Suzuki Nine Knights: A massive hip is growing in Watles

The 2016 Suzuki Nine Knights “special mission” to break the world record for a hip air is fast approaching, and the gargantuan feature that’s supposed to do the job is on its way towards completion. Here’s a photo gallery from Kaspars Daleckis of the Schneestern + F-Tech shape crew showing a glimpse of life on the build: spider excavators, beautiful sunsets and some seriously massive hip walls riding heavenwards. Prepare for liftoff.

A unique caption for each one of these photos? Challenge accepted.

The backdrop for this year’s Suzuki Nine Knights: The Vinschgau (German) or Val Venosta (Italian), one of South Tyrol’s most beautiful regions. The apple orchards should be blossoming soon — it’s a sight not to be missed.

Standard procedure on a massive build like this: start from the top and work your way down.

Machines can do the rough work, but for the final touch, every meter of this towering hip landing will be shaped by hand.

Don’t mess up that cut: a small mistake at the top of a big transition can have serious consequences when you get 5 meters lower.

Work continues as the sun sets.

Hey Kaspars, stop taking pictures of that sunset and grab a shovel!

 

Slowly but surely, the hip walls grow in size.

The hip looks like it’s lined on a north-south axis, meaning: sun on the left wall in the morning and on the right wall in the afternoon. Hopefully both sides will soften enough to ride well.

More stunning South Tyrolean views. I’ve got a feeling the photographers are going to like this location.

Watles isn’t a big ski area, with only two lifts. But what it lacks in size, it makes up in beauty.

Schneestern head honcho Dirk Scheumann working on his laser game.

If Donald Trump needs any wall-building lessons, he can certainly talk to these guys.

Latvian shaping power: Jannis will probably finish this whole wall in the next 15 minutes.

Wait a minute: how are we gonna get down from here?

Trapped on top of their monster feature, the shapers prepare to spend another night out in the cold.

  

No, this place isn’t going to work at all for a film and photo shoot. Seriously, can’t you pick somewhere nice to hold these events?

We’ll give €20 to anyone who hits this hip straight over to the back of the landing. Should be mellow…

 

Not many things can make a PistenBully look small. This feature is one of them.

I assume the wide-angle lens is making this takeoff look much steeper than it actually is. Nevertheless- prepare for blastoff.

Got shape tool envy? Schneestern’s transition cutter “Big Yellow” is longer than yours.

Why does it seem like Suzuki Nine Knights are always somehow phallic? Or is it just me?

Catching a ride up to the upper level.

This photo was actually taken from outer space.

Self-portrait of the photographer. Thanks Kaspars for the shots! Stay tuned for more from the 2016 Suzuki Nine Knights special mission in Watles!

Wanting more Suzuki Nine Knights action? Here’s this year’s trailer to keep you hyped.

J.P. Memorial Returns to Riksgränsen, Sweden May 17-20, 2016

One of the world’s most captivating ski destinations will host enthusiasts pursuing all forms of the sport they love: from touring to heli to resort laps.

– Second Annual “JPM” honors ski pioneer JP Auclair, celebrates modern skiing’s roots and is open to anyone who loves snow and a good party
– Contests will be held, and awards given out, for: Best Trick; Best Mute Backflip; Best QP Straight Air; Best QP Trick; Best 90’s Outfit; Best Hair; Most Fun; Best Photo; ‘Send It’ Award
– Event will be hosted at the birthplace of modern skiing, Riksgränsen Resort in Sweden

Hosted jointly by Armada, Oakley and Riksgränsen Resort, in celebration of JP Auclair, a skiing pioneer whose influence on the sport is still felt today, the JP Memorial is a throwback in every way, from the tricks thrown to the attire worn.

Awards will be handed out in friendly competitions for Best Mute Backflip, Best Quarterpipe Straight Air and Best QP Trick; preferred dress will be 1990’s-themed; and shooters are encouraged to use analog tools exclusively (film, Hi-8 video, etc.).

The event returns to the acknowledged birthplace of modern skiing, Riksgränsen Resort, where, in 1998, future Armada co-founders JP and Chris “O.C.” O’Connell met at the King of the Hill contest. There, O.C.’s camera documented several year’s worth of ski progression executed by JP and others over just a few days: taking what was up until then an alpine-influenced discipline and creating what is today called “freeskiing,” but Armada just calls, “skiing.”

