Some of the top European freeskiers are in place for Andreas Håtveit's Backyard Battle contest in Håtveit's own self-built backyard park.
With blue skies and warm spring weather top freeskiers PK Hunder, Anders Backe, Pekka Hyysalo and others arrived today at Andreas Håtveit's home to participate his own competition “Backyard Battle” which begins tomorrow and runs till Thursday.
In addition to shredding Håtveit's own backyard park the riders had a chance to check out an extra 18m back country jump Andreas built on a ridge 300m above his park specially for the competition.
Andreas Håtveit said:
“I have spent the past few days doing 17 hour days without much sleep getting everything just right in the park and on the extra jump we built for this event, so I am stoked now the riders are here and everyone is shredding. The weather forecast has been mixed so we are using the new backcountry jump when sun and wind allow, otherwise the riders practice in the park by day and during the night. It has been a lot of work getting everything together whilst at the same time hosting the Norwegian Open finals over the past weekend but I am happy everything is now in place and looking good. All the riders are stoked to be here and we have a really great athmosphere so it looks like being a great week.”
Rider Quotes:
Elvis Harsheim said:
“That is the sickest park I have ever ridden.”
PC Fosse said:
“The rail line is brilliant you can choose to drop down on a down-flat or a down-flat-down, you then choose a launch-rail or a fun wall sort of thing and then decide between a gap-to-rail or a rail-to-gap-to-box”. The park is excellent! We are all like kids running around a candy shop!”
Thomas Dølplads said:
“The variety in the park is superb, it is so much fun we do not want to quit riding.”
The schedule for the next few days is weather dependent:
Tuesday 23 March: Qualification for the Backyard Battle Big Air (top 8 go through)
Wedenesday 24 March: Qualification and final of the Backyard Battle Rail Jam “The Candy Invitational”
Thursday 25 March: Backyard Battle Big Air Final
The riders in place and competing in the event are:
PK Hunder
Anders Backe
Elvis Harsheim
PC Fosse
Pekka Hyysalo
Thomas Dølplads
Kim Boberg
AJ Kemppainen
Aleks Aurdal
Klaus Finne
Gaute Silseth
Sigbjørn Tveit
Marius Kjølseth
Ole Mustad