Jamie Anderson & Kelly Clark Win at NZ Open

Many of the world's top riders were in attendance at the first major competition of the season, the Burton New Zealand Open.  The 5 Star TTR contest was held at Cadrona in Wanaka, New Zealand.

Organizers had to change the format of the slopestyle competition due to low visibility caused by the weather, but American Jamie Anderson still managed to capture her third straight NZ Open Slopestyle title and $6000 in prize money.

Jamie was excited about her win, "I can’t believe it, I love the Burton Opens and winning this event three times in a row is amazing, so I’m ecstatic and so stoked to start of the year with a good result."

Anderson's winning run was a boardslide-to-tailpress on the down bar, a frontside 180 out on the up box, switch backside 180 mute, backside 360 mute, and a backside 180 mute. Kiwi Shelly Gottlieb placed second  and Kjersti Buass took third. In the men's competition Swiss rider Christian won the slopestyle.

Kelly Clark claimed yet another Open Halfpipe title in New Zealand - her second straight NZ Open win.  Coming off a strong 2009-2010 season, Clark maintained her momentum soaring over the other compeitors with her massive amplitude.

Her winning run was giant frontside air, backside 540 mute, frontside 900, method air, frontside 720, and Cab 720 mute.

Clark was satisfied with her win, "I had a great day, it’s a great way to start off my season and I was really happy with how I rode today. I walked away doing the tricks I set out to do and had a lot of fun."

Spaniard Queralt Castellet, who stormed on to the global snowboarding scene at the Vancouver Olympics, gave Kelly Clark her closest competition and finished second. Japan's Soko Yamaoka rounded out the podium. 

In the men's competition Iouri Podladtchikov(aka iPod) took the title, followed by 14-year-old Taku Hiraoka of Japan, and American Louie Vito.