After an intense Halfpipe final at snowboarding’s most prestigious competition, Peetu Piiroinen (FIN) now stands tall as the Swatch TTR World Tour Champion for 2008/2009. Throughout the season Peetuhas been steadily ascending the TTR ranks and he secured the crown today when he finished second in the 6Star US Open Halfpipe contest.

Piiroinen is the first Finnish rider to claim the title since the Swatch TTR’s inception, a feat that has his nation rejoicing. Throughout the season Peetu consistently displayed fearless style across all the TTR contest formats. Mind blowing skills and ruthless efficiency ensured him seven Top 5 results in major 6Star events. His win is testament to the fact that a rider needs to excel across all facets of snowboarding in order to be crowned Swatch TTR World Champion.

As soon as his 2008/2009 campaign kicked off at the 6Star Nissan X-Trail Jam, it
became obvious that the unassuming young Finn was gunning for the Title. Piiroinen annihilated the Quarterpipe contest and blew everyone away with a BS 9 Cork duringthe Big Air finals. The combined results of the two formats earned him a second place finish and launched him into World No. 34 – ready to improve on his previous season World No.3 finish.

Peetu’s meteoric rise continued at the 6Star O’Neill Evolution. A fifth place finish in the Slopestyle served as a precursor to an epic finale on the Quarterpipe. It was here that Peetu would go head to head with close friend Risto Matilla (FIN). A true neck and neck showdown ensued with Peetu eventually laying down a monster BS 5 which would earn him his first 6Star Title. The win also bolstered his title ambitions and rocketed him into World No. 5.

Peetu then rolled into Laax for the 6Star Burton European Open. The Slopestyle finals saw European and US Riders battling it out for crucial ranking points. Peetu constantly displayed calculated style and came in second to Danny Davis and this result, combined with his fifth place in the Halfpipe was enough to move him into World No. 2, the No.1 spot ready for the taking.

The 6Star Billabong Air & Style would prove to be the defining moment in Peetu’s 2008/2009 campaign race. He wowed the crowd with his lofty airs, and came in second with a smooth BS 5. The result was enough for him to overtake Chas Guldemond (USA) and move into World No.1, however with several major events remaining the race was far from over.

Following on from the Air & Style was the 6Star Oakley Arctic Challenge. Peetu
sustained a minor injury and was unable to compete, however his lead was so great that no contenders could close the gap. Shaun White (USA) and others were still chasing the No.1 spot so Peetu retreated home to Finland and prepared for the final hurdle. The US Open was looming on the horizon and he still needed to maintain his composure and finish strong to take it out.

Under sunny Vermont skies, in a pristine Halfpipe, Peetu stepped up to fulfil his destiny. His determination shone through as he laid down a strong Halfpipe run to become the Swatch TTR World Tour Champion and earn himself $50 000 USD. He qualified second in the Halfpipe Semis, then went on to finish in second position overall and earn his first ever Swatch TTR Title.“It feels good, it feels good. I am the first Finnish guy to win that, so it’s super cool. I’m so stoked.”, said Peetu after his win.