OUTLAWS PORTRAIT

Terje Haakonsen

Terje Haakonsen

Discipline: Snowboard
Birthday: 11.10.1974 (in a taxi on the way to the hospital), Morgedal
Nationality: Norwegian
Residence: Oslo (NOR)
Sport successes 1989 5th at the World Cup in the halfpipe, St. Moritz
  1991 1st at the European Championships in the halfpipe
  1992 1st at the European Championships
1st at the US Open
World Cup Champion
14 World Cups in a row
  1993 1st at the World Championships
1st at the European Championship
1st at the US Open
  1994 Terje quit counting World Cup points
  2007 World record for “Highest Air” (9.80 metres) at the Arctic Challenge
  In total 3 US Open victories
5 European Championships
3 World Championships
 
Personality Terje is something like the “super father” in the scene: the first superstar of his sport and an icon on the Swatch Pro Team. In the qualification rounds in Baker some years ago, Terje shocked everyone by making it to the finals by riding “fakie”. It was a solid documentation of his total board control.
In 1998 Terje said NO to Samaranch’s Olympic party, stating that old, corrupt men could not bring any value to the progression of snowboarding. It was not a boycott, but a personal attitude.
 
Specialities Terje is the perfect snowboarder, controlling all categories of riding: Pipe, Park and a Freeride Master coming down the moun-tains and using the terrain, and king of speed.
 
Sidelines Terje initiated and organised the Arctic Challenge, the TTR World Snowboard Tour that Swatch supports as a premium partner
 
Film appearances Subject Haakonsen
Factor Haakonsen
White Space
First Descent
…and many major parts in lots of other films!
 

Born a nature child, Terje learned all the fun of sports fast: soccer, ski jumping, athletics and alpine skiing. He won them all. He was on the regional team in both soccer and alpine skiing. He discovered the snowboard upon turning 14. He won his first competition only 2 months after getting his first board. Terje made his way onto Burton’s global team at age 15, whilst still striving in 9th grade at Vinje Ungdomsskole (school). He made his debut at the World Cup in St. Moritz, and to everybody’s surprise he captured 5th place in the halfpipe!
The champ came into his own in 1991 with his first European Championship in the halfpipe. He has earned a total of 3 US Open victories, 5 European Championships and 3 World Championships. He has garnered many top rankings in World Cups and invitational events. He quit counting World Cup points after the 1994 season. In the winter of 2002, the ISF went bankrupt after fighting the FIS for 6 years. Several players from the snowboard scene approached Terje to join new forces. Terje was reluctant, because he knew the value of the total independence of The Arctic Challenge. But the coalition of TTR touched him with a solid philosophy: rider-driven, genuine snowboard values and focus on progression. Terje and TAC are placed on centre stage by TTR: 9 great snowboard events around the world earn qualification spots at TAC.
Terje and other top riders now have a powerful say in the philosophy and progression of the sport.

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