The BRITS, Laax, Switzerland, 21st - 28th March 2010 

With less than two weeks to go before the BRITS Snow and Music Festival returns to Laax in Switzerland, event organisers are excited to announce that Eristoff will be hosting this year's Après Sessions Stage.

Eristoff, the Vodka from the Land of the Wolf, will be hauling its Airstream bus into town, which, at the touch of a button, transforms into the Eristoff'Après Sessions' stage and will play host to great live acoustic and DJ sets throughout the week. The Godfather of British Hip Hop, Rodney P is rumoured to be taking to the stage to alight the dance floor along with the all-comers B-boy battle.

Eristoff is one of the leading vodka brands in Europe & launched last year in the UK as part of a global campaign.  It will be the official spirit for festival-goers and plans to make its Eristoff 'Icy Black' the signature drink of The Brits - Eristoff Black is the natural wild berry flavoured spirit that doesn't like to mix when poured over lemonade.

Demo sponsors K2, Ride, DC, Salomon, Lib Tech and GNU snowboards along with Line, Volkl and K2 skis will also be displaying a range of their 2011 hardware with free trials in the Après Sessions Arena for all Brits wristband holders. Their teams of UK pros will also be on hand to answer questions and to offer insider tips.

If you'd like to be a part of the ultimate alpine gathering and enjoy the Eristoff Après Sessions at the this year's BRITS, then packages start from as little as £230 (GBP - CHF equivalent may vary with exchange rate) and include - seven nights accommodation, seven day lift passes, event pack and the all important Brits festival wristband. For more information go to: www.brits10.com 

The second annual Burton Canadian Open (CANO) has come to a close and Brett Esser (USA) and Enni Rukajärvi (FIN) have come out on top, winning the men's and women's slopestyle competition today at Canada Olympic Park in Calgary, Alberta. After seeing optimal conditions during the week with bluebird skies, the weather took a turn for the worse with low visibility and frigid temps making for challenging riding during finals.

After finishing first in Friday's slopestyle semis, Jordie Karlinski wasn't able to pull out a winning run in finals, allowing European Open slopestyle champion, Enni Rukajärvi to ride away with first. Rukajärvi blew away the competition, scoring a whopping 96.17, nearly 20 points ahead second place finisher, Lisa Wiik (NOR) and third place Sina Candrian (SUI). Rukajärvi's winning run featured a Cab-on to boardslide, followed by a gap to 50/50, into a frontside 360, a 50/50 on the downrail, followed by a 50/50 to indy along the wallride, nailing a smooth frontside 360 tailgrab, into a backside 540 indy, finishing with a big Cab 720 mute.

"This is my first time in Canada and it was cool to win here right after the BEO win," said Enni. "The course took a little time to get used to as I am not as strong on the rails but I am very happy about this win and will be back next year."

Canadians Jon Versteeg and Robby Balharry took home second and third respectively but it was Brett Esser, the second place finisher from semis, who stepped up his game to take home the win. Esser put down a run that started off with a Cab-on to back 180 off, followed by a switch 50/50, into a frontside boardslide through the kink, followed by a backflip, to a 180-on to switch backside 180 out, followed by a boardslide to fakie along the wallride. Esser then dropped into the jump line pulling a switch backside 900 mute, followed by a backside 720 tailgrab over the channel, finishing with a massive frontside 1080 tailgrab.

"I'm feeling good, this is my first Open win since the US Open junior jam when I was 13, I will for sure be coming back to the Canadian Open," said Esser of his win. "It was a super good course, the weather didn't help but the course held up great."

Results Slopestyle Women     

1 Enni Rukajärvi             FIN       ROXY

2 Lisa Wiik                    NOR     ROXY

3 Sina Candrian             SUI       BURTON

Results Slopestyle Men

1 Brett Esser                 USA     OMATIC

2 Jon Versteeg              CAN     NOMIS

3 Robby Balharry           CAN       WESTBEACH

Now that the Canadian Open is over, it's on to the US Open, taking place from March 16 - 21, 2010 at Stratton Mountain Resort in Vermont, where an overall male and female Burton Global Open Series Champion will be crowned. The top three men and women will take home equal prize money, with first place winning $50,000, second place $30,000 and third place taking home $20,000.

With her second place finish in today's slopestyle competition, Lisa Wiik has now moved in to the World No. 1 spot on the Swatch TTR World Snowboard Tour bumping Sarka Pancochova (CZE) to World No. 2. Sina Candrian now sits in World No. 3 closely followed by Enni Rukajärvi who has climbed the TTR world ranking list steadily over the last few months thanks to her unparalleled performance in all of the major women's slopestyle competitions on the TTR Tour. On the men's side, Marko Grilc (SLO) jumped back into third on the world ranking list right in front of Markus Malin (FIN).

If you didn't make it to Canada Olympic Park to catch the action live, webcasts and highlights of the competitions will be available for on-demand viewing at Go211.com. The 2010 Canadian Open halfpipe and slopestyle action can be seen on The Score on February 28 at 4:00 p.m. EST.

The Brits have announced the initial music line-up for their 21st annual Snow and Music festival in Laax, Switzerland from the 21st to 28th March 2010. 

Kicking off the BRITS music week in true British Hip Hop style and christening one of Laax's hottest new club venues will be top DJ collective, SCRATCH. Fresh, fly, bold and wild - is the legacy, encompassing all forms of Hip Hop culture from djing, rapping and breaking. Featuring the Godfather of British Hip Hop, Rodney P and a DJ demi-god against mere DJ mortals, DJ Woody, described by friends Scratch Perverts as "one of the most creative djing forces the UK scene has ever produced"!

Into the week and DJ Adam Freeland will be hitting Laax and tearing up the dance floor with his iconic electro beats. The LA based DJ/producer and owner of, 'Marine Parade' record label was nominated for a Grammy award for his remix of, Sarah Vaughn's 'Fever', whilst his latest album 'Cope' has received critical acclaim. With more than his fair share of club killers, Freeland will throw the Brits into an electro climax.

It's all about the taking part at this year's Brits and there's plenty of opportunity to do so, from the 7" Throwdown night, delivering a twist (of the vinyl variety) of the much loved Stick-It-On night, to the Guitar Hero antics of the Animal Rock Night where Kerrang DJ Christian Stevenson will be throwing rock hammer after rock hammer and conducting the Air Guitar symphony. Spandex at the ready, rock dress is compulsory! 

To ensure people last the week the Extreme Sports Channel will be offering respite from the dance-floor and immersing Brits goers into a whole new depth of movie viewing as they host the 3-D movie premiere of 'They Came From'. A brand new feature at this year's Brits that promises cinema quality action at the sophisticated Riders Palace. 

The International Headlining Act will be announced very soon.

Don't forget that The Brits is as much about the British Championships as it is about the nightlife. Competition registration is no live so to register to compete in any of the British Snowboard and Freeski Championship events including the Animal Slopestyle, SNO!zone Halfpipe and Trespass Snowboard/Skiercross go to www.britishsnowtour.com/brits/championships 

Package deals for the Brits are available and start from as little as £230 per person, which includes - seven nights' accommodation, seven days lift pass and an event pack containing an exclusive BRITS Ignite beanie and Brits festival wristband giving access to the Club Nights and discounts. To book one of the package deals go to www.brits10.com