Registration requests can be sent to info@jpmemorial.com.

Logan Pehota wins the FWT in Haines

Press release

A failure in a communication satellite ultimately prevented a live webcast from the remote competition venue but despite this technical glitch, the beautiful Chilkat mountains hosted a successful event in Haines, Alaska today with near-perfect snow on beautiful spines and a genuine Alaskan ambiance. Sammy Luebke (USA – Snowboard Men) was crowned world champion with high-level riding across the board. A competition replay will be available on www.freerideworldtour.com as soon as it becomes technically possible within a few hours.

ALL HAINES RESULTS HERE
OVERALL RANKINGS HERE

Thirty-one of the world’s best riders have made the long journey from Fieberbrunn, Austria to the mountains of Southeast Alaska to compete on the fourth stop of the 2016 Swatch Freeride World Tour. These riders are composed of an elite selection of riders qualifying after the first round of cuts in the Fieberbrunn last week. After several days of waiting through inclement weather, the riders were finally able to catch a first glimpse of the face this morning when they were heli-ported to the remote venue over 30 miles from Haines.

The ENE-facing competition slope in Haines is known simply as “The Venue” and is over 600 vertical meters of pure Alaskan spines, airs, and aesthetically-featured powder fields. The venue is accessed only by helicopter, adding to the remote and isolated nature of this prestigious event. This year, the face was blanketed in an above-average snowpack giving riders confidence to send big lines.

After nearly a week of waiting though low clouds, light snow, and poor visibility, riders were treated to blue skies and a good visibility for the first time this morning. The weather conditions allowed the snow to adhere to the steep spines of the competition face making for picture-perfect riding conditions in consistent, velvety Alaskan powder.

Ski Men
Riders qualified for Xtreme Verbier, Switzerland
1- Loïc Collomb-Patton (FRA) – 6900
2- Logan Pehota (CAN) – 6500
3- Fabio Studer (AUT) – 5280
4- Kristofer Turdell (SWE) – 4815
5- Léo Slemett (FRA) – 4780
6- Reine Barkered (SWE) – 4560
7- Felix Wiemers (GER) – 4500
8- Stefan Hausl (AUT) – 4300
9- Jérémie Heitz (SUI) – 4295
10- Ivan Malakhov (RUS) – 4275
11- Dennis Risvoll (NOR) – 4090
12- Drew Tabke (USA) – 3955

It has been a strong season for rookie Logan Pehota (CAN – 1st) as he has consistently merged freestyle innovation with classic hard charging – today was no different as he secured first place with a line featuring a stylish 360 combined with technical mastery. When it comes down to big lines, it was business as usual for Loïc Collomb-Patton (FRA – 2nd) as he crushed an aggressive start into a huge 360, but his 2nd place finish was not able to guarantee the title of world champion until his final trial in Verbier, Switzerland. Finding a spot on the podium has proved elusive for Drew Tabke (USA – 3rd) this season but his typical innovative line selection and massive backflip secured his third place finish and Verbier qualification.

Ski Women
Riders qualified for Xtreme Verbier, Switzerland
1- Eva Walkner (AUT) – 7200
2- Arianna Tricomi (ITA) – 6280
3- Matilda Rapaport (SWE) – 5805
4- Jaclyn Paaso (USA) – 5755
5- Nadine Wallner (AUT) – 4955
6- Evelina Nilsson (SWE) – 4735

Eva Walkner (AUT – 1st) is one step closer to earning her title of world champion today by employing her tried-and-true method of powerful charging topped with a sizeable air. Matilda Rapaport (SWE – 2nd) had her finest finish of the season with a line that not only demonstrated technical mastery of the Alaskan terrain, but also featured an impressive air. Arianna Tricomi (ITA – 3rd) bit off slightly more than she could chew with a line that featured some of most consequential airs of the day but lacked an overall impression of control due to a backslap at the bottom of her line.

Out of the 31 riders competing in today’s event, only 28 will make the cut and move on to the season finale and world championships on April 2nd. The best three results of the 2016 FWT season will determine which riders make the cut and have a chance to go for the title of world champion in the final event at the Swatch Xtreme Verbier.

