In fantastic snow and weather conditions, Shannan Yates (USA) and George Rodney (USA) took first place for the skiers and Silvia Moser (ITA) and Sammy Luebke (USA) for the snowboarders in Haines. With her second place, Eva Walkner (AUT) from Salzburg sensationally secured the FWT World Championship title in the women's skiing after a two-year injury break even before the grand final in Verbier. Flo Orley (AUT) took second place in the snowboarder category and Felix Wiemers (GER) seventh in the skier category. Now it's over, the Alaska tour stop in Haines that overshadowed everything this FWT season. At first it looked as if the Freeride Word Tour entourage would have to travel on without having achieved anything, having sat out the bad weather and made three futile attempts for nothing. But then the tide turned: the competition only took place one day after the official time slot. The question of whether the wait and effort for this unique Freeride World Tour stop was worth it was one that many European freeride fans were able to answer for themselves on 23.03.15 on the live stream at prime time. For all those who didn't have the time or opportunity to do so, here's a recap of the event.
Results
Ski men:
1. George Rodney (USA), 87.75
2. Jérémie Heitz (SUI), 81.00
3. Kevin Guri (FRA), 80.00 Snowboard men:
1. Sammy Luebke (USA), 90.00
2. Flo Orley (AUT), 87.00
3. Colin Boyd (USA), 82.00 Women's snowboard:
1. Shannan Yates (USA), 79.50
2. Estelle Balet (SUI), 75.00
3. Elodie Mouthon (FRA), 69.00 Women's skiing:
1. Silvia Moser (ITA), 84.00
2. Eva Walkner (AUT), 76.75
3. Francesca Pavillard-Cain (USA), 65.00 All results
An FWT contest in Alaska - this was a long-cherished dream for organizers and participants. After three weather-related cancellations over the last week, this dream came true today in the fourth attempt. On the contest slope "The Venue" (start at 2100 m a.s.l.), the competitors offered freeride action at its finest in half a meter of fresh snow. Eight female skiers, five female snowboarders, 15 male skiers and nine male snowboarders competed against the impressive backdrop of Alaska's mighty mountains and glaciers. They were able to choose between two possible start gates or start directions on the 740-meter slope. The two-part face featured gullies and rock bands in the upper and lower sections.
The wide snow field in the middle served as an outlet for the sluff that the riders triggered, so the snow didn't slide out of the face after the first starters. Most of the lines consisted of one or two medium features in the upper part and also one or two medium features in the lower part. Contrary to expectations, tricks were rarely shown and when they were, they were judged very strictly. One highlight was certainly the fronflip iron cross by 36-year-old American Garreth Altmann. There were also hardly any big, risky features; more emphasis was placed on fluidity and line choice than on individual highlights. The almost half meter of fresh snow certainly contributed to the fact that it was not so easy to build up speed, manage the sluff and push off properly on the cliff jump. Areas cleared by previous skiers surprised some skiers, so they probably had to adjust their line a little. For the women starting at the end, the conditions in the face were logically very difficult to handle. While the snowboard ladies showed a surprisingly high level with a lot of speed, only a few riders in the women's ski category made it to the finish without a (serious) fall. Unfortunately, there were also several riders who had to fight their way to the finish line after crashing with obvious (knee) injuries.
Snowboard men
Sammy Luebke (USA), the winner of the first FWT event of the season in Chamonix, was allowed to open the Alaska event. The American from Squaw Valley, who originally grew up in Alaska, started with fast powder turns and left plenty of spray in his wake. With two confident double cliff drops, an Indy and a backside 360, he scored a whopping 90 points - an unusually high score for a first run. None of the other snowboarders were able to beat him. Innsbruck's Flo Orley was the last snowