July 12, 2000

Valle Nevado (CHI). For the first time in FIS history, a Snowboard Continental Cup Tour is held in South America. Valle Nevado Mountain Resort will host the opening event of the 4 stop NOKIA Snowboard FIS Continental Cup Tour 2000. Between July 13-15, the Nokia Snowboard Chilean Championship will take place featuring Parallel Giant Slalom, Snowboard Cross and Big Air.

The best athletes of South America will be joined by top athletes from around the world to compete for a share of the $20,000US purse and Continental Cup FIS points. Last year Darren Chalmers (Canada) was the biggest money winner. This year he sends top Canadian teammates Mark Fawcett and Jasey Jay Anderson to defend the Canadian dominance.

The first event, originally scheduled for Wednesday, July 12, was postponed because of the late arrival of the equipment truck due to a bad winter storm in the mountains of the Argentine and Chilean border. The PGS will now be held on Thursday July 13th and the forecast is for great weather conditions and a big field of riders. Nokia Chilean rider, Andres Erlandsen is waiting to show his abilities and take away the glory from the foreigners. Qualifications will start at 10:30 am at the Samba slope and finals are scheduled to start at 13:30 pm.

The Big Air has been re-scheduled for Friday, 14 July and we can expect great moves by the riders on the ramp which was built by David Ny of Sweden, the official NOKIA Snowboard FIS World Cup Halfpipe builder.

On Saturday, 15 July all eyes will be on Swiss NOKIA team rider Guillaume Nantermod, one of the strongest candidates to the title, nevertheless he will find that the level of South American riders has improved and Argentine Nokia rider Juan Beveraggi will be a worthy rival.

Everything is ready to start with the NOKIA Snowboard FIS Continental Cup Tour 2000, and to enjoy the best snowboarding of the world at Valle Nevado, Chile.

For more information contact: Christy L. Martin, email: [email protected]