Here at the Swatch TTR office we are getting very exited about the 6Star Air & Style approaching. The setup is pretty crazy with huge metal structures all over the place and one very large quaterpipe. It has taken 12 days to get ready, and to take it down will take another five days!!Air & Style quarterpipe beeing build. Pic by Florian Auerbach.We had a sneak peak at the Bergiesel Stadium in Innsbruck. The quarterpipe was almost ready. Standing on the top by the coping it is damn impressive and to think that the riders will attempt to fling themselves in the air to reach that 10meter mark.They have brought snow from the Stubai Glacier as well as produced a whole bunch of it on site. It’s an awesome location as the viewers get to sit right next to the quarterpipe and with a superstar lineup and 13, 000 people in the audience, theres gonna be some noise!!Above: Dropped the shovel! pic by Florian AuerbachThe success of the event depends largely on having a well shaped quarterpipe, built to scientific precision. Shaping one of these beasts is fine art. It has to right, and that is why the Master of Quarterpipe contruction Mr Claes Högström from Norway, has arrived shape it up. So, It’s all looking good, so get ready for a wikid competition on Saturday!We just had a visit from Chas Guldemond at the office, so it is official, he will be there to defend his current top spot on the  Swatch TTR Rankings!! Here are the facts about this mammoth quaterpipe!Steel structure 120 tons (3850 cubic meters steel)Snow 4500 cubic meters (whole area)Start height 81 meters above level zeroSlope inrun 38°Length inrun 150 metersHeight Quarter Pipe 12,2 meters above zeroBreadth Quarter Pipe 25 metersTime of assembly 13 daysTime of disassembly 5 daysApproach speed 70-105 km/hHighest Air world recordIn a quarter pipe 9,80 m by Terje Haakonsen (Oslo 2007)Cables 15.000 meters for electricity, video, audioSound system 75.000 WattElectricity need 5.000 AmpereFences and barriers 1.200 metersStaff member 120 for the assembly, 600 on the day of theevent, 160 for the disassemblyAbove: Snowcat working hard. Pic by Nugg

Heres a selection of pics from the O’Neill Evolution for your viewing pleasure.What do yo get when you cross top TTR Snowboarders with a monster Quarterpipe and macking Slopestyle course?An all time contest, thats what!

Tuesday the 6th, TTR Crew part 1 rolled into town as one sick unit divided by 2 because we are only part 1 of 2. Davos, Switzerland, the home of the O’Neill Evolution Slopestyle and Quarterpipe TTR event, put on sunshine and great snow conditions as riders tickled their fancy with several training sessions throughout today.We arrived late and caught the tail end of slopestyle practice after some meet and greets we walk over to scope the course. Eye spyed my little eye some begging with AA , it was Antti Autti , so I thought I’d get back to my Aussie roots and say G Day and ask him how the f@ck is the setup going. Antti replied with a simple and polite “the slope course has good flow and is really fun to ride”I looked to the right and saw a whale of a woman who seemed to be stuck on a her sun recliner. So I interrupted Antti ever so rudely and said “she beached as bro” Read the rest of this entry »

© – Rich/TTR

After almost a 20 hour drive starting in Austria, making our way through five countries and a dark, all-consuming fog, the rest of the TTR crew safely made it up to Norway just in time for the warm up and training sessions at the SIX(6)STAR Oakley Arctic Challenge.

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I slapped myself silly 10 times over , before I realized I was awake and was glaring at what seemed to be the most dreamy quarter pipe setup that anyone could imagine.

Looking over the Oslo township and beautiful harbour the Holmenkollen Arena has an all new inspiring view, it’s called the Oakley Arctic Challenge. 10.2 metres of pure transition perfection. The SIX(6) STAR Swatch TTR event is shaping up to be a highlight on the tour once again.

After 16 days of construction, we caught up with the man in charge Claes Högström as he nears completion of the quarter pipe where we may just see that magic 10m mark broken if not smashed out of the ball park.

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It was really warm out today, highly irregular for the beginning of February in the Austrian Alps, but that didn’t stop the riders from getting in some training on the Quarterpipe the day before the Billabong Air & Style in Innsbruck.

Despite the high winds, riders were still going huge, reaching 7 and 8 m. The question is, will we see any of the riders break Terje Haakonsen’s Quarterpipe record of 9.8 m? Jack Mitrani seems to think so claiming that he’s “trying to go for that 20m mark.” Optimism is always a good thing so we’ll just have to wait and see what happens.

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