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"\"&lt;p&gt;&lt;img class=\\\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-668\\\" title=\\\"untitled12\\\" src=\\\"http:\\/\\/www.powdermag.com\\/files\\/2009\\/09\\/untitled12.jpg\\\" alt=\\\"untitled12\\\" width=\\\"668\\\" height=\\\"176\\\" srcset=\\\"http:\\/\\/www.powder.com\\/wp-content\\/uploads\\/2009\\/09\\/untitled12.jpg 668w, http:\\/\\/www.powder.com\\/wp-content\\/uploads\\/2009\\/09\\/untitled12-300x79.jpg 300w\\\" sizes=\\\"(max-width: 668px) 100vw, 668px\\\" \\/&gt;&lt;br \\/&gt;\\nMedia Release 3rd September 2009&lt;\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;Style Reigns Supreme on the first day of the World Heli Challenge 2009&lt;\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;For photos of day one, check out Tony Harrington\\u2019s website at:&lt;br \\/&gt;\\nhttp:\\/\\/www.wheresharro.com\\/blog\\/read_post.cfm?sc=186&lt;\\/p&gt;\\n&lt;p&gt;The weather gods blessed the opening of the 2009 World Heli Challenge. Blue skies, dry powder snow and 43 of the world&amp;#8217;s top skiers and boarders competed in the \\u201cFreeride Day , one of three days of heli access competitions held over a two-week period.  The athletes claimed it as \\u201cthe most innovative, unique and cutting edge event ever\\u201d. It was great to see such an inspirational event resurrected after an eight-year hiatus and it assume its position back on the international snow sports calendar.&lt;br \\/&gt;\\nThe standouts included skiers Mike Wilson (U.S.) in 1st, Chris Booth (Australia), Tim Dutton (US) in 2nd and Tim Myer (Australia) 3rd and snowboarders Quentin Robbins (New Zealand), Andy Finch (US) and Matthew Annettes (US).&lt;br \\/&gt;\\nIn the female ski category Janina Kuzma took first with USA\\u2019s Jackie Passo 2nd and Ingrid Backstrom in 3rd. In the women\\u2019s snowboard Maria Kuzma (NZ) came in 1st, Amber Schuecker (Australia) in 2nd and Susan Mol (USA) in 3rd.&lt;br \\/&gt;\\nThe \\u201cFreeride Day\\u201d of the World Challenge is all about finding out who are the best performers of aerial manouvres in the backcountry environment. The athletes are lifted by helicopter into some of the most granduer landscapes on Earth and let loose down the mountain on undulating terrain. Some of the competitors were jumping in excess of 60 feet through the air performing \\u201cMisty 720 Flips\\u201d (2 rotations with a twist) and there was a stand out double front somersault from Lake Tahoe, California\\u2019s, Mike Wilson.&lt;br \\/&gt;\\nTomorrow is the \\u201cBig Mountain Day\\u201d where athletes will put everything on the line to ski and snowboard some of the steepest mountains in NZ. The level of their athletic capacities will be pushed far beyond the realms of any snow resort event, and it\\u2019s this day that truly showcases the \\u201cwow\\u201d factor of snow sports.&lt;br \\/&gt;\\nFor the latest blog entries, athlete profiles, web movies and photos of daily activities click into www.worldhelichallenge.com&lt;\\/p&gt;\\n\""^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.powder.com/stories/new-zealands-world-heli-challenge-day-one-results/>