The Haines event is always one of the most anticipated events on the FWT because the Alaskan mountains offer some of the highest quality freeriding in the world. Today’s competition was a fine example of how the top riders on the planet can take advantage of these fabled mountains to raise the level of the sport and produce a competition of the highest caliber. To review any moment of today’s action check our the live replay as soon as it becomes available on www.freerideworldtour.com.

Public special obstacle: Creative session with Multi-Hit at Snowpark Schöneben

The feature, especially designed and built for this day by the Schöneben shape crew, attracted numerous freeskiers to spend a crazy day on the mountain.

This winter season, one highlight chases the other at Snowpark Schöneben: After hosting the Battle RoJal QParks Tour contest and exclusive camera shoots, a further big event took place at the park with the public special obstacle session. Park designer Moritz Klammer and his shape crew worked hard to care for perfect conditions and to present a “special” feature. The results demonstrate that the crew understands their job pretty well. The multi-hit special consists of two tubes (5m) in the shape of a T, a down rail (8m), a down rail (8m) and a donkey rail (6m).

„Although the weather was not ideal at the beginning, the motivation was always right. The preparations and implementation of the plan worked out well, the freeskiers were thrilled and satisfied“, park designer Moritz reports. „My personal highlight was definitely the joint BBQ session with the riders in super-relaxed atmosphere. It was great to discuss the features because everyone has a different approach.“

Also the riders were more than ready to take the challenge at Snowpark Schöneben and enjoyed the session. In numerous runs, the freeskiers alternately tried to conquer the special obstacle. At short breaks equipped with sausages and soft drinks, they could discuss their creative approaches to shred the multi hit while watching other riders. And so the day in the park was spent until the last chair.

Oystein Braaten wins the SFR Tour Finals in La Clusaz

Text by Maxime Ramoul

It’s the same as the qualifications but fewer numbers of skiers on top. Three jib zones, three kickers, four kids, four girls and twelve dudes competing to win the last stop of the season.

The conditions are perfect, and no one can complain when the kids and women start off the contest.

 

Nathan Pecqueur-Col and Kelly Sildaru dominate the competition easily, as Kelly lands a switch 10 on the last jump. Both won all the SFR stops they participated in this season. The victory also helps Kelly to take the first place at the AFP world tour.

The guys finals start, motivated by the speaker Alex Hamelin on fire at home in front of a huge public. Everyone lands their runs but Evan McEachran, the qualifications winner. To see where we are, Andri Ragettli gets the 5th place with 89 points and Jackson wells the 10th with 82,40 points. The judges place themselves in a tricky situation and the riders had to strive for perfection.

Luca Schuler is the most impressive with his switch dub bio 10 bow & arrow, but sadly doesn’t land his second run. James Woods takes the third place behind Alex Bellemare. But the Norwegian Oyster Braaten beats everyone with this insane run, landed as usual perfectly: Switch 270 in pretzel 450, lip 450 disaster, switch 810 in, left double cork 9 safety, switch right double cork 10, switch left double cork 1440.

Congratulations, it wasn’t an easy job!
Despite the expected spin to win contest, we have to admit that the level was insane, and we can conclude that theses guys are mutants – just in case you had any doubts.

Girls made history at Suzuki Nine Queens…again

What a show today at the Nine Queens castle. The crowd went crazy for all the girls, in perfect spring conditions.
We will not give anything away yet, but you will be able to watch all the girls in our highlight edit, dropping tomorrow.

Nine Queens is all about riding with your friends on the mountain and progress freeskiing together.
This is exactly what makes the event special. All the girls push the sport every year and have a lot of fun doing it.

We will bring you a full article next week, because there is just too much to talk about.
Here are all the results and more importantly the gallery.
More news coming soon.

