What better way to start the day than with a quick-fire bit of GoPro booter-camming? Check Rome Am Jordan Phillips putting the smackdown on the Absolut Park kicker line. Shazam!

Oh, and like quite a number of edits we’ve seen recently, this is set to more gangsta sheet. We must say, while all that ‘bitchin’ and ‘hoing’ might be a little OTT, it is a welcome relief from the reams of metropop and dubstep that have blighted shredits in recent years. Now bring back So-Cal punk and we can call it the 90s again!

Seppe Smits. All Photos: Markus Rohrbacher.

The Quiksilver Spring Battle 2012 is on! With bluebird and spring weather the Quiksilver Spring Battle 2012 kicked off on Thursday, 29th of March 2012 at Absolut Park Flachauwinkl in Austria.

For its 10th Anniversary the popular Snowboard Event has been upgraded to 5 Star TTR level. Some of the world´s best riders have come to Flachauwinkl to rake in 50.000 USD Dollar total prize money and up to 850 points for next season’s TTR World Tour Ranking. After the Qualifications and Semi Finals went down on Thursday, the Quiksilver Spring Battle 2012 finalists are confirmed.

Clemens Schattschnieder

Results Snowboard Big Air Qualifications and Semi Finals

For the Quiksilver Spring Battle 2012, some of the world’s best snowboarders gathered in Flauchwinkl, Austria, to compete in the very first 5 Star TTR event of the counting towards the TTR World Snowboard Tour Ranking 2012/2013. In the Qualification round, the riders had two runs to show off on the perfectly shaped 22 metre Big Air kicker. The riding level was really good. With the actual start list it was hardly surprising that riders were stomping double corks and 1260s in the first round. The best ten competitors and ahead of everyone Austrian snowboarder Adrian Krainer, advanced to the subsequent Semi Finals. Also local Absolut Park rider Herbert Thaler made it through to the Semi Finals. Together with ten invited riders out of the TTR Top 10 World Tour Ranking, they kept on pushing it to the limits in the Semi Finals. On Thursday Night’s Pickle-Night – Riders Night with DJ Dragstar supported by GNU the ten semi finalists were announced. They had been fighting hard for to conquer a start spot in the Finals, that will go down on Friday, 31st of March. With Markku Koski, Nuutti Niemela and Ville Paumola three Finnish contest machines enter the last round. Previous year’s winner Seppe Smits is still staying in the game, competing against Sven Thorgren (SWE), Eric Willett (USA), Max Buri (SUI) and Jan Necas (CZE) on Friday morning. The Austrian Michael Macho and local Absolut Park rider Clemens Schattschneider will also try to reach for the trophy in the Top ten finals.

On Friday night, the final Quiksilver Spring Battle 2012 podium spots will be determined by video judging at the Video Judging Final Party in the ceremonial hall of Flachau. After the prize giving, FM4/Texta DJ Dan takes the tiller for the FM4 Club Aftershow-Party.

Roman Astleitner

Several winners and three awards at the Skateboarding „Cash for Trick“ Sessions

On Wednesday, 28th of March 2012, the Quiksilver Spring Battle 2012 showcased finest transition skateboarding at the Chillhouse on 1600 metres above sea level. 26 skateboarders from all over Europe were sending it for the Skate Jam. Most of the time up to five guys rode the miniramp coincidentally, intending to grab for some notes out of the 1500 Euros total prize pot. There were many winners but Andy Scott, Philipp Schuster and Dustin Vonach took home the awards for as “most impressive riders” of the day.

Andy Scott and co.

Asymbol Art Show of the Art Of Flight collection

Until Friday, 30th of March 2012, snowboarding legend Travis Rice and renowned artist Mike Parillo present their Asymbol Art Show with the Art Of Flight collection at the bottom station in Flachauwinkl.

All those, who will not be able to travel to Flachauwinkl for the event, can watch the action live: The broadcast will take place on Friday, 30th of March at 09.00 p.m.

All infos, timetable and updates on:

www.absolutpark.com

Last year's contest was solid. We're anticipating the bar to be raised again this time round.

The Quiksilver Spring Battle is the first of the new season of TTR Tour contests – and a 5-Star one to boot – and it goes down in Flachauwinkl, Austria, from March 28-31. They’ve given us some stuff to give to you to celebrate, so get involved…

This is what you can win, Beryl.

