Sunday, October 9th, at Snow Park NZ  in Wanaka, New Zealand Olympian and top competitive snowboarder, Iouri “I-Pod” Podladtchikov landed the first ever documented Switch Backside Double Cork 1260 / Switch Double McTwist.

While Training with the Coach Marco Bruni in New Zealand Iouri shows us what’s happening as we head into the Sochi 2014 Olympics. Let’s hope the judges know he’s goofy!

Louri would like to thank all of his sponsors: Red Bull Energy Drink (Redbull.com), Quiksilver (Quiksilver.com) and Vans (Vans.com)

FULL STORY VISIT ESPN HERE

Scotty James’ Spring Session

http://www.redbull.com.au/cs/Satellite/en_AU/Video/Spring-session–Scotty-James-021243139335978

Join Aussie snowboarder, Scotty James, for a spring session at Snow Park together with his coach, Ben Bright, and fellow snowboarder, Torah Bright, Scotty hones his skills in preparation for a successful 2012 and, ultimately, the 2014 Olympic Games in Russia. Check out Scotty’s incredible ‘air awareness’ as he displays his form on the half pipe.

Torah Bright NZ Spring Edit

MIKE NIXON WITH WANAKRAZY EXPOSED!

It’s simple.

Make a 2-4 minute edit showing us what you love about Snow Park in spring time.

(aka shredding the park, spraying the innocent, tranny finders, pond skimming, front country… basically whatever floats your boat)

Post it on our Facebook page.

Rally the troops, and let the FB audience decide.

Edits will also feature on the Snow Park NZ website.

THE EDIT WITH THE MOST FACEBOOK ‘LIKES’ AS AT 12PM OCTOBER 1st (CLOSING DAY) WINS A 2012 SNOW PARK NZ SEASON PASS!!

Peter Adam ‘Earl’ Crook showing us what spring is all about at Snow Park NZ. Credit Ananda Van Welij.

AND NOW FOR THE EDITS…

EDIT NUMBER ONE: MICHAEL MCMILLAN LAPPING SNOW PARK – CREATED BY TOBY WILSON.

CLICK HERE TO VOTE FOR TOBY’S EDIT

EDIT NUMBER TWO: A DAY AT SNOW PARK NZ – CREATED BY GEORGE PENGELLY.

CLICK HERE TO VOTE FOR GEORGE’S EDIT

EDIT NUMBER THREE: CHASE AND LANI GO TO SNOW PARK.

CLICK HERE TO VOTE FOR LANI’S EDIT

EDIT NUMBER FOUR: THE FIRM PRESENTS WANAKRAZY.

CLICK HERE TO VOTE FOR MIKE’S EDIT

EDIT NUMBER FIVE: GUIDO AT SNOW PARK. CREATED BY – LIAM HALL.

CLICK HERE TO VOTE FOR LIAM’S EDIT

EDIT NUMBER SIX: BLAH BLAH BLAH NZ. CREATED BY – SIMON MCSHERRY.

CLICK HERE TO VOTE FOR SIMON’S EDIT

EDIT NUMBER SEVEN: SNOW PARK 2010. CREATED BY – KYLE RILEY WATSON.

CLICK HERE TO VOTE FOR KYLE’S EDIT

EDIT NUMBER EIGHT: A DAY IN THE LIFE OF GRADY. CREATED BY – DARCY ROSZELL.

CLICK HERE TO VOTE FOR DARCY’S EDIT

JORAM MAKURU getting creative on ‘The Rock Drop’

Film/Edit: Theo Muse
Music: All Together Now/Andre 3000

HANK ‘N’ FINN BILOUS and the ‘longest box in town’

Film/Edit: Theo Muse
Additional Film: Liam Peter Ryan
Music: Chromeo/Outta…

JAY WALSH and the ‘Flat Down’ shotgun with some skate steez.

Film/Edit: Theo Muse
Music: CuDi Spazzin’/Kid Cudi

SAM, DYLAN and the ‘Concrete Truck’

In this episode we catch up with local grommies Sam and Dylan. They decide to shred the ‘Concrete Truck’.

Film/Edit: Theo Muse
Additional Film: Liam Peter Ryan
Music: Stand in the Water/Wildlife.