SKI:
1.Giulia Tanno: switch 10 tail grab (big, compact), left cork 7 safety (***)
2.Maggie Voisin: left cork 9 tail grab (little short), switch left 5 guetto grab (big +)
3.Keri Herman: switch 5 lead gap (big, compact), right cork 7 tindy (good lady)
4.Coline Ballet-Baz: left 900 tail (wow, big), left flat 5 revert
5.Suzana: misty 10 safety no grab, ( first time ever ) left 7 safety (grab, backseat),

SNOW ( car nous ne sommes pas sectaires )
1.Anna Gasser: Cab 9, backside 7 (cab double underfloor happened after the comp ended)
2.Klaudia Medlova: backside rodeo, frontside 7 chicken salad
2.Kjersti Buaas: frontside 7, backside 5
4.Hailey Langland: corked backside 5 shifty, frontside 3 shifty
5.Elena Konz: frontside 7, backside 7
6.Julia Baumgartner: backside 3, no second trick

Suzuki Nine Queens 2016: Midweek Update

Suzuki Nine Queens. Another year. Year six, to be exact. Six years of the world’s biggest female-only freeskiing (and now snowboarding) media extravaganza and progression session on a castle-themed feature in the Austrian heights of Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis. So what’s new?

Nikki Blackall dropping in. Photo: David Malacrida

Maggie Voisin enjoys her first Nine Queens appearance. Photo: Malacrida

Well, there’s another castle. One with five takeoffs. No hip landings this year—clean-cut, straight walls, looking more like a Nine Knights castle than the ladylike Queens castles of years past.

There’s a side feature. A snow rainbow/butter pad contraption with a wide underpass underneath. Gap to down box on the left, down-flat-down rail and down rail on the right, six battlement towers around the perimeter. The arch is one of the most impressive yet built by the Schneestern shape crew, and it’s so big that it’s starting to sag. (Each night the shapers stick metal supports underneath it so it doesn’t sink further, and they’ve already had to refill the top of the pad once so it stays a rainbow, rather than sagging flat.)

The arch may sag, but it won’t break—snow is an incredible building material. Oh yeah, and that’s Keri Herman. Photo:  Malacrida

There’s a few dozen of the world’s best female freeskiers and snowboarders. Some of them Suzuki Nine Queens veterans, like Keri Herman, who’s been to all six, and the energetic duo of Emma Dahlström and Coline Ballet-Baz. Some new faces, like American Maggie Voisin, Swiss Giulia Tanno, and Norwegian Johanne Killi—she of the blunted 900s.

It’s day three already—how time flies! Highlights so far, both positive and negative: Killi’s immaculate cork 900s. Maggie Voisin, Emma and Coline: lots of blunts and cubans grabbed. Slovakian Zuzanna Stromkova with a brutal crash on a rodeo 900—sidelined for the time being. Claudia Medlova falls off the side of the kicker from six meters up, somehow emerging intact. Coline and Emma play a mini-game of SLVSH—loser has to jump into the ice-cold creek outside the hotel. (Coline takes the plunge.) Dania Assaly runs the yoga sessions.

Emma Dahlström, dropping in. Photo: Malacrida

The girls getting their stretch on. Photo: Malacrida

Yesterday: skies clearing after last night’s storm, still chilly and breezy—enough so to keep the jump closed. Instead, a session on the side feature. Girls are tail-pressing and hand-dragging the rainbow, 270ing and switch 270ing onto rails and boxes, dropping into the feature in trains as the drones buzz overhead like angry wasps and the camera people elbow for position and shout at each other to get out of the shot.

Suzuki Nine Queens founder and organizer Nico Zacek is in the midst of it all—coordinating drops, directing camera angles, keeping the stoke alive. “There’s no B&E [Invitational] for the girls, there’s no JOI [Jon Olsson Invitational] for the girls,” he says. “They only have Suzuki Nine Queens when it comes to having a passion-fueled event.”

Emma gaps to the down box. Photo: Malacrida

Johanne Killi, looking for the pretzel. Photo: Malacrida

Stoke levels: high. Photo: Malacrida

Yesterday, Zacek says, that passion was in the air. “A three-hour session on a small jib feature and we had the best time ever,” he says. “The girls teamed up: selfie here, selfie there, GoPro here, GoPro there—get funny shots, laugh, music, party, good spirits, and that’s what this event is about.”

Two more days to go, and today’s sunrise session started at 5:00am. No rest for the weary—see you on the other side.

13-17th of April, Creation Nation is back, bigger and better than before.

Press release

“The riders will be joined by world class photographers and filmmakers to perpetuate an event that will keep you smiling for a long time.
This is our way of giving back to the people who makes us what we are, a way of showing how fun skiing can really be.

