Nissan Riders' Award winners

Xavier de Le Rue (FRA) – Freeride World Champion 2008 – 2009, Winner of the Nissan Riders’ Award 2008 - 2009 and the Nissan Xtreme – Verbier 09 comments:

"This year, even more than last year, I am really happy to have won the Nissan Riders’ Award. It is a true pleasure to be rewarded by my fellow riders for this line as well as the others from this winter. This season, I was really able to express myself; and I am satisfied with what I was able to do on snow. To win this award is also important for all the snowboarders because it reveals our level of riding of which I am proud! After having celebrated and relaxing a bit, I am headed off to film in Switzerland, then Alaska to top off this season!”

Elyse Saugstad (USA), Freeride World Champion 2008, Winner of the Nissan Riders’ Award 2009 commentts:

To win the Nissan Rider's Award, aka Female Line of the Year, was a momentous goal to achieve. I feel absolutely honored by receiving this award; to gain the respect and approval from the other riders means the world to me. After winning the Overall Title last year, I had a different perspective entering this ski season and that was to push the boundaries of what people expect from the female riders. I ended up crashing in two of the four events, but to me that signified that I was indeed taking more risks to make a positive impression of my capabilities. Sometimes you crash, sometimes you stick it; and when you make it all come together it is totally worth it. In the end it paid off, one of the runs ended up being a real crowd pleaser and ultimately was voted Female Line of the Year.
The line in Squaw Valley seemed like a pretty fun, straight forward line to me- I would be able to ski fast, fluid, and dot the run with several nice sized airs. I was able to ski the line as I envisioned, and it was even better that I was able to do so in front of my family and friends.

The car they won is a Nissan X-Trail, the compact SUV makes adventure out of ordinary - X-TRAIL LE, NISSAN "ALL MODE 4x4-i", Diesel, 150 CV. To know more about the car, click here