The first 6 star TTR event of the season, the Oakley & Shaun White Air and Style Beijing is gearing up to take over the Olympic 'Bird's Nest' stadium in downtown Beijing for the second time . This year's event is stacked with a field of heavy hitting international pros who are all looking for their first win of the season, and hope to rack up a load of highly coveted TTR points.

Sixteen of the world's best riders have been invited to compete in the massive stadium event that hopes to attract over 20,000 spectators. Sebastian Toutant will attempt to maintain his title, but determined riders like Torstien Horgmo, Halldor Helgason, Mark McMorris and others will be gunning for the top spot and will undoubtedly be spinning to win in the Big Air contest.

As an ambassador of the sport, Shaun White will not be competing in the event, but will be onsite to encourage and support the riders.

The event is sure to be a wild one and is not to be missed. If you can't make it over to Beijing in time for it, don't worry- you can catch all the action on the live webcast at www.air-style.com.

Words: TTR

Just days before the first highlight of this snowboard season the riders list for the "Oakley and Shaun White present Air & Style Beijing 2011" is set. National Stadium, the Olympic stadium in Beijing, China (aka the Birdôs Nest) for the first time will house Asia's second edition of this 6Star Contest of the TTR World Snowboard Tour. On course toward Beijing's famous architectural icon are 24 of the world's best snowboarding athletes, with lots of enthusiasm and loads of Triple Corks in their luggage.

Obviously, their opportunity to compete in the world's most famous stadium and the hopes of winning the Air & Style title and its accompanying 1,000 TTR points is attracting freestyle snowboardingôs high-flying elite. Nowhere are the levels of competition and performance higher than among the 12 seeded riders on the "Top 16 Riders List" of the Air & Style.

Titleholder Seb Toutant (CAN), last yearÃôs runner-up Seppe Smits (BEL) and the Billabong Air & Style Innsbruck 2011 winner, Mark McMorris (CAN) will be challenged by none other than Norwegian super star and Winter X Games Big Air Gold Medallist, Torstein Horgmo, who after two years of Air & Style abstinence is making his return. Halldor Helgason (ISL), Nils Arvidsson (SWE) and Mikkel Bang (NOR) are always good for surprise performances.

Also, Billabong Air & Style 2009/II winner Marko Grilc (SLO), the US boys Eric Willett and Sage Kotsenburg, German hopeful Ethan Morgan and Ulrik Badertscher (NOR) are always threats for top results.

Riders and spectators alike will certainly enjoy the extended Air & Style contest format, as it brings even more tension from round one on. In the qualification round 12 riders compete for four spots in the Top 16 main contest, where they meet the 12 seeded riders. The qualifierôs riders list contains some big names with Gjermund Braaten (NOR), Jamie Nicholls (GBR), Roope Tonteri (FIN) and Staale Sandbech (NOR), but it also introduces some exciting and promising newcomers like 15-year old Yuuki Kadono (JAP).

In true Air & Style fashion, DJs and the live musical acts of "Chang Chen-yue" and "MC HotDog" featuring "FREE 9" will bring the expected 20,000 spectators to full raging party mode, and keep them there for hours on end!

Schedule:
Friday December 2 14.00 Riders Draw / Press Conference
Saturday December 3 15.00 Doors open 16.30 Contest starts /Qualification + Main Contest

Round 1
19.00 Oakley Rookie Challenge Round 1
19.30 Main Contest Round 2
20.15 Oakley Rookie Challenge Final
20.25 Main Contest Super Final Top 4 riders
21.00 On stage: Chang Chen-yue, MC Hotdog, Free 9
21.15 Winners Press Conference
22.00 End

Top 16 Main Contest
1. Sebastien Toutant CAN
2. Mark Mc Morris CAN
3. Seppe Smits BEL
4. Halldor Helgason ISL
5. Torstein Horgmo NOR
6. Nils Arvidsson SWE
7. Mikkel Bang NOR
8. Eric Willett USA
9. Ulrik Badertscher NOR
10. Marko Grilc SLO
11. Sage Kotsenburg USA
12. Ethan Morgan GER
Qualification Spot
Qualification Spot
Qualification Spot
Qualification Spot

Qualification
13. Gjermund Braaten NOR
14. Jamie Nicholls GBR
15. Staale Sandbech NOR
16. Torgeir Bergrem NOR
17. Roope Tonteri FIN
18. Kevin Backstram SWE
19. Petja Piiroinen FIN
20. Yuki Kadono JAP
21. Markku Koski FIN
22. An Taehwan KOR
23. Clemens Schattschneider AUT
24. Charles Reid CAN