Oakley Arctic Challenge

Dew Tour is done, X Games are done, Olympics are done, and most pro snowboarder have run for the hills of Whistler, Alaska, and the streets of cities all around the world to film their video parts in next season's movies. However, March 6th and 7th the Oakley Arctic Challenge will bring together some of the best riders in the world in Norway. This year's contest will be especially exciting, because for the first time in many years a slopestyle event will be part of the competition. This is in addition to the famed quarter pipe event that we all know and love. The rider list this year looks killer with a strong set of veterans coupled with a fair share of young guns looking to make a name for themselves on a world wide snowboarding stage. For many of the riders attending this event it means more than almost any other contest this year. The event was founded by the Godfather of snowboarding, Terje Haakonsen.

The slopestyle course looks sick. It's got a bunch of booters but is also very jib friendly as well. It also features a unique butter box, much like the one at X Games 13.

Some of the big names that are going to be competing are:

-Risto Mattila

-Peeto Piiroinen

-Arthur Longo

-Antti Autti

-Heikki Sorsa

-Mikkel Bang

-Torstein Horgmo

-Eero Ettala

-Chas Guldemond

-Marco Grilc

There is also a strong contingent of young guns and rookies that have been riding very strongly all year:

-Stale Sandbech

-Sage Kotsenburg

-Eric Willet

Tyler Flanagan was also invited, but has since been injured and has opted out of the competition. In addition to the riders mentioned above, a number of other amazing snowboarders will be joining them in the slopestyle and quarter pipe events.

Here are some highlights from last year's quarter pipe event where Arthur Longo took gold.