Billabong A&S 2013 MEGA POST

The 2013 edition of the Billabong Air & Style marked its 20th anniversary, which is pretty fucking awesome if you ask us. For this momentous occasion, Burn decided to sponsor a legends event focused on style to go alongside the main event, which is also pretty fucking awesome if you ask us. It was impressive to see the sheer amount of legends, from pro riders to filmmakers to photographers, to team managers and even media nerds that came out to the Bergisel Stadium in Innsbruck, Austria for the big show. There were also a bunch of bands playing, but let's focus on the snowboarding aspect, cuz that's what you're all here for anyway. So let's get this snowboarding party started, flicks and clips galore, coming in HOT!

Legends Michi Albin and Ingemar Backman, two of the finest humans in snowboarding history, checking out the set up before the Burn Style Session. Photo: Patrick Armbruster

Ingo's always got the best hats. Photo: Patrick Armbruster

He's also got a couple of Rings of Glory from his A&S wins in the 90's. Photo: Daniel Ronnback

It was a fine, cold winter night in Innsbruck on Friday. Photo: Patrick Armbruster

Like I said, legends were EVERYWHERE, here's one of our favorites, the one and only GiGi Smalls, who was one of many names competing again for the first time in a long, long while. Photo: Daniel Ronnback

And that's GiGi's board, next to another legend in the making and WINNER of the Burn Style Session, Marko Grilc's board. It was a FS 5 off the toes that gave Grilo the win, in case you were wondering. Photo: Patrick Armbruster

Legendary setting for a legendary event! Photo: Daniel Ronnback

Speakig of legends, I've seen Jamie Lynn throw his signature method air in real life. So have all the other people who were in the Bergisel that Friday night. Don't you wish you were there too? Photo: Patrick Armbruster

More legends! Iikka Backstrom and Devun Walsh hanging with Ingo. Photo: Patrick Armbruster

Doesn't get more legendary than this, Terje Haakonsen whips around a fully flared backie for the crowd's delight. Photo: Daniel Ronnback

Hometown hero and legend in his own right Sani Alibabic was showing his usual, extra buttery style, big ups homie! Photo: Daniel Ronnback

Seppe Smits threw down a sweet, sweet method to show the crowd that the "style" aspect of the A&S is alive and well. Photo: Daniel Ronnback

In the end, it was Grilo who was consistently the most stylish dude of the night, congrats on the win big poppa! Photo: Patrick Armbruster

Grilo pays homage to the ridiculously large amount of snowboarding history amassed before his eyes. Photo: Patrick Armbruster

If you said Grilo was hyped on winning, I couldn't say you were lying. Photo: Patrick Armbruster

Love the look on the kid's face staring up at Terje. Photo: Patrick Armbruster

We can't tell if this is Magnum or Blue Steel? Photo: Patrick Armbruster

Just look at that big ol' grin! Photo: Patrick Armbruster

Drew Stevenson was in fine form, whipping his top off and revving up the crowd just like in the good old days. Photo: Patrick Armbruster

"Hang on, I got a message!" Photo: Patrick Armbruster

Die Fantastischen Vier... we think. Sorry, German hip-hop is not our forte. Photo: Daniel Ronnback

Bryan Iguchi handling shit while Albin and the legendary Jan Prokes throw down some complimentary booze in the VVIP lounge. Photo: Patrick Armbruster

Some real history for all you kids out there reading this, from left to right: Martin Freinadametz, Fabien Rohrer, Garry Maidment and Max Plotzeneder, legends of the European snowboarding scene in every sense of the word. Photo: Patrick Armbruster

Oh, more legends you say? Here's Olivier "Buffalo" Cuissot, Drewster and Nico Droz. How about them apples? Photo: Patrick Armbruster

Still not satisfied? Here's Billabong's own David Pitschi and Terje for ya! Photo: Patrick Armbruster

Fredi Austbo can't believe all these dudes are sitting together in one room! Photo: Patrick Armbruster

Legendary captain of the Pirates, Basti Balser's got his eye on you! Photo: Patrick Armbruster

Friday night soon devolved into a sloppy, hot, drunken mess, photos of which you guys are most certainly NOT going to see. Sorry! On Saturday we awoke, hangovers pressing down on our skulls and tongues thick with cottonmouth, to extra large flakes of snow falling copiously from the gray, leaden skies of Tirol. How fitting was it that it was nuking white gold on the very day of the 20th edition of the Air & Style, a blessing from the gods of snowboarding if you will. Slowly we made our way through the snowstorm back to the Bergisel for the main event...

Did I mention it was dumping? Method alumnus and filmer/editor extraordinaire Richard "Prendi" Prendergast always comes prepared, be it umbrellas or extra beer cups, dude's always got every angle covered. Photo: Patrick Armbruster

Oh shit, it's a legend overdose right here, Steve Gruber straight to your dome! Photo: Patrick Armbruster

Eric Willett was fired up! Photo: Daniel Ronnback

The superfinals began with Seb, Mark, Eric and Alek battling it out for the Ring of Glory at the Billabong Air & Style 2013 in increasingly snowy conditions, making speed a real issue. But the riders pulled out all the stops and everyone managed to land at least once except for McLovin, who seemed like a sure winner up until that point. In the end it was Eric who prevailed, with Seb taking second and overall Big Air WST title for 12/13, beating out Stale Sandbech by one point!

Alek Oestreng was on FIRE, making it all the way to third after a long night of massive airtime. Photo: A&S

Mark McMorris seemed on track to take the W with the best looking triple back 1440 we've ever, ever seen in round 3, but he just couldn't land one in the superfinals... You're crushing it homie! Photo: A&S

Speed was definitely an issue as the night progressed and the snow just kept coming. But Seb Toots was extra focused, stomping massive meat helicopters with total aplomb, it's quite the sight to see actually. Real superhero type shit, I tell you. Photo: Daniel Ronnback

It was a pretty epic night all around. Photo: A&S

Eric kept his cool and stomped a massive switch back 12 in some pretty challenging conditions for the 2013 A&S Ring of Glory, way to rip homie, we're stoked for you! Photo: Daniel Ronnback

BOOM! Photo: Daniel Ronnback

Seb came outta nowhere and swooped up the big air overall title for this season, BIG UPS! Photo: Daniel Ronnback

Ulrik Badertscher didn't make it far in the event but that didn't stop him from having fun, brekkie backies in the hotel the next morning. Photo: Patrick Armbruster

Kevin Pearce and Stefan Gimpl were pretty stoked too! Photo: Patrick Armbruster

Here's to the next 20 years of Air & Style, congrats Andrew Hourmont and everyone who's worked over the years to make this such a special event, see you guys next year! Photo: A&S

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Cover shot by the legendary Patrick Armbruster