. world ski news : MARKO GRILC MOVES INTO TTR WORLD NO. 1 AFTER 6STAR BILLABONG AIR & STYLE - 06 December 2009 - 00:24
After a night full of action on the big air jump at the 6Star Billabong Air & Style 2009/II at the Bergisel Stadium in Innsbruck, Austria, Marko Grilc (SLO) took the top spot on the podium and is now the new leader on the Swatch TTR World Tour. Grilc was not on the original invite list, but after two injuries during practice for the main event, he was given a spot in the legendary competition. 2008/2009 Swatch TTR World Champion, Peetu Piiroinen (FIN), took second place at the Air & Style and Andreas Wiig rounded out the podium in third.
Swatch TTR Ranking Shake-ups
With the first 6Star result of the season registered, there were many changes in the TTR Top 10. Marko Grilc, the new TTR World No. 1, really shook up the Swatch TTR Rankings as he bumped Sebastien Toutant (CAN), who did not compete this weekend, down to World No. 2. Other big movers in the ranking include Torstein Horgmo (NOR) who jumped up to No. 3 and Peetu Piiroinen who moved up to World No. 4. Antti Autti (FIN), Tim Humphreys (USA) and Chas Guldemond (USA) all moved into the TTR Top 10.
Big Air and Big Podium
The head-to-head knock out format for the big air competition made the contest quite the nail biter for the large crowd in attendance. The long in-run, poppy jump and steep landing was a perfect combination for Grilc to throw down a switch backside double corked 1080 in the super finals to take the Air & Style 2009/II title. He was up against Piiroinen in the final round who was able to stomp a backside double corked 1080 for the second place finish. Wiig laid down a clean fronside 1080 double flip in the final and took the third place spot on the podium.
Next On The TTR Tour
The TTR Tour takes a break for a couple of weeks and things will resume with another major event, the 6Star Oakley Arctic Challenge, taking place in Norway over the New Year’s holiday weekend. With some familiar faces from the Air & Style slated to attend the Arctic Challenge, including Peetu Piiroinen, Antti Autti and Torstein Horgmo, the race for the TTR World Title is already heating up. After the Arctic Challenge wraps up, the TTR Tour moves on to Davos, Switzerland for the 6Star O’Neill Evolution slopestyle and the 5Star Evolution Halfpipe. And, the ladies have big contest on the horizon with the 6Star Roxy Chicken Jam Europe at the end of January.
Date: 5.12.2009
By: TTR Press Office