On January 4, the qualification round of the 12th Red Bull Nanshan Open was held at the Nanshan Ski Resort in Miyun, Beijing. The event attracted a record-breaking 58 male and female participants. In the end, Red Bull-sponsored skater Xiaohu (He Wei) impressed the judges in the second run with a frontside 720 into a perfectly landed frontside 360, along with tricks including a rail 50-50 and a tail grab on the box, securing the men’s division championship. He will advance to the main event alongside five other male skaters and women’s champion Zhu Hong. The finals will take place on January 10–11, where they will compete against 35 top international snowboarders from 11 countries, including several Olympic athletes set to represent their nations at the Sochi Winter Olympics.
American skater Daniel takes third place in the 12th Red Bull Nanshan Open qualification round
“The halfpipe better showcases aerial tricks, while slopestyle lets me enjoy the speed leading up to the jump and the freedom to choose my own lines. The two events are like my left and right foot — I love them both,” said Zeng Xiaoye. Additionally, he believes that the most important thing in snowboarding is to have your own style and express your personality. “Whether it’s a 9-year-old kid or a 47-year-old uncle, you can feel the vitality deeply rooted in their bones when they ride.”