Arthur Longo wins the CHAMPS Open! Check our pics.
Posted by: nico in Champs Open, Contests, TTR
The organisation crew at the Crans-Montana CHAMPS Open by Rip Curl really had a hard time handling the ever changing weather conditions during the whole week.
First it was windy during the qualifications which at the end had to be held on the Superpipe only and then on saturday heavy snowfalls and poor visibility obliged them to postpone the finals.
But on sunday when the clouds finally let the sun through to reveal ideal riding conditions just long enough for the CHAMPS Open finals to be held! The shaping crew did a great job to prepare a slightly modified Slopestyle run featuring a line of 3 massive kickers and the signature of the CHAMPS: a Superpipe!
All the 24 riders - qualified and invited - went for it really hard and delivered an epic show on the spectacular slopestyle course. Arthur Longo owned the day - and 15000$ - with his killer runs and smooth style, his winning run consisting of a Switch Backside 9, Fronside 7 to Backside 7 on the kicker line, followed by a Frontside 9, Backside 5, Frontside 7 to Haakon flip in the Halfpipe. Watch his run at the bottom of this post.Risto Mattila and the most smiling rider out there, Elias Elhardt, were on the podium as well.
We have to mention the 6th place of local swiss rider Patrick Burgener. This kid is only 14 years old and already backing huge tricks! On the other extremity of the age spectrum Gian Simmens, Tonton Holland and Pascal Imhof, more than twice is age, still showed impressive runs and heaps of motivation!
Like always the CHAMPS turned out to be a super smooth event with lots of good vibes. It’s a 5 star TTR but the spirit was really good with all the riders pushing each other at the start of the Slopestyle and cheering on every stomped tricks. That’s probably why the oldest snowboard contest in Europe - turned 18 this year - is still rockin’!
Check out our photo report of this day before we hit you with a video in a few days.
Arthur’s winning runs!
