http://mpora.com/videos/MlGhCaNDg

A QParks video about a snowboard comp? Bring it on!

For those of you who are just interested in who won exactly, here are the results. Everyone else, scroll down for a lengthy report.

Men

1. Stephan Wimmer (AUT, 900 Euros prize money)
2. Viktor Szigeti (HUN)
3. Jonel Fricke (GER, QParks Tour Leader)

Girls

1. Daniela Kaindl (AUT, 150 Euros prize money)
2. Lisa Veith (AUT)
3. Maria Teifel (GER)

Rookies

1. Simon Reitsamer (AUT, Nitro Love Edition snowboard)
2. Roland Tschader (AUT)
3. Marc Schumy (AUT)

Best trick: Max Pölzl (AUT): One Foot over the kicker line

Kitzsteinhorn Ride On: A high-end freestyle weekend

A weekend full of plain sunshine, massive freestyle action and super motivated riders who demonstrated impressively their skills at the last big freestyle showdown on the Kitzsteinhorn lies behind us. More than 60 snowboarders and freeskiers rocked the contest setup in the Central Park of the Snowpark Kitzsteinhorn on April 16th and 17th. The participants battled each other on the highest level and pulled out their sickest tricks once again!

After some fresh snow in the days before the contest weekend, park designer Stefan Plattner and his shape crew perfectly prepared the setup. On Saturday, all snowboarders met early in the morning at bright sunshine to try their first tricks on the medium line of the Snowpark. Meanwhile, DJ Masstricks let the day begin with smooth beats and the first spectators grabbed some deckchairs to relax in the chill area and to watch the circus.

After a brief riders meeting, the command was clear: Ride on! The snowboarders had to show their skills in a 2 ½h jam session on a Down Box or a Down Rail as well as on two kickers with 8 and 13 meters tables. The day turned out best for the Austrian Stephan Wimmer who could convince the judges with his super stylish tricks and cashed in the prizemoney of 900 Euros. “Well, it was a really cozy contest, no stress and enough runs for every rider to show his skills. The level was quite good as well ‘cause there were many shredders who showed 7s and 9s on the medium line. There should be definitely some more of these contests!” said Stephan after his victory. The second place went to Victor Szigeti (HUN) before the snowboard tour leader Jonel Fricke (GER).

In the category snowboard girls, Daniela Kaindl (AUT) extended her lead in the tour ranking with her win and got a goodie bag as well as 150 Euros cash. “The contest was really awesome! Five top motivated girls who fought hard until the end. After a hard bail on the big kicker during the training session I was really anxious but at the end of the jam session I did a quite good run!” She won before Lisa Veith (AUT) and Maria Teifel (GER). The two Austrian rookies Simon Reitsamer and Roland Tschoder battled hard to win the contest. Simon was successful in the end and won a brand-new Nitro Snowboard in Love edition. The third place went to Marc Schumy (AUT). Max Pölzl (AUT) was the happy winner of a one-year subscription to the Playboard magazine for his best trick, a One Foot on both kickers.

In the evening the first party location was the Kitsch und Bitter in Kaprun where the official riders’ party took place. Then, the big bash went off to the end-of-season party at the Kaprun Castle. Here mainly the snowboarders partied hard until the early morning, as the freeskiers had to be fit for their session on Sunday!

The morning started again at bright sunshine with Austrian freeski elite meeting for the freeski competition at the Central Park Kitzsteinhorn. Altogether 36 freeskiers showed up for the Ride On contest on Sunday, among them the tour leader Max Brandauer, Austrian freeski champion 2011 Patrick Hollaus, Tobias Gratz, Alexander Moser as well as Felix Prankl.

Their names promised massive tricks and all the expectations were met. The riders gave a high-end freestyle spectacle: during the jam session the spectators marveled at massive 1080s, high and stylish Flatspins as well as Underflips and Corks in all variations. The triple Austrian master Patrick Hollaus showed the best style as well as the best technical run and therefore won the contest ahead of Tobias Gratz (AUT) and Max Brandauer (AUT). “The contest was absolutely amazing! The park was perfectly groomed and even though only the medium was shredded, the level was extremely high and you definitely had to bring in your a-game to get to the podium. I’m happy that I was able to stomp my switch 10. Also the jam session format was really fun, as you have enough time to improve your runs – simply great!”, says Hollaus.

At the girls competition Maria Blersch took the victory before Marlene Gerhart and Anna Szymanowska. The best trick wasn’t assigned to one of the freeski men but a rookie! The only 13-year old Lukas Müllauer (AUT) showed a Double Backflip on the first kicker and earned 200 Euros along with respect of all the judges and the other riders. Lukas was also pleased about a one-year subscription to the Downdays magazine.

Also the other rookies competed on a super high level and as a spectator you couldn’t even tell them apart from their elder colleagues. The first place went to Daniel Walchhofer (AUT) ahead of Lukas Eisl (AUT) and Daniel Kratzer (AUT). After the prize giving ceremony a lot of riders stayed to watch the shooting of freeski superstar Colby West on the special obstacle, a 25 meters gap kicker that definitely rounded off this perfect freestyle day!

And so the whole freestyle community agreed on one thing: the first edition of the Kitzsteinhorn Ride On was a true success and definitely needs a second holding next year!

All Shredheads, who still can’t get enough of the winter can now be relieved, as the freestyle season at the Kitzsteinhorn is far but over! Still the Easy Park, Central Park and Superpipe offer perfect snow conditions and already on May 7th the Glacier Park will be opened and remain so until early June!

Furthermore all young freestyle fans are reminded of the unique Power of Ten campaign – here you still have the chance to enjoy the freestyle paradise Kitzsteinhorn on 2 Saturdays (April 23rd & 30th 2011) for incredible € 10,-. This offer is valid for all visitors under the age of 19 years. More information about this campaign on kitzsteinhorn.at

All photos and videos of the event, as well as further information about the parks you can find at www.snowpark.kitzsteinhorn.at as well as on www.faceboom.com/snowpark.kitzsteinhorn.