World Heli Challenge – Athletes Announced
2009 Female Ski Champion Janina Kuzma. Image:: Harro
World Heli Challenge
In less than two weeks, many of the world’s top skiers and snowboarders will converge on Wanaka, New Zealand to participate in the return of the legendary World Heli Challenge.
Athletes from eight countries will be represented including Travis Rice, arguably one of the riders, if not the rider, leading the charge in snowboarding progression.
Several Olympians, including Julia Mancuso (Ski Racer, USA), Andy Finch (Snowboard Halfpipe, USA), Mitchell Brown (Snowboard Halfpipe, NZL), and Juliane Bray (Snowboard Halfpipe, NZL) will be on hand to show that they also have what it takes to rip it up in the backcountry.
Last year’s winners, Ted Davenport (overall men’s skier), Janina Kuzma (overall woman’s skier), Andy Finch (overall men’s snowboarder) and Janina’s twin sister, Maria Kuzma (overall woman’s snowboarder), will all be back to defend their titles.
The world’s top ranked female big mountain skier, Ane Enderud (NOR) and snowboarder, Aline Bock (GER) will both be competing this year giving Maria and Janina some competition on their home soil.
Further details on each can be found by logging on to www.worldhelichallenge.com and clicking on “Athletes.”
Check out the highlghts from the World Heli Challenge 2009 here
Snowboard
Male
Adam DeVargas, USA
Andy Bergin Sperry, USA
Andy Finch , USA
Ben Wooster, NZL
Jayson Hayle, USA
Johannes Scharl, DEU
Mitch Brown, NZL
Quentin Robbins, NZL
Ralph Backstrom, USA
Ratty Sheidow, AUS
Rydor McCune, USA
Shin Biyajima, JPN
Travis Rice, USA
Will Jackways, NZL
Female
Aline Bock, GER
Juliane Bray, NZL
Maria Kuzma, NZL
Shannan Yates, USA
Sunny Prather, USA
Ski
Male
Bernie Rosow, USA
Boen Ferguson, AUS
Charlie Timmins, AUS
Chris Booth, AUS
Christian Sirianni, AUS
Eric Zeller, GER
Laylor Lee, AUS
Leo Taillefer, FRA
Luke Potts, GBR
Mat Jackson, USA
Mike Wilson, USA
Mitch Reeves, AUS
Raphael Beazley, NZL
Sam Smoothy, NZL
Ted Davenport, USA
Tim Dutton, USA
Tom Costa, AUS
William Tressider, AUS
Female
Ane Enderud, NOR
Jackie Passo, USA
Janina Kuzma, NZL
Julia Mancuso, USA
Sarah Mancuso, USA
Travis Rice at the WHC sister event King of the Hill in Valdez, Alaska 2010. Image:: Harro
Travis Rice
Jackson, Wyoming USA’s favourite son has come a long way was since first strapping in on the steep mountain slopes of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. Any rider with as many accolades, medals and game changing video parts under their belt as Travis has could easily out themselves on top, a la Seinfeld — but that’s just not Travis’ style. He continues to fight the good fight, to progress snowboarding in its entirety. Whether it be continually raising the bar with mind blowing “first ever” tricks, experimenting with new board technology, producing and starring in mega-budget snowboarding films or pioneering next-level contests, Travis settles for nothing short of exceptional. And this year being no exception Travis has been putting down a slew of mind blowing first ever tricks.
In 2008 he co-produced one of the biggest budget blockbuster snowboard films of its time Thats It Thats All. NZ not only featured in the opening section but also hosted the World Premiere in Wanaka. It took film making in the mountains to another level.
Julia Mancuso
Two-time Olympian, Julia Mancuso, took gold in Giant Slalom at the 2006 Torino Winter Games and silvers in both Downhill and Combined at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games.
Mancuso was born in Reno, Nevada and grew up in Lake Tahoe, California.
“I’m a California girl, born and raised in one of the most beautiful places on earth. I am the middle of three sisters, April and Sara. My parents spread their love of sports and nature to us girls and that is how we spent our time, outdoors! We split our time between Kauai, HI, and Squaw Valley until I was six. Growing up in two very diverse climates taught me to love it all!”
“A brief history of my sporting antics includes begging my parents to put me out on water skis after watching April behind the boat when I was 18 months. From there it was basically anything April could do, I needed to try it! I was on to snow skiing at age three and at five was dropped off at the ski hill for Squaw Valley’s Mighty Might program every weekend.”
Julia has recently become a Volkl Rider. Volkl is a sponsor of this year’s World Heli Challenge.
2009 Male Ski Champion Ted Davenport. Image:: Harro
Ted Davenport
29 year old Ted Davenport from USA is “an East coast racer turned freeskier” and was winner of the overall men’s skier at last year’s heli-challenge.
In addition to big mountain skiing, Davenport is a passionate B.A.S.E. jumper and dabbles in pretty much everything “extreme.”
Davenport has spent lots of time on podiums at big mountain competitions beginning in 2004 when he moved to Boulder, Colorado. He’s also featured in several films.
Andy Finch
Originally from Fresno, California, Andy now resides in Truckee, California. He started riding at age 12 and hasn’t looked back.
Finch represented the USA on the halfpipe snowboard Olympic team at the 2006 Torino Olympics. He was winner of the overall men’s snowboarder at last year’s World Heli Challenge.
Go big or go home. That’s the motto of Andy Finch. Take a look at any footage of Finch riding pipe or big air and you’ll understand. He’s willing and able to push himself as far as he can go to the point just before injury.
And he does this simply for the love of going big and progressing his riding.
“Surfing is my passion and snowboarding is my job.”
