Issue link: https://bluemagazine.uberflip.com/i/25128
The course in Laax, like all Boardercross courses, is composed of different obstacles, S turns, and downhill terrain. "What the course is like depends on the hill I have to work on, whether it's flat or steep," says Eric Bertschi , an architect, carpenter and snowboarder who built every course in the European leg of the world tour, Based on the objectives of going fast, getting air and riding with your crew, Boardercross has ballooned since the general publ ic first saw it on Greg Stump's TV show World of Extreme in 1991. The original courses were dan- gerous and crazy, crudely constructed with shovels so boarders piled up right out of the starting gates. The too tight turns led to slapstick tumbles. However, the riders loved the bump and jump format of the race. And the spec- tators loved the video game pace and the ease of knowing who was winning (as opposed to halfpipe competitions where a frontside rodeo 720 could be anyth ing other than a winning trick). Throw in its TV-friendly format and Boardercross was destined for success. An annual event called the North American Boardercross Championships was created, which soon evolved into the Kokanee Boardercross Grand National series that still tours across Canada. In 1996, Swatch helped launch the Boardercross World Tour, which has become incredibly popular. Now, gear has been tweaked explicitly for Boardercross safety, courses are professiona Ily designed and constructed, and stars like extreme sports king Shaun Palmer, who won the 1999 world tour, have been boosting the event's profile. The International Snowboard Federation is currently attempting to establish a Boardercross event for the 2006 winter Olympics. On the last day of the 2000 finals at Laax, fog rolled in to the mountains like a cattle drive on the range , leaving TV cameras to shoot nothing but a white haze. The starts were delayed until visibility improved, which it eventually did, allowing Canadian Drew Neilson to sweep the competition in the men's finals and Swiss Fabienne Reuteler to win the women's. But many of the attendees weren't there just for the race. An international crowd had gathered in Laax to watch the competition, snowboard themselves and camp at the top of the mountain in pre-made teepees, available to rent for the weekend. Others lodged at the mountain base and took gon- dolas back up to the ski lodges at night to mingle and dance to big-name DJs like the UK's drum 'n' bass DJ Krust and Tommy Boy's DJ Swing. "No one can match what they do in Laax," says Erik Kalacis. " It's the grand finale." Pros and fans together slid on the snow outside as music rang against the silhouettes of the mountains, bringing the season to a close. -Vanessa Altman-Siegel