Chances are you’re a career comp-entering granny so here’s what you can win and how: A limited edition QSB tee and Art of Flight cap that’ll look awesome fr taking tea with Mabel, and a copy of SSX for the PS3 or XBOX you jacked off your grandson. Answer this correctly to enter. We’ll pick the winner Wed 28 March 2012.

[competition_58]

And now for the contest info. Once again it’s set to go down in Flachauwinkl‘s epic Absolut Park and like a certain other Austrian shred event it too will celebrate its 10-year anniversary. There’s 50k US and a bunch of TTR points up for grabs in the Big Air contest.

30 qualification riders will be hacked down to 10 for the finals, where they’ll meet the invited dudes from the TTR top 10 – riders like Seppe Smits, Marko Grilc, Werni Stock and Ulrik Badertscher have already confirmed. From this mass of manflesh, 10 dudes will make the übergalacticmega final.

The finals will once again utilise the innovative Video Judging System that debuted last year. In this, the rider selects his favourite super final run and this will be analysed on screen from multiple angles by the judging panel.

This’ll be a good un, so head on over if you can or if not tune back in next week when we’ll have the lowdown on the haps.

Grilo has no mates. This made us chuckle. As he say, this is a day in the Absolut Park with no brohims and it reminds us of the last song on Dookie.

This is the fifth Grilosode episode and was filmed in Flachauwinkl, Austria.

Starring: Marko Grilc
Music by: Awolnation – Sail
Production: Bright Visuals (check our work here - vimeo.com/brightvisuals)

Filmed by: Mitja Legat, Nejc Slatner, Matej Gostinčar, Domen Smerdel, Andro Kajzer

It didn't say, but we're claiming this is Seppe Smits winning his first Spring Battle last year.

For its 10th anniversary the Quiksilver Spring Battle in the Absolut Park Flachauwinkl becomes a TTR 5 star competition. Props, Spring Battle crew!

The contest is known for its perfect shaped and super innovative set ups, the good weather and the Spring riding conditions. The Absolut Park is one of Europe’s biggest and best known parks. The highly motivated and skilled shape crew led by Christoph Walchhofer and Hans Weiss is pushing limits every year and guarantees amazing obstacles year by year.

Last year the video judging show was introduced as a world first in snowboarding. Riders, media and spectators were super stoked on the show presented by Jon Weaver and Henry Jackson. For 2012 the whole event crew is super motivated for taking the 10th Spring Battle to even greater heights.

Spring Battle Event History

The first Spring Battle took place in 2003 and was won by Ästhtetiker rider Andreas “Mone” Monsberger. 2004 Burton’s Slovenian superstar Marco Grilc was the man followed by the Austrian rider legend Steve Gruber in 2005. Sweden’s Martin Sandberg won in 2006, the finish contest killer Ville Uotila in 2007, the German pirate Lars Österle in 2008, Finland’s Jaakko Ruha in 2009, swedish young gun Kevin Backström in 2010 and the Belgian superstar Seppe Smits in 2011. Phips Gruber was the first Austrian to stomp a double cork in a competition in 2009.

The Quiksilver Spring Battle 2011 was the first major TTR title for Seppe Smits and since 2011 Quiksilver is head sponsor of the event.

Arthur Longo, Sani Alibabic and Marco Feichtner feature in Day 4 of Pirate Week.

Young Frenchie Arthur Longo gets his balls broken for slacking off building a booter – you tell him, Fichtl! – while Sani Alibabic and a less lazy Longo take a tour through Flachau’s Absolut Park.

Shovelling vs Love

Pirates Shovelling Love >>

Absolut Park Tour

Pirates Absolut Park Flachau >>

Sweden’s Kevin Backstrom claims title at the Absolut Park Spring Battle 2010

For the eighth time in a row the slightly odd slogan “Cowboys ride it hard …” was carried through the Absolut Park in Flachauwinkl, Austria’s longest terrain park. Being a 4 Star TTR contest, the Spring Battle 2010 once again lived up to its name and impressed the crowd as well as judges with an extremely high riding level on the Easter weekend. Many international pro snowboarders showed up for Absolut Park’s 10th anniversary and entered the battle of skills against the locals.

Kevin Backstrom. Photo: Markus Rohrbacher.

The qualifications were scheduled for Thursday, but postponed to Friday due to bad weather. Thursday evening saw spring-like conditions giving way to a moderate blizzard that brought 15 centimetres of freshies and covered the contest set up.

