Top snowboard action will hit Innsbruck with an onslaught of the world's best Quarter Pipe riders. The list of 24 heavy hitters includes top athletes like 06/07 TTR World #2 Antti Autti (FIN), The Oakley Arctic Challenge 2007 winner Kevin Pearce (USA) and the legend himself Terje Haakonsen (NOR). Local heroes like Stefan Gimpl (AUT), are also invited to launch themselves in hopes of grabbing a piece of the $50,000 USD prize purse.
The Billabong Air & Style Quarter Pipe Innsbruck 2008 qualifies as a FIVE (5) STAR Event on the Swatch Ticket to Ride World Tour. It can be assured that riders will be throwing down their best tricks to attain as many points as possible to increase their ranking on the Tour. Two groups of twelve riders will be battling out in the qualifying rounds to fill the eight available spots in the finals. Riders will be allowed three jumps, each being judged out of 100 points totaling a maximum possible score of 300.
Special preparations have been put into the construction of the pipe which stands at 12.20 meters and includes a 150 meter run-in with an extra 3 meters added to ensure riders reach the maximum speed for optimal results. With 12,000 spectators present, riders will have to achieve incredible speeds upwards of 100 km/h if they hope to break Terje's record of 9.8 meters set back in March at the Swatch TTR SIX (6) STAR Arctic Challenge in Norway.
To complete the evening's line up of quality action, The Queens of the Stone Age will be rocking the Bergisel Stadium, kicking off their 2008 European Tour.
For more information check out the official website: www.air-style.com