CHASE FOR SWATCH TTR WORLD NUMBER ONE HEATS UP!

Things are getting intense on the Swatch TTR World Snowboard Tour. The Burton European Open, hitting Laax, Switzerland from January 11th to 18th 2008, is the fourth 6-Star stop on the tour, but is the first event this season to host both male and female riders. The race for tour leader is getting oh so close as the Top Swatch TTR Riders compete to earn another highly sought-after 1000 TTR Ranking Points.

Last weekend, the men’s tour saw Andy Finch (USA) move into World No.1 after a killer Halfpipe run, and going huge off the Quarterpipe at the 6-Star O’Neill Evolution. The Burton European Open will be mixing things up with slopestyle and halfpipe formats, requiring riders like Finch to perform well off both transitions and straight airs if they wish to move up the rankings.

Andy must finish Top 5 in the Slopestyle to maintain his tour lead and hold off current World No.3 Kevin Pearce (USA), who could move into TTR World No.1 with a podium result and Finch finishing outside the Top 10. Risto Mattila (FIN), who’s had three straight 2nd place finishes since the Nissan X-Trail Jam, could also take the Tour lead with a win in the Slopestyle and Finch finishing outside the Top 15. Of course, we can’t ignore 06/07 Tour Champion Shaun White (USA), competing in his first TTR event this season. Shaun could very well win both the slopestyle and halfpipe, which would launch him into the Top 40 in the TTR Rankings.

In the Women’s Tour, the competition is heating up as the current Swatch TTR Top 3, Kelly Clark (USA), Jenny Jones (GBR), and Jamie Anderson (USA) battle it out in the Slopestyle for World No.1. Claudia Fliri (AUT) and 06/07 Tour Champion Torah Bright (AUS) will also compete for World No.4, rounding out the Women’s TTR Top 5 Ranking spots. 05/06 Tour champion, and recent title winner of the 6-Star Roxy Chicken Jam in Kaprun, Cheryl Maas (NED) could jump into the TTR Top 10 with a win in the Slopestyle.

The slopestyle results set the suspenseful tone for the climactic halfpipe competition at the Swatch TTR 6-Star Burton European Open 08, with another 1000 ranking points available. Be sure to check out the TTR news and video player for the latest content and coverage as the world’s most progressive men and women snowboarders converge in Laax, Switzerland for that World No 1 spot and a shot at the Burton European Open Title.

Burton European Open 2008 – Invited Riders Women

(SS – Slopestyle, HP – Halfpipe)

1. Cheryl Maas (NED) – SS/HP

2. Jamie Anderson (USA) – SS/HP

3. Kjersti Buaas (NOR) – SS/HP

4. Sina Candrian (SUI) – SS/HP

5. Torah Bright (AUS) – SS/HP

6. Alexis Waite (USA) – SS

7. Claudia Fliri (AUT) – SS

8. Jenny Jones (GBR) – SS

9. Leanne Pelosi (CAN) – SS

10. Silvia Mittermueller (GER) – SS

11. Andrea Schuler (SUI) – HP

12. Anne Sophie Pellissier (FRA) – HP

13. Elena Hight (USA) – HP

14. Hannah Teter (USA) – HP

15. Kelly Clark (USA) – HP

16. Lisa Wiik (NOR) – HP

17. Manuela Pesko (SUI) – HP

18. Meri Peltonen (FIN) – HP

19. Sarah Conrad (CAN) – HP

2007/2008 – Swatch TTR Women’s World Snowboard Tour Ranking as of today…

1. Kelly Clark, USA (502.99)

2. Jenny Jones, GBR (487.28)

3. Jamie Anderson, USA (475.19)

4. Elizabeth Beerman, USA (397.95)

5. Claudia Fliri, AUT (384.76)

6. Torah Bright, AUS (383.72)

7. Hana Beaman, USA (362.21)

8. Sina Candrian, SUI (338.92)

9. Ursina Haller, SUI (324.55)