Only four more weeks to go until the infamous BRITS Music & Snow Festival hits Laax, Switzerland again from 20th – 27th March 2011.

At this year’s festival, all BRITS wristband-holders get the chance to put the pedal to the metal during the Garmin Downhill Challenge and BRITS Homerun, throw style out of the window on the Cushe Airbag and demo the latest ski and snowboard equipment.

Garmin, the global leader in satellite navigation will once again be throwing down its Garmin Downhill Challenge gauntlet. Throughout the week you can loan Garmin devices and charge the slopes to register lightning speeds. The fastest male and female skiers and snowboarders displayed upon the Top Gear style Garmin leaderboard in the Après Arena will win themselves a brand new Garmin Forerunner 310xt device worth £300!

Footwear partners, Cushe will also be offering extra slope time on the Cushe Air Bag. Set in the heart of the Après Arena, get ready for some ill-advised inverted action, made safe by a very Cushe landing. Wednesdays Après session will also host the Cushe Huck Fest offering a haul of Cushe and cash prizes.

Back by popular demand The BRITS Homerun will finish off the high-speed action spectacularly on Saturday, when hundreds of excited folk race en-mass from the top of the mountain to the bottom five miles below. You’ve all seen the footage, so why not come and take part?!

New headwear brand, Funi have also teamed up with this year’s event to create the official 2011 BRITS Beanie, which will be gifted to everyone who books an official BRITS package. Not stopping there, Funi are also offering a special BRITS 20% discount code on Facebook. You can custom design you’re own with over 30 colours to choose from and everything.

If you still haven’t booked to come out to the BRITS yet, with seven nights’ accommodation, six day lift pass, Funi beanie and festival wristband from only *£255, it’s the most affordable way to get from your sofa to the slopes this season, so get booking!

the-brits.com

Dan Wakeham.

The third day of the BRITS saw some explosive action from all age categories in the SNO!zone Snowboard Halfpipe Championships but the podium spots ultimately went to Team GB riders, Kate Foster and Jamie Nicholls, with Nicholls throwing down a super clean run that featured a backside 9 – a trick he learned in practise today.

Conditions held well throughout the day meaning the pipe stayed in great condition throughout. In the women’s finals, Kate Foster, who qualified in first position following her consistently strong runs in the qualifiers, set the standard and walked away with the gold and the 2010 SNO!zone British Halfpipe Championship Title. Her winning run included a huge frontside air to backside mute, a smooth frontside 360, to cab 360, frontside 360 and stylish stalefish. Stefani Nurding took second place with a selection of big front and backside airs and back to back 360’s, whilst third place went to Ivy Taylor who nailed a smooth and solid run.

Kate Foster quoted: “I just tried to get a bit of amplitude today. I love the Brits it’s been a great week and I’m really happy I just got a gold medal.”

Kate Foster.

Strong performances from several of the youngsters saw Lewis Courtier-Jones from the kid’s age category and Cody Hierons, Jamie Nicholls and Henry Shackleton from the youth age category make it through to the top 12 men final, giving them the chance to compete with the big guns – an experience an event like the BRITS can only create.

The men’s final was an exciting performance showcasing how international the standard is amongst the British men. Jamie Nicholls proved his riding skills to be world class and his ability to learn new tricks phenomenal in the men’s final when he threw down a super clean run, including a big backside 900 – a trick he’d only learned during practice. Jamie’s run which included a massive frontside air, backside 900 and back to back 7’s clinched him the gold and the 2010 SNO!zone British Halfpipe Championship Title.

Men's podium.

Second place went to Dom Harington, who qualified through to the final in top spot. Dom’s run, was technical, stylish and consistently big and included a backside 900, frontside 720, Haakon flip and backside rodeo. Sam Cullum, riding just three months after shattering his pelvis, impressively finished in third after he landed a smooth and clean run.

Jamie Nicholls said: “I wasn’t going to compete but I rode the pipe in practice and it felt pretty good I thought I might as well give it a shot. I learnt that run today which was pretty funny – because I never thought I’d be able to do that in the pipe cause I don’t really ride the pipe. I was wearing Ben Kilner’s Olympic jacket so I think that’s where the luck came from.”

Women's podium.

SNO!zone British Halfpipe Championship Results
Men                                           Women
1st – Jamie Nicholls            1st – Kate Foster
2nd – Dom Harrington       2nd –Stefani Nurding
3rd – Sam Cullum                 3rd – Ivy Taylor

Don’t forget to check out the BRITS 2010 daily webcasts at www.brits10.com, where you will be able to review the Snowboard and Freeski action and après from the previous day’s competition.

Jamie Nicholls.

During the men’s qualification rounds a selection of stylish 7’s 9’s, corked 10’s and double front-flips were being thrown down showcasing just how high the current standard of UK snowboarding is.

Only 12 spots in the final were up for grabs and it was Billy Morgan who was crowned the 2010 British Giro Big Air Champion, his first ever BRITS win, after landing a super technical double corked 1080. Jamie Nicholls who had qualified through to the final in top spot finished in a very close second after riding super strong all day and also landing a double corked 1080. Third place went to Scott Penman with a double front flip, with a special mention also going to Nelson Pratt who missed out on a podium placing by just 1 decimal point after he stomped a stylish frontside 900.

Billy Morgan quoted: “I landed pretty clean so I was pretty happy, I came sixth last year as I just couldn’t land my tricks but this time I’ve done less partying, spent more time on the hill and just done a lot more training so I think I was a lot more focused this time.”

Aimee Fuller.

During the women’s competition Aimee Fuller was leading the way and setting the standard, qualifying through to the six women final in top spot with a huge stylish laid out back-flip. Aimee unfortunately crashed out in the final and the title was left wide open for newcomer, Katie Blundell, who scooped up her first ever BRITS gold and the 2010 Giro British Big Air Title after she landed a huge, solid straight air over the big kicker. Second place with a stylish nose grab went to Sophie Addison, with Rebecca Cullum finishing in third with a straight air tweaked tail grab over the big kicker.

Men's podium.

Katie Blundell quoted: “I just can’t believe I’ve won the standard was really high today and it’s only my fourth or fifth competition. I’ve been in America for the last three months and literally ridden every day except for three days so I think that’s definitely helped.”

Women's podium.

Giro British Big Air Championship Results
Men                                         Women
1st – Billy Morgan               1st – Katie Blundell
2nd – Jamie Nicholls         2nd – Sophie Addison
3rd – Scott Penman             3rd – Rebecca Cullum

Don’t forget to check out the BRITS 2010 daily webcasts at www.brits10.com, where you will be able to review the Snowboard and Freeski action and après from the previous day’s competition.