Rip Curl Freeski Pro
Epic conditions and an elite field have combined to make the 2nd annual Rip Curl Freeski Pro at Mount Hotham the most highly anticipated event on the Australian snow season calendar.
Run in co-operative partnership with the Mount Hotham Skiing Company, the 2nd annual Rip Curl Freeski Pro will be contested at Mount Hotham from August 5-8 in near perfect conditions after record-breaking snowfalls were recorded at the Victorian resort. A world class field of leading international and Australasian freestyle skiers has been finalized for the groundbreaking event, with defending champion Chris Ebbern from Canada, rising American star Steele Spence, Finland's Lauri Lassila and Japan's Makoto Kondo all making the trip Down Under. Competitors will contest three main disciplines - Sportwool Terrain Park, Ansell Big Air, and the Life Savers Half Pipe - with $7,500 AUD in prize money up for grabs.
Ebbern, who arrived in Australia last month, has recovered from a serious shoulder injury and has been enjoying the excellent early season snow conditions at Australian alpine resorts. "It's been awesome," Ebbern enthused. "And I can't wait to get down to Mount Hotham to defend my title. I'm 100% fit, I'm back in training and I'm ready to go."
A strong contingent of Australia's finest freeskiers, including Chris Booth, Robert 'Oddy' Graham, Andrea Berchtold, Jake McCleary, and Ben Murphy, will lead the local charge, while Sydney teenager Davina Williams will defend her title against the strongest female field ever assembled in Australia for a freestyle skiing event, which includes leading Japanese skier Tomo Kojima and Argentinean junior champion Leandro Choi.
Mount Hotham general manager, Helen Moran, said current snow conditions were perfect for hosting the 2nd annual Rip Curl Freeski Pro. The current snow depth (115cm) at Mount Hotham is well above the 10-year average for the month of July and is surpassing the start to 2000's record-breaking season. "There is more snow now than there was at this time in 2000," Moran said. "With a stronger field and sensational conditions, Mount Hotham is anticipating an event twice that of 2001."
This year's event will be further strengthened by a new course designed by former Olympic and World Cup aerialist Nick Cleaver, a professional judging panel led by Olympic and ISF ski judges, and scored with a program specifically created for the event.
For all event information and a complete list of competitors log onto Rip Curl's customised web microsite, www.ripcurl.com/freeski.