33. Kaunertal Opening 2018 - Best of Half Mile Jib Line 3.0

The long wait is over – winter has finally arrived. The 33rd edition of the legendary Kaunertal Opening provided snowboard and freeski action at its best. The winter sports enthusiasts gathered to test the latest snow equipment of 50 brands. But Tirol’s “youngest glacier” also attracted many top-notch freestyle snowboard and ski pros: At the first contest of the season, they wanted to whet appetite for the winter. Since two years the Half Mile Jib Line has been an important part of the KTO, which now got even more features and moves to a completely new part of the Kaunertal snowpark nearby the Karlesjochbahn.

Swiss snowboarder Boris Mouton, who rides for the club C.S LA Clusaz (FRA), convinced the judges in the Invitational Pro Contest with his individual style and awe-inspiring moves and came in first, while Luis Eckert (GER) won second place and Tommy Wolf from Austria got third. In the women’s snowboard competition German youngstar Annika Morgan claimed the victory ahead of Katarzyna Rusin (POL) on second place and Nadja Flemming (GER) on third place hinter sich. The freeskiers’ podium was dominated by the Austrian riders: Manuel Pleifer won the competition, while his fellow countrymen Johannes Rohrmoser was placed second and Dennis Ranalter came in third. The Italian Ariane Tricomi, 2018’s Freeride World Tour Champion, celebrated the 33. Kaunertal Opening with enthusiastic winter sports fans as well as the Austrian snowboard star and last year’s FWT fourth placed Gigi Rüf.

Results:

Snowboard Men
1. Boris Mouton (SUI)
2. Luis Eckert (GER)
3. Tommy Wolf (AUT)

Snowboard Women
1. Annika Morgan (GER)
2. Katarzyna Rusin (POL)
3. Nadja Flemming (GER)

Ski Men
1. Manuel Pleifer (AUT)
2. Johannes Rohrmoser (AUT)
3. Dennis Ranalter (AUT)