World-Class Snowboarding for the first time in China 04 December 2010: “Oakley and Shaun White present Air & Style“ 

The 2010/2011 snowboard season is starting with a big bang: The legendary snowboard contest Air & Style is coming to Beijing, People´s Republic of China, with the 6-star Swatch TTR World Snowboard Tour event “Oakley and Shaun White present Air & Style Beijing 2010” on December 4, 2010, at the Olympic Sports Center Stadium, venue of the Olympic football tournament at Beijing Olympic Games 2008. The event is being realized with the full support from Beijing Sports and Beijing government.

Unique mix of top sports and top music

This is the first time ever that world-class contest snowboarding is coming to China, with the superstars of snowboarding competing for the famous Air & Style Ring of Glory, the world´s most valuable trophy in snowboarding. “The Oakley and Shaun White present Air & Style Beijing 2010” is presenting a unique mix of top sports and top live music acts to the Chinese public, perfectly tailored for celebrating the lifestyle of young people. With its cool and stylish reputation the Air & Style has become the world´s premier snowboarding event.

Great combination: Shaun White and Air & Style

The world´s most legendary contest Air & Style and snowboarding´s global superstar Shaun White, two-time Olympic Gold medalist and Air & Style winner are teaming up for a snowboarding event. The expected 15,000 spectators on-site and millions on the internet and on TV should already now get ready for great sports, great entertainment, great fun and a great party.

16 of the world´s best snowboarders, with top riders such as Scotty Lago, Andreas Wiig or Peetu Piroiinen already confirmed. They will drop off from the 42m tall inrun to perform breathtaking tricks over the gigantic straight jump – competing for the prize money of 100,000 US-$ and 1,000 points in the TTR world ranking – and the famous Air & Style ring of glory.

Air & Style: The world´s premier snowboarding event

With its roots going back to 1993 the Air & Style has become the world´s most traditional and renowned snowboard contest, having drawn as many as 30,000 people to watch the sports´ best athletes. It was at the Air & Style contests 2003 and 2004 in Austria, where Shaun White won his first major contest. From there on his career path went all the way to win two consecutive Olympic gold medals and substantially define the tremendous progression, the sport of snowboarding has experienced over the past years.

Voices:

Related leaders of Beijing Municipal Bureau of Sport said that the TTR World Snowboard Tour brought by “Air & Style” is the first time for Beijing to hold such a world top-class snowboard event, and also the first largescale outdoor winter sport event in Beijing. It will be one of the major sports event brands in Beijing and will promote the development of China’s outdoor winter sports. It is an epoch marking sporting festival. Beijing Municipal Bureau of Sport will pay close attention to, cooperate actively with and provide full support to this event, ensuring alldirectionally the smooth operation of this TTR World Tour event Beijing 2010.

International Olympic Committee executive Gerhard Heiberg said: “After the promotion, participation and witness of the success of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, I was so honored and excited to help materialize the introduction of 2010 Air & Style to Beijing, which will bring China a world winter sport event. I expect the Air & Style will open the curtain of China’s top-class winter sports programs! And I hope this will push forward the flourishing of outdoor winter sports in China. Beijing has a long winter and it is appropriate to hold the winter sports programs here. I also hope that in the future, Beijing will be in the list of the cities that apply for the hosting of the Winter Olympic Games! ”

Air & Style Managing Director Andrew Hourmont: “Having worked for almost two years to make this happen, we are now extremely proud to be the first ones to bring the best snowboarding in the world to China. Only through our organisation´s hard work and our close collaboration with the Beijing authorities and their dedication to bring the Air & Style to China this event is being made possible. It again proves the strength of the Air & Style brand in the world of young sports events. China can look forward to a fantastic event, which will again push forward the level of competitive snowboarding.”

Oakley CEO Colin Baden: “China has one of the largest and fastestgrowing middle class demographics in the world, and Chinese youth are currently experiencing a cultural revolution. All accounts point to these young people moving toward urban culture, music and action sports, and Air + Style delivers on all fronts. We’ll bring the excitement of snowboarding to a new frontier, and the industry will likely follow our lead,”