2008 Rip Curl Australian Freeride Pro Called Off Today Due To Gale Force Winds
NSW, Australia - Day 2 of the Rip Curl Australian FreeRide Pro supported by Jim Beam has been postponed due to strong winds up on the mountain in Thredbo, NSW.
After a perfect day on the mountain yesterday, deteriorating weather conditions set in overnight, forcing event organisers to postpone and push the event into the weather day.
“We didn’t have much choice but to call the event off today. The winds are estimated to be about 70km-100km per hour around the peaks, so to have competitors throwing themselves off jumps on the Bluff today is extremely high-risk” said Rip Curl Marketing Manager Nick Russell.
The “Rip Curl Throwdown” is the new specialty event that has been added to the calendar this year, offering competitors another chance at the prize purse. This is an invite-only event running under lights at the bottom of the Sundance Run next to the Valley Terminal from 5.30pm.
“Tonight’s event looks to be pretty exciting, it’s being run under lights with some of Australia’s top snowboarders and skiers invited to take part,” said Aussie snowboard icon Russell Holt who is also helping organise the event.
Holt commented on the ‘Throwdown’s’ specialty course, “Some of the snowboarders are riding on a unique purpose-built course that makes it pretty interesting and gives riders another chance at winning some of the prize money up for grabs”.
Event organisers are hoping to wrap-up the remainder of the Rip Curl Australian FreeRide Pro tomorrow, with only half a day of competition remaining. Tomorrow is also the last day of the three-day waiting period for the event.
The Rip Curl Australian FreeRide Pro is proudly supported by Jim Beam along with media partners Snowboarder and Powderhound Magazine and is part of the Thredbo FreeRide Series.
For more information on the 2008 Rip Curl Australian FreeRide Pro, visit ripcurl.com.au