150 accredited members of the media equal the number of volunteers, a World Cup team of 400 including riders, coaches, service staff for material, psyche and physique, 165,000 CHF prize money, 6,000 World Cup points for 6 new champions, 12,000 passionate people in minus 15 degrees at Crap Sogn Gion, 2,252 metres above sea level, marveling at the high-flyers in the superpipe, reaching heights of over 6 metres from the coping, so 13 metres in total before landing safely in the flat.

Olympic champion Zoi Sadowski Synnott (NZL) and world champion Marcus Kleveland (NOR) take the LAAX OPEN slopestyle titles, Japanese youth Olympic champions Ono Mitsuki (JPN) and Ruka Hirano (JPN) are the 2023 halfpipe champions. Local hero Andri Ragettli (SUI) takes victory in the newly integrated freeski contest in front of an enthusiastic crowd of fans at Crap Sogn Gion. In the women's category, Johanne Killi is the first LAAX OPEN Freeski winner.

“It is my second time at the LAAX OPEN. There is so much history in this event and that makes
me so excited to be here,” says current Slopestyle Olympic champion Zoi Sadowski Synnott, who
can now also call herself a LAAX OPEN champion. In 2021, she had to give way to the eternal
best, Jamie Anderson (five OPEN victories in LAAX) but now, in 2023, it’s the young snowboard
ladies who are at the top, one of whom is also Mitsuki Ono, winning her first LAAX OPEN title and
at the same time, her first World Cup pipe victory in the LAAX superpipe, previously dominated by
Kelly Clark and Chloe Kim. It was a different story in the women’s freeskiing competition, where
experience and routine still take precedence over whippersnapping. With Johanne Killi, the same
winner as in 2014 beamed from the top podium in 2023.

Figures abound: 150 accredited members of the media equal the number of volunteers, a World
Cup team of 400 including riders, coaches, service staff for material, psyche and physique, 165,000
CHF prize money, 6,000 World Cup points for 6 new champions, 12,000 passionate people in
minus 15 degrees at Crap Sogn Gion, 2,252 metres above sea level, marveling at the high-flyers
in the superpipe, reaching heights of over 6 metres from the coping, so 13 metres in total before
landing safely in the flat. What a performance by Scotty James and Queralt Castellet - who
practically live in the LAAX pipe - and especially Valentino Guseli and Kaisha Hirano! However, in
the end, it was Ruka Hirano who raised the winner’s trophy into the LAAX night sky.

The concept of combining freeskiing with snowboarding at Europe’s most renowned freestyle event
was a success, not only but also because of the winner and local hero Andri Ragettli, who attracts
a fan base aged 0-100 who simply adore him. It was great to see the togetherness during the
slopestyle on the Ladies’ Friday or on the final Sunday when snowboards, skis and riders meshed
in the start zone before the contest began. Creative riding and jibbing through the Snowpark LAAX
– a la the pros, now once again open to everyone.

For those who wish to follow the sporting contest in slopestyle again online, YouTube LAAX is
recommended for the preliminary rounds and Red Bull TV for the finals. 
Further information and all results can be found on laax.com/open. #LAAXOPEN