Everything is ready in Livigno for the fourth Livigno edition of Suzuki Nine Knights, the premier international freeski and snowboard event held at the Snow Castle at Mottolino Fun Mountain, where for the past month and a half a team of professional shapers has been working with 120,000 cubic meters of snow and jumps up to 50 meters long.
The contest, which has become an icon of the snow world, kicks off on Sunday, April 5 and concludes on April 10. A week of competitions, photo and video sessions, meet-and-greets with the riders, parties, and fun on the snow of Livigno, one of the few ski resorts in the Alpine arc where you can ski until early May.
The 2015 edition of Suzuki Nine Knights sees the athletes (the so-called “Knights”) compete on a castle structure featuring 3 ramps and 4 new obstacles, already tested at Suzuki Nine Queens in Austria.
Among the competing athletes are the winners of the “Wanna Be a Knight” contest, which awarded the wildcards. Freeskiers and snowboarders went head-to-head on March 28 on the XL Line of the Mottolino Snowpark, vying for a spot among the world’s best athletes. Taking victory were Marco Donzelli, Emiliano Lauzi (former Italian Rookie Champion), and Emil Zulian in snowboarding, along with Alexander Benz, Andreas Gohl, and Livigno native Ema Galli in freeskiing.
As for the big names, confirmed snowboarders include Halldor Helgason (ISL), Kevin Backström (SWE), and Sage Kotsenburg (USA), alongside skiers Tom Wallisch (USA), Gus Kenworthy (USA), and Jesper Tjäder (SWE).
Work in progress to build the Snow Castle
Among the most anticipated events of the Suzuki Nine Knights week are the Night Session on Wednesday, April 8 (a spectacular evening session) and the Big Air Contest on Friday, April 10, where the Knights will go head-to-head against each other.
To attend the night show on Wednesday, April 8 from 6:00 PM to 10:30 PM, free shuttle buses will run from town to Mottolino departing from the following stops: Bernina, Ostaria – Domenion, Pontiglia, Campo Scuola, Centro, Fondo, Fontana, Rin, Trauma Clinic, San Rocco Ski-Area 17, Carosello 3000, Ski-lift American, Seggiovia Teola.
Additionally, a dedicated shuttle will run continuously between the bottom of the Teola chairlift and the Mottolino parking area.
For more information: www.nineknightssnow.com
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