Vail, CO – With the snowboard contest season underway, Burton has announced competition schedules and formats for the 31^st annual US Open Snowboarding Championships, presented by MINI. Taking place outside of Vermont for the first time in Vail, Colo., from February 25^th through March 2^nd, the Burton US Open will draw over 100 of the world’s best riders for four days of progressive halfpipe and slopestyle competitions that offer over $340,000 in cash prizes.

The US Open qualifying rounds will take place at the first-ever US Open Snowboarding Qualifiers event happening at Seven Springs, Penn., February 1-3. The top 10 men and five women per discipline from the US Open Qualifiers will earn a spot at the US Open Championships in Vail.

In addition, there are a few other ways that competitors can get in on the US Open action. First, the top 10 men and five women from the World Snowboarding Points List per discipline (halfpipe and slopestyle) will be invited to compete at the US Open in Vail. Second, 20 men and 10 women per discipline will receive wild card invitations to compete. To check out a list of riders who received invites and wild cards, head to www.burton.com/uso.

Finally, young riders who are 14-years-old and under can also earn a spot at the US Open Championships by competing at the Burton European Open (BEO) Juniors events (halfpipe and slopestyle) in Laax, Switzerland, on Saturday, February 9. While the US Open Junior Jam will take a year off in 2013, the top two boys and top girl from the BEO Juniors event will advance to the semi-finals of the US Open Championships in Vail where they can take a crack at competing in the big show.

2013 Burton US Open Championships Competition Schedule

• Wednesday, February 27^th: Slopestyle Semi-Finals
• Thursday, February 28^th: Halfpipe Semi-Finals
• Friday, March 1^st: Slopestyle Finals
• Saturday, March 2^nd: Halfpipe Finals