World Rookie Fest 06: Livigno

From 7 to 10 january 2006, the Snowboard League organized the european edition of the WSF World Rookie Fest, a world tour (Japan, Italy, USA and a final in Austria to be defined) for riders from 1988 and up. Every WRF06 counts as qualifing event for the Arctic Challenge by Terje Haakonsen. The WRF in Livigno, totally dominated by norwagian team, with 40 extraordinary riders from 11 country, a spectacular snow park, lots of extra activities and a very good organization, was the best edition of all ever.

7 january. Arrival Day and Opening Contest
The WRF started with a little regional contest in the “medium” snowpark of Livigno with 15 riders from 5 country. Easy contest winned by Bobby Witty (USA) while Britte Van Der Pow was the best woman after one hour of jam session.

Rank SL Rookie Tour . 7 january . Livigno
Boys
1st Bobby Witty (USA)
2nd Tresten Swigard (USA)
3rd Sam Cullum (UK)
4th Thomas Eschwaller (Italia)
5th Pier Frassì (Italia)
6th James KcElvany (UK)
7th Maarten Van der Pow (NL)
Girls
1st Britte Van Der Pow (NL)
2nd Denise Balza (ITA)
3rd Caroline Frassì (ITA)

For the entire day the others rookie teams enter in Livigno while the firsts arrived could enjoy the “snow mini half pipe” owned by Kikko Ciapponi (presenter of the event and nice italian pro). At the first riders meeting in the evenig, the positive vibration of the rookie event were around us. Fortunatly the meteo was supposed good for the 3 days…everything sounds good.

8 january. WRF Training
In early morning all the WRF crew went up at the spectacular Mottolino “pro” snowpark: on the start a car, then a straigh rail 7m long or a rainbow one, after follow the huge table top with 3 kickers (22,15 and 10m) followed by a double step up (15 and 12m). On the finish line a “wave” rail 8m long. During the 3 hours of training, the rookies tried the slope style and all the present focus how high was the level of riding: staff, media, coachs and people around were incredibly impressed for the level of the rookies! Of course, some of them was extraordinary …but the avarege level was really high…Rookie Rulez!

The 5 norwegian were incredible and soon some of them became the favorits of the event: Badertscher Ulrik , Aanestad Stian and Sivertzen Stian. Very good training from the swiss captain Cristian Haller, like the Czeck rider Dlahy Roman (which will be the youngest finalist). An other very good riders was Bobby Witty, USA junior champ in half pipe and slope style…not less from the austrians Felix Wander and Sharmer Roland. Good surprise from the belgium team too, arrived with 6 rookies of which De Lange Wonter and Sleeckx Yannik seemed the bests. For Holland Maarten Van Der Putten and Britte Van Der Pouw get a lot of good tricks like the russian Sir Sergey Lapushkin (he get 36 hours of travel alone to join the WRF). Quite interesting the italians, english and pollish even if they need something more to compete with the others.

In the evening there was a Arva /Pinps simulation with training on freeride security and avalache procedure. Later, at the riders meeting, there was a short expanation on the point system of the slope style while there was a video review with the film footage of the morning training.

9 january. WRF Slope Style
Everything is ready for one of the most interesting junior event of the season. Photografers, filmer, coach,s judges, staff and, above all, the 40 rookies were waiting for the start. Another hour of training before the 2 qualifing runs to select the 16 riders for the finals in jam session format. Riders were incredibly positive and everybody smile for the entire day… positive vibrations is what the WRF want to give… and that was.

Qualify runs were quick and the best 16 riders selected soon: all the norwegians enter the finals with their huge rotations and solid rails. Very good performance even from belgium riders (4 on 6 in the finals). Bobby Witty (USA) is 3rd in qualifing and the austrians are very good too entering the finals in 2. Maarten Van der Putten (Nederland) enter the finals like the russian Sir Sergey (check individual rank for more details).

During the finals nothing changes in the attitude of the rookies, everybody was happy and getting a nice riding in Livigno with some friends …but the level incresed sensibly…in the hour of jam session there were a lot of excellent tricks: lots stylish rails and very good jumps like sw900, Rodeo7, 720crk and huge bs1080 by Ulrik. Great level. WRF crew, people and media receive an important vision on the future of snowboarding.

Ulrick Badertscher (Norway) was absolutely the best rider of the WRF06 winning a ticket to TAC06 while Britte Van der Pouw (Nederland) was the best woman… but the WRF went above the ranks, giving everybody a positive and memorable experience…again: Rookie Rulez!!!

