Peak performers: MINI presents the MINI Paceman Urban Art Illustration on Crap Sogn Gion in Laax. Burton Global Event Series kicks off in January 2014.

Munich. When the mountains call, MINI follows. As a global partner of Burton and official presenting partner of the Burton Global Event Series (BGES), the carmaker will once again deliver plenty of course-side creativity and driving fun in 2014. Next stop in the snowboarding event calendar is the Burton European Open (BEO), to be held from 13 to 19 January 2014 in the Swiss resort of Laax. More than 300 riders from around the world are expected to attend, including Swiss pro Christian (“Hitsch”) Haller and top women’s snowboarder Enni Rukajärvi of Finland. Amid the superpipe and the slopestyle course, a MINI Paceman will be showcased in a stunning creative rendering by Urban Art Illustrator Andreas Preis.

Wild thing. The MINI Paceman SNOW BEAST.

MINI ascends to dizzy heights once again to present another member of the MINI family in an original creative guise on Crap Sogn Gion in Laax. Last year it was the PirateArtCrew snowboard artists who unveiled an art installation featuring the MINI Countryman; this year Urban Art Illustrator Andreas Preis takes up the challenge to work his magic on a MINI Paceman. Preis is known for his striking designs as displayed, for example, on skateboards and snowboards. Using his expressive illustrative skills, the artist will take the MINI Paceman and turn it into a wild MINI Paceman SNOW BEAST in time for the start of the competitive event. It will have its first public airing against the backdrop of the Burton European Open snowboard competitions and in front of the C_ART container that will be periodically accessible to the public. With his perfectly executed, highly detailed and innovative illustrations, Preis – who shares his working time between Berlin and Barcelona – is the ideal match for MINI. A passionate snowboarder himself, he began his MINI Paceman SNOW BEAST project by selecting five heraldic animals that symbolise mountains and snow: the ibex represents ambition, the eagle vision, the lynx gracefulness, the wolf teamwork and the owl wisdom.

As well as lending his creative touch to the MINI Paceman SNOW BEAST, the artist will appear live on stage in the C_ART container designing Burton Custom Snowboards.

The MINI Feature Award. MINI pays tribute to the secret heroes of the mountains.

As well as being trained on the halfpipe category, all eyes at the Burton European Open and Burton US Open will also turn to the creative tricks executed on the slopestyle course. Here, the snowboarding elite wouldn’t even get off the ground were it not for the expertise of the shape teams responsible for constructing the obstacles on the pistes. The MINI Feature Award aims to bring the backstage heroes into the spotlight. Their task is to design the most innovative feature for the slopestyle contest – while creatively integrating a MINI at a lofty height. The team from Vail, Colorado (Burton US Open) headed by Elliot Cone will pit its skills against the team from Laax (Burton European Open) led by shape master Roger Heid in an exciting battle of creativity. Both teams will receive US$ 5,000 each to support their task. The panel of judges, comprising professional snowboarders, representatives from Burton, judges and media representatives, will announce the winning team at the end of the Burton US Open.

The Burton Global Event Series 2013/2014 presented by MINI.

One year, five events, four countries: the Burton Global Event Series began at the end of this year with the Burton High Fives in Wanaka, New Zealand and the Burton Rail Days in Tokyo, Japan. The Burton European Open in Laax will be followed by the Burton US Open. Qualifying for the latter will take place in Seven Springs, Pennsylvania from 31.1 – 2.2.2014 and the final itself will be held in Vail, Colorado from 3.3 – 8.3.2014.

MINI is involved in action sports around the world through cooperation and sponsoring activities. As a partner of trend-conscious sports, MINI supports young and creative sportspeople and, in so doing, promotes the development of their sport. MINI has been the official presenting partner for the Burton Global Event Series since 2011.