Report from Orage Open 2007

The Nike ACG team had a big crew out at the Orage this year with Italian, British, Norweigen, French, Spanish, German Swiss and Austrian team riders. The event itself was very professional, well run and despite the weather which was not perfect, the event went off without a hitch. The crew at Laax really know how to do their job.

It was a bit of a bad start to the event with Roy Kittler doing his collarbone again in qualies and having to bail home to sort it out. Dude, take a rest now and get that thing better before coming back next time!!!

The slopestyle course was a challenge for everyone cause speed was hard to come by due to the snow falling etc. But Rich, Martin and Mirjam did their best in the semis unfortunatley not making it through to the finals.

In the womens pipe final, Kimmy Misof (4th) went bigger than anyone busting massive airs all the way down the pipe. She's only small too. Who knows where she gets that amplitude from but it was pretty amazing to watch. Everyone in the crowd were buzzing. But it was Mirjam Jaeger with all the tech that ended up placing third and winning a massive US$400 (come on Orage, whats with the womens prize money!!!) behind the UK's Emma Lonsdale and of course in first Grete Eliassen who was simply too good.

In the mens pipe, Murray Buchan, our youngest rider at the event showed almost everyone up making it through to the semis where he put down two super solid runs signaling to everyone there that not only can the Brits can ride but that he will be a force to be reckoned with in the future. Murray has also grown a tash so that he looks older and will be taken more seriously on the scene. It's one of those really good ones that you can twist at each end. Check the photo....its true...no really!!

Making it through to the mens final for Nike ACG was Norways Olaf Brusletto who despite busting a binding after a pretty hard slam in his final training run (how's the nads Olaf?), managed to keep it together for a 9th finish overall. Well done dude and nice to meet you...although i don't know what that milky stuff you were drinking at the party was....you gotta sort that out!

The final winner of the mens pipe was Josse Wells from NZ. This kid was so smooth and stylie and deserved the result despite the protests of Simon Dumont who put a solid 12 in his final run but was just a bit sketchy overall.

Speaking of parties, the Orage party scene was pretty quiet until Saturday night when it went off. Champagne was the order of the night to celebrate Mirjams 3rd and a belated celebration for Paddys clean-up the week before at the Brits where he won the pipe and ss.

Well done to all the Nike ACG riders. Thanks also to Lionel from Giro who was driving me around in the sweetest ride at the Open....everyone wanted to be in that car dude...i was so proud!

For all the results, get to the Orage webite...can't remember it but just google Orage Open 2007 and you get there.