Riders were treated to another crystal clear day yesterday at Snow Park for the halpipe competition of The North Face Freeski Open, presented by Volkl, where America’s Taylor Seaton and Devin Logan took the top spots.

With wind early in the morning the decision was made to move straight to a men’s semi-final where 20 competitors competed for the 12 available spots in finals. As the morning went on the winds died down and the tricks got progressively bigger.

America’s David Wise was the top qualifier out of the semifinals scoring 82.75. Also making the cut were Nils Lauper, Gus Kenworthy, Peter Crook, Cyrill Hunziker, Wing Tai Barrymore, Taylor Seaton, Yannic Lerjen, Klaus Finne, Kentaro Tsuda, Kalle Hilden and Geoff Straight.

After winning yesterday’s slopestyle, NZ’s Jossi Wells pulled the pin on today’s competition saying, “My knee is a bit sore today. I decided to be proactive and prevent possible injury so that I can keep charging hard for the rest of the season.”

When it came to the finals, David Wise had to settle for second with Taylor Seaton stepping it up and defending his title. Seaton is no newcomer to the podium here in New Zealand, as he won the event last year and took second the year before.

Taylor Seaton

“Amplitude and execution stood out for Seaton,” said head judge Rafael Regazzoni. “He hit everything perfectly and building height as he went down the pipe. He rode really well given the wind and pipe conditions.”

Seaton was thrilled with his win saying, “It’s amazing, I couldn’t ask for anything more. It was a challenge throughout the day for sure with the winds picking up in the qualifying rounds. Also, I broke my boot.”

Seaton, who borrowed a boot for his second run in the semi-finals, was able to make the necessary adjustments and go on to win with a run that included a 270 into the pipe to switch 720 truck driver, right 900 mute, left 900 tail, alley-oop left 540 blunt and capped thing off with an alley-oop right 540 tail to score 84.25 points.

“This is my sixth season down here and it just keeps getting better and better. I’m having more fun every year,” said Seaton. “My goal today was to make it to the podium so I’d could secure a spot in the X Games. Hopefully my win will also be a big push to making it to the USA Halfpipe A Team. I’m next in line for a spot.” Today’s second and third place winners Kenworthy and Wise are both currently on the US team.

Wise’s second place run included a left 900 nose grab, alley-oop flat spin 360 mute, switch left 720 double japan, right 900 tail and left 1080 mute that scored him 81.25 points, while after placing first in slopestyle and halfpipe at the Winter Games NZ, the 2011 AFP Overall World Champion Gus Kenworthy had to settle for third. His run, which featured a left cork 900 tail, right 720 tail, switch 720 japan, alley-oop 540, left 1080 tail and switch alley-oop 720, scored him 77.5 points.

Gus Kenworthy (3rd), Taylor Seaton (1st), David Wise (2nd)

“The top three men all skied at a really high level,” said Regazzoni. “It was great to see lots of the others pushing themselves to reach the level of the top riders.”

Coming off three wins at the Winter Games NZ in slopestyle, halfpipe and big air, the current AFP Women’s Overall World Champion Devin Logan was back on top yesterday with a winning run that scored her 85.25 points and included a japan air, left 540 tail, right flair, mute air, alley-oop rodeo 540 and left 540. This is Logan’s final competition of the Southern Hemisphere season.

“This has been a great start to my season,” said Logan. “I’ve podiumed in the past five competitions.” After a great Southern Hemisphere season Logan is happy to be heading home. “It will be good to get home and spend time with the family before hitting the slopes again for the Northern Hemisphere season. Coming down to New Zealand has worked out really well for me over the past two seasons. I definitely plan to be back again. In fact, I may even be back this October for the Cardrona pipe camps.”

Devin Logan

“Devin threw down one of the best runs I’ve ever seen in the pipe,” said Regazzoni. “She brought new tricks in including an alley-oop rodeo 540 with amazing amplitude. There are only two girls in the world pulling that trick.”

Kiwis Amy Sheehan and Janina Kuzma battled it out for the next two spots on the podium with Sheehan taking second by one point. Sheehan’s left 540, right 360, switch alley-oop 360, straight air and right 720 scored her 70.5 points.

