The Oakley Arctic Challenge is a contest that's as legendary as they come. It started as a pilot project and brain child of pro Terje Haakonsen twelve years ago in 1999. Throughout the years, TAC has been the location for unprecedented progression in snowboarding.

Every year a new format for the contest emerges helping to ensure that the highest level of competitive snowboarding is a achieved. This year was no different as the riders made history in Olso, Norway on the massive slopestyle course.

New this year was the inclusion of women who dominated every feature and proved their place in this contest. Jamie Anderson continued her winning ways and secured the top spot with a run that included a huge switch backside 540, backside 360, tailslide to 270 out and a stylish backside 540 on the money booter. Jamie's first place finish earned her 1000 TTR ranking points, which favors her to win the overall TTR World Tour Championship which will be crowned at Burton US Open next month.

Miss Anderson had this to say about the contest, "I think it's huge to have women snowboarding here at the Arctic Challenge, I mean it's such an amazing event. To be part of it is rad and just shows the progression of women's snowboarding to see this size of the course that we are hitting. All the girls rode really good and I'm so happy to be part of it."

Joining Jamie on the podium was Vancouver local, Spencer O'Brien, and British native, Jenny Jones. Both of these ladies improved their position in the TTR World Ranking and will be laying it all on the line at the US Open for their a piece of the $200,000 prize purse.

On the guys side of things, Chas Guldemond rode his hardest and won the comp with his first run that was made up of a Cab 1260 on the step-down, a backside 1080 on the step-up jump, a 50-50 to backside 360 on the flat rail and a massive double backside rodeo on the last jump.

Chas's smooth style and ferocious approach to the course earned him the top spot and the rest of the riders were gunning for him throughout the day. Tyler Flanagan stomped his way to second, and Sage Kotsenburg nabbed third. Both of these guys improved their ranking for the TTR World Champs, but that title is still anyone's game. It's sure to be a fierce fight for the first in Stratton, VT.

Congrats to all the shreds putting it down in Olso. On to the next one.

GrindTV Newswire: Laax, Switzerland- 15th January 2011: The final day of the 12th annual 6Star Burton European Open went off today with Peetu Piiroinen (FIN) and Kelly Clark (USA) taking home the halfpipe titles, each earning themselves 1000 Swatch TTR Ranking points, a piece of the $125,000 USD prize purse and automatic qualification into the 2012 World Snowboarding Championships taking place next February in Oslo, Norway. Peetu advanced in the TTR Tour Ranking to World No. 3 with his win today strengthening his position in the TTR Top 10, while Iouri Podladtchikov (SUI), who today placed third, moved into the tour lead. On the women's side Kelly Clark moved into World No. 11, putting some pressure on the women in the Top 10.

Kelly Clark Brings a Top Performance Despite Morning Fog
The day kicked off with a small delay due to some clouds hanging over the pipe forcing the organizers to change the format. All women went from semi-finals straight into a two-run final of 21 riders. Kelly Clark (USA), once again, set the bar for the rest of the field and put down her best run on her first drop throwing down a frontside 900, backside 540, frontside 720 and finished with a Cab 720. With her first place finish here, combined with her victory last weekend at the 6Star O'Neill Evolution, Kelly has made her presence known in the Swatch TTR World Ranking and will be a competitor to watch out for throughout the rest of the season. Kelly had this to say about the day, "I love this pipe and I come here every year. It's one of my favorite events to come to because the pipe is so much fun to ride," and she continued to talk about her win saying, "It's great winning another 6Star event, I'm looking forward to the Burton Canadian Open and the Burton US Open and to see if I can't get a few more good results."

Behind Kelly was young Spanish rider, Queralt Castellet, who has been shaking things up in the women's halfpipe scene and broke into the TTR Top 50 with her second place finish today, as did the Japanese rider, Yuki Furihata, who placed third.

History Repeats Itself in the Men's Halfpipe
On the men's side, Iouri Podladtchikov (SUI), took third place with big spins in the pipe to move into the TTR World No. 1 spot. But, it was Finnish halfpipe machine, Peetu Piiroinen, who took down the win for the second year in a row, which improved his position in the World Rankings to World No. 3. Peetu blew the crowd away with a run made up of a frontside 720, Cab double cork 1080, frontside air, backside 900 and a backside alley-oop rodeo. Peetu was very happy with his win saying, "This win means a lot to me, I would not have thought that I would be able to defend my victory from last year. It was a really great weekend, second place in slopestyle and first in pipe and I have some other good results on tour which means I could fight for the TTR title again." Style master, Kazuhiro Kokubo (JPN), took second place with an excellent display of how riders can excel with a run focusing on style in the halfpipe.

