This year was the 10th birthday of the european open and like almost every year i was part of it.

I’m not gonna write the full story of the event, just check out the website http://opensnowboarding.com/Coverage.aspx?openid=BEO and also http://www.freepresse.com/?univers=snowboard

I’m just gonna say that it was a really great and amazing contest with a big level, some funny parties and for the end “the street” in concert.

Just check out the pictures :

7′30 in the morning i woke up in Samoens in the Anne-flore’s chalet, ready for the longest day ever, everybody was sleeping so i tried to be as quiet as possible to pack my stuff and jump into my car.
Around 9 AM I join Nicolas Droz, Aymeric Tonin and H8 (the video filmer) in Avoriaz. After about an hour of riding we finally arrive in les Crosets, where all the good spots are. This place is a real playground for snowboarders, just have to look around to find tons of good spots to shape, as we were at the bottom of the place and didn’t feel like hiking for hours we decided to hit one of the first one. Romain de Marchi and Vladyka join us few minutes later. We shaped the kiker quickly but it didn’t worked as we were expected and the motivation got down except for Romain who started to reshape it bigger, and it worked good that time but he only had two hit with sun before it was over.
Already 3′30 PM we had to leave to get all the lifts before they closed, an other hour later we arrived to Avoriaz where i left the guys to join the next crew who were waiting for me to shoot the night session pipe. I gave them my camera bag and went down to my car to grab the flashes one.
Apo snowboard and Vans were organizing this photoshoot, with Athur Longo, JJ Roux, Caroline Beliard, Valerian Ducourtil, Bruno Rivoire and Baptiste Prost.
After 3 more hours of shooting in the cold night and a lot of great shots i finally ended this long day with an hour of drive to get back home and jumped into my bed strait away.

Aymeric Tonin

Nico Droz found a Chalet under the snow

Vladyka and Romain de Marchi

Shadow of the spot

Sunset on Avoriaz

Valerian Ducourtil slashing to ended the session

Hope you all start 2009 amazingly, for me was in deep powder again.
My friend Anne-flore told me that every year the 1rst January is the perfect riding day, powder, sunny and nobody on the slope, usualy i’m always too hang over to ride but this year i wanted to check if she were right.
With Anne-flore and David Pitschi we deceided to invite ourselves to Darius Heristchian’s chalet in Morgins for New Year’s Day. Was a quiet party but still fun with a big raclette for the dinner and few bottles of champagne, just enough to be ready to shred the next day.
As far as i remember was my first sober new year’s day and i enjoyed it. We were riding in Morgins and les Crosets, Anne-Flore were right the sun was shining and the snow was amazing. There is no more to say about that day, just look at the pictures and you’ll understand how it was.
HAPPY NEW YEAR