After the competition, last appointment was at the closing party with the video footage of the finals. Everybody was happy and remember for a log the great time at the WRF06 in Livigno.

From the WRF it’s all folks…of course, until next edition!

WSF World Rookie Fest by SL, Livigno 7-10 genn 06
Individual Rank

RANK	BIB	SURNAME	NAME	YEAR OF BIRTH	NATION	BEST QUAL.	BEST FINAL
1	22	Badertscher	Ulrik	88	NOR	24,9	26
2	32	Haller	Cristian	89	SUI	17,4	25,1
3	26	Aanestad	Stian	89	NOR	18,7	21,3
4	4	Witty	Bobby	89	USA	22,3	20,7
4	25	Sivertzen	Stian	89	NOR	15,7	20,7
6	12	De Lange	Wonter	89	BEL	18,2	19,6
7	23	Krohn	Sebastian	88	NOR	20,4	19,5
8	14	Sleeckx	Yannick	90	BEL	15,9	19,4
9	24	Truls Handstand	Berg	88	NOR	22,5	19,1
10	3	Lapushkin	Segery	89	Russia	17,5	19
11	11	Wander	Felix	88	AUT	21	18,8
12	6	Van der Putten	Maarten	88	NL	18	18,6
13	17	Reynders	Christophe	89	BEL	17,7	16,9
14	21	Dlahy	Roman	91	CZ	15,8	14,3
15	15	Smits	Seppe	90	BEL	21,1	14,2
16	9	Scharmer	Roland	88	AUT	20	7,6
17	13	Bronkaers	Kevin	90	BEL	15,6
18	16	Smits	Antony		BEL	14,7
19	28	Cullum	Sam	88	UK	13,7
20	7	Massar	Sjors	88	NL	13,5
21	5	Sweigard	Tresten	91	USA	12,5
21	33	Faffenarcht	Fabian	89	SUI	12,5
23	18	Dytkowski	Jakub	88	POL	12
24	34	Krummenazart	Florian	90	SUI	11,8
25	35	Buzzoni	Lorenzo	88	ITA	9,7
26	10	Pribik	Thomas	89	AUT	9
27	41	Frassì	Pier	92	ITA	8,2
28	40	Frassì	Calle	92	ITA	7,2
29	8	Van Der Pouw	Britte	90	NL	7,1
30	29	McElvaney	James	89	UK	7
31	42	Frassì	Caroline	86	ITA	6,3
32	36	Ferrari	Jacopo	88	ITA	5,9
33	39	Sirtori	Carlo	90	ITA	5,7
34	20	Selek	Piotr	89	POL	5,2
35	37	Balza	Denise	88	ITA	4,4
36	19	Szkaradek	Jakub	90	POL	3,6
37	27	Leith	Angus	88	UK

WSF World Rookie Fest by SL, Livigno 7-10 genn 06
Team Rank

RANK	NATION
1	NORWAY
2	BELGIUM
3	SWITZERLAND
4	AUSTRIA
5	NEDERLAND
6	USA
7	ITALY
8	UK
9	POLAND
10	RUSSIA
11	CZEK REPUBLIK

For free download of pics, video, interview and extra content about the world rookie fest 06 in Livigno, check the official home page www.snowboardleague.com

Txt: Marco Sampaoli
Pics: Luca “Ciccio” Borghetti and Nicola Carignani

NOTES FOR PRESS USE OF THIS REPORT:

With these report I try to express a complete vision of what the WSF World Rookie Fest 06 was, hoping to transmit the feelings of the riders and crew involved, and explaining what happend in Livigno above the trick and the tecnical details. We trust in the concept of Rookie Fest as a link beetewn amateur/rookie and pros and hope to develope this idea more and more.

Feel free to make any use of these report, using just a part of it or focusing the attention just on what you consider interesting.

Attacched with this report you can find some images…if you need more check www.snowboardleague.com and feel free to use any photo on the web site.

If you need high quality photos for a magazine contact me at marcosampaoli@libero.it . Check on www.snowboardleague.com wich photo do you need and send me the request with the name/number of the selected photos. If you check pics of a specific riders, send me the name. I will send the requested photo to you asap by email.

If you want some video footage of the event contact me by mail.

IMPORTANT
.:. If you use the article for the web, please send me the link of the page.
.:. If you use the article for a magazine, please inform me and, if possible, send me a copy (Ing. Marco Sampaoli, Via Donizzetti 18, 40069 Zola Predosa (BO), Italy).

in snowboard we trust

Marco Sampaoli
WSF Board of Directors and Livigno WRF Director