The Freestyle.ch is taking over Zurich for the 21st and 22nd of September— a veritable smorgeasbord of freestyle sports. 50 top-ranked athletes— including Christian Haller, Iouri Podladtchikov, and Sina Candrian— will be competing in the Swiss city for both bragging rights and a cool $100,000 prize purse. Gigi Ruf, Eero Ettala, Marko Grilc will be on hand for the style session, Saturday the 21st.
Get all the dirty details from the press release, below:
They are coming from all around the globe to battle for glory, honour and the favour of the crowd: the Crème de la Crème of freestyle sports, among them great champs, X-Games winners, World Champions, Olympics, experienced riders and sensational newcomers – freestyle.ch Zurich calls up all of them. 50 world class athletes will fly across the Landiwiese performing breath-taking tricks in the disciplines snowboard and freeski big air, FMX and MTB dirt jump, transforming the Swiss city Zurich for the 19th time into the freestyle metropolis on September 21 and 22, 2013.
Swiss riders with high ambitions
Swiss riders have the shortest trip to arrive in Zurich and plan to mix it on the top on the contest day. The young guns Kai Mahler (freeski, 2nd) and Pat Burgener (snowboard, 3rd), surprising in 2012 with podium spots, are advanced to be aspirants for the finals. They should exploit the home-advantage with an enthusiastic audience as well as crossover.champ 2012 Elias Ambühl (freeski), Christian Haller (snowboard) and the Zurich local, snowboard World Champion Iouri Podladtchikov. Sina Candrian (snowboard) and Virginie Faivre (freeski), the solely participating ladies in the big air, will impress with Swiss style and smile. On the biker part Ramon Hunziker (MTB) and Mat Rebeaud (FMX) are representing the hosting country. The freestyle motocross rider is currently on a roll, winning the silver and bronze medal at the X-Games 2013.
International top riders on starting lists
Strong competition is good for business and creates a higher tension. The experienced daredevils Rebeaud (30 years), who was crowned Red Bull X-Fighter Tour Champion already in 2008, the French FMX crack Charles Pagés (30) and Japan’s Daisuke Suzuki (32), 3rd place in 2012, have to step up to the plate and will meet in the contest of the roaring motors the young pilots Hannes Ackermann (GER, 23), Petr Pilat (CZE, 22) and Pedro Moreno (ESP, 24).
After the successful introduction in 2012 the MTB dirt jump is a fix and rising part of freestyle.ch. This year’s starting field is rife with big biker names, such as Yannick Granieri (FRA), Sam Reynolds (GBR), Bienvenido Aguado Alba (ESP) and Tomas Zejda (CZE) and Sam Pilgrim (GBR), leader of the world ranking list.
With Henrik Harlaut (SWE, 1st), Kai Mahler (SUI, 2nd) and Philip Casabon (CAN, 3rd) the entire podium of freestyle.ch 2012 confirmed also for 2013 their participation in the freeski contest. Harlaut (SWE) followed up the 2012 freestyle.ch victory with a great winter season including the gold medal at the X-Games. The former winning trio will get challenged on the big air in Zurich by AFP World Champion 2013 Vincent Gagnier (CAN), Gus Kenworthy (USA), Andreas Hatveit (NOR) and Jossi Wells from New Zealand.
Last but not least the snowboarders will show up with top-notch big air riders: X-Games Winner 2013 Sebastien Toutant (CAN), Stale Sandbech (NOR), Werner Stock (AUT), Antoine Truchon (CAN) and freestyle.champ 2011 Halldor Helgason (ISL) are accompanied by the multiple World Tour winner Peetu Piiroinen (FIN), youngster Marcus Kleveland (NOR) and the named Swiss riders. Looking at this starting field makes it impossible to prognosticate any results.
All these riders have set themselves a goal for Sunday, September 22, 2013: to win the prestigious title “freestyle.champ 2013” and cash up the biggest part of the 100.000 US$ prize-purse.
Host of the style session: Nicolas Müller
Saturday, September 21, 2013, will be characterized by style. Riders, fans and judges are excited to follow creative and expressive tricks all day long. The snowboard style session is hosted by Nicolas Müller, the Swiss snowboarder who achieved iconic status. Due to the reason that snowboarding is a key and fundamental factor since the beginning of freestyle.ch also the three style masters Gigi Rüf, Marko Grilc and Eero Ettala will join the snowboard style session.
Crossover for the whole audience
The final highlight on Saturday will be the crossover session. In that legendary show contest riders of the disciplines snowboard & freeski big air, FMX & MTB dirt jump will demonstrate their abilities contemporary, getting encouraged and judged by the public. The crossover session will be held from 6 to 7 pm offering for the first time the possibility to the younger audience to witness personally on-site this unique and fascinating freestyle spectacle.
Tickets
The 19th edition of freestyle.ch will attract around 30.000 visitors. In addition to the high level sport performancesfreestyle.ch provides a widespread program, including the newest freestyle gear in the Label World, active fun on the LAAX Urban Stairset and in the Swissmilk Plaza or during the concerts. Tickets for the event and the parties are available on www.freestyle.ch/tickets and on all Starticket booking offices, www.starticket.ch .