“Amy was riding really strongly and really clean,” said Regazzoni. “Her right 360 to switch right 360 is a technical combo to put high in her pipe run. The technicality of Janina’s run was right up there as well but her amplitude and execution was just a bit shy of Amy’s.”

Amy Sheehan

Sheehan, who was out with an injury during the Northern Hemisphere season, has shown us she’s back in action. She came back with her right side cork 720, the same trick that led to her injury. Yesterday it was a success.

“I’m stoked that the wind died down for us,” said Sheehan. “It was great to ride with all my friends again. It’s nice to be back up there, back into it and doing well.”

Kuzma also showed that she can throw it down in the pipe, and is currently the world’s third highest ranked big mountain skier and recently took top honours as the overall woman’s skier at the World Heli Challenge. Kuzma’s run today featured a straight air, right 540, left 540, safety grab, left 720 and switch alley-oop air.

Janina Kuzma

With the slopestyle and halfpipe wrapped event director Cam Craighead expressed his gratitude to the host resort, Snow Park. “This is a transitional time for the sport and the event in New Zealand,” said Craighead. “Snow Park has played a huge part in getting behind the event and helping to make it happen.”

“We’re happy to once again host this event in New Zealand,” said Snow Sports NZ’s acting general manager, Ross McRobie. “It’s amazing to have athletes of this caliber competing here on our soil and even more exciting to think that many of the competitors will be our future Olympians when ski halfpipe and slopestyle debut at the 2014 Olympics in Sochi.”

The spectators were also treated to a first in New Zealand with the appearance of the infamous banana bar, a tradition that was started at the European Freeski Open in Laax.

Janina Kuzma (3rd), Devin Logan (1st), Amy Sheehan (2nd)

Results

Men

1) Taylor Seaton
2) David Wise
3) Gus Kenworthy
4) Yannic Lerjen
5) Peter Crook
6) Cyrill Hunziker
7) Wing Tai Barrymore
Geoff Straight
9) Klaus Finne
10) Kentaro Tsuda
11) Nils Lauper
12) Kalle Hilden

Women

1) Devin Logan
2) Amy Sheehan
3) Janina Kuzma
4) Jen Hudak
5) Rose Battersby
6) Shuri Terada
7) Samantha Poots
Isabelle Hanssen
9) Jenna Anderson
10) Brita Sigourney
11) Kendall Deighan
12) Anais Caradeux

The North Face New Zealand Freeski Open is an AFP silver event, earning the top competitors valuable points in the first major competition of the 2011/12 season. To see how this event affects the AFP rankings, go to afpworldtour.com.

Words by Tania Pilkinton
Photos by Camilla Stoddart

Yesterday saw the world’s top ranked freestyle skiers battle it out under picture perfect blue skies at Snow Park for the slopestyle finals of The North Face Freeski Open of NZ, presented by Volkl with New Zealand’s own Jossi Wells and Canada’s Kim Lamarre taking the top spots.

While the skies were blue the wind posed a bit of a challenge with many of the women pulling out of the competition and the men going a bit more conservative on their tricks.

Markus Eder

A heavy weighted men’s field of 12 skiers including New Zealand’s own Jossi Wells, who was first through the semi-finals in yesterday’s competition, took to the slopes and didn’t disappoint.

In the end Wells kept the momentum going from the previous day’s competition and grabbed the top spot on the podium with a winning run that included a lipslide disaster to switch, switch 270, switch right 900 tail grab and left double cork 1260 mute grab.

Jossi Wells

Named Overall World Champion Freeskier in 2010, Wells, who suffered a series of injuries was unable to out for the entire 2010 Southern Hemisphere season and much of the early Northern Hemisphere season, was elated to be back on top. “Today was the best ever,” said Wells. “I haven’t been at the top of a podium since the 2010 Austrian Open. I feel as if I’m on top of the world today. It’s great to land on my feet again.”

Wells went on to say that, “The conditions were a bit scary out there today with the wind and fresh snow. It was harder to clear the jumps. Still, there was a tough level of competition and I knew I had to put in a solid run to land on the podium.”

