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Alpine Men:

Michael Dabringer (AUT) Burton
Michi comes out of Kärnten, a state within Austria, and he's a very good friend of Sigi Grabner from back in the days. They both ride for the same team, but it seams that Michi's time hasn't yet to come, but soon. He got park-locked by some vienna cars and fled over the 40cm snowfield in his 525 BMW.

	Sigi Grabner

Urs Eiselin (SUI) Nidecker
A rookie out of the young Swiss mafia. On a shuttle ride on the 1st at 1am, a car in front of them lost ice on the roof and trashed the shuttle's window.

Andre Gruetter (SUI) Burton
He is one of the guys who didn't know if he would start or not. He came, didn't win, and wasn't hurt.

Gilles Jaquet (SUI) Scott
Last year hurt, this year ripping it up Laax, and taking second place in Grindelwald. Met his girl in Vienna, was very exited, pulled the fire alarm in the bathroom by accident.

Samer Gery (AUT) Oxygen
The "old fox" is what they call him. He is Team Manager for the Oxygen posse and works a lot lately.

Simon Schoch (SUI) F2
If you know Hermann Maier, the skier, well then Simon is not too different. He is also a very powerful rider. Tall, medium long blond hair. Always hot. He's good with all kinds of transport: Bike, Car, Ski-doo...and in all possible ways. He is mostly hanging out with Andre lately. His younger brother is the same.

Bernhard Profanter (AUT) F2
Young Austrian Rocker, just 19 who came in place of Karl-Heinz Zangerl (AUT, Soulman 1998) who got sick at the last minute. But Bernhard was a good substitute, and he made it in the name of Kalle.

Ueli Kestenholz (SUI) Scott
Ueli is well known, I hope. He has always ruled. When he arrived he said that he would see it like a drinking party with a little boarding in the middle. Well he got more. He was also on the shuttle with the broken window which meant a 45 minute ride without a windshield.

Sigi Grabner (AUT) Burton
Sigi won here two years ago. Last year he fell and later was drinking champagne with me at the awards saying, 'yeah I am happy for Kalle, but next year you will see.' And so it was. He won the big final of the duel by just a bit in front of Xavier Delerue (FRA). Sigi was happy and looked great on TV.

Xavier Delerue (FRA) Burton
Second finalist and rocker. Second place in the end, and the only one who wrecked his ski-doo on our Canadventure trip up in Montreal in March. The $600 he had to pay wasn't earned for a long time (Sölden) and there was more to come today.

Andreas "Andi" Egger (AUT) Burton
Andi is easy going. Before Sölden we were in Amsterdam and where he had an interview with SNOWBOARD REVUE, an Austrian Snowboard Magazine I work for, with a sick backside alley oop, chicken salad in the pipe in Hintertux. He has a sick riding style, but was more into the party on that day.

Janne Kaitala (FIN) Burton
Finish ice hockey player and alpine specialist seems heavy when you first see him, not for American standards but for European ones. In the end you find out it is all muscles. I hope he was stoked down here for this special day.

Gerry Ring (AUT) Nitro
At midnight Gerry got onto the ramp and did a run into the next millennium. Crazy guy, I tell you, but he is a legend. So many titles.

Stefan Böck (AUT) Völkl
Stefan got 3rd. He's a bad-a&* from Oberösterreich, which is a area a little west of Vienna. Three years ago he was 3rd in Ischgl.

Simone Salvati (ITA) Burton
Another Burton Pro Team rider coming out of the Milan area. He thanked me a couple of times for inviting him and he seemed to enjoy.

Dieter Happ (AUT) Burton
Chief in the GS in the beginning of the '90s and still rocking. Dangerous rider who could win every competition. A little bit tall for a course like this, but still enough body control.

Alpine women:

Burgi Heckmair (GER) Burton (Freeride Team)
Weeks before the event, Burgi was skeptical the people would understand why she was riding on a freestyle board down a gate course. But in the end the speakers anounced it: Burgi Heckmair wins her first run against Christine Dietsche (GER) with about 1/3 of a second on her freestyle "sword." A success in itself and a reason to be stoked for Burgi, since Christine got 3rd on the end. Burgi fell out in the second run, since her board was just not stiff enough for this hard course.

Katarina "ENA" Himmler (GER) Völkl
First place in the last race of the '90s after a hard fight against a strong field. Ena was already drunk for the awards and enjoyed it. She is not only double world champ in the ISF now, but also Soulwoman for the year 2000.

Gitti Köeck (AUT) F2
The nice lady out of Mils near Innsbruck came over to celebrate. Gitti skipped the inspection and slept, taking a cab from the hotel to the event area around 4 p.m. to become second around 8:30 p.m. That's timing. Laughing and hanging. Partying and riding in between. Taking second place and going back home.