“The Vibes at last years event were unreal!
Almost all riders are no competitive riders, which means they use film and photo to portrait their skiing.
So our event is built by film skiers for film skiers and we try in implement that in every aspect of the event.
The course, the sessions, the comp and the living and food situation.
We used a format called *Tricks For Cash*. If you put down a sick trick you instantly get awarded with Cash.
Easy as that.

It seemed to bring a lot of hype to the riders as you can see in tricks thrown down.
Kim Boberg with the Nosebutter 450 and Freddie Gibson the early Nosegrab slide on the 4 kink are two insane tricks that I dont think would been thrown with a traditional competition format.
Fun fact! The 4 kink is a replica from the Moscow 4kink seen in FINITO.

We also did a Best Tricks session on the now famous S-rail Spine feature.
Best Tricks that is not Best Trick. Who did the illest tricks of the session won the Flatscreen.
This year we have some different additions as yoga sessions, live Swedish rap artists at the party and recycle project during the event!

Follow the whole event on snapchat @bunchsnap and Instagram #bunchcreation
– LSM

Ten years in the making: West Coast Session 10 is here

Matt Walker and John Kutcher double-team the feature at West Coast Session 9. Photo: Jamie Walter

On May 1-6, 2016 the West Coast Session will return to Timberline Ski Area and Windell’s Camp for a tenth year of celebrating skiing on the slopes of Mount Hood, Oregon.

Over the past decade the West Coast Session has grown from a small photo and video shoot to a full-fledged family gathering. At the end of each season skiers from around the world flock to Mount Hood to meet old friends, make new ones, session an incredible park and enjoy one of skiing’s cult-classic events.

For our tenth anniversary, we’re very glad to welcome our international family of skiers, photographers, filmers and friends for one last hoo-rah. We’re pulling out all the stops for this very special event, with a host of special features and the return of our team contest: The Session Showdown.

WCS intern Dylan Ferguson gets in on the action. Photo: Rocky Maloney

WCS10 Public Day: Sunday, May 1, 2016
As always, the West Coast Session kicks off with an open-park jam session, giving the public the chance to shred Timberline’s awesome parks alongside the invited riders. Hillcrest Sports will be on the grill serving up free food for all, while WCS mini-contests and giveaways from our sponsors will keep things interesting for all comers!

10 for 10: Ten contests for #WCS10
We’ve never been big on competition at WCS, but for WCS10 we’re doing things a little differently. To celebrate 10 years of WCS, we’re running 10 separate contests to keep things interesting throughout the week. The contests will range from daily mini-contests on social media to team and individual video contests. More details about the “10 for 10” contests will be posted soon on westcoastsession.com.

Invited Riders
We’ll be announcing our Invite List soon via social media. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram and check westcoastsession.com to find out who will be attending #WCS10.

As always, we couldn’t make the West Coast Session happen without our incredible hosts and sponsors: Timberline Ski Area, Windell’s Camp, Picture Organic Clothing, Pisten Bully, Destoy Labs, Hillcrest Sports, Buff and Treefort Lifestyles.

GoPro Course Preview Suzuki Nine Queens 2016

Continuing her tradition of being the first to hit the feature, Emma Dalhstrom did not disappoint with her first tricks on this year’s castle. In the GoPro Course preview, she and style master Kjersti Ostgaard-Buaas (NOR, snb) sample the offerings of the huge chateau with fellow world-class skiers including Coline Ballet-Baz (FRA, ski), Keri Herman (USA, ski) and top snowboarders such as Sarka Pancochova (CZE, snb) and Anna “Panka” Gyarmati (HUN, snb). Shot 100% on GoPro. A week of riding this insane feature means epic tricks for Contest Day Friday March 18th, 2016.

Song: Hundred dolla girlz by Richard Charnock

B&E Invitational 2016 – Like father and son, Henrik and Candide represent 20 years of freeskiing

On this Sunday morning, the hangover isn’t just about alcohol or yesterday’s party, but rather about the intense past week at the B&E Invitational. It’s time to recap the event, and there are plenty of choices for the headline.

“The B&E Invitational 2016 shows an awesome level of skiing and creativity”

“The best riders in the world gathered to ride a unique feature at the B&E Invitational 2016”

“Henrik Harlaut and Candide Thovex hold up the B&E Invitational 2016”

“Is the B&E Invitational the best freeskiing event?”