Jossi Wells

Wells joined Canada’s Gagnier brothers on the podium with Charles Gagnier making a long overdue comeback and taking the second spot, just ahead of his brother Vincent.

“It was a big surprise to see Charles back on the podium,” said head judge Rafael Regazzoni. “Having formerly been one of the top competitors, Charles comeback has been a long time in the making. The last time he was on a podium was about four years ago. It’s fantastic to see him back in action.”

Charles second place run included a right 270 to disaster, Gagnier slide to switch, switch left 1080 tail grab and switch right 1080 mute grab, while Vincent started off with a nosebutter 450 to 270 out, followed by a backside 450 out (rainbow), switch right corked 1080 tail grab and switch left 1080 mute grab to truck driver.

“Jossi was the clear winner today,” said Regazzoni. “He was the most creative on the upper rail section and was the most consistent with the best executed tricks on the bottom of the course.”

Vincent Gagnier (3rd), Jossi Wells (1st), Charles Gagnier (2nd)

The women’s final showed world class performances today, with overall world champion Devin Logan hoping to capture her fourth win of the Southern Hemisphere season, having taken the top spot in slopestyle, halpipe and big air at the recent NZ Winter Games. It was not to be. This time around it was Lamarre’s turn to stand atop the podium with a winning run that included a 270 on to the rail, straight to switch on the rainbow box, switch left 540 safety grab and left 540 mute grab, scoring 76.75 points.

“It feels great to be on top today,” said Lamarre. “This is my last competition of the season and it’s nice to end it this way.”

Lamarre has her sights set on the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia and has recently been named to the Canadian Slopestyle Team.

Kim Lamarre

Logan’s run, which included a switch on to the rail, straight to switch out on the cannon, switch left 540 and left 540 tail grab, scored her 74.25 points for the second place spot on the podium.

Rounding out the women’s podium was New Zealand’s up and coming Rose Battersby who’s shown she’s a force to contend with.

“Rose has an awesome attitude and is taking the coaching she is getting from her coach Pete Legnavsky on board,” said freeski coach Bruce Wells. “She’s tracking well for a long term goal of competing in the 2014 Sochi Olympics.”

“The conditions proved difficult for the women today with over half of the field scratching due to issues with the wind and clearing the jumps,” said judge Victoria Beattie. “Speed was difficult on the course. In the end it was a battle between Kim and Devin. Kim’s smooth, solid style won out on the day with only two points separating them.”

Devin Logan (2nd), Kim Lamarre (1st), Rose Battersby (3rd)

With seven countries represented today, the athletes in both the men’s and women’s fields will likely be the first ever to represent their countries when ski slopestyle makes its Olympic debut at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.

The wind on course today led organisers to make the decision not to score the final jump. “It’s a shame we couldn’t have that final jump as a scoring jump but, due to the weather conditions, the safety issues were too high. After consultation with the riders we decided not to score it,” said event director Cam Craighead.

The North Face Fresski Open of NZ, presented by Volkl continues today with the halfpipe competition at Snow Park beginning at 10am.

Results

Men

1) Jossi Wells
2) Charles Gagnier
3) Vincent Gagnier
4) Chris Laker
5) Joss Christensen
6) Klaus Finne
7) Cyrill Hunziker
Takumi Toyama
9) Elias Ambuhl
10) Erik Hughes
11) Markus Eder
12) AJ Kemppainen

Women

1) Kim Lamarre
2) Devin Logan
3) Rose Battersby
4) Chiho Takao

Film/Edits by Theo Muse

SEPPE SMITS:

Snow Park’s One Laps: Seppe Smits from Snow Park NZ on Vimeo.

STALE SANDBECH

Snow Park’s One Laps: Stale Sandbech from Snow Park NZ on Vimeo.

DANNY DAVIS

Snow Park’s One Laps: Danny Davis from Snow Park NZ on Vimeo.

ZACH HALE

Snow Park’s One Laps: Zak Hale from Snow Park NZ on Vimeo.

Whats On @ Snow Park NZ. Episode 2 from Good Dear Good on Vimeo.

Snow Park Triple Line Opens from Snow Park NZ on Vimeo.

SnowPark Feature Color 2011 from Theo Muse on Vimeo.