Nineteen international and New Zealand pro snowboarders will get a taste of the excitement to come in Queenstown today during the Burton Pro Snowboarders Monday Funday in the resort, before getting down to business at Cardrona this week.
Burton New Zealand Open spokeswoman Rire Norman said the action would begin this morning with a "wholesome breakfast" at Joe's Garage before the pro riders went jet-boating, bungy jumping, had lunch and played a round of golf at Jack's Point before dinner and a party.
The snowboarders include Canadian slopestyle specialist Mark Sollaris, Canadian all-rounder Charles Reid, United States slopestyle specialist Spencer O'Brien, Norwegian slopestyle specialist Linn Haug, Swiss slopestyle specialist Sina Cardrina, Slovakian slopestyle specialist Marco Grillic and Norwegian ripper and former Burton New Zealand Open winner Mikkel Bang.
New Zealanders include Nick Brown, Shelly Gotlieb, Stef Zeestaten and Possum Torr.
Travelling with the group is United States Olympic gold medallist Kelly Clark.
The 2010 Burton New Zealand Open begins at Cardrona tomorrow with a day of official training before slopestyle pre-qualifiers and qualifiers on Wednesday.
The open runs until Saturday, with elite athletes competing in the slopestyle and halfpipe for a share of the $50,000 prize purse.
