Now in it’s eighth year, the BNZO, which runs over 5 days and offers a NZ$50,000 prize purse, consists of both Slopestyle and Halfpipe. All comers can battle it through pre-qualifiers and qualifiers running Weds 11th and Thurs 12th August, for the few available spots to compete alongside the elite riders who are seeded directly to the semi-finals stage. The semi-finals and finals of Slopestyle run on Friday 13th and Halfpipe on Saturday 14th August. Official training for the event starts Tuesday 10th August.

The competition has attracted a multitude of top riders, with the confirmed rider’s list reading like a who’s who of the snowboarding world; Norwegians Tore Holvik, Stale Sandbech, Ulrick Badertscher, current Swatch TTR tour leader Gjermund Braaten, and recent US Open Slopestyle champion Mikkel Bang; Canadians Justin Lamoureux, Charles Reid, Mark Sollors and Mark McMorris; Americans Chas Guldemond, Sage Kotsenburg, Matts Kulisek, Jack Mitrani and Louie Vito; Japanese rippers Kazuhiro Kokubo, Ryo Aono, Daisuke Murakami and Kohei Kudo; Seppe Smits (BEL), Christian Haller (SUI), Marco Grilc (SLO), Roope Tonteri (FIN), and top New Zealand riders Stef Zeestraten and Jake Koia.

The women’s field is looking just as impressive with current TTR tour leader and previous World Champion Enni Rukajärvi from Finland, Norwegians Kjersti Buaas and Lin Haug, Swiss rider and recent US Open Slopestyle champion Sina Candrian, Rana Okada and Yuki Furihata of Japan, Americans Elizabeth Beerman, Spencer O’Brien and defending NZ Open Slopestyle champion Jamie Anderson, two-time Olympic medallist and defending NZ Open Halfpipe champ Kelly Clark (also USA), as well as New Zealand’s own powerhouse, Shelly Gotlieb.

“It’s great to see such a large field of riders, with so many strong contenders,” says NZ event manager Reuben Yoeman. “The high level of talent runs deep, which is sure to make an exciting event, for both the Slopestyle and the Halfpipe”.