<div><br /></div><div>When snowboard pro <strong>Valentino Guseli </strong>— last season’s FIS Park & Pipe World Cup overall winner — opens the upcoming winter season with a declaration of love, it bodes well, even if it’s raining:</div><div><br /></div><div><strong>“I love this event! Two special components come together at the BIG AIR CHUR: There is this crowd who comes to the festival for concerts and sport, and there is the coexistence of freeskiing and snowboarding.”</strong></div><div><br /></div><div>This is exactly the scenario that plays out when German rap star Nina Chuba gets the crowd in the mood with her famous lyrics ”I wanna fly like at Marvel” (Wildberry Lillet) from the stage while the 18 snowboarders jump in for the sporting decision. Supported by riders who have opened the freestyle world cup season on this ramp in the qualifications, on one or two boards.</div><div><br /></div><div>With the start of the big showdown at 8 pm sharp, you leave the planet for other spheres for ninety minutes, ones that are dominated by Japanese. You only notice that it’s raining after the spectacle.</div><div><br /></div><div>We start at a height of forty-two metres, second female rider on course, frontside triple fourteen over the kicker and the crowd goes crazy. One after the other, they whirl through the night sky, what a spectacle. The men add a spin or two. Can the spectators hold it together?</div><div><br /></div><div>After three rounds with countless rotations around their own axes, overhead, forwards, backwards, it’s clear: 5 out of 6 for Japan. The Japanese riders take the title as well as 5 out of 6 podium places and collect the biggest chunk of the 60,000 CHF prize money. The Asians continue their winning streak at the city event in Chur with strong jumps and resistance to rain: <strong>Kokomo Murase</strong> wins 2023 after 2021, defending champion <strong>Reira Iwabuchi</strong> comes second, and <strong>Hiroto Ogiwara</strong> secures his first World Cup victory in the men’s category ahead of teammates <strong>Kira Kimura</strong> and <strong>Takeru Otsuka</strong>, the 2022 winner.</div><div><br /></div><div>When asked by the reporter how he felt after this great performance, Hiroto nods happily:<strong> Cab 1620</strong>. A crazy trick, backwards with four and a half turns. With a perfect landing in front of <strong>17,500 spectators</strong>. One thing is clear, the common language is snowboarding.</div><div><br /></div><div>Who were the other protagonists?</div><div><br /></div><div>Certainly<strong> Nicolas Laframboise</strong>, <strong>Sean Fitzsimons</strong>, <strong>Valentino Guseli</strong>, <strong>Laurie Blouie</strong>. But above all, <strong>Mia Brookes</strong>. The 2023 Big Air World Champion from Great Britain is the only non-Japanese to finish on the podium. Satisfied? “Yes! It's great to be here.” She’s actually a local too, as her home resort of Laax is right next door to the BIG AIR CHUR. Thousands on the course celebrate this as a Swiss participation in the final remains elusive at the third edition of the City World Cup in Chur.</div><div><br /></div><div>Everyone is full of enthusiasm and full of adrenalin until well after the final of the BIG AIR CHUR.</div>