O'Neill Evolution 2011 In Davos, Switzerland

The top ten Swatch TTR World Tour men and the top eight women are invited to the O'Neill Evolution 2011. So far confirmed - Seb Toots, Janne Korpi, Gian Simmen, Kjersti Buaas, Sharka Pancchova, Chanelle Sladics, Kelly Clark and Nadja Purtschert.

The 2011 O’Neill Evolution is set to kick off with quite a show in Davos, Switzerland from January 2nd - 8th. Some of the best snowboarding talent in the world will be in attendance and every boarder is hoping to take his or her halfpipe and slopestyle skills to the next level.

The O'Neill Evolution is a 6 star Swatch TTR World Snowboard Tour event. The 2011 highlights include a 6 star TTR rating for both the women’s Slopestyle and Halfpipe, plus, the 6 star rating for men has been extended to the 2-hit Slopestyle course for the first time ever.

“O'Neill Evolution is gonna be a great contest like always,” says Canadian Seb Toots. “It's in a really cool place in Switzerland and always has such an amazing setup.”

Toots was unable to compete last year due to a serious ankle injury.

“I'm even more excited than the years before,” said Seb Toots who is famous for his superb slopestyle exectution. “The 6 stars on the Slopestyle make the event even more important for the riders, and it's good for TTR points.”

Expect to see this 18-year-old snowboarding genious flying out in Davos, Switzerland as he looks to make his mark on the 2011 season.

“My ankle is doing well,” said Seb who was in the No.1 position before his injury last season. “When I'm riding, I'm confident and I know that my ankle is good. I just need to work hard like last year to be up there again,” he said.

The Halfpipe finals is scheduled for Friday, January 7th. Ten riders will hit the 6 metre high, 130 metre long and 20 metre wide pipe which sits at the base of the Jakobshorn. Saturday will witness a day of Slopestyle finals that will run into a floodlit night finale.

“We always want to bring something new and exciting to this event,” said O’Neill Global Event Director, Bernhard Ritzer. “It’s called Evolution after all,” he said. “This year we’re changing the Slopestyle radically following feedback from the riders for less but more challenging features, and a mix of day and night riding will bring variation and challenges for the riders.”