Heidi Neururer (AUT) Burton
This girl just took second in Grindelwald. She comes from the same hometown as Benjamin Raich, the skier, in the Pitztal, a valley of just 20,000 people. She likes to hang out on the tour and was super stoked on the invitation. This day was not hers, but this century is pretty long.

Heidi Jaufenthaler (AUT) Burton
Heidi, the No.2 who became the No.1 in Grindelwald two weeks ago, was happy as ever and seemed to enjoy the company. A reason to be stoked was of course the $1,000 every starter got to participate in the event.

Steffi von Siebenthal (SUI) Burton
The soul woman from two years ago came back. She has now kinda white short hair. Parties with Swiss girls rule.

Doris Krings (AUT) Völkl
Doris has so far had a good season. Her boardercross results are in the top in Europe and the USA. She is fast. But for this day she was just too slow.

Freestyle men:

Sani Alibabic (AUT) Burton
A "7" rider in the house. Sani is one of just seven riders riding a certain boardline, produced by Burton. Sani now, he came and made it as far as the cut down to eight riders. Frontside 7, backside 7. indy double tweak.

Wille Yle Luoma (FIN) FORUM
Wille came with Nicole Angelrath, former ISF World Champ for 1993. The qualifiers, who had a chance to hang out in the hotel of the invited riders, where toatally facinated that Wille came over, since he is now a moviestar in the TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES. Wille also surprised everyone by being the DJ, when the real one was also in the cab of Ueli and Urs.

David Benedek (BRD) Salomon
The Munich local can drink beer (and more than you might expect). He had more concentration on the parties and as a member of the TAFELRUNDE he had to fullfill the rules of the book. Drink and drink. Also Xaver is a member in that Snowboarders communion. I haven't seen David too much on this evening, but I am sure he did well.

Jonas Emery (SUI) Rossignol
Jonas is out of Sierre (WALLIS/SUI). He climbs a lot and also learned how to juggle. He can spit fire and has a show group with four other friends. On the 31st around 10 o'clock when the finals started, they were up on the ramp spitting it out behind Jonas, who had a very good show and became 2nd with a fresh interpretation of flying - it really was.

Stefan Gimpl (AUT) Burton
Stefan took a shuttle and arrived a little late to the event area. He did the practice and won the event. What a nice story. Next morning a taxi brought him back to the station and away he went. He is now 20 and has won two of the most popular events in Austria within one month, where is this going to end?

Xaver Hoffmann (BRD) Burton
The king ARTHUS, style master out of the TAFELRUNDE. He has, since his Colorado experience, black hair and a different way of appearing at the comps. The first Air Xaver did was a straight one, since it was the first time he was going over the kicker, and the first time he was on snow in a week. Second hit he did a nice 540 but it would have taken three tries for him on this day.

Fredrick Kalbermatten (SUI) Burton and Nicolas Müller (SUI) Burton
The two friends just came from the powder of Laax (two feet) to celebrate the New Year. As you might know Fredrick won the event last year after he had to qualify. This year he came with Nicolas, 18-year-old style master out of Zürich/Aarau, Müller. They both didn't make the cut, but they told me in advance that they'd have a good time, no matter the results.

Max Plötzeneder (AUT) Nitro
Max showed how a backflip 180 works, and though he didn't make the cut, he still showed that this hard landing was not so easy. Nitro kicked him off the international Team,because he starts kind of a lot of trouble. Not lately, I have to say, but it's too bad since Max and NITRO is almost one word.

Greg Wilson (USA) Burton
Happy that Greg came over. The young American riders have seldom the chance to meet a lot of the young Europeans. This was the opportunity and Greg took it. At the event, his knee hurt a little and he said he could win if he felt a little better. He made the 16 cut. Tried a 900, hand in the snow, and that was too much for the judges. He was still glad that he came. His girlfriend couldn't come since her mother went crazy after the Air & Style. Americans...

Chris Polaschek (BRD) A Snowboards
Chris is also, after David and Xaver, the third to represent the TAFELRUNDE. The southern German communion was here and decided instead to relax than give everything they had. After a few airs, Chris was with his girl and nobody knew where that was. But on the 1st in the morning everything was fine with him, as he was spotted eating breakfast next to Nicola Thost's table. Nicola, the former Olympic Champ, came over as well. She hurt her knee a little in the states and couldn't ride, or didn't want to. Anyway she enjoyed the free parties around the event.

Roger Hjelmstaadstuen (NOR) Airwalk
Roger was rookie of the year in '97. He competed in the Air & Style this year and was stoked on coming here. He seemed very quiet during these days. For me it seemed like he didn't feel a 100% comfortable. I hope that the world will get known Roger a little better, since he is a really good Norwegian boy with high abilities.

