Grant Fielder wins Kona White Style in Leogang

Last weekend, the skiers in Leogang looked surprised when they saw a 200m long swath with big hills of snow and a digger embedded in a wooden construction next to the ski slope at the Schantei Lift in the city centre of Leogang. But latest when the first riders went down the course, everybody knew: That must be the Kona White Style. In front of 1300 spectators, this snow expression session took place for the second year in a row. 20 riders from five different countries mostly equipped their bikes with spiked tires and battled for glory and honour and 3,000 euros of prize money. All of them aimed to be the king of snow.
After having some concerns if the weather and snow will be fine, the guys could ride the first training of the Kona White Style on Friday as planned. The impression arose that the riders doesn’t make any difference between usual dirt jumps or slopestyle obstacles on a fixed surface. Some slide outs were inevitable, but nevertheless, backflips, tailwhips and superman seatgrabs were shown without hesitating.

After the first training session on Saturday morning, it became serious for Andreu, Grant and Co. The riders had to do three runs in the qualifying. Due to the wind, not all of the obstacles could be ridden; therefore the focus in the qualifying was set on the lower part of the course which was shaped in several days by Grant Fielder and the Leo-Gangster (aka HU-Cooperation).

After an exciting qualifying on Saturday afternoon, twelve riders made it to the final.

Around 8pm, whole Leogang met alongside the spectacular and with light staged slopestyle course. Nobody wanted to miss the Kona White Style.

Around 8.30pm, the first rider went on the course consisting of a drop, an 8 meter step down gap, a step-up-step-down-northshore and a final step-up gap. Especially the step-down gap was a big challenge for many of the invited pros. It became explicit quickly, whoever can show a good trick over that gap, will finish on one of the first positions. The battle between Grant Fielder (UK) and Andreu Lacondeguy (ESP) was very exciting. The 18 year old Spanish Boy set the bar pretty high. He showed a backflip over the first 8 meter gap, followed by a nohander off the step down drop and a backflip nohand over the last gap. The backflip nohand, so far hardly done by any pro, could be seen of him for the first time in Leogang.


But with a suicide over the first gap, a tailwhip drop off the step down and a superman Indian-air the British rider Grant Fielder could convince the judges in his second run and thus eventually deserved the first place.

But also the remaining riders on the top positions rode amid the applause of the crowd and made sure that nobody got cold during the one-hour final.

The Kona White Style whets the appetite for mountain biking already in winter. Rider as well as spectators where absolutely stoked about the contest. Andreu Lacondeguy. “We don’t have really snow in Spain; therefore it’s my first contest on white surface. It is so much fun and I will definitely be here next year.”


The wanton mood could be felt at the after show party at the Kralleralm. Characteristically for Leogang, the party lasted till early in the morning.

To get a first impression of the training session on Friday, please check www.konaeurope.com/whiteStylefriday.htm. More videos of the qualifying and the finals will be on soon. Check out the Kona website again in the next days.

Results:

Grant Fielder (UK)
Andreu Lacondeguy (ESP)
Chris Smith (UK)
Jan Stötzer (GER)
Andi Wittmann (GER)
Flo Konietzko (GER)
Joscha Forstreuter (GER)
Rob J (GER)
Marius Hoppensack (GER)
Michal Marosi (CZE)

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