Simon Pircher. Photo: Markus Rohrbacher.

It was only thanks to the commitment of Absolut’s shape crew that the qualifications could be held on the second contest day, before the sun once again disappeared behind grey clouds. Thus, the super finals were postponed to Saturday.

Chris Kröll. Photo: Markus Rohrbacher.

While some party animals were still trying to find their beds, the qualified riders met up early at the summit of the shuttle mountain to do their first warm up runs. Blessed with blue bird sky, they went big to impress the judges.

Ludde Lejkner. Photo: Markus Rohrbacher.

The qualification already saw double corks as well as switch 12s, and the challenging trick level was to be carried to the finals.

Werni Stock. Photo: Markus Rohrbacher.

There, Air&Style rider Werni Stock (AUT) put all his eggs in one basket, showing a switch backside 900 as well as a double backflip on the bottom roller. His excellent performance earned him a third place.

Chris ‘CK’ Kröll (AUT) impressively proved that he is back after suffering from a major knee injury three years ago – he became second with a strong final run consisting of a stylish frontside 1080 and a clean backside 900.

Thomas Minichberger. Photo: Markus Rohrbacher.

But the undisputable best rider of the day was Sweden’s Kevin Backstrom. Only 17 years old, he became Absolut Park’s new sheriff with a frontside 1080 to backside 1080. Besides some coveted TTR points, the eight best riders also took home a total prize money of 20.000 US dollars.

Felix Georgii. Photo: Markus Rohrbacher.

Straight after the super finals, it was time for the traditional TAG-TEAM-AWARD. Individual teams were formed and a relaxed jam session held. From the table of the first kicker, the riders started into the wide end section which consisted of a big roller, the massive Absolut Park wall, a challenging cannon box and an oversized token (a.k.a. Bonk-Mandala / Bonk-Dude).

Adrian Krainer. Photo: Markus Rohrbacher.

In the end, Team Zillertal was at the top of the game: with a perfect combination of varied tricks, ingenuity and the ability to take the most advantage of the obstacles in the end section. Chris Kröll, Werni Stock, Tom Klocker and Mario Wanger deservedly earned 2,500 Euros extra prize money.

Winners. Photo: Markus Rohrbacher.

Although the finals had to be moved to Saturday, Friday night’s Spring Break Party in Ema’s Pub in Flachau didn’t suffer from any “party fatigue”. MORTAL KOMBAT SOUND made riders and fans shake their hips to the finest reggae and dancehall beats until the early morning.

Tag Team winnners. Photo: Markus Rohrbacher.

See you next year … in the wild, wild west!

Results:

1. Kevin Backstrom / SWE
2. Chris Kröll / AUT
3. Werni Stock / AUT
4. Ville Uotila / FIN
5. Robert Wallner / AUT
6. Stefan Wimmer / AUT
7. Rudi Kröll / AUT
8. Flo Galler / AUT
9. Giorgio Cianceloni / ITA
10. Clemens Schattschneider / AUT
11. Mario Wanger / AUT
12. Patrik Cinka / GER
13. Jaakko Ruha / FIN
14. Zebastian Landmark / SWE
15. Thomas Minichberger / AUT
16. Tor Lundström / NOR
17. Phips Gruber / AUT
18. Felix Georgii / GER
19. Michi Stanschitz / AUT
20. Tom Klocker / AUT
20. Herbert Thaler / AUT
22. Kike Carcelen / ESP
23. Andreas Fitzenwanker / AUT
24. Adrian Krainer / AUT
25. Simon Pircher / AUT

www.absolutpark.com

Kevin Bäckström. Photo: Markus Rohrbacher

As it is still winter in the Alps the finals of the Absolut Park Spring Battle needed postponement after some fresh snow had created speed issues on the slopestyle course on Saturday. Which was a good thing for everyone but moms with their Easter dinners waiting, because a glorious blue bird day presented itself to contestants and spectators the next day, and the sun cast its rays over the perfectly shaped Absolut Park in Flachauwinkl, Austria. This 4Star event was celebrating its 7th anniversary and as usual featured a tight battle between the local talent and international riders. The young Swedish shredder Kevin Backström (SWE) emerged as the winner, leaving Zillertal locals Chris Kröll in 2nd place and Werni Stock in 3rd place. They all collected valuable late season Swatch TTR ranking points and a piece of the $20.000 USD prize purse.

