NZsnowboard.com

16th November 2006

Zurich, Switzerland. Swatch, the world-renown Swiss watch brand, becomes the first premium partner of the freestyle snowboard initiative, Ticket To Ride (TTR) World Snowboard Tour for season 2006-2007.

Within the strategic partnership, Swatch will present the TTR Ranking List of Men and Women on the official TTR website www.ttrworldtour.com. The TTR Ranking List creates week-by-week drama as riders compete worldwide with the ultimate aim to be crowned TTR World Snowboard Tour Champion.

?Being one of the first sponsors in snowboarding, Swatch is proud to be TTR?s partner for the upcoming year. Swatch believes in top class snowboarding performances through big events and local activities,? states Klaus Peter Mager, Head of PR and Events, Swatch Group.

?The Ticket To Ride World Snowboard Tour is, without doubt, the biggest accumulation of independent snowboard events in the world. As our partner Swatch, a global and youth-driven brand, will make TTR?s mission even stronger,? comments Drew Stevenson, C.E.O., Ticket To Ride World Snowboard Tour.

Swatch, part of the international Swatch Group based in Biel/Bienne, Switzerland, enjoys a long history within snowboarding. From its capacity as Official Timekeeper of events, to the creation of Swatch Snowboard Pro Team, to product innovations, including the Swatch Fun Boarder Collection, equipped with the revolutionary Swatch Snowpass system, a built-in access function for use as a lift-pass in more than 600 winter resorts worldwide, including TTR event locations, Davos and Crans Montana.




Notes to the Editor:
Founded by Terje Haakonsen and industry innovators in 2002, the Ticket To Ride (TTR) World Snowboard Tour is a non-profit, rider-driven organisation that aims to represent the progression of snowboarding. To create a clear rookie-to-pro structure, TTR is based on global grass root and key independent freestyle snowboarding events. Events are rated via a 1-through-6 Star system, with points allocated accordingly, a 6 Star event holding the highest points. Any rider participating in these events, from up-and-coming to professional, will earn TTR points and a position on the TTR Ranking List. The top male and female rider is crowned Ticket To Ride World Snowboard Tour Champion.


Source: TTR World Tour