard Worlds in La Molina 2011
The FIS Snowboard World Championships 2011 in La Molina (SPA) wrapped up on Saturday with the historical first medal decisions in slopestyle. Young rippers Enni Rukajarvi (FIN) and Seppe Smits (BEL) nailed the best runs thus taking the deserved gold medals and world champion titles, whilst demonstrating the great promise of this youthful and exciting event.
Altogether 17 nations celebrated a medal at the 11 events in Barcelona (big air) and La Molina. The medals table was led, surprisingly, by Australia which collected three gold medals by winning both of the halfpipe contests through Nathan Johnstone and Holly Crawford, along with the men's snowboard cross (Alex Pullin). The most medals were won by Austria with five while Finland collected four which was enough for the third rank in the medals table.
The parallel races saw the event's only double champion as Austrian Benjamin Karl claimed the men's both gold medals. In parallel slalom, Norway's Hilde-Katrine Engeli pulled the biggest sensation by grabbing gold. Engeli, an experienced World Cup starter with 48 starts but limited success, had qualified eleventh seeming to be an easy victim in the knock-out rounds.
La Molina also set new milestones in involving children and youth and leveraging the FIS SnowKidz program under the Bring Children to the Snow campaign. Up to 5'000 SnowKidz were involved and the children attending the sports festivities were able to participate in a special program for snow initiation.
A "Snowzone" was built up in close proximity to the village zone and the venues for halfpipe, parallel giant slalom and snowboard cross. A program coordinator accompanied by animators and volunteers was on-site encouraging involvement in game activities and animations. At the same time, promotional material and merchandising especially geared to children was distributed. School programs brought the children from the region and Catalonia to the venue, where they were able to experience and witness their role models competing in the different events.
FIS President Gian Franco Kasper stated: "Our thanks and congratulations go to the Organizers of the FIS Snowboard World Championships and the Royal Spanish Winter Sports Federation. They prepared outstanding courses in La Molina and put the athletes at the forefront of the event. The debut of slopestyle on the program was a true success and you have to admire the riders' great skills on show".
For more information visit www.fissnowboard.com