Burton AM Tour Finals 2009 in Val Senales

Twelve contests in twelve countries. Eleven done and one to go. For the final show, 49 riders from eight different countries showed up in Val Senalis and finally determine the Overall Winners of this year's Burton AM Tour.

Still a big smile on our faces and the hearts filled with pleasure from the contest in Avoriaz, the Burton AM Tour crew made its way from France over to "Bella Italia". But it was not the "dolce far niente" that brought the Tour to Val Senales, South Tyrol, but the last final stop of this year's Burton AM Tour.

It was last Saturday, 28 March, when Val Senales in South Tyrol hosted another TTR2 Star Event of the Burton AM Tour 2008/09. For the final show, 49 riders from eight different countries showed up. The main mission of this last stop was to ride hard, have some good fun and finally determine the Overall Winners of this year's tour. Once more this season, the weather wanted to foil this master plan. Hard snowfalls, strong winds and zero visibility caused radical changes. The fantastic park on the glacier had to be closed and a brand new one was built next to the Valley Station. Without the local shapers, better known as the Gentlemen Riders, this plan could have been called insane! Then two snowcats, the fabulous Gentlemen Riders and the AM Tour Crew did the job and turned dreams into reality. A sweet park with a sick setup awaited the riders on Saturday morning. As expected, the weather was bad, but the riders did their jobs, shredded hard and had great fun.

After the warm up, more sweet freestyle action followed during the two qualifications. The wind became stronger but still couldn't keep the finalists from rocking the park. In the end Maximilian Gschaider from Germany did the best job. His sweet Frontside 720 Indy followed by a Backside 540 on the Kickers and the 540 on the Wallride was some brilliant work. In the Youth Boys category Tim-Kevin Ravnjak from Slovenia cleaned up with a Frontside 540 and a Backside 540 on the Kickers followed by a Rock 540 on the Wallride. The girls' effort was super nice, too. Within the Junior Girls category Tiziana Casutt from Switzerland won with two stylish Backside 360s on the Kickerline and a Rock to Fakie on the Wallride. Katie Ormerod from United Kingdom came up with two convincing Backside Airs on both Kickers and a Rock to Fakie on the Wallride.

A big hooray for the two Dutch riders Bob Van Unnik, overall winner of the Junior Boys category and Rachida Aoulad-El-Haj-Amar, winner of the Junior Girls category. Congratulations also to the 12-year-old Slovenian sensation Tim-Kevin Ravnjak for winning the Youth Boys title for the third time in a row; and to British rider Katie Ormerod, overall winner of the Youth Girls category.

Final ranking Burton AM Tour 2008/09

Junior Boys
1. VAN UNNIK BOB / DEN HAAG / NED / 19 / p 6643
2. EGELMEERS ASTON / MARIAHOUT / NED / 14 / p 6445
3. HIERONS CODY / CHATHAM / GBR / 15 / p 6406

Junior Girls
1. AOULAD-EL-HAJ-AMAR RACHIDA / ZOETERMEER / NED / 15 / p 5885
2. VAN DAMME EVI / BERCHEM / BEL / 17 / p 3736
3. KWIECIEN KASIA / TYCHY / POL / 19 / p 3736

Youth Boys

1. RAVNJAK TIM-KEVIN / VELENJE / SLO / 13 / p 8000
2. RUPP GINO / ZOETERMEER / NED / 14 / p 7885
3. TAYLOR SEAN / ZOETERMEER / NED / 13 / p 7170

Youth Girls

1. ORMEROD KATIE / BRIGHOUSE / GBR / 11 / p 6000
2. KOLODZIEJ KLEMENTYNA / TYCHY / POL / 13 / p 5621
3. MOSKAL ALICJA / KRAKOW / POL / 14 / p 3770