Mark the date in your diaries: Female snowboarders will be showcasing their stuff on the huge Big Air structure on Friday, January 17, 2014, in downtown Québec City at the Mazda Snowboard Jamboree presented by Videotron Mobile.
For the first time in the sport’s history, a handful of women will be invited to take part in a demo right before the men compete in the FIS Snowboard World Cup presented by Videotron Mobile at Îlot Fleurie.
“The thinking behind the demo is to give female snowboarders an idea of what it’s like on a ramp this size in a safe, non-competitive environment,” explains Uwe Beier, snowboarding race director at Fédération internationale de ski (FIS). The women invited by the FIS and the World Snowboard Tour (WST) to take part in the demonstration will all be highly qualified and on top of their game. Their performances will be judged using the same criteria as for the men, but no FIS or WST points will be awarded.
It will be a sixth consecutive FIS Big Air World Cup to be held at Îlot Fleurie and the only stop on the FIS calendar to host the discipline right in the middle of a city. To mark the occasion, there will be the first-ever demonstration by some of the world’s top female snowboarders on the 35-metre high structure.
“Our organization is very much looking forward to hearing what the athletes have to say for our future events,” continues Uwe Beier. “It’s a unique opportunity for the sport and a first step on the road to making the Big Air an Olympic discipline since Olympic disciplines must be open to both sexes.”
The Big Air structure has been in construction for close to a month now, with almost 100 workers working on the project. The kicker and the corral at the finish line have been changed this year to boost athletes’ performances. The entertainment zone will also be improved for the thousands of visitors come to watch a night to remember.
For more info, see https://www.snowjamboree.com/en
Photo courtesy of www.snowjamboree.com
SnowOnline Editor: Lori Knowles
