News From O'Neill Evolution Day Two

Training session generates excitement as the riders fly in the quarterpipe and slopestyle

Training is underway for the 2009 O’Neill Evolution on both the quarterpipe and the slopestyle at the base of the Jakobshorn in Davos – with the riders raving about the quality of both.

“The quarterpipe feels really good this year,” said 16-year old Canadian rider, Seb Toutant. “It’s bigger but it’s got a much smoother lift. It’s going to be a lot easier to get some good height,” he said.

However it was over on the slopestyle course that Seb Toutant was demonstrating just why there is such a big buzz around his name this year.
“This is a cool course,” he said. “It’s going to be a lot of fun. It’s not the biggest slopestyle but it means that people are going to pull out some pretty cool tricks and go that much bigger.”

The new knock-out round format is something that Seb is also very much looking forward to. “You have to do three different runs, with your best two counting,” he explains. “It means that you have to do a lot of different tricks to impress the judges each time. I think that suits me. I like to try to learn new things, and this pushes you to do that.”

Current Swatch TTR World Tour leader Chas Guldemond is another rider stoked to be part of the 6Star event. “This quarterpipe is one of the biggest in the world. It felt really good in training,” he said.

Although determined to do his best, “I am going to do a few stylish mctwists and some stylish rodeos,” he said, Chas is not worrying about his number one status; “I want to give myself the best chance,” he said, “but I am not going to put any pressure on myself. I want to go have a good time and put on a show for the crowd.”

“I never used to ride so well in quarterpipes,” Chas says, “but then I went to the X Trail Jam and things just started to come together for me. I don’t know why – maybe it’s because I am older. I’m also in good shape at the moment. I worked out for 9 weeks before the start of the season, just stretching and going for huge hill walks. It makes a big difference.”

It’s not just the tricks and the amplitude that will be impressing the crowd at this year’s O’Neill Evolution. It is also the new addition to the evening-time event – the lighting.

This year three 5-meter wide balloons will float about 25 meters above the quarterpipe and the slopestyle course. Each balloon contains HMI lights which are more often used on film sets – producing a strong white light, as well as halogen lights, providing a warmer light. The effect is a feeling of daylight – amazingly bright, just without the glare.

In addition, 14 smaller balloons each 1.6meters in diameter will sit on the start lines of the both the quarterpipe and the slopestyle. The lights will be launched this evening.

Slopestyle qualification starts tomorrow (January 7) at 11am with three 75 minute heats of around 30 riders each. Every rider will have three runs, with their top two scores counting. Five riders will progress to the finals from each round, with the top scoring sixth placed rider also progressing.
Judges will be looking for variety, amplitude, technique and fluidity and style.

RIDERS
The confirmed invited riders are:
Chas Guldemond
Janne Korpi
Seb Toutant
Stefan Gimpl (slopestyle only)
Antti Autti
Risto Mattila
Peetu Piiroinen
Gian Simmen
Eirik Haugo
Frederik Evensen
Henning Marthinsen
Kim-Rune Hansen
Tim Humphries
Manuel Pietropoli (quarterpipe only)
Colin Frei
Iouri Podlatchikov
Arthur Longo

FORMAT
In a break from the norm, The O’Neill Evolution will be using a new heat system – based on that of a surf contest. 4-man heats will start in the round of 32 snowboarders, and from the round of 18, this will be down to 2-man heats to determine the finalists and the winner.  
Changing over to this K.O. system will guarantee an exciting contest with a clear undisputed winner.


PROGRAM
Mon 05 Jan         Training
Tue 06 Jan         Training
Wed 07 Jan         Slopestyle Qualification
Thu 08 Jan         QP Qualification
Fri 09 Jan         Slopestyle Finals
Sat 10 Jan         QP Finals

LIVE WEBCAST
The O’Neill Evolution will be broadcast live at www.oneilltv.com and www.freecaster.tv on Saturday January 10th.

INTERVIEWS
Read interviews with all the riders and all the characters behind the scenes at www.oneilleurope.com/evolution