“You might say my job has benefits like having the best ‘pow’ day ever on Mt. Albert at last year’s World Heli Challenge.”
“After racing boardercross and earning a 99′ Junior World title, followed by a 10-year career competing in snowboard halfpipe, I am ready to put some runs down in the backcountry and NZ has some of the most playful mountains around.”
“I am always stoked to go to NZ because I imagine it as California 40 years ago.”
Andy rides for Rip Curl, a sponsor of this year’s World Heli Challenge.
Mitchell Brown
Two-time Olympian Mitch Brown is a fighter and an all-round kiwi who loves hunting, fishing and surfing.
He first competed at an Olympic Games in 2006 at Torino and rates mixing up his runs in the half pipe as one of his core strengths.
He won the Burton Open in New Zealand in 2007 and then after battling ongoing injuries that kept him off the snow for much of the build up the the 2010 Games, he was successful in his bid to make the Vancouver 2010 team. Just prior to the Olympics Mitch won two Nor Am halfpipe events in Calgary followed by an eighth place finish at the Stoneham World Cup.
Notably, he admires anyone who has overcome a challenge to succeed.
Mitch rates his sport as progressive, exciting and enjoyable and looks forward to competing in his first World Heli Challenge.
Juliane Bray
Two time World Heli Challenge runner up, Juliane (“Ju”) Bray’s depth of experience helps her perform in variable snow and weather conditions giving her a distinct advantage over other competitors.
The two-time Olympian wore the silver fern at the Torino Winter Games in 2006 where she finished a very strong 16th in the half pipe and 22nd in boarder cross and then again in Vancouver where she carried the flag for NZ and had she not taken a fall would have made the semi-finals with a chance to progress further, she later went on to land that run and placed fourth at a World Cup.
She has been on the podium numerous times at World Cup Boarder Cross and Halfpipe events and at both the NZ Burton Open and Australian Burton Open in Halfpipe, Quarterpipe and Slopestyle.
Ju was named Snowboard Athlete Representative on the FIS Athlete Commission and represents New Zealand at an International Level.
Janina and Maria Kuzma, 2009 Female Ski and Snowboard Champions
Janina Kuzma
Ranked number five on the Freeride World Tour, five-time Volkl NZ Open Freeski Champion. two-time Canadian Ledcor freeski Champion and to top it off, the 2009 World Heli Challenge Champion, what more does one need to say? How about one of the greatest professional female skiers of all time?
Born in Brisbane, Australia and now residing in Wanaka, New Zealand with her twin sister Maria (see below), Janina, or ‘G’ as she is known to friends, grew up all over the world, from Papua New Guinea to Borneo and Australia.
Ripping around Fernie, BC as a kid, Janina saw all the guys tearing up the mountain and didn’t let intimidation on the ski field stand in her way…instead, she used the pressure and fear as motivation to rise up and dominate the women’s competitive scene.
Janina made her first appearance in 2005 competing on the Canadian Freeski tour and winning both the Lake Louise and Fernie stops. Not only does this girl compete in the Big Mountain scene but also can shred in the park having many podiums in slopestyle and pipe.
In 2009 Janina became the first woman to win a Big Mountain and Pipe title in the NZ open.
Janina rides for Volkl, a sponsor of this year’s World Heli Challenge.
Maria Kuzma
NZ’s top big mountain snowboarder and winner of the overall women’s snowboarder at the 2009 World Heli Challenge, Maria Kuzma is no stranger to the podium.
Born in Brisbane, Australia and Maria now resides in Wanaka, New Zealand with her twin sister, Janina (see above).
Maria grew up all over the world, from Papua New Guinea to Borneo and Australia.
She spent her childhood skiing the legendary snow of Fernie, BC.
Maria shreds. When she sets herself a goal, she strives to conquer it at any cost. In her first year on the World Freeride Tour competition circuit she made it to the prestigious final event on the intimidating Bec De Ross in Verbier and found herself up against career hardened veterans.
Maria looks forward to defending her title at her “favourite competition,” the World Heli Challenge.
Ane Enderud
Number one ranked women’s skier on the Freeride World Tour, Ane has been skiing since she could walk.
Born in Oslo, Norway, her family spent weekends and holidays in Hemsedal.
Her roots are in ski racing but she’s always had a passion for skiing the trees. After a season in Chamonix, Enderud became a passionate about big mountain skiing. The passion has taken her around the world and led to two years as the top woman skier on the Freeride World Tour.
“My passion has also become my job and I try to make the most of it. I am looking forward to many more years of skiing, travelling and meeting interesting people. I love what I do and will continue working hard to reach my goal. Keep on playing, follow your dreams, take care of the people around you and of our planet…”
“To have the chance to travel to NZ for my first time is super cool! I’ve been thinking about going there for a long time so to get it together this year with a good friend is amazing! I have always heard it’s a beautiful country and the footage I have seen looks great! Only a week to go…I’m excited to check out the event for sure!”
Ane rides for Volkl, a sponsor of the World Heli Challenge.
Aline Bock
Number one ranked women’s snowboarder on the Freeride World Tour, 27-year-old Aline Bock’s passion for snowboarding began 14 years ago.
Hailing from Lake Constance in southern Germany but now based out of Innsbruck, Aline is making a huge impact on the freeride circuit.
“I started off with freestyle in the half pipe and later changed to slopestyle before looking for new challenges free riding in the mountains.”
“I have always loved moving with nature, and visiting the best freeride spots in the world. I love meeting like minded people with the same passion for the mountains and nature.”
The 2010 World Heli Challenge is sponsored by Volkl, Marker, Corona Australia, Points North Heli, Dakine, MountainWatch.com, Haka Tours and Rip Curl