Dieter "Tex" Steinhardt (AUT) Salomon
Together with Wolle, Friedl, Markus, Joggl and Andi Egger, TEX is a part of the ÄSTHETIKER. This is a long time snowboarder's commune founded by Stefan Gruber (AUT) Salomon, who came with his broken collarbone just to the party, and Bernd Madelberger (AUT) Salomon. And the club goes back to '92. Dieter was actually not invited and had to do the quals. He missed by one place (out of 25) and was there anyway on the final day, since Beckna was sick in bed back home in Innsbruck. A perfect supplement, a nice show.

Wolle Nyvelt (AUT) Salomon, and Friedl Kolar (AUT) Scott
ÄSTHETIKER No. 2 and 3. Both came two rounds further. So top 8 places for the club-cash.

Tommy Kiel Johannson (NOR) Sims, but they don't pay
Tommy loves these in-city contests and got 3rd place. He invited himself, his girl and another guy. Acted like everything has to be done a certain way and pissed the riders since he was the only one who didn't want to split the prize money. Then when he got third, he wanted to since he would have got $300 more - what a character?

Wolfgang "Wolfi" Schröter(AUT) Burton
Another Austrian on Burton. Wolfi had the chance to compete at the Air & Style. Here he tried fakie 7 sand stuck almost every one. No grab on two important hits took him out early. But he was stoked to be here. I know Wolfi now for 10 years since he grew up in the house next to where I grew up. He got hurt so much on the skateboard back in the daysthat nobody thought that he'd walk again. But as you see, he walked into the year 2000 with a smile.

Joachim Köffler (AUT) Duotone
Another ÄSTHETIKER in the house. Joggl is the son of the Austrian Consul in Germany. He is a diplomat's son who brought all his reagge LPs over to Vienna. Joachim has become very good, the latest his 2nd place on the quarter in Innsbruck at the Air & Style.

Mikko Rajakangaas (FIN) Nidecker
Mikko is one of them. Since Joggls brother is managing the Nidecker Team, Mikko is hanging out in their flat quite a lot lately. The judges didn't understand his tricks and he lost out. I admit he was sketchy but Terje would have said, 'They don't know what's going on.' Mikko likes death metal and has a pro-model coming out next season with Nidecker. All in all a super nice but not so loud guy.

Rehrl Markus (AUT) Oxygen
The final ÄSTHEIKER in the starter field. All of them came to represent. Markus, or Max, hurt his ankle in the training and couldn't get into the finals. Too bad since he really loved coming over and wanted to show, finally, what he can do.

David Carrier Porcheron (CAN) Burton
David, 418 local, Quebec represent. He came with his girl Megan Pischke(USA, Santa Barbara). They were the most relaxed couple and took it really slow. Checked out the city and David was riding well on the 31st with a new interpretation fakie 5. and also 7s. Hope to have him over here in Europe more.

Freestyle Women:

Caroline Ehrenstrasser (AUT) Burton
Caroline is young, blond and strong. She represented Austria at the press meeting on the 29th even though her train was delayed due to too much snow. In the end she missed the finals, but a lot of friends were present, so no worries for her.

Anne Molin Kongsgaard (NOR) Burton
The hot rocker from the north. Anne was dressed as a rock-star for the New Year's party in the hotel. She is the girl with the guts, got 4th place, and went home by plane. She was hard core showing up at the quarterpipe in Innsbruck. Together with Christel Thoresen (NOR) Burton, she spends a lot of time in Europe.

Nici Pederzolli (AUT) Nitro
Austria's rider of the century, two-time soulwoman showing backside 3 over the kicker. The gap was 10 meters and she made it every time, taking 2nd place in the end. Shout out to her for helping on the media-work in advance of the contest.

Perzul Alex (GER) Burton
Alex ended up in 3rd for being the best German, besides Ena Himmler the alpine babe. Alex told me at the start before the finals that she just want to get done with it, get the champagne and hang around getting drunk. She did two nice backside airs.

Pauline Richot (SUI) Rossignol
Pauline, Pauline, Pauline. She is now 17, and won with a frontside 3, fakie 5 – sweet style. This girl will rock in the future and started it off this day in Vienna.

Martina Tscharner (SUI) K2
Actual World Champion from Val di Sole '99. She didn't make the cut, but who cares. Two minutes after she was out, she was following me around, a beer and a cigarette in hand enjoying the ramp and the spectators.

Nicole Angelrath (SUI) Burton
Nicole won the World Champs in '93, (almost all contests in the beginning of the '90s, actually). Yes, everybody was glad that she was here. For the organizer it was great that she came, since she is the MAMA of all girls for already a few years. She usually does not compete anymore, but came over to Air the Kicker. Big hard thing if you don't do it a lot.

— Nils, MountainZone.com European Correspondent