Orage European Open Preview

Words: cko

On the heels of last years Jumpopotamus, Orage is heading back to Laax, Switzerland for one of it’s most ambitious undertakings yet. With a prize purse of over $50,000 US, 80 spots will be available for each Slopestyle and Halfpipe competitions.

Online registration (which is now full) will attract Europe’s best emerging talent and pit them against an all-star line-up of International ski stars including: Schiller, Dumont, Gagnier, Vanular, Olsson, Parker, and Burke. A complete invited riders list is available below.

The event is being organized by the same people that have brought the enormously successful Burton European Open (BEO) to Laax for the past seven years. Though this is the first kick at the can for the freeskiing event, organizer Donald Nader is confident in the effort that Orage and the resort have put forth so far, “Laax & Orage have taken on the event for 3 years, so this is just the beginning… But the goal to become the ‘flagship event’ for freeskiing in Europe is definitely there.”

Halfpipe will take place at Crap Sogn Gion, “The Laax Superpipe will be the same as the BEO. It’s a fortunate standard in Laax, the only [dirt built] full season superpipe on the continent, over 6 meters high & 140 meters long, allowing huge air and easily 6 hits” says Nader.

Slopestyle will also take place in the same area as the BEO course “for terrain & snow capacity reasons” and will consist of “…a cool rail drop start, a funky first obstacle co-designed by Volkl, followed by two huge kickers all with 2-3 takeoffs, a multi rail combo obstacle towards the end and a finish area with a Quarterpipe or a wall, or both.”

Hosting the athletes, organizers, media, and other hang-arounds will be the Riders Palace hotel at the base of the mountain. With parties scheduled for every single night of the event and qualifying, getting rest may be the biggest challenge of the week for those not competing.

See everyone in Laax next week!

Official Event Website - http://www387.ws7.inname.net/

Event Schedule
Tuesday, 21.3.06 :
Training Slopestyle
Party at Riders Palace

Wednesday, 22.3.06:
Slopestyle Qualifications
Training Superpipe
Party at Riders Palace

Thursday, 23.3.06:
Superpipe Qualifications
Training Slopestyle
Party at Riders Palace

Friday, 24.3.06 :
Semi finals Slopestyle
Finals Slopestyle
DJ Party at Riders Palace

Saturday 25.3.06:
Semi finals Superpipe
Finals Superpipe
Award ceremony
Live-Concert and Party at Riders Palace

Riders List

Registered Women (PDF)
Registered Men (PDF)

Invited Athletes
AJ Burton
Aurelien Fournier
Charles Gagnier
Corey Vanular
Craig Coker
Derek Spong
Florian Wieser
JF Houle
Jon Olsson
Laurent Favre (injured last week at WSC)
Loic Collomb-Patton
Lukas Brucic
Martin Misof
Mickael Deschanaux
Nico Zacek
Oscar Scherlin
Simon Dumont
Tanner Rainville
TJ Schiller
Tobi Reindl
 
Caja Schoepf
Marie Martinod
Michelle Parker
Sarah Burke
Virginie Favre