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Style Reigns Supreme at the World Heli Challenge

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Comment Share Posted on Friday September 4th at 3:18 p.m.

The weather gods blessed the opening of the 2009 World Heli Challenge. Blue sky's, dry powder snow and 43 of the worlds top skiers and boarders competed in the "Freeride Day , one of three days of heli access competitions held over a two week period.

The athletes claimed it as "the most innovative, unique and cutting edge event ever". It was great to see such an inspirational event resurrected after an 8 year hiatus and it assume its position back on the international snow sports calendar.

The standouts included skiers Mike Wilson (U.S.) in 1st, Chris Booth (Australia), Tim Dutton (US) in 2nd and Tim Myer (Australia) 3rd and snowboarders Quentin Robbins (New Zealand), Andy Finch (US) and Matthew Annettes (US).

In the female ski category Janina Kuzma took first with USA's Jackie Passo 2nd and Ingrid Backstrom in 3rd. In the women's snowboard Maria Kuzma (NZ) came in 1st, Amber Schuecker (Australia) in 2nd and Susan Mol (USA) in 3rd.

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Andrea Berchtold front somersaulting on the Freeride Day of the World Heli Challenge
The helicopter lifts off after dropping off a load of athletes at the World Heli Challenge
Toby Wallis pulls around to land at the World Heli Challenge
Tony Wallis pull out of the loading zone at the World Heli Challenge
Wanaka sisters Maria and Janina Kuzma both won Freeride Day in snowboarding and skiing
Toby Wallis flying to the start of the Freeride Day in the World Heli Challenge
Tim Dutton from U.S. flying finished in 2nd place on the freeride Day of the World Heli Challenge being held near Wanaka
Andrea Berchtold heading down through the bottom part of course of the Freeride Day of the World Heli Challenge

The "Freeride Day" of the World Challenge is all about finding out who are the best performers of aerial manouvres in the back country environment. The athletes are lifted by helicopter into some of the most granduer landscapes on earth and let loose down the mountain on undulating terrain.

Some of the competitors were jumping in excess of 60 ft through the air performing "Misty 720 Flips" (2 rotations with a twist) and there was a stand out double front somersault from Lake Tahoe, California's Mike Wilson.

Today is the "Big Mountain Day" where athletes will put everything on the line to ski and snowboard some of the steepest mountains in NZ. The level of their athletic capacities will be pushed far beyond the realms of any snow resort event and it's this day that truly showcases the "wow" factor of snow sports.

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Tim Dutton from U.S. flying into 2nd place on the freeride Day of the World Heli Challenge being held near Wanaka
Australia's Dave Kelly front flipping on the Freeride Day of the World Heli Challenge
Boen Ferguson from Australia on the Freeride Day of the World Heli Challenge
Jordan Houghton on the freeride Day of the World Heli Challenge
Russ Henshaw from Australia on the Freeride Day of the World Heli Challenge
Australia's Sam Foster flying upside down on the Freeride Day of the World Heli Challenge
Mike Wilson from California toom 1st place on the Freeride Day of the World Heli Challenge