“The B&E Invitational didn’t need a big kicker for riders to do double corks”

“The B&E Invitational is an ode to modern skiing”

“The B&E Invitational is an event for the skiers, by the skiers”

“The parties were crazy at the B&E Invitational 2016”

“B&E Invitational: The shapers fight against Mother Nature’s worst”

“The B&E Invitational 2016 presents the most innovative freeskiing feature”

“Too many headlines possible for the B&E Invitational 2016”

“Like father and son, Henrik and Candide represent 20 years of freeskiing”

“We simply loved the B&E Invitational 2016”

Let’s break down each one of these headlines, and you’ll understand why it’s so hard to pick among them.

“The B&E Invitational 2016 shows an awesome level of skiing and creativity”
The riders got used to this highly creative feature quite fast, and the final on Sunday was a crazy fresco of action. Henrik, Jacob Wester, ABM and Torin Yater-Wallace were throwing doubles on a few features in the run, while the rookie Joona Kangas was going huge on his old-school backflip mutes and Candide Thovex was finding the best line.

“The best riders in the world gathered to ride a unique feature at the B&E Invitational 2016”
There’s no other event that’s capable of gathering such a field of skiers from different horizons and generations, from The Bunch shredders to X Games gold medalist Torin Yater-Wallace.
“Henrik Harlaut and Candide Thovex hold up the B&E Invitational 2016”
– Blue Tomato Best Style: Henrik
– Les Arcs Best Overall: Henrik
– Beatcan Best Line: Candide
– E-Adrenaline Public Choice Winner: Candide (540 participants, 160 votes)
– Armada Best Trick: Henrik

“Is the B&E Invitational the best freeskiing event?”
This is a tricky question, because we have to consider the point of view. For the public and the media, who have limited access to the course, probably not. But for the riders who enjoyed this unique space just for them, probably yes.

“The B&E Invitational didn’t need a big kicker for riders to do double corks”
The hip at the beginning is a 2-meter high booter, tossing riders over a 10-meter table when they hit it straight. This small feature with a high parabola allowed Henrik to toss a double bio 12 safety, and Torin a double flat 12 safety, for example. No need to build bigger features! And a bonus, Jules Bonnaire almost did a triple backflip out of the big bowl, only to earn himself the biggest crash of the day (he’s fine now).

“The B&E Invitational is an ode to modern skiing”
Putting creativity and freedom at the center of the event, using the jam session system and offering free beers all day and night to the skiers, the B&E Invitational is the best ambassador of real freeskiing to a larger audience.

“The parties were crazy at the B&E Invitational 2016”
With more than a thousand Monster bills (representing one beer each) distributed to the skiers, two official parties and an unofficial one every night, the night life was definitely a huge part of the event. It was a good call to start the sessions at noon…

“B&E Invitational: The shapers fight against Mother Nature’s worst”
They worked for weeks, then had to clean all the fresh snow out of the bowl, then reshape this massive area for days and nights—for that, the shapers deserve some real props!

“The B&E Invitational 2016 presents the most innovative freeskiing feature”
This course, imagined by Henrik and Phil with influence from skateboarding, was full of transitions, kickers and rails that skiers rode better than we could ever have imagined. It allowed riders to attempt lines, tricks and styles that were so different from what we’re used to seeing in competition. Maybe it’s events like this that have pushed slopestyles to become more creative this year.

“Too many headlines possible for the B&E Invitational 2016”
Is it really a bad thing to have so much to say about an event?

“Like father and son, Henrik and Candide represent 20 years of freeskiing”
The crowd is gathered in front of the stage as the speaker Alex begins to announce the awards. The first one is for Candide, the second one goes to Henrik, and the next one is shared between both—an incredible moment of emotion for both skiers, and especially Henrik, for whom this moment was literally a dream come true.
Hugs, checks and smiles concluded the event perfectly. Henrik decided to split his $10,000 prize among all the skiers, Candide gave all his goodies to the public, and Henrik did the same. Here are two legends, darlings of the public, sharing a special moment together with their fans. Here are 15 years of freeskiing evolution on one stage, like a father and son, representing the past, the present and the future of skiing.

“We simply loved the B&E Invitational 2016”
And now you understand why.

