Rowan Coultas on his way to first place. All Phots: Christian Eberl.

The young Brit bags the win at this year’s edition of the grommet contest in Mayrhofen.

The Hotzone.tv Groms Open was held as ever in the Vans Penken Park, Mayrhofen, Zillertal, on the St. Epiphany on Sunday 6th January 2013. The competition offers young and upcoming riders (aged under 18) a platform where girls and boys can simply join their first contest or compete against people in the same age bracket for money, honor and fun. Riders joined the competition from several different countries. Competitors from Belgium, Italy, Slovenia, Slovakia, Austria, Germany and Russia showed up in Mayrhofen on this epic bluebird day.

Roland Tschoder

The slopestyle run consisted of optional down rail or down box, followed by a kicker with about 12m table and a kicker with about 14m table in the end. After a heavy snowfall on Saturday and Sunday night, Sven Toller and his shaping crew did an amazing job cleaning the park so the competition was able to start on time.

After a one hour jam session, the judges Thomas “Beckna“ Eberharter, Roman “Fenky“ Fankhauser and Andy Lehmann chose the 8 best riders for the finals, with Philipp Kundratitz from Innsbruck in the leading position after showing some nice tricks like frontside 7, backside 7 and a backside 9.

Maximilian Preissinger

In the end it was the British rookie, Rowan Coultas, who took home the first place – showing some really technical tricks on the rails, clean and smooth style over the kickers with 270 to frontside boardslide, a frontside inverted 5 at the first kicker and a cab 9 melon at the second kicker. A 14-year-old Maximilian Preissinger from Staubing in Bavaria took second and also won the title of “Best Grom“ with blunt slide 270 out on the rail, a cab 5 and a backside 9 at the kickers. Third place went to Vladislav Khadarin from Russia. He impressed the judges in the finals with backside 50/50, backside 7 and frontside 9. The unlucky fourth place went to Roland Tschoder from Ischgl (Austria), the same as at the Groms Open in 2011. The first place in girls category went to Kaja Verdnik from Slovenia, right in front of her rival and team mate Eva Kralj.

Look how small Jordy Keesmeekers is!

Prize giving was held at the Grillhofalm, just next to the park. The successful participants were awarded a prize amount of 1000€ (in total), a wild card for the World Rookie Fest in Ischgl and outerwear from Vans.

Not only was the level pretty high in the contest, but also in the Vans opening Party in Scotland Yard Pub. Many motivated people showed up to celebrate the upcoming season together with the Disco Dogs.

Check out the full results here: www.gromsopen.com

Podium

Iou Staub. Photos: Christian Eberl

January 6 2012 will see Mayrhofen’s Vans Penken Park once again open its doors to some of Europe’s most promising rookies, allowing them to pit their skills against each other and battle it out for the Hotzone.TV Groms Open title. 18 or under and good at shredding? Get your olds to get you involved…

You’re eighteen or younger and eager to compete with kids at the same age? Or you want to join your first freestyle snowboard competition? Maybe you want to improve one of your last years results? Or you simply want to enjoy an easy going competition with no pressure at all? Then take your chance and join the 5th edition of the HOTZONE.TV Groms Open at the Vans Penken Park in Mayrhofen on the 6th of January 2012.

Head shaper Sven Toller from Switzerland and his crew will again created the perfectly shaped setup which will be of medium size and therefore provide ideal conditions to carry out the slopestyle competition.The girls and boys will be judged by experienced judges from TTR and out of the HOTZONE Pro Rider Pool in the different categories under 16, from 16-18 and girls only. Presumably the setup of the slopestyle will be built up of two rails/boxes and two jumps.

Besides an obligatory goodie bag you’re able to win 1000€ prize money in total, non-cash prizes sponsored by HOTZONE.TV, Vans and the Mayrhofener Bergbahnen and a Wild Card for the Protest World Rookie Finals in Ischgl, Austria (4Star TTR).

SCHEDULE

Thursday 05.01.2011
12:00 – 16:00 Open training at the Vans Penken Park
16:00 – 18:00 Riders registration at HOTZONE.TV Mayrhofen Snowboard Proshop

Friday 06.01.2011
08:30 – 09:30 Riders registration at HOTZONE.TV Mayrhofen Snowboard Proshop
10:00 – 11:00 Open training at the Vans Penken Park
11:00 Reshape, riders meeting at Vans riders tent
11:15 – 12:15 Qualifications
12:15 Riders meeting at Vans riders tent
12:45 – 13:30 Finals
13:30 Lunch at Grillhofalm
afterwards Prize giving

Info & inscription

www.hotzone.tv

www.hotzonemag.com

Get the lowdown on this groms’ gig set to go down in Mayrhofen on Jan 6 2010.

One of your resolutions for the new year is improving your snowboard skills? Or you always wanted to enter your first competition with people of the same age? You haven’t been satisfied with your results last year? This is your chance! Join the 4th edition of the HOTZONE.TV Groms Open at the Vans Penken Park in Mayrhofen on January 6th 2011, just in the first week of the new year.

Under the direction of a new shaper crew the park and the obstacles will be perfectly shaped and the competition will be held as a slopestyle format. Head judge Thomas ‘Beckna’ Eberharter and other experienced judges from the HOTZONE.TV team rider pool will observe and evaluate the winners in the categories under 16, 16-18 and girls only.

As well as goodie bags you’ll be able to win some prize money (1000€ in total), material prizes sponsored by HOTZONE.TV, Vans and the Mayrhofener Bergbahnen and a Wild Card for the Protest World Rookie Finals in Ischgl, Austria (4Star TTR).

Georg Huber at last year's Groms Open. Photo: Christian Eberl

Schedule

Wednesday 05.01.2011
12:00 – 16:00 Open training at the Vans Penken Park
16:00 – 18:00 Riders registration at HOTZONE.TV Mayrhofen Snowboard Proshop

Thursday 06.01.2011
08:30 – 09:30 Riders registration at HOTZONE.TV Mayrhofen Snowboard Proshop
10:00 – 11:00 Open training
11:00 Reshape, riders meeting at Vans riders tent
11:15 – 12:15 Qualifications
12:15 Riders meeting at Vans riders tent
12:45 – 13:30 Finals
13:30 Lunch at Grillhofalm
afterwards Prize giving

More info: www.hotzone.tv