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Swatch TTR 2009/2010

Peetu Piiroinen crowned snowboard world champ

"This is special - I am the first guy who won it twice"

mardi 23 mars 2010Redaction SSS [Source RP]

Toutes les versions de cet article : [English] [français]

Peetu Piiroinen (FIN) has carved his name into the history book of snowboarding by becoming the first snowboarder ever to win two consecutive Swatch TTR World Champion titles. As if re-claiming the most prestigious award in snowboarding was not enough, he also secured it a week before the last 6Star event, the Burton US Open. Piiroinen took an unassailable lead in the TTR World Ranking List with a win in the slopestyle at the 6Star Oakley Arctic Challenge in Norway, Oslo on March 8th, 2010. Along with the title, the 22-year old Fin has earned himself another $50,000 USD and automatic invites to all major TTR events for the 2010/2011 season.

Piiroinen started off his season training in New Zealand where the quest of the double corks all began. He knew the double cork was a variation that needed to be learned in order to take podium places in halfpipe events this season. Later on he reminisced, “It did not happen right away. It’s not so simple to do in the pipe as the sweet spot where you have to land is so small.” His first TTR result, a 7th place in the 5Star New Zealand Open halfpipe, combined with last season’s “end of season bonus points” set him off to a flying start in World No 22. His next Swatch TTR event was the 6Star Billabong Air & Style in Innsbruck, Austria where he was able to land a perfect backside double corked 1080 in the final round, taking second place and moving up to World No 4.

The ambitious young Fin took over the Swatch TTR Tour lead from Marko Grilc (SLO) in early January with a 3rd place at both the 6Star halfpipe and 5Star Slopestyle format of the O’Neill Evolution in Davos, Switzerland. By this time, Peetu already had his determined eyes set on the top spot and in a TTR interview he mentioned, “I feel confident and will go full speed ahead and try to win. It would be amazing to win the TTR ranking for the second time.”

Then, later in January, Peetu accomplished one of his greatest feats winning two 6Star results that rocketed him high above the rest in the TTR world ranking - his double win in both the halfpipe and slopestyle formats at the Burton European Open in Laax, Switzerland. Leading up to his last run in the halfpipe, Peetu had bailed twice on his double cork attempt and got huge cheers from the crowd when he finally landed it. This fuelled him to nail the winning run with his signature amplitude and precision : frontside 7 mute, Cab double cork 1080, frontside 900, backside air and a backside alley oop 5 tailgrab. After it was all said and done, he stated with modest determination : “I wasn’t that nervous, but I just wanted to have that run so I just decided that I’m gonna land it now.”

Terje Haakonsen (NOR) praised Piiroinen’s ability to ride all formats on the TTR Tour, “That is why he is a good snowboarder. He is not specialized, but can ride all of them, also when it comes to quarterpipe he can ride really big. He had a lot of second and third places but he is always the guy that can win. He is just a really solid and inventive rider.”

Peetu has managed to balance his TTR commitments as well as shine at events outside the TTR tour winning an Olympic silver medal and took the title at the Toyota Big Air in Japan. It is general knowledge that Piiroinen is a competition machine and with his long list of achievements this winter across the various TTR formats he has, once again, proved his overall snowboarding talent and world-class level. It is clear that Peetu has taken on the tactic of being selective when choosing which events he rides and has mostly participated at 6Star events collecting maximum TTR points.

“This is special - I am the first guy who won it twice. Next year maybe for the third time. It is just incredible. It was the craziest season for sure. The Silver medal and the TTR Title and so many podium places. I mean what can I say...it was just fantastic.”, says an overwhelmed Piiroinen after the awards ceremony at Stratton.

The final TTR Top 5 were also crowned at the Burton US Open, where riders had their last chance to collect two results 6Star results counting towards their placement on the TTR world ranking list.

- Press info Swatch TTR World Snowboard Tour / www.ttrworldtour.com


Classement du Swatch TTR World Snowboard Tour au : 20/03/10

HOMMES

Rang Nom Pays Résultats Points
- 1 Piiroinen, Peetu FIN 6 963.81
- 2 Podladtchikov, Iouri SUI 6 880.24
- 3 Malin, Markus FIN 6 779.38
- 4 Braaten, Gjermund NOR 6 760.37
- 5 Korpi, Janne FIN 6 756.57
- 6 Sandbech, Stale NOR 6 746.56
- 7 Grilc, Marko SLO 6 746.27
- 8 Tonteri, Roope FIN 6 737.69
- 9 Haller, Christian SUI 6 734.52
- 10 Bang, Mikkel NOR 6 732.55

FEMMES

Rang Nom Pays Résultats Points
- 1 Rukajärvi, Enni FIN 6 841.39
- 2 Candrian, Sina SUI 6 840.58
- 3 Wiik, Lisa NOR 6 819.97
- 4 Pancochova, Sarka RTC 6 813.63
- 5 Sadar, Cilka SLO 6 741.5
- 6 Maas, Cheryl HOL 6 706.53
- 7 Haller, Ursina SUI 6 688.68
- 8 Karlinski, Jordie USA 6 680.09
- 9 Gotlieb, Shelly NZE 6 674.73
- 10 Buaas, Kjersti Ostgaard NOR 5 654.09


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