Next on the Swatch TTR Tour
With the 6Star Burton European Open wrapped up, there are two new tour leaders in the World Tour Ranking and the competition for the Swatch TTR World Tour Champion title is heating up. The next major event on tour will be the 5Star Burton Canadian Open going down the first week of February, which will feature slopestyle and halfpipe for both men and women. The 6Star Billabong Air & Style Innsbruck, a big air invitational event for men only, will take place on February 5 followed by the Nike 6.0 Air & Style Munich one week later on February 12. Stay tuned for videos, photos and blogs on www.ttrworldtour.com.

The first 5Star TTR World Tour men's event is about to go down in Whistler, BC, Canada this Saturday, June 26. The Billabong Ante Up will be taking place in the Camp of Campions terrain park with a Big Air event. This event gets the show on the road for the rest of the season and TTR events. All the riders will be gunning for the most Swatch TTR points, cash, and ultimately, the title of TTR world champ.


The rider list is loaded with big names with big tricks who are traveling from all over the world to compete for a share in the $50,000 prize purse of the Ante Up. On top of that, the rider who wins this event will automatically be invited to the renowned 6Star Billabong Air & Style Innsbruck.

Get ready for some massive and stylish riding this weekend. After the video of Torstein Horgmo stopping a triple cork took over the internet, plenty of riders are anxious to start throwing down.

The snowboard world has got to be stoked that the first TTR event is already kicking off in the month of June - making the winter season seem that much closer.

For more details on the event click HERE!

Oakley Artic Challenge

Oslo, Norway - 1st March 2010: The 6Star Oakley Arctic Challenge (TAC) is set to take place in Oslo, Norway March 5th-7th 2010 with an impressive rider list that will be sure to create some intense competition. The legendary event has, throughout its existence, created stars and constantly pushed snowboarding to develop and shine in the media spotlight. This year, TAC is shaking things up by taking on a Slopestyle format and has attracted a stacked rider list after the close of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. Rescheduled from a date in December 2009, the event prepares to shake the TTR Rankings with the 2009/2010 season in its final stretch. It is a crucial event for top riders to collect a 6Star result in the last months on the Swatch TTR Tour, and offers the possibility for current Tour leader Peetu Piiroinen (FIN) to create an unassailable lead and secure a second TTR World Champion Title before the Burton US Open, the last 6Star event on the tour.


The course for the TTR

Swatch TTR World Champion Title on the Menu?The Arctic Challenge is one of the premiere snowboard events in the world and is the signature event of TTR co-founder, Terje Haakonsen. It was historically the crowning event of the TTR World Champion until the 2005/2006 season. This year could be a repetition of the early TTR years, as one rider has taken a hefty lead and with a good result at TAC can secure the TTR World Champion title into his name. 2008/2009 TTR World Champion, Peetu Piiroinen, has had an amazing season and was able to take the tour lead in January with podium placements at both formats of the 6Star O'Neill Evolution and later on with wins in the halfpipe and slopestyle formats of the 6Star Burton European Open. Peetu has managed to balance his TTR commitments as well as shine at events outside the TTR tour winning an Olympic silver medal and last weekend taking the title at the Toyota Big Air in Japan. It is general knowledge that Piiroinen is a competition machine and all eyes are on Peetu to see how he will do at TAC and if he will be able to claim a second consecutive TTR World Champion Title.

The coveted TTR Top 5 getting crowdedCurrently sitting in World No.3 on the TTR World Ranking list, the young Gjermund Braaten (NOR), will need to put on a solid performance at TAC to defend this spot, as there are many riders slated to be present who could challenge his position in the rankings. In fact, every rider present who is currently in the TTR Top10 stands the chance of moving into the World No. 3 spot: Marko Grilc (SLO), Antti Autti (FIN), Christian Haller (SUI), Stale Sandbech (NOR), Eric Willett (USA) and Janne Korpi (FIN). These riders are all looking to get a piece of the end of season Swatch TTR prize purse of $200,000 USD as well as the guaranteed invites to next season's 6Star events.Watch The Action LiveIf you cannot make it to watch the action in Oslo from the 5th to the 7th of March 2010 join the live webcast on www.ttrworldtour.com . Don't forget that on the same weekend there will be 4Star action at the Nescaf Champs halfpipe event, in Leysin Swizerland. Check up on the TTR website for the latest updates, videos, photos and blogs.

Swatch TTR World Ranking List as of 26.02.2010

Rank Name Nation Results Points
1 Piiroinen, Peetu FIN 6 924.64
2 Podladtchikov, Iouri SUI 6 802.5
3 Braaten, Gjermund NOR 6 714.42
4 Grilc, Marko SLO 6 703.58
5 Korpi, Janne FIN 6 702.79
6 Malin, Markus FIN 6 692.26
7 Haller, Christian SUI 6 691.91
8 Autti, Antti FIN 6 683.32
9 Willett, Eric USA 6 674.04
10 Sandbech, Stale NOR 6 669.82

ABOUT SWATCH TTR:
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, 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 (1000 points). 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 six results of the season (5+1 system) is crowned Swatch TTR World Snowboard Champion.

For more information visit www.ttrworldtour.com