Young Talents dominate at Jib King in Absolut Park
A successful start into the contest series at Absolut Park in Flachauwinkl-Kleinarl. Selin Lakatha (AUT) and Dima Luchkin (UKR) won the Snowboard Pro category.
With nearly 200 participants over two days, the Jib King contest set a new record. An incredible 122 competitors, including amateurs from the Grom, Rookie, and Adult classes, on the first day alone highlighted the growing hype around Freestyle Snowboarding. Once again, the setup at Absolut Park was perfect, with winter conditions providing ideal conditions. The Jib Park, the last section before the Chill House, offered versatile features for participants of all age groups to showcase their best lines.
The shared passion for freestyle sports was at the forefront of the event. Many kids and amateurs took the opportunity to try new tricks and take their skills to the next level. All amateurs received points in the “Amateur Level” category of the WSPL, the internationally recognized ranking system of the World Snowboard Federation (WSF) for Freestyle disciplines such as Slopestyle, Halfpipe, Big Air, and, for the first time, Rail.
On Sunday, the action moved a few meters further to the Absolut Park Stair Set. This legendary feature consists of 19 steps with four different rails, giving the pros plenty of space for creative jib tricks. Last year’s snowboard winner, Selin Lakatha, proved unbeatable again. The student from the Ski Gymnasium in Stams has moved her primary residence to Eben in Pongau to be closer to her training base, the Absolut Park. Second place went to Spanish rider Paula Benito, who already won the Rock A Rail Tour this year. The biggest surprise came from 13-year-old Marie Kuhlmann from Garmisch. The daughter of former snowboard pro and coach Andre Kuhlmann won the Rookie class on Saturday and finished third in the Pro Division on Sunday.
In the men’s snowboard category, 15-year-old Ukrainian talent Dima Luchkin stood at the top of the podium. Russian rider Peter Erskai took second place, followed by Italy's Davide Boggio in third.
The Jib King 2024, as a WSPL Elite Event in the new "Rail" discipline, marked the next chapter in freestyle snowboarding. For the first time, rail specialists had the chance to collect valuable points for the World Snowboard Points List (WSPL) and measure their skills on an international level.
With this, the first of many events in the ongoing 2024/25 season at Absolut Park has been successfully concluded. For those who missed it, the livestream is available anytime on the Absolut Park YouTube Channel: Watch the Livestream.
Upcoming Events:
• January to March 2025: The Absolut Park Sunday Laps Women Sessions will take place once a month.
• 8th–15th March 2025: The Spring Battle at Absolut Park, Europe’s longest-standing independent elite snowboard competition, will attract the best snowboarders from around the world.
• 5th April 2025: The ZSAEP Experience is a Rookie Event in the Jib Park, which for the first time this season will be open to both Freeskiers and Snowboarders.
In addition, numerous test events, team weeks, and product demos will take place throughout the season. For more details, visit: www.absolutpark.com and check out the Absolut Park social media channels.