Kevin took the lead with a huge and a super stylish frontside 1080 to backside1080 combo over the kicker line. Kevin who now sits in TTR World No.18 has been climbing the ranks solidly and already showed his potential last year taking 2nd place at the 4Star Protest World Rookie Finals in Ischgl and this year coming 5th at the 5Star Burton Canadian Open. With their podium placements Chris Kröll made a move into TTR World No. 50 and Werner Stock with his 6th result of the season jumped into World No. 44 giving both better end-of season bonus points. Ville Uotila (FIN) placed fourth but stays firm in his World No. 17 place in the Swatch TTR World Ranking List.

Where: Flachauwinkl, Austria

The Absolut Park is usually reason enough to make the drive (or flight) to the resort of Flachauwinkl/Austria. Nonetheless, the Absolut Park crew came up with the annual “Spring in the Park” event that pretty much works like a shred magnet. And here’s why:

For the eighth time international snowboard pros like Ville Uotila, Matti Kinnunen, Ludwik Lejkner, Seppe Smiths, Kevin Backström, Absolut Park rider Marc Swoboda and Air & Style youngster Werni Stock will get together and enjoy the unique spring feeling in the resort of Flachauwinkl. Also part of this 4Star TTR contest: Absolut Park´s local heroes Herby Thaler, Flo Mauser, Michi `Stani` Stanschitz and Phips Gruber.

High level snowboarding combined with spring-like temperatures will create a unique atmosphere for both riders and crowd. Head shaper Seppi Harml and his motivated crew have once again spent countless hours building an extraordinary end section and a perfect set up. The Spring Battle is a real challenge for shredding cowboys. No other TTR contest offers promising amateurs the chance to compete against the pros: through events like the Pop ‚n’ Drop and other Austrian contests, these young talents had the chance to earn their ticket for the Spring Battle 2010.

Coming to Flachauwinkl will be worth it: 20.000 US dollar prize money is waiting for the cowboys and guaranteeing a first-class contest.

Friday evening will be all about the legendary Big Spring Break Party in Ema’s Pub in downtown Flachau with Mortal Kombat Sound making riders and fans shake their hips to the finest reggae and dancehall beats… Don’t forget your dancing boots!!!

More information on the park’s website: www.absolutpark.com

4Star TTR event to be held in spring-like temperatures

April 1st – 3rd, 2010 | Absolut Park (Flachauwinkl)

It’s time for the Spring Battle in the Absolut Park! For the eighth time international snowboard pros like Ville Uotila, Matti Kinnunen, Ludwik Lejkner, Seppe Smiths, Kevin Backström, Absolut Park rider Marc Swoboda and Air & Style youngster Werni Stock will get together and enjoy the unique spring feeling in the resort of Flachauwinkl. Also part of this 4Star TTR contest: Absolut Park’s local heroes, none other than Herby Thaler, Flo Mauser, Michi ‘Stani’ Stanschitz and Phips Gruber.

High level snowboarding combined with spring-like temperatures will create a unique atmosphere for both riders and crowd.

Head shaper Seppi Harml and his motivated crew have once again spent countless hours building an extraordinary end section and a perfect set up.

The Spring Battle is a real challenge for shredders. No other TTR contest offers promising amateurs the chance to compete against the pros: through events like the Pop ‘n’ Drop and other Austrian contests, these young talents had the chance to earn their ticket for the Spring Battle 2010. Coming to Flachauwinkl will be worth it: 20,000 US dollar prize money is waiting for the riders and guaranteeing a first-class contest.

Friday evening will be all about the legendary Big Spring Break Party in Ema’s Pub in downtown Flachau with MORTAL KOMBAT SOUND making riders and fans shake their hips to the finest reggae and dancehall beats… Don’t forget your dancing boots!!!

Check out more: www.absolutpark.com

TIMETABLE

THURSDAY, April 1st – Qualifications
09.00 – 11.00 Training
11.00 – 12.30 Qualification heat 1
13.00 – 14.30 Qualification heat 2
15.00 Announcement of the finalists

FRIDAY, April 2nd – Big Battle Day
09.00 – 11.00 Training
11.00 – 12.30 Finals
13.00 – 13.45 Super finals
14.00 Prize-giving

SATURDAY, April 3rd – Bad Weather Day