McMorris(CAN) and O’Brien(CAN) Claim O’Neill Evolution Titles in outstanding Final, Changes TTR World Snowboard Tour Lead.

Davos, Switzerland, Saturday 7th of January 2012. The World of professional snowboarding started 2012 with a bang as hard fought victories by Canadians Mark McMorris and Spencer O’Brien, to claim O’Neill Evolution Titles cap a week of action in Davos, Switzerland. Despite weather challenges, the first major event on the 2012 TTR World Snowboard Tour brought the cream of international riders and the highest level of performance culminating at Saturday’s finals. Pushing the highest known technical limits, competition was fierce as riders vied for a share of the $125k USD prize purse, TTR Ranking points and seeding into the World Championships.

The Women’s Final was blessed with he best riding conditions all week, and the eight Women who made the final took no time to demonstrate massive progression. Despite stiff competition, Spencer O’Brien lifted the bar from the first of her three runs, and continued to set the standard for the remainder of the finals.


Spencer O'Brien wins Women Final

O’Brien’s first run, a landed frontside 720 nosebone to gapped lipslide, caught the imagination of the judges seeing her take home $20,000 USD and direct qualifications into the World Championships. Sina Candrian(SUI) was always dangerous, but failed to land her final run leaving her in 2nd while Anna Gasse(AUT) managed to fend of challengers to secure third.


Mark McMorris wins the O'Neill Evolution 2012

There was an electric atmosphere surrounding the huge crowd at the foot of the Jakobshorn as incredible light show welcomed in the 16-man Night Final who were additionally treated to a rarely seen level of progressive freestyle snowboarding.

The atmosphere intensified as the lead swapped between Eric Willet(USA) and Mark McMorris(CAN). Willet scored what looked like an unassailable 95.30pts with a switch backside doublecork 1260 to lipslide 270 in his second run, only for McMorris to edge in front of him with a score of 95.60pts with a bigger backside doublecork 1260 to lipslide 270. Seppe Smits(BEL) turned up the pressure, landing a cab 1440 mute to cab 270 fronside boardslide in his final run, but it was not enough to change the order of the podium, seeing McMorris pocket a cool $40,000 USD for his efforts.


Seppe Smits (BEL) Cab 1440

The results also saw major Tour Lead changes on the TTR World Snowboarding Tour Ranking system, where Eric Willet moved to the top of the TTR Big Air Ranking, Christian Haller(SUI) moved into TTR Overall lead while Sina Candrian(SUI) and Seppe Smits(BEL) booked places at the World Snowboard Championships.

In what will be remembered as one of the most incredible O’Neill Evolutions to date, the celebrations are set to start and look certain to go well into the nigh.

Davos, Switzerland, Friday 6th of January 2012. An explosive riding performance by Canadian, Spencer O’Brien, saw her dominate the Woman’s Big Air and Rail finals at the O’Neill Evolution here in Davos, netting her a highly deserved $20,000 USD and confirming her position at the TR World Championships in Oslo.



Snow conditions finally abated, giving the Woman’s finals the best riding conditions all week at the O’Neill Evolution, and the eight Women in the finals took not time to demonstrate massive progression. From the first of her three runs, O’Brian not only lifted the bar, but set the standard for the remainder of the finals.

Her first run, a stomped, silky smooth frontside 720 nosebone to gapped lipslide had the web commentators on their feet and evidently also caught the imagination of the judges. Scoring an impressive 90.50 points out of a maximum possible 100, she lead the first round by a clear 10 point spread from second placed local favourite, SIna Candrian(SUI). The first round points situation may have been a different story had former TTR Tour Champion, Cheryl Maas(NDL) not reverted her stomped backside 900 tailgrab. That smallest of mistakes was to prove costly to Maas later in the event who reverted to her go to basckside 720 without success.

Anna Gasse(AUT), who started strongly in the first run with a backside 540 mute to 50/50 and taking an early lead, improved the same in line in her third run and in doing so to manage to stay on the podium, managing to hold off an improving Klaudia Medlova(SVK) who landed huge backside rodeos, but was forced to revert on the rails, excluding her from maximum points, but securing 4th place.

