In a few weeks Ischgl will celebrate Snowboarding, its roots and culture with the BANKED AIR 2018. From April 3rd to 8th, 2018, Ischgl is the place to be and gathers international snowboard stars, legends of the early years and up-and-coming riders alike to participate at „The 90s Invitational Banked Air“ for invited riders as well as the „Open Crew Banked Air“ open for all riders (3 men and 1 woman form a crew) and will also introduce the world premiere of a completely new course with the unique “Speed Airtime Style” format.

INVITATIONAL BANKED AIR

Invited riders from the 90s to today will start as Nation teams from April 3rd to 6th at the „90s Invitational Banked Air“. Above all the legendary Ästhetiker crew, which celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2018. They will represent Austria with Steve Gruber and Wolle Nyvelt, 3-times Air & Style winner Stefan Gimpl, Innsbruck veteran Sani Alibabic and Olympian Clemens Millauer. Also Max Plötzeneder, Austriau’s Freestyle poster child in the 90s and Marc Swoboda will not miss the chance to visit Ischgl. They will try to beat the crews from other nations on the corners and hips and in the banks, among them the Canadians, represented by 3-times freestyle ch winner Marc-Andre Tarte, Brett Carpentier, Halfpipe pro of the 90ies, Guillaume Morrisset, Max Henault and Laurie Blouin, who just won a silver medal in Slopestyle at the Olympics in South Korea.

Halfpipe legend Xaver Hoffmann and the very first Olympic Halfpipe Champion (Nagano 1998) Nicola Thost lead the German crew. On their side Christoph Thoresen, formerly known as Weber, who spent years competing and later on produced legendary snowboard movies together with David Benedek and Robot Food. The Swiss team is headed up by Air & Style winner and European Halfpipe Champion in 1996 Fabien Rohrer, as well as Grindelwald legend Pascal Imhof.

Also the Dutch riders around Jody Könders and Andorra with Snowboard greats Tyler Chorlton, Merlin Balfour and Jamie Philips are looking forward to the challenging course and the new format. Wojtek Pawlusiak and his friends from Poland, their colleagues from Czech Republic, lead by former World Cup rider Martin Cernik and Olympian Sarka Pancochova as well as the Slovakians with Matus Hubka and Basa Stevulova will challenge them. They all can’t wait to catch up with old friends. Teams from Scandinavia and the US are expected as well.

OPEN CREW BANKED AIR

The "OPEN CREW BANKED AIR“ is open for all riders out there. Snowboarders can inscribe their crew of three men and one woman as Shop-, Shape-, Brand- or Friends-Crew. They will ride on Saturday (07.04) and Sunday (08.04) and have the chance to secure a spot for the „INVITATIONAL BANKED AIR 2019. Everyone can register online here: http://banked-air.com/

THE SPEED AIRTIME & STYLE COURSE

Banked Slalom is enjoying a revival since a few years and is celebrating the love for perfect turns and a smooth and fluent run. The Banked Air combines a classic Banked Slalom with elements to include airtime as well. The course itself is located at the upper Velill Snowpark in Ischgl and is inspired from skate bowls of the early 80ies. Hips, banks and bowls with integrated step-up and step-down kickers line up on the 700 m long course. Next to the time, airtime and style are key at the Banked Air. An exciting new format! The video showing the course.

HISTORY

Ischgl, known from hosting the European Snowboarding Championships in 1991 and the 1st ISF Snowboarding World Championships in 1993, is gathering the community 25 years later. Also co-hosts ‚SPC Skate ‚n’ Snowboard Camps’ as well as the ‚Ästhetiker Crew’ are celebrating their 25th anniversaries during this week. The Banked Air in Ischgl is a tribute to Snowboarding.

Thanks for the support to host Ischgl, respectively the tourism board Paznaun – Ischgl as well as Silvrettaseilbahn AG and partners Red Bull, Tirol Werbung and Blue Tomato!

Further information on https://www.ischgl.com/de/events/winter-highlights/ischgl-banked-air or on Facebook and Instagram @bankedair.