Many thanks to everyone: the riders, staff, public, shapers, media and others; everyone who helped or participated in this event from near and far deserve to be mentioned—and now deserve some well-earned rest!

 

 

 

Kelly Sildaru, Gus Kenworthy win 2016 European Freeski Open

If only the weather had stayed like this all day… photos: Ole Kleim

All week the weather here in Laax had seemed too good to be true for this year’s ninth annual European Freeski Open. And during today’s finals, it turns out that it was too good to be true: a fat cloud rolled in just as the men’s competition was getting underway, forcing several course holds and adding an unexpected twist to what was otherwise a weather-blessed contest.

Announcer Martin Misof had the crowd screaming to keep the clouds away—to no avail.

The women’s final squeaked by right as the weather was closing in, with seven top slopestyle competitors bringing out their best for the sizable crowd that had gathered in the Curnius snowpark to watch. As expected, 14-year-old Estonian wunderkind Kelly Sildaru continued her assault on freeskiing podiums with a first-place run that included a switch 270 on, switch right 540 tail, left 900 tail, switch left 900 mute, a beauty of a rightside cork 720 reverse mute, and a 540 tail and front 450 off the final rail to close things out. And after having already won the contest with her second run, Sildaru went back up and stomped it even cleaner on her third try, adding a pretzel 270 out on the first rail and bumping her score up to a very impressive 95.16.

Veteran American competitor Keri Herman came in second with a run that included a switch right 720, switch right cork 540, left 720 and right cork 720, all grabbed safety (okay, one was high safety), while Swedish ripper Emma Dahlström rounded out the podium in third place with the day’s cleanest 270 on, 270 off, a right 540 safety, switch left 900 mute, left cork 720 japan, and maybe the first quarterpipe handplant in a slopestyle podium run.

Keri Herman coasts to second place.

“We were missing a few of the top girls, but the level was still insane and everyone was pushing it and learning new tricks,” said Dahlström. I was really happy to see everyone doing so well. There were a lot of us trying new stuff out there today.”

“I’m super stoked that Keri is back on the podium,” she added. “She did an awesome job today, keeping it together with good style.”

Then came the men’s final, and suffice to say that things did not go as expected. For one, the clouds rolled in with a determined effort to put a stop to the contest. After two and a half runs in debilitating visibility, a prolonged course hold threatened to limit the comp to the first two runs—potentially throwing out a pair of podium runs that had already been landed in the third run. But finally a hole in the clouds opened enough to run the final five skiers and wrap up the contest without further disruption.

In another surprise, none of the three favored Swiss skiers in the final made it to the podium, even despite triples from Andri Ragettli and Fabian Bösch that weren’t enough to overcome other small mistakes or imperfect executions in their runs.

Land this trick or we’ll wave the flag.

James Woods skied to third place with an explosive run that included a switch 450 on to switch, switch tail butter 540, left double cork 1080 safety to japan, a capped right double cork 1260 blunt and a switch right double cork 1080 octograb.

“This season’s been fantastic for me,” said Woods. “I’ve had amazing results, I’ve been all over the world. But there’s that little thing inside of you that says, coming in fourth sucks—even though it doesn’t really. So it’s nice to break that routine a little bit.”

“Just to get into the finals these days is an achievement you can take to the grave with you,” he added. “It’s incredible to be at this level with everyone skiing so phenomenally.”

Felix Usterud on his way to second place.

Felix Usterud, the top finisher in the semi-finals, captured second place with a left double cork 120 mute to japan, switch right double cork 1080 safety and a switch left double cork 1260 mute.

And as the fog descended, it was Gus Kenworthy who mounted the top of the podium with a 450 on, pretzel 270 off, switch nose butter 540, left double cork 1080 blunt, right double cork 1260 mute, a switch left double cork 1080 blunt, and a massive switch cork 720 on the quarterpipe that sealed the deal.

“I didn’t have that high of expectations for myself today,” said Kenworthy. “I’ve already had a really good contest year, and this was my last event of the year. I just wanted to have fun and put down a run that I was stoked on. To be able to land a run that ended up on top of the podium feels really good.”

 

That’s a wrap on the 2016 European Freeski Open LAAX – we’ll see you next year!

See the full results here.