MILAN, Italy (Nov. 10, 2016) – The season kicks off Saturday with a snowboarding big air in Milan, Italy—the first of three city events held throughout the season.
60 athletes—40 men and 20 women—are competing on the ramp that has been built across from Expo Milan’s famous Tree of Life. Milan begins the first FIS Super Series, with other city big air events following in Moenchengladbach, Germany in December and Quebec City, Canada in February.
The U.S. Snowboarding slopestyle team has been training at the Stubai Glacier in Austria prior to the event, preparing for the season and the upcoming big airs—including an Olympic test event in Korea in two weeks and the Copper Mountain U.S. Grand Prix in December. The Milan event also marks the start of the process to earn individual Olympic eligibility with a top-30 finish in a World Cup, as well as team quota spots for PyeongChang.
The ramp is ready for the weekend. (FIS)
“The team is primed and eager to get the first competition of the year underway,” said Head Coach Mike ‘Janks’ Jankowski. “Being in Milan and competing in front a large crowd will surely be an exciting way to kick things off.”
While the Americans are looking strong on all sides, Janks highlighted Hailey Langland (San Clemente, CA), Big Air at Fenway podiumer Julia Marino (Westport, CT), Karly Shorr (Milford, MI), Chas Guldemond (Reno, NV), Chris Corning (Arvada, CO) and Red Gerard (Silverthorne, CO) as podium potentials this weekend.
Stream the Milan big air on NBC Sports at 1:00 p.m. MT on Saturday.
COMPETING ATHLETES
Chris Corning (Arvada, CO)
Chas Guldemond (Reno, NV)
Eric Willett (Breckenridge, CO)
Ryan Stassel (Anchorage, AK)
Red Gerard (Silverthorne, CO)
Lyon Farrell (Haiku, HI)
Nik Baden (Steamboat Springs, CO)
Eric Beauchemin (Grand Blanc, MI)
Karly Shorr (Milford, MI)
Julia Marino (Westport, CT)
Hailey Langland (San Clemente, CA)
Jessika Jenson (Rigby, ID)
