Photos: TTR World Tour / Rasmus Werner

Hemsedal, Norway – March 17th 2008: The Swatch TTR 3-Star Nordic Open- Hemsedal Park Attack took over the Hemsedal park in Norway this weekend hosting sick riding on one of the most perfect parks in Europe. Norwegian rider Erik Botner was the strongest rider of the weekend claiming the highest spot on the men’s podium after a blizzard canceled the finals and results were taken from the semi-finals. Female rider Sigri Heen, also from Norway, dominated the women’s field with both riders taking home 550 TTR Ranking Points and part of the $10 000 USD prize-purse.

The weather was beautiful and both the snow and park, that was designed and shaped by Lars Eriksen, were in perfect condition for the qualifications where riders competed hard for 18 spots in the semi-finals. Sunday hosted the semi-finals and finals. A little wind made things slightly more difficult, but that didn’t stop the riders from throwing down as they seemed more comfortable with the park on their second day of competition.

Erik Botner destroyed the Slopestyle course with his last semi-final run that included a Switch FS Boardslide, a Switch BS 540, a FS 720, a BS 540, an insane Switch BS 900 into sick back-to-back 7s and ending with a stylish Handplant. The bar was set for the remainder of the competition and everyone was looking forward to the finals.

However, as the judges calculated the current scores and riders prepared for the finals, a massive blizzard blew in and consumed the park in a full out white room. The competition was put on hold as everyone waited for the storm to pass but the snow gods would not let up, resulting in the semi-final scores counting as the final results. Botner took home the 3-Star TTR Title, with Simen Kildebo Neraker, who is now inside the Top 100 at TTR World No. 92, taking second and Aleksander Ostreng rounding out the Men’s Top 3.

Botner was more than stoked with the results but admitted he was ready to step it up in the finals: “I had more tricks up my sleeve for the head-to-head ladder in the final. But with this snowstorm wiping out the ‘grand finale’, I’m really happy about my second semi-final run.”

With a hard-hitting weekend of 3 and 5-Star events now over, the Swatch TTR World Snowboard Tour focuses all its attention on the 6-Star Burton US Open Snowboarding Championships in Stratton Vermont, USA. It’s in Stratton where riders continue their fight for the TTR Tour Championship Title and a high spot in the rankings in order to claim a piece of the $250 000 end-of-season prize purse. Visit www.ttrworldtour.com for video, blog and news updates throughout the week.

Top Five Results for Nordic Open - Hemsedal Park Attack

Men

1. Erik Botner NOR
2. Simen Kildebo Neraker NOR
3. Aleksander Østreng NOR
4. Adi Velic NOR
5. Martin Skogholt NOR

Women

1. Sigri Heen NOR
2. Martine Grufstedt NOR
3. Michaela Nemeckova CZE
4. Anki Groethe NOR
5. Nora Thompson NOR