Laax, January 20, 2021. The FIS Snowboard Tour kicks off the 2020/21 season for slopestyle and halfpipe with the renowned LAAX OPEN. The multi-award-winning freestyle winter destination LAAX presents itself in all its glory to the World Cup circuit at Crap Sogn Gion: bright blue skies, perfect snow conditions, an immense pipe, and an innovative slopestyle course. The latter was the focus of today's contest action. Two-time Olympic slopestyle champion Jamie Anderson (USA) and Moritz Boll (SUI) emerged victorious from today's semi-finals and will go into Friday's final on January 22, 2021, brimming with confidence.
The women started in the morning to secure one of the eight places in the final. The favorites clearly prevailed, with semi-final winner Jamie Anderson (USA), Zoi Sadowski Synnott (NZL), Hailey Langland (USA), Laurie Blouin (CAN), and Big Air Olympic champion Anna Gasser (AUT), the strong Japanese athletes Reira Iwabuchi and Kokomo Murase also qualified for the final. Four-time LAAX winner Jamie Anderson was unbeatable today. The experienced and seasoned American showed her class with two very confident runs. She was already in the lead after the first run, but she didn't rest on her laurels and improved her score in the second run. Jamie performed a Cab Double Underflip 900 Weddle and Frontside 720 Weddle on the kickers, among other tricks. Only Zoi Sadowski Synnott (NZL) came close to Jamie with her stylish performance.
The men's competition continued in the afternoon. Young Swiss rider Moritz Boll, who caused a sensation in yesterday's qualifying round with the second-highest score of the day, was already in the lead after the first run. None of his competitors were able to challenge him, and Moritz is therefore the happy winner of today's semi-final. His compatriot Nicolas Huber finished second behind him. The Swiss were generally very strong, with Moritz Thoenen and Jonas Boesiger also making it into the final of the top twelve. Leon Vockensperger from Germany surprised everyone by coming in third. Qualifying winner Mons Roisland secured his ticket to the final in 7th place, as did his Norwegian teammates Torgeir Bergrem and Marcus Kleveland.
With the level shown today, the excitement is mounting for what we will see in the finals on Friday, January 22, 2021, starting at 1:15 p.m.! This time, they can be followeddigitally on the web andliveon TV, but not as spectators on site. Tomorrow, however, the halfpipe semifinals are on the agenda.
All information about the event can be found atlaax.com/open. The complete results are availablehereand in the pressDropbox, where you will also find additional images and media information for editorial publication.