Celebrating 10 Years of the LAAX Open

The LAAX Open isn’t just another snowboard comp—it’s the heartbeat of freestyle snowboarding. Over the years, it’s brought together riders and fans alike to celebrate everything that makes this sport epic. From its roots as the Burton European Open to becoming the LAAX Open, this event has carved out a special place in the hearts of snowboarders. We sat down with Martin ‘Hasi’ Haslwanter (Brand Image Manager Burton Europe), Donald Nader (Event Director of LAAX Open), Reto Poltera (LAAX Open Organiser), and snowboarders Anna Gasser, Clemens Millauer and Christian ‘Hitsch’ Haller to hear why.

From Burton European Open to LAAX Open

Back in 1999, inspired by the long-running Burton US Open, Hermann Kapferer, SVP of Burton Europe, saw an opportunity to bring the event to Europe. Hasi recalls back on the first Burton European Open (BEO) taking place in Innsbruck, Austria, “The halfpipe was at Axamer Lizum, and the slopestyle—or whatever you’d call it back then—was at Seegrube, Innsbruck.” After its debut, the event relocated to Fieberbrunn, Austria, and Livigno, Italy, before settling in its most iconic location: Laax, Switzerland. Reflecting on the move, Hasi notes, “We already had the feeling that LAAX was going to be the hotspot for European snowboarding.”

The BEO wasn’t just about insane riding — it also introduced equal prize money for men and women, which set it apart from other events at the time. Arguably, this kind of dedication to equal prize money not only helped to progress freestyle snowboarding but also sparked dedication amongst female riders. “We met incredible people and discovered rising talents,” Hasi shares. Legends like Olympic gold medalist Kelly Clark found their spotlight at the BEO, with Kelly competing in most of the Burton European Opens ever hosted – and winning them.

When the BEO wrapped up in 2015, the LAAX Open picked up the torch in 2016. Despite the name change, the event kept its soul. Burton continued to play a supporting role, and Donald Nader, the main man responsible for putting it all together since 2001, continued doing what he always had, “I remember when Burton announced there wouldn’t be another Burton EU Open. I asked Reto Gurtner (President and CEO of LAAX), what are we going to do now? He said, ‘We’ll just go on and do the same thing that we always have.’”

Same Vibes, New Heights

Organizing such a significant event was not a task for the faint-hearted. In order to keep things going, the LAAX Open joined the FIS World Cup circuit in its second year, a decision that sparked mixed feelings within the snowboard community. However, Donald never saw this to be a problem. “The freestyle attitude, the freestyle DNA, the way they work, and the way they run things in Laax, which is almost fanatic about freestyle, will stay the same. An additional FIS logo at the bottom of the bannister isn’t going to change their character.”

After all these years, the same core team still puts together the event, which is a huge aspect of what makes it all so special. “There is high expertise and knowledge within the core team. The people who put this together are a very important aspect of why things have developed the way they have over the past 10 years,” Donald explains.

From the very start, the concept of the course has been the same – a creative slopestyle or big air and a half pipe/quarter pipe – and we’ve got Reto Poltera to thank for this. As the first park shaper in LAAX in 1992, Reto’s determination and love for the sport have had a huge influence on the quality and creativity we’ve seen in the course set-ups throughout the years, “They consistently come up with new features that you don’t see at any other competitions! I’d say they’re always a step ahead with their setups, pushing boundaries and bringing fresh elements to slopestyle,” Clemens Millauer explains.

What has changed over the years is the increase in the side events, “we want to create that festival feel,” Donald explains. “Freestyle is not only a sport, but it also has its aspects in culture, in arts, in music...”. By putting more focus on the side events, Donald hopes it will translate the world of freestyle better onto the ones less familiar with it, “Can you name any sport, any, where the world’s best athletes perform on the highest technical level ever and have their EarPods in and listen to Kendrick Lamar? Nobody does that. Nobody performs a sport at its highest level when they are listening to music. That’s unique in freestyle.”

What Makes the LAAX Open Special

There are many aspects that contribute to making the LAAX Open the unique event it is. Its long history and talented organisers, not to mention the jaw-dropping snowboarding that goes down at the event, play a massive part in this. But it’s the community, the shared love for freestyle snowboarding that lingers through the air, that truly defines the event. “It’s more than just a contest—it’s a gathering of people who share the same passion and love for snowboarding,” explains Clemens.

For Christian “Histch” Haller, another top rider who became a regular at both the Burton EU Open and the LAAX Open, the event’s significance transcends competition. “The Laax Open is a truly unique event in the landscape of snowboarding. Critically said, it's the only event remaining on the big stage that represents snowboarding in a broader, subcultural way. It feels like a festival—something you attend year after year to reconnect with old friends and meet new ones who share the same passion for snowboarding.”

Highlights from the Years

The Laax Open has roots deep within the snowboard community, and the moments and memories shared at the event are too many to count. Hasi recalls his days as Burton’s team manager, inviting the world’s top snowboarders to the event. “I pretty much invited the whole snowboard world,” he laughs.

Donald thinks back about the 2023 halfpipe night finals and the huge snowstorm that made them have to cancel the finals, “There were 10k people on the mountain, it was packed. And then we had to cancel.” But it wasn’t the cancellation of the event that left a key memory with him, but rather, what happened after, “When it was clear that the contest could not take place, and we announced it to the crowd, we decided to give everyone a show: Let all the riders jib and ride the pipe. And then Kaishu Hirano & Valentino Guseli dropped into the pipe and did the highest air ever – it was basically a world record.”

What truly resonates with the community is that LAAX Open is, and always has been, a rider-driven event. If the weather turns to shit, it will be cancelled. As Donald says, “No event is worth risking someone’s safety,” and this rider-first ethos is why people always leave Laax with a smile on their faces.

10 Year Anniversary

As one of the most prestigious events in snowboarding – with competitions and concerts – it’s hard to imagine any further addition to make this event even more significant than it already is. Well, hold your horses: to celebrate 10 years of LAAX, we can expect a new addition to the concept! An open Rail Jam will be running down at the valley with qualifications from Wednesday to Thursday, and finals will go down Friday evening.

Adding to the festivities, in collaboration with Laax, Burton has created a limited-edition Custom 158 snowboard, with only 50 boards available. These will be auctioned, raffled, and sold, with proceeds supporting the Chill Foundation. For details, check out Burton’s Instagram.

The Legacy of LAAX Open

While the debate about whether snowboarding is a compatible sport still sparks a flame from time to time, the LAAX Open has undoubtedly contributed to the snowboarding subculture like few other events have by keeping the scene alive and evolving competitive snowboarding year after year. LAAX Open has proven to the community that an FIS event can capture the true DNA of snowboarding: It has—and will continue to progress freestyle snowboarding, bring people together, and give everyone access to experiencing what it is to be part of the snowboard community. Laax Open is a true spokesperson for what makes our community so special.

Keep up to date with all the 2025 Laax Open action HERE