Countdown for the LAAX OPEN 2021

The LAAX OPEN 2021 will take place from 19 to 23 January 2021 as the kick-off of the FIS Snowboard World Cup Tour 2020/2021 in the disciplines Slopestyle and Halfpipe and is endowed with 140,000 CHF prize money. Top-class, action-packed sport and plenty of excitement are guaranteed at the contests around the Crap Sogn Gion in the women's and men's competitions. This year, spectators can only follow Europe's most renowned snowboard contest in the media.

Last weekend the freestyle snowboarders opened the World Cup season with a Big Air at Kreischberg/AUT. The crisp 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 favourites for a place in the final.

While the slopes and parks are currently open for everyone, the shapers of the Snowpark LAAX are expanding the Pro-Line especially for the OPEN. A total of six features will challenge the creativity of the 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 continuous operation) is enthroned in all its glory on the Crap Sogn Gion mountain. 200 metres long and 20 metres wide, with 7-metre-high walls, it is a royal treat for every pipe pro.

Some of them are already training in preparation for the first World Cup of the season. Among them 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 was the first to win the renowned halfpipe competition in LAAX three times in a row. Some of the greats have already done so twice in a row: Kelly Clark/USA, Kevin Pearce/USA, Peetu Piiroinen/FIN and Iouri Podladtchikov/SUI, who for the first time since the start of the OPEN events in LAAX (2005) is no longer making a splash as an active contest rider. Instead, Podladtchikov is joined on the entry list by two other Olympic champions and LAAX OPEN champions who want to let off steam in the LAAX superpipe: Chloe Kim and Shaun White (both USA).

The fact that they and over 200 riders from 25 countries are coming to the LAAX OPEN from 19 to 23 January 2021 is due to the pre-Olympic season. The athletes' urge to compete again after a long break, and above all the perfect set-up that LAAX has always offered, even in times of the Corona virus.
Due to the Covid 19 protection measures, no crowds of spectators will line the halfpipe on site at the LAAX OPEN 2021 to marvel at the riders. However, there will be the opportunity to follow the action around the globe on digital and social media channels as well as on classic TV. All the information is available at laax.com/open.

LAAX OPEN 2021 PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Sunday, 17/01, Monday, 18/01
10:00-14:00 Training Slopestyle all registered riders (women/men)
Tuesday, 19.01.
09:00 Qualification Slopestyle (Men)
09:30-14:00 Training Halfpipe all registered riders (women/men)
Wednesday, 20.01.
08:15 Semifinals Slopestyle (Women)
09:30-14:00 Training Halfpipe all registered riders (women/men)
11:45 Semifinals Slopestyle (Men)
Thursday, 21.01.
08:30 Semifinal Halfpipe (Women)
10:00-14:00 Training Slopestyle (finalists women/men)
11:00 Semifinal Halfpipe (Men)
Friday, 22.01.
09:00-13:00 Training Halfpipe (Finalists Women/Men)
13:15 Final Slopestyle (Women/Men)
15:00 Award ceremony Slopestyle
17:30-18:30 Training Halfpipe (Finalists Women/Men)
Saturday, 23.01.
17:45 Final Halfpipe (Women/Men)
19:15 Award ceremony halfpipe