Buaas and Lago Win US Open Quarterpipe Competition

Press Release

• March 23 2009
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STRATTON, VT (March 20, 2009) – The 27th Annual US Open Snowboarding Championships final events kicked off this evening at Stratton Mountain Resort with the men’s and women’s quarterpipe finals under clear skies in front of hundreds of spectators at the Sunbowl base area.  Kjersti Oestgaard Buaas and Scotty Lago earned the first titles of this year’s US Open, taking home top honors and $10,000 in cash for their overall impression on the judges after tonight’s quarterpipe jam. In addition, Buaas took home another $3,000 after boosting 16’ and Luke Mitrani launched 25’ and won $3,000, each compliments of Amp Energy for the highest air in the quarterpipe competition.

Kjersti impressed the judges with her big backside airs, air to fakies and going for broke with different grabs. Buaas had this to say about her big win, “It hasn’t really sunk in yet, I never ride quarterpipe, I didn’t know what to expect. I tried to take things from the halfpipe and use them in the quarterpipe, and it really paid off.”

Scotty Lago wowed the crowds by pulling out every trick in the book and scored points with his clean style and lofty airs. Lago spun frontside and backside, throwing down tricks like a frontside 720 truckdriver and a corked back 540. “I really wanted to do well,” said Lago. “The jam format was awesome. I have been coming to the US Open for 13 years and this is the first time that I have been on the podium, I’m so excited.”

Daniel Ek of Norway took 2nd for the men and Sebastien Toutant (CAN) placed 3rd, taking home $5,000 and $2,500 respectively. For the ladies, Lisa Wiik (NOR) placed second and took home $5,000 and Elena Hight (USA) won $2,500 for third.

After an insane night of riding, the quarterpipe crowds were treated to a free RJD2 show, whose songs have been featured in no less than five snowboard videos.

Tomorrow, all eyes will be on the halfpipe where top riders like Shaun White (USA), Torah Bright (AUS), Kelly Clark (USA), Peetu Piiroinen (FIN), Kevin Pearce (USA) and Danny Kass (USA) will compete for the prestigious US Open halfpipe title, $20,000 in cash and valuable BGOS and SWATCH TTR points. A free Santigold concert in the Sun Bowl area of Stratton Mountain Resort will follow tomorrow’s halfpipe awards ceremony.

Print-quality photos from the quarterpipe finals can be downloaded at:
www.opensnowboarding.com <http://www.opensnowboarding.com/> in the Press section of the US Open website
Username: bgospress
Password: bgospress
Photo Credit: Jake Stangel

If you can’t make it to Stratton, be sure to catch US Open highlights and live webcasts throughout the weekend at GO211.com

For more information on the US Open, head to www.opensnowboarding.com <http://www.opensnowboarding.com/> or call the US Open Media Room at (802) 297-4820.

Burton would like to thank GO211.com, Stratton Mountain Resort, SWATCH TTR, Volvo, Amp Energy,  Paul Mitchell, Nature Valley, Shiseido, Emergen-C, SteelSeries, Corona, R.E.D., ANON, Analog and Gravis for their support of the US Open.

About the Burton Global Open Series
The Burton Global Open Series events are the pinnacle snowboarding events of the season. Founded by Jake Burton, the Opens have grown from grassroots events to global spectacles attracting tens of thousands of spectators and riders from around the world. Since the beginning, the Opens have been driven by riders, for riders evolving with snowboarding and riders’ needs over the years. With events held in Canada, Europe, Japan, the United States, New Zealand and Australia, the Opens set the standard for snowboarding events around the globe. For more information, visit www.opensnowboarding.com

About the Swatch TTR World Snowboard Tour
Founded by Terje Haakonsen and industry innovators in 2002, the SWATCH Ticket To Ride (TTR) World Snowboard Tour is a non-profit, rider-driven organization with the mission to create the highest quality competitive snowboard environment in the world, using authenticity, accessibility and innovation as guiding principles. Since its foundation, the Swatch TTR Tour has been developing into the most exposed snowboard tour worldwide featuring global grass root and key independent freestyle snowboarding events over a ten-month period from Southern to Northern Hemisphere locations. Events are rated via a 1-through-6Star system, with points allocated accordingly, a 6Star event holds the highest. Any rider participating in these events, from up-and-coming to professional talent, earns ranking points and a position on the SWATCH TTR World Ranking List. The top male and female rider based on an average of their best eight results of the season is crowned SWATCH TTR World Snowboard Tour Champion. For more information, visit www.ttrworldtour.com <http://www.ttrworldtour.com>