NZsnowboard.com

18th August 2008

 LAKE WANAKA, New Zealand - The first stop on the 2008/09 LG FIS Snowboard World Cup tour will take place on 6 September with over 100 athletes from 18 countries competing in the Southern Hemispheres only 22-foot halfpipe at Cardrona Alpine Resort.

The event has attracted a whos who of snowboarding, featuring high ranking riders as well as previous halfpipe World Cup winners, including Ryo Aono (JPN) who is currently ranked No. 1 in the world and who took out the mens halfpipe World Cup title in 2007. Iouri Podladtchikov (SUI) won the title in 2008 and is currently ranked just behind Aono as the worlds No. 2.

An extremely strong womens field features the top five ranked women in the world. Manuela Pesko (SUI) is currently ranked No. 1 and has won the womens halfpipe title each of the last two years. She is tied in first place with Liu Jiayu (CHN) who is relatively new to the World Cup circuit and has been impressing judges with her massive amplitude and consistent riding. Current world No. 3 is Holly Crawford (AUS) and tied fourth are Paulina Ligocka (POL) and Soko Yamaoka (JPN), all within easy reach of a victory at this first event of the season.

New Zealand riders are ready to take on this impressive international field on their home turf with Kendall Brown and Juliane Bray leading the way in the womens field, both looking to improve their current top-20 standings. James Hamilton and Ben Stewart will also be looking to move up the ladder from their current top 40 positions in the mens field.

Completing a week of world-class snowboarding action, the LG FIS Continental Cup Slopestyle will precede the LG FIS World Cup on September 3, the first event of its kind in Australasia, also at Cardrona Alpine Resort.

The LG FIS Snowboard World Cup will start with the qualifications from 9.55am on Saturday September 6 with semi finals starting at 10.00am on Sunday September 7 and finals scheduled for 12.00pm. For further information, visit www.fis-ski.com or www.snowsports.co.nz.



LINKS:
www.snowsports.co.nz
www.fis-ski.com




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For further media information, please contact:
Victoria Murray-Orr, EveNZ
T: +64 3 443 2700  E: vmo@evenz.co.nz