BURLINGTON, VT — Terje Haakonsen, the most recognized and influential rider in snowboarding, has re-signed with Burton Snowboards. Terje has worked with Burton since he first exploded onto the snowboarding scene in the late eighties, and has remained an integral part of the growth of the company since first signing on in 1989.

With his fluid style and passion for keeping snowboarding true to its roots, Terje's contributions to snowboarding are innumerable. Throughout his career, Terje created one of the most revered and respected contests in snowboarding, had stand-out video parts, won many of the world's highly competitive contests and helped design several of Burton's groundbreaking products.

The first of a slew of Scandinavians to dominate the global snowboarding scene, Terje's trick innovations and amplitude in the halfpipe revolutionized snowboarding in the early nineties. As more riders got into the contest scene, Terje decided to diversify his snowboarding. He adapted his fluid freestyle moves to the backcountry, feeding his hunger for powder and pushing the sport in new ways. From time to time, he'd venture out of the backcountry and drop in on major contests, winning without having been in a pipe for months.

Terje's mystique grew and so did his desire to keep snowboarding events purely designed for and by the riders themselves. He created the Arctic Challenge, which became one of snowboarding's most venerated contests overnight. Now in its fourth year, the Norway-based Arctic Challenge attracts top riders from around the globe to Terje's home turf. True to its purpose, the event is run by riders, who make all the major event decisions from event formats to competition schedules and times.

Terje is a force to be reckoned with at contests to this day. During the 2002/2003 season, Terje had several top results in major contests, including third place at the Nissan X Trail straight jump and quarterpipe, second place at the Burton European Open halfpipe competition, first place for the fifth time at the Mt. Baker Banked Slalom and first place at his own event, The Arctic Challenge quarterpipe. He also filmed with Standard Films again this season, as he has been doing since day one.

In between his powder quests, filming, competing and organizing the Arctic Challenge, Terje works with Burton hardgoods on revolutionary products like the Fish and T6 board series.Terje's in-depth involvement with product development has helped Burton become the world's leading snowboarding company.

"Terje has played an integral role in bringing Burton to where the company is today and will continue to help us evolve in the future," says Jake Burton, founder and owner of Burton Snowboards.

Burton looks forward to a long and fruitful relationship with Terje, supporting him wherever the next chapter of his career takes him.

Consumers can learn more about Burton Snowboards by calling Burton Rider Service: 00 (800) 287 866 13
or email Birgit Gruber: birgitg@burton.com

— MountainZone.com Staff