33rd Kaunertal Opening Recap

Glorious sunshine, happy faces and a mountain full of the newest equipment for the winter season 18/19 - 33rd Kaunertal Opening Weekend charmed its visitors with the BRAND NEW SNOWPARK, thrilling contests, events full of action and legendary party nights.

Bright sunshine caused the anticipation to rise exponentially all weekend long. The celebration of the opening of the NEW SNOWPARK Kaunertal a.k.a. #NATURERUN at its new location - Karlesjochbahn - was this year’s highlight. Freestylers from all over the world enjoyed the longest park run Kaunertal had to offer ever. The riders' immeasurable motivation, the snow park’s variety plus the visitor’s high spirits added up to an unforgettable spectacle.

The BLUE TOMATO MEGA TESTIVAL equipped snow enthusiasts with the newest equipment for season 18/19 to test it for free all 3 Days. More than 40 top brands provided a volume of material so big it was impossible be fully tested by one person in one weekend. Live bands and DJs played some smooth beats and created a chilled atmosphere on the mountain. A varied program from LVS or Splitboard Workshops over mental coaching and numerous open sessions invited to participate. Skateboarders got hyped as well on the pumptrack and mini ramp while the history of snowboarding can be watched next to at the Snowboard museum by Living Room.

After the mountain is before the party! After the action on the mountain was over it was time for the AFTER RIDE STREETPARTY with skate and snowboard contests, food and drinks right in the center of the beautiful village of Feichten. While some enjoyed street food & drinks, listened to excellent music and let an awesome day come to an end others At the started into an escalative party night with stars close enough to touch.

Club Circle sold out!
True to the motto “3 CLUBS - 15 ARTISTS - 1 TICKET” all the party people were amazed by the sold out “CLUB CIRCLE”. A broad range of DJ and Live line up from Hip Hop over Rap, Reggae to Drum & Bass beats set up at 3 exclusive locations guaranteed parties until dawn!

FRIDAY

Friday’s Sane! Cash 4 Tricks Session was a successful kick off session on the mountain. At the Jib’n’Skate Playground boys and girls showed off their insane skills and earned cash for their tricks. Additionally the Top 3 riders qualified via WILDCARD for Saturday’s “KTO Invitational Night Rail Jam”. After an incredible event kick off on the mountain the riders at Blue Tomato REBUILD THE CITY SKATE JAM fired up the crowd in the valley. Following the Rusty Toothbrush snowboard movie premiere insane DJs like Retrogott, Hulk&Hodn and the Innsbruck Locals of the “Sane!” crew offered the party people an appetizer for Saturday’s escalation.

SATURDAY
Invited pro snowboarders and freeskiers presented their skills at the legendary KTO Invitational PRO CONTEST on Saturday. Even riders from the USA didn't want to miss out on this event with a total of €8,000 in prize money. The girls and boys provided an impressive head-to-head race. In the end Boris Mouton (CH) left the other boarders behind with his second run. Luis Eckert (GER) scored second place and Tommy Wolf (AT) ended up third among the snowboarders. Marvin Salmina wouldn’t do things by halves so he claimed the title for “Best Style” and “Most creative.” Among the snowboard girls, 16-year-old Annika Morgan (GER) landed the first place, Katarzyna Rusin (POL) won silver and Nadja Flemming (G) took the bronze. Things got especially heated in the freeski category. With minimum difference, Manuel Pleifer (AT) got hold of the top podium position, Johannes Rohrmoser (AT) took second place and Dennis Ranalter (AT) third

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Supported by live bands riders put up a spectacular session for the Desperados Heavy Metal Live Rail Jam at the Jib’n’Skate Playground. The Top 3 riders got hold of the final Wildcards for KTO Invitational Night Rail Jam. For an appropriate inauguration of the new snow park the entire KTO-Crowd put the park to the test at the collective Gunfire Run presented by STANCE. Another special feature was the Freestyle Mental Coaching on Saturday, which helped participants to develop an ideal mindset to push their own limits in action sports even further.

After this eventful day on the mountain action and excitement continued down in the valley at the premiere of KTO INVITATOINAL NIGHT RAIL JAM on the especially for this session closed-off road. Therefore the snow park Kaunertal was relocated to the valley for the first time ever. Off a 10 m vertically high inrun the invited pro snowboarders as well as the 6 Wildcard winners put on an intense show with wicked tricks over the in the snowboarding scene famous “Rail Taxi”. The in 2017 newly established street party thus gained even more uniqueness and was totally jam-packed. The 3 winners Max Zebe, Dominik Metzler and Nauris Putenis as well as Oskar Fritzsche who won the “Best Trick Award” shared the podium and the 1000€ prize money.

Subsequently all party people released their desire for celebration on Feichten during Club Circle. Aside from 90s Party, Morlock Dilemma and several others, wild pogo action, stage diving and busy barkeepers ensured an unforgettable evening.

SUNDAY
With the Amateur Contest Session on Sunday morning the KTO is starting into it’s final day. at The same time the Shred Unit girls invited all the girls for a common coffee to bring the sleepy ghosts back to life after the last night. Right after the coffee they went to the new snowpark all together for a little Coaching Session with some Freeski and Snowboard coaches to show the new skills right afterwards at the Nikita G.W.R Open Girls Jib Session at the Jib’n’Skate Playground. At early afternoon the completely KTO crowd came together one more time for the Amateur Contest prize giving to announce the winners Samuel Aalander + Michelle Rageth in freeski and Finn Koenn + Romy van Vreden for snowboard division and to say goodbye after an awesome weekend!

All in all, the 33rd Kaunertal Opening Weekend couldn’t have been better!

Snowpark Kaunertal is now ready for the fall with a brand new snowpark – a “so called #NATURERUN”, which will be constantly upgraded and stuffed with more features and elements in the upcoming weeks and months. they also will start the #FALLRUNS series with numerous interesting events and sessions. We'll Keep you updated!