In the end it became a two-woman battle for honours between O’Brian and Candrian, both improving their scores in their second runs. Possibly the pressure got to O’Brian who was sat in the prize giving area as Sina Chandrian dropped in for her the finals last run, the difference between $20,000 or $10,000 USD and a directqualification into the Semi Finals at the World Championships of snowboarding at stake. Chandrian’s attempted frontside 720 melon came short, leaving the O’Neill Evolution Woman’s Big Air and Rails title in the ecstatic O’Brian embraced by friends and fans in the prize giving area.



The Woman Finals Podium:
1. Spencer O’Brian (CAN)
2. Sina Candiran (SUI)
3. Anna Gasser (AUT)

Davos, Switzerland, Friday January 5, 2012. Norwegian, Stale Sandbech powers into finals with strong showing from Canadians, Mark McMorris and Antoine Truchon while compatriot and defending champion, Sebastien Toutant bows out in bizarre circumstances. Semi Final Friday here at the TTR 6 Star O’Neill Evolution will go down in snowboarding history as one of the most unique on record.


Stale Sandbech (NOR) powers into finals

Continued record heavy snowfall in Davos hit the contest for the sixth straight day, as a massive storm credited with breaking records across Central Europe continued to pound the area. The resort was closed Friday morning as controlled avalanche blasting attempted to dislodge the approximated 50cm of fresh overnight snow while the shaping crew once again undertook the monumental task of digging out the course. Organizers pushed Women’s Qualification to Saturday morning with the hope of finishing Men’s Qualification in the afternoon.

Riders took the opportunity to head up as soon as lifts opened, all whom eventually returned claiming the best powder day ever. Continued snow and gusty periods saw training curtailed and a subsequent riders’ vote that resulted in Qualifications merging directly into a single 46 rider Semi Final starting at 18:00 when event lighting would take effect and improve visibility.


O'Neill Team Rider Antoine Truchon (CAN) 3rd place at Semi

While by no means perfect and with heavy snow continuing to fall, conditions eased somewhat and wind died sufficiently for the Semi Finals to commence on time. Making the 16-man cut in a two run, best run counts format was the single goal for competitors – waxing and speed as critical as trick selection. With the optional line to rails the only feasible option; riders attacked it with vigor, chasing major TTR Ranking points and a share of the $125,000 prize purse.

An almost perfect first run from defending champion Seb Toots(CAN) including a Double Cork 1080 Mute to cab 270 on the wall ride would have been enough to claim the run of the day were it not for his legs inexplicably letting him down on landing. Meanwhile solid first runs from Marc McMorris(CAN), and Charles Reid(CAN) put them into solid Top 5 territory while Stale Sandbech(NOR) stormed into the lead with a stomped frontside 1080 to frontside 270 to lipslide out. Current TTR Big Air leader, Roope Tonteri(FIN), posted solid points leaving him within striking distance of the top 10, while powder rookies, Jamie Nicholls(BGR) and Seppe Smits(BEL) continued the form that has been turning heads.


Mark McMorris (Can)

With everything to play for in the second round, Werni Stock(AUT) powered into the Top 5 while the shock of the night arrived when pre-event favorite, Seb Toots, seemed to hang up on the coping of the kicker. Fortunate to avoid injury, the incident nevertheless resulted in Toots bowing out of the contest. Christian ‘Hitch’ Haller(SUI) made it inside the 16-man cut, only for Eric Willet(USA) to edge him back out in the 2nd last run of the night with a frontside Double Cork 1080 mute to backside lipslide on the down rail, enough to propel himself into 4th.

Jamie Nicholls (GBR) on the end-section

LIVE WEBCAST SCHEDULE SATURDAY 7th OF JANUARY
12:45 - 13:30 Women Final
17:20 - 18:50 Men Final

Watch it live HERE

The best start to the season in Davos for ten years, and hardest conditions run a contest. It is the beauty and the beast - all in one magnificent package. The O'Neill Evolution course at night in covered in the pure white beauty mother nature has given us with the storm system passing through Europe's Central Alps. Qualified Dutch riders, Dimi de Jong and Rocco van Straten, compliment the hard working shapers and discus issues of speed... With conditions are starting to ease, you can see all the Semi Final action on the O'Neill Evolution web cast scheduled to start at 18:00 CET.

Davos, Switzerland, Thursday January 5, 2012. Heavy snow arrived as forecast this morning at the TTR 6 Star O’Neill Evolution Big Air and Rail event in Davos, coinciding with the first round of Men’s Qualification. All three Round 1 Qualification Heats were completed, cutting the Men’s field from 75 to 30 riders who move on to the second round. At times, the fresh snow created speed issues, but did little to dampen the level as British rider, Billy Morgan, put down the score of the day with a double backside rodeo to gapped cab 270 on the kinked rail.


Billy Morgan (GBR) score of the day with double backside rodeo to cab 270

It’s hard to describe the atmosphere here in Davos for the O’Neill Evolution. It’s even harder to imagine how hard it is snowing. A testament to an immense effort from the organizers, shapers, event staff and above all, the riders, the first round of qualifications were completed on schedule. It was a surreal experience to see the look of concentration on competitors’ faces as they focused on their heat, soon replaced by a look of elation as they arrived back at the contest site after a powder run.

The Night Final event lights were illuminated from the start of the first 09:00 training session and remained switched on all day to assist visibility. Before the snowfall intensified, the overnight fine-tuning of the main kicker was tested with broad approval from riders, before speed became an issue resulting in the optional line to rail set up favoured by the contestants.


O'Neill Team Rider Rocco van Straten (NED)

In a two-run, best run counts format, the top 10 riders from each heat made it through to Round 2 of Men’s Qualification. Some of the runs of the day as scored by the judges included:

Heat 1:
Sven Thorgren(SWE)- Backside Double Cork 1080 to gapped stalefish to nose press
Jamie Nicholls(GBR) -Backside 540 crail to gapped Cab 270 to frontside boardslide
EthanMorgan(GER) -Frontside 720 tailgrab to frontside tailslide on the down rail

Heat 2:
Markus Mathis(SUI)- Backside Double Cork 1080 mute to frontside tail slide torevert on the wall
Petja Piiroinen(FIN)- Backside Double Cork 1080 mute to frontside 50-50 on the wall.
Emil Ulsletten(NOR)- Frontside 1080 melon to frontside tail blunt to 270 out on the down rail

Heat 3:
Billy Morgan(GBR) - Double Backside Rodeo to gap cab 270 on the kinked rail
Ville Uotila(FIN) -Frontside 1080 Mute to gapped backside lip slide
Rocco Van Straten(NDL) -Backside Double Cork 1080 to frontside boardslide on the down rail


Sondre Tiller (NOR)

With the Women’s night training session now underway, the O’Neill Evolution returns tomorrow morning with Round 2 Men’s Qualification, Women’s Qualification, and Men’s Semi-Final scheduled to commence at 18:00.

Davos, Switzerland, Wednesday January 4, 2012. Winter conditions welcomed in the last full day of training here in Davos at the O’Neill Evolution. The entire field of international and regional riders had their last chance today to test the new Big Air and Rail set up before the business end of the contest kicks off with tomorrow’s Men’s qualifications.



Despite facing testing conditions with periods of gusting winds and snow flurries, the contest course was open to training for the entire day. Riders had the luxury of sneaking in a couple of powder lines between training runs to change it up and keep the brain alert and motivation on high.

The optional line to Rail and Wall Ride set up was in full effect with positive feedback coming from all sides, translating into an increasing level of riding and range of tricks throughout the day. Particularly noticeable was the riding level from the Women as they worked through their individual bag of tricks and upped the tech rail tricks.



The main kicker line proved more challenging in the testing conditions, with rider feedback employed to make minor adjustment over the course of the day. “The rail set up is all-time,” said Sebastien Toutant shortly after the riders meeting, “The main kicker is really technical this year, quite a bit of compression and a lot of pop right now. We’ve been talking to the shapers and they have been fine tuning it for us over the day and are doing a final re-tune tonight. That’s what’s good about this event, they totally listen to our feedback.”



The shaping crew are already out there addressing the minor adjustment asked for by the riders. The First Round of Men’s Qualifications are set to start at 09:00 tomorrow morning, with all three heats scheduled to be completed over the course of the day. Mother nature looks as if she is going to celebrate the O’Neill Evolution by bringing another fresh layer of white gold with 40cm’s of snow forecast to arrive in Davos in the late afternoon - perfect for the imminent arrival of freeride legend, Jeremy Jones. “It might be that the O’Neill Evolution turns into an epic day of powder riding tomorrow,” said Event Director, Bernhard Ritzer, “I don’t see anybody complaining about that!”

Davos, Switzerland, Tuesday 3rd January 2012. Training for the 6th edition of the O’Neill Evolution opened today in its traditional home resort of Davos, Switzerland. Bluebird conditions, 40cm’s of overnight snow, and a picture perfect Big Air and Rail set up welcomed the international snowboard world.



As O’Neill celebrates its 60th anniversary at the O’Neill Evolution it also becomes the first TTR World Snowboard Tour 6 Star event of 2012. International stars and qualification hopefuls have started arriving at the resort to test and train in the all new Big Air and Rails set up.



The new look set up was designed in combination between Dirk Scheumann from Schneestern and Max Henault, North American Team Manger for O’Neill. “We looked at creating a new technical and impressive rail and wall ride set up for the huge crowd that turns up for the event,” said Henault. “The kicker to rail section is going to be challenging for the riders, and totally visible for the crowd.” he concluded.

Sitting at a strategic point in the contest season, international stars including Sebastien Toutant(CAN), Christian Haller(SUI), Roope Tonteri(FIN), Stale Sandbech(NOR), Ethan Morgan(GER), Werni Stock(AUT), Seppe Smits(BEL) amongst others are looking to post Big Air and Overall Ranking points.



The Women’s contest will see TTR Tour leader, Cilka Sadar(SLO) face off against international stars including Silvia Mittlemüller(GER), Kjersti Buaas(NOR) and former Tour Champion, Cheryl Maas(NDL).

Re-shaping is underway at the foot of the Jakobshorn here in Davos, with open training resuming tomorrow morning for the 80 men’s and 40 women’s qualifiers.



Qualification heats are scheduled for Thursday and Friday, while Semi Finals run through Saturday day leading up to the Saturday Nightmain event finals.

Davos, Switzerland
January 2 – 7, 2012
Men and Women
6 Star Big Air & 5 Star Halfpipe

Davos, Switzerland, October 2011 – The O’Neill Evolution 2012 will once again launch a New Year in euphoric fashion from January 2 until 7.

The 6 Star Men and Women’s TTR World Snowboard event will see some of the most progressive riders from around the planet gather at the base of the Jacobshorn in Davos, Switzerland, to take to the skies on the revolutionary Big Air, and renowned Halfpipe.

“The O’Neill Evolution is by far one of my favourite events of the year,” said Seb Toots, last year’s Evolution Slopestyle winner.

“The Slopestyle last year was easily the most progressive and innovative we have seen in ages and the final is one I am going to remember forever – for the standard and quality of tricks and the excitement of how close it was,” said Seb.

“We were really pushing boundaries and pushing into new levels of the sport,” he said. “I am expecting the same again this year.”

Max Henault alongside shapers, Schneestern will be once again building this year’s Big Air to bring the same level of progressive riding to the competition.

“Last year we really worked with the riders to give them a safe but challenging platform where they could really push the limits,” said Max. “This year we want to continue that and even step it up a level. It’s going to be exciting.”

Canadian superstar Seb Toots just one of the top names in snowboarding who will make the trip out to the Swiss Alps searching for a piece of the $125,000 prize money as well as valuable TTR World Ranking points.

Also joining him will be Swiss rider Nadja Purtschert who relishes the chance to compete on her home ground.

“Evolution is always exciting for me to have the home crowd cheering me,” said Nadja. “It is a competition where we are always pushing ourselves and each other to take the riding to another level. And the crowds that gather at the bottom to watch always bring such a unique and exciting atmosphere. I can’t wait for 2012.”

As characterises the O’Neill Evolution, the evening finals will be played out under the spotlight in front of the crowds gathered to watch some of the top names in their sport battle it out.

The O’Neill Evolution also marks the start of the O’Neill 60th anniversary year. Celebrating 60 years of progression and innovation since founder Jack O’Neill invented the wetsuit in 1952 so he could simply ‘surf longer’.