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. Photo: Christian ‘Eli’ Eberl

Sunday, 06.01.2013, the Vans Penken Park in Mayrhofen will once more welcome a slew of young talent to throw down in the Hotzone.tv Groms Open. 

Already in it’s 6th Edition, the Hotzone.tv Groms Open in Mayrhofen offers young, motivated snowboarders the chance to meet, shred and compare their skills with peers of the same age. Set to be held on the Medium Line of the world famous Vans Penken Park, the renown skills of Head Shaper, Sven Toller, are already at work creating a testing, multi-feature Contest Line with plenty to challenge all ages and skill levels.

Under the discerning eyes of Head Judge, Thomas “Beckna” Eberharter and his experienced Judging crew, winners and prizes will be awarded in the categories of:

- Under 16
- From 16 to18
- Girls Only

All riders are up for a piece of the Hotzone.tv Groms Open Prize Pool including goodies from Vans, the Mayrhofner Bergbahnen and Hotzone.tv and a share of the events Prize Money of €1000.-!

Rowan Coultas. Photo: Christian ‘Eli’ Eberl

As a special prize, riders will also have a chance to qualify for the Shred Down Austrian Masters in Westendorf over the 8th – 10th March, 2013. Additionally, riders can earn all important points on the World Snowboard Tour (2 Star), the World Rookie Tour and World Snowbaord Federation.

For interested participants and interested parties, please visit the Riders Office is located at the Hotzone Shop Mayrhofen, where you can pick up the latest Contest information or complete your Contest Inscription and pick up your contest pack including lift ticket and lunch voucher.

Timetable

Saturday 05.01.2013
12:00 – 16:00 Open Training im Vans Penken Park
16:00 – 18:00 Riders Registrierung im Hotzone.tv Mayrhofen Snowboard Proshop

Sunday 06.01.2013
08:30 – 09:30 Riders registration at Hotzone.tv Mayrhofen Snowboard Proshop
10:00 – 11:00 Open training
11:00 Reshape, Ridersmeeting at the judge tent
11:15 – 12:15 Qualification
12:15 Ridersmeeting at the judge tent
12:45 – 13:30 Finals
13:30 Lunch at Grillhofalm
afterwards Prizegiving

RIDERS OFFICE OPENING HOURS

Sa 05.01.2013: 16:00 – 18:30
So 06.01.2013: 08:30 – 09:30
HOTZONE.TV Mayrhofen (former „The Seeker“)
Scheulingstrasse 390b
6290 Mayrhofen
Tel: +43 (0)5285 62982
www.hotzone.tv

HARDFACTS

HOTZONE.TV Groms Open 2013
Date: 06. Januar 2013
Location: Vans Penken Park, Mayrhofen (AUT)
Format: Slopestyle Contest bis 18 Jahre
Start money: 33,- EUR including liftticket, goodie bag and lunch
22,- EUR for season pass owners
Prizes: 1000,- EUR prize money, goodies from von HOTZONE.TV, Vans and den Mayrhofner Bergbahnen, Qualification for Austrian Masters Westendorf

Info & sign-in www.gromsopen.com
www.facebook.com/gromsopen

Check the action from Hintertux last weekend, featuring heavy hitters like Seppe Smits, Roope Tonteri, Marko Grilc and more throwing hammers in the Session of the Dudes…

Above is the edit from Saturday’s contest, where there’s some intense spinning from the dudes, while this below has Sunday’s grom photoshoot. The mini men were killing it. Skip to the bottom if you’re keen on Friday’s action.

[Sunday Grom Session.]

Here’s a rundown of events in text format, should you be able to read…

The weather conditions could not have been any better for the Saturday of this year’s Hotzone.tv Park Opening. Despite last night’s activities – the fun- and goodie-filled UNIQUE8 premiere as well as the Pirates and the Shred Warm Up Parties – the hungry snowboarders encountered many happy faces already quite early in the day. Blue sky, no wind and pleasant temperatures just above zero degrees made for the typical Opening flair in the busy test area and the Skullcandy Lounge and for perfect conditions in the Betterpark.

At the Session of the Dudes a lineup of top riders like Marko Grilc, Chas Guldemond, Christian Haller and Gigi Rüf showed that the pro line is once again the benchmark in Europe. And while Roope Tonteri scored the Overall Winner trophy with his extremely technical tricks, local hero Werni Stock showed run after run that he was the clear winner in the Style category and the Best Rookie Award went to Tim Kevin Ravnjak from Slovenia. And apart from the big kickers rider crews and filmers swarmed around most other obstacles, too. It did not take long to spot a one-footed boardslide or a backside rodeo.

In the afternoon, the Hintertux parking lot turned into an event arena: Bag Jump, tarp surfing, many other activities and a glass of beer in the sun were perfect to wind down after a day on the mountain. Come nighttime the dance floor of the Hohenhaus Tenne rocked during the Analog Opening Night. The Wax Wreckaz DJ collective, DJ NLP, local act SMOK1NG FING3RZ and London-based DJ IRK were just some of the reasons for a long night after a perfect Opening day. And on Sunday in the morning the focus shifted to the youngsters at the Billabong Kids Shoot, where motivated mini shredders had a chance to re-finance their trip in the Cash for Trix Session starting 12:30, plus have the man, the myth, the legend that is Fischi point his lens at them.

All in all, epic as ever. Season’s on!

[Here's Friday's action, if you missed it.]

Check the edit of yesterday’s action, and find out what’s in store tonight at the Hotzone.TV Park Opening Hintertux…

The season’s officially moved a big step closer as Hintertux has opened its park and the Hotzone.TV dudes are welcoming the great and the good to their inaugural shinding. Check the edit from yesterday, and get your asses there this weekend for shredding, testing, parties and general bro-downery.

Just a quick telegramm from Hintertux: the weather is supposed to be good today and the Park is in mint condition. Tonight there’s a movie premiere of Pirates UNIQUE8 at 21:30 in the Tux Center, where Pirate Producers Basti and Flo. as well as Riders Gigi, Werni, Arthur and Fichtl. will be in the house! After that there’s a Pirates and Shred Party in Tux at Kleine Tenne and Gletscherspalte!

To get you hyped on heading there this weekend, check the edit from yesterday. Plenty of worldclass riders were already in the valley and many more will come for the weekend such as Marco Feichtner, Marco Grilic, Peetu Piiroinen, Ethan Morgan, Gigi Rüf, Kevin Bäckström, Werni Stock, Ästhetiker Crew, Elias Elhard, Marc Swoboda and many more!

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

DUMPING!

Our Austrian buddies at Hotzone.TV had a word with the weather gods and arranged for Mama Nature to drop a fat dump of white love on Hintertux to coincide with the release of their 2011/12 catalogue. How many chickens did you have to slay, Gery?

Hotzone are one of the pimpest chains of stores in Austria and know their onions when it comes to the shred. Here’s what you need to know about their new catalogue…

The snow is falling! And so is the already third edition of the HOTZONE.TV catalog for the season 2011/2012.

Punctual to the start of the new winter season and the current snowfalls, Europe’s finest online snowboard proshop HOTZONE.TV releases the already third edition of its free catalog-mag. Made by snowboarders for snowboarders the brand new HOTZONE.TV catalog offers a broad variety of shredding goods. On more than 120 pages – exceeding 400 products – you´ll find everything a riders’ heart desires. From latest boards, boots and bindings of the new season 2011/2012 to hottest stuff for the coolest but best days of the year and up to stylish accessories to make your snowboard life easier you´ll find what you need for your perfect day on the mountain. Even for the pistes aside the mountains you´ll find your gear under the category streetwear.

To loosen up the product variety you´ll spot several reports like an interview with the upcoming stars Seppe Smits and Werni Stock, an interview with Mr Snowboard – Terje Haakonsen himself, a report about the Groms Open, a report about the annually Snowbombing event in Mayrhofen, the HOTZONE.TV Hintertux Opening and a new video project out of Austria named “Euphoria”. Additionally you can refurbish your room with the enclosed poster – optionally the DUDE – Lebowski or an action shot.

Enjoy your winter!

Mark Swoboda sending it at last year's Opening.

From September 30th to October 2nd 2011, the seventh edition of the Hotzone.tv Hintertux Park Opening will ring in the new season on Austria’s Hintertux glacier!

This year the winter season will be kicked off earlier than ever, to be precise on September 30th at the Hintertux glacier. While rainy summer is dragging on, the Betterpark is already preparing for the first season opening of the winter. Such a perfect set up is something the big guns in snowboarding don’t want to miss out on, and so the likes of Marko Grilc, Seppe Smits, Wolle Nyvelt, Gigi Rüf, Werni Stock and Wojtek Pawlusiak have become regulars at the Hotzone.tv Park Opening Hintertux over the past years. Together with a whole array of side activities, including video world premier and the usual party mayhem, this should convince even the last doubters that the journey to Hintertux is well worth it!

The Hotzone.tv Park Opening Hintertux isn’t the most popular snowboard opening in Europe for no reason. A perfectly shaped Betterpark, long runs down to the Fernerhaus, more than 20 brands offering free test gear, queue free ascents with the high performance Gletscherbus Gondola, a special obstacle right in front of the Fernerhaus, and even a fully shaped super pipe (if snow conditions suffice), guarantee an amazing weekend in the Tuxer valley. Everyone who is already shaped up for battling can try to win some fame and money at the open pro and am contest Hotzone.tv Session of the Dudes. And there are even more bucks to be made at the Cash for Trix session at the special obstacle in front of the Fernerhaus on Sunday.

Of course there’s also the usual variety of side events with DJ NLP from Straubing providing the soundtrack for the test area during the day and the BBQ station catering for all the hungry ones. Later in the afternoon follows the After Shred Session at the glacial parking lot on Saturday, which is all about THE UNBREAKABLE BATTLE presented by gloryfy. What’s to expect from that will not be revealed yet, but there is an Original Bag Jump involved… Apart from that K2 is searching for the new “King of Pop” again in their K2 Pop This! Highest Ollie Tournament.

The park. Yes, it will be awesome.

Sunday calls talented kids under 16 on the glacier for the exclusive Billabong Kids Shoot, with team rider and Zillertaler shred legend Wolle Nyvelt coaching to ensure money shots. Don’t wait too long though, as spots are limited and only for those who pre-register at www.hotzone.tv before the event and have the form signed by their parents with them on the hill. And who knows, one participant even bagged a 1-year sponsorship with Billabong from this last year – which could well happen again this year.

The party mayhem is inaugurated by the SHRED Warm Up Party in the Kleine Tenne in Tux on Friday, with Wax Wreckaz’s DJ BUSY FINGAZ making those dancing shoes move. The big Opening Night on Saturday is presented by Australian board and lifestyle brand RHYTHM and will go down in the Hohenhaus Tenne in Hintertux. Next to finest tunes by the WAX WRECKAZ DJ KOLLEKTIV (Innsbruck) and the DJ duo SMITH UND SMART (Berlin) you can also look forward to the world premier of the latest snowboard movie by Argon Films, EUPHORIA.

Based on the massive onslaught in the past years, we strongly recommend to reserve party tickets beforehand on www.hotzone.tv, buy them in one of the three hotzone subsidiaries (Gerlos, Mayrhofen, Schwaz) or the insider Shop in Tux, or get them from the test area at the Fernerhaus. Please bring your ID as there is no entrance under 16 years!

And another little hint: look for accommodation in Tux, check www.tux.at for availabilities.

For more info and all the details go to www.hotzone.tv – if summer is weak, winter is going to be even stronger!

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

Guess what: The new HOTZONE.TV team movie „THE DUDE V“ is out – and you can get your own movie absolutely free of charge! And here’s how to get hold of this Austrian gem:

Out now, the current HOTZONE.TV team movie is ready for download. Get yourself the new „THE DUDE V“ movie and follow our HOTZONE.TV teamriders to the best spots and locations around the globe. Up from amazing locations like Chile and New Zealand our journey goes on to Italy and of course to the topspots of Austria! The best HOTZONE.TV Snowboard team movie of all times only waits for you! Look forward for the spacy sound track and the great shots of the HOTZONE.TV team riders like Werni Stock, Georg Huber, Friedl Kolar, Tom „Beckna“ Eberharter, Rudi Kröll, Lars Oesterle, Andreas Monsberger, Seppe Smits, Alex Walch, Reini Rieser, Daniel Mösl and friends Johan Olofsson and David Larsson!

You want it now? It is that simple and absolutely free of charge: go to http://www.thedude5.com and you´ll find the download links for IPhone, IPod, HDV movie or  smaller resolutions for Quicktime and Windows Media Player. Click on the one you´re about to download and you´ll get it sent via e-mail.

As you’ve come to expect by now, the beginning of October signals the kick-of to the season as Hotzone.tv invites the cream of Europe to the opening of the Hintertux Betterpark. Characterised by heavy riding, heavier partying and even heavier lack of internet connection tucked in a quaint little corner of the Austrian alps, this year’s edition went off despite bad weather onFriday and Saturday. And when bluebird came for Sunday morning, it went double off.

Due to the crapped out internet connection mentioned earlier (seems to happen every year, bless ‘em) our Pulitzer Prize-winning reportage of what went down each day will never be published, but we’ll post our impressions in a wrap-up shortly. In the meantime, check out what went down each day with your hosts Peter König and Werni Stock, and make sure you check Sunday when blue skies meant the park could get nailed good and proper.

Friday

More Snowboarding Videos >>

Saturday

More Snowboarding Videos >>

Sunday

MPORA Action Sports >>