On January 7, 2014, the meet-and-greet event for the 12th Red Bull Nanshan Open was held in Beijing. All 29 international riders taking part in this year’s competition, along with the Chinese rider who stood out in the preliminary round on January 4, were in attendance. As the only international event for slopestyle snowboarding—the newest Olympic event for Sochi—in China, the main competition of the Red Bull Nanshan Open will take place on January 10–11 at Nanshan Ski Resort in Beijing. Snowboarding elites from 11 countries, including Finland, Norway, and the United States, will deliver a thrilling opening act for the winter sports season, with several riders set to compete in the upcoming Sochi Winter Olympics.
“Snowboarding in China started relatively late, and there’s no denying that we still lag behind the world’s more advanced snowboarding culture. But competing against these international pros—especially those who will be going to the Olympics—and having Olympic judges overseeing the event doesn’t make me nervous. In fact, I’m really looking forward to it,” said Xiaohu. For him, the highlight of competing in this event is watching top international riders, especially observing their lines and technical execution under less-than-ideal weather and course conditions. On the topic of the Olympics, Xiaohu added, “Now that slopestyle is an Olympic event, I’ve been putting more focus on it in my training. I hope to have the chance to experience the Olympic atmosphere firsthand. Snowboarding is my lifelong passion, and achieving this goal would mean a lot to me.”
This year, with slopestyle (SlopeStyle) making its Olympic debut at the Sochi Winter Games, the 12th Red Bull Nanshan Open—as the highest-level (WST World Snowboard Tour 5-Star) and only international slopestyle competition in China—will not only attract “Olympic squads” from around the world using it as a tune-up, but also showcase this emerging and trendy sport to a broader Chinese audience that is still relatively unfamiliar with it, just one month before the Winter Olympics. Compared to halfpipe snowboarding, which joined the Olympics as early as 1998, slopestyle is freer and more creative. Competitors are required to perform various tricks while descending the mountain or jumping over undulating slopes. With its long courses, multiple consecutive jumps and obstacles, and full display of snowboarding techniques, it has become the most visually exciting event.