The LAAX OPEN 2021 takes place from 19-23 January 2021, kicking off the FIS Snowboard World Cup Tour 2020/2021 in the disciplines Slopestyle and Halfpipe, and is endowed with 140,000 CHF prize money. Top-notch, action-pumped sport and lots of excitement are guaranteed at the contests taking place around the Crap Sogn Gion in the women’s and men’s competitions. This year, audiences can only follow Europe’s most renowned snowboard contest in the media.
Sebastien Toutant at LAAX OPEN 2020
Last weekend, the freestyle snowboarders opened the World Cup season with a Big Air at Kreischberg/AUT. The crunch result on the podium also promises pure anticipation for the first Slopestyle World Cup this winter. The Kreischberg winners – veteran Max Parrot/CAN, LAAX OPEN Champion 2017, and shooting star Zoi Sadowski-Synott/NZL – are on their way to LAAX, as are Anna Gasser/AUT, Sven Thorgren/SWE, Mons Roisland/NOR (all three were on the podium), where they are among the favorites for a place in the final.
While the slopes and parks are currently open to everyone, the Snowpark LAAX shapers are expanding the pro-line, especially for the OPEN. A total of six features will challenge the creativity of snowboard freestylers during the contest, including jumps with up to 18 meters of air time.
The Olympic-sized superpipe (the only one in the world in permanent operation) waits enthroned in all its glory at Crap Sogn Gion mountain. 200 meters long and 20 meters wide with 7 meter-high walls, it is a royal treat for every pipe pro.
Of those, some are already training in preparation for the first World Cup of the season. Among others, Queralt Castellet/SPA, Maddie Mastro/USA, Leilani Ettel/GER, Andre Höflich/GER, Pat Burgener/SUI, and Jan Scherrer/SUI, as well as the LAAX OPEN Winner of 2019 and 2020, Scotty James/AUS, who stands to be the first to win the renowned Halfpipe competition in LAAX three times in a row. Several of the greats have achieved this two times in a row: Kelly Clark/USA, Kevin Pearce/USA, Peetu Piiroinen/FIN and Iouri Podladtchikov/SUI, who for the first time since the OPEN events in LAAX began (2005), is no longer causing a sensation as an active contest rider.
Instead, two different Olympic gold medalists and LAAX OPEN champions as Podladtchikov are on the entry list, poised to stomp their stuff in the LAAX superpipe: Chloe Kim and Shaun White (both USA).
The fact that they and over 200 riders from 25 countries will be coming to the LAAX OPEN from 19-23 January 2021 is due to the pre-Olympic season. The athlete’s urge to compete after a long break and, above all, the perfect set-up that LAAX has always offered, even in times of the coronavirus.
Due to the Covid-19 protection measures, no on-site spectator crowds will line the Halfpipe at the LAAX OPEN 2021 to marvel at the riders. However, there is ample opportunity to follow the action around the globe on digital and social media channels, as well as on classic TV. All the information for this can be found at laax.com/open.
Here you can find the entry list for Halfpipe and Slopestyle.
Source: LAAX OPEN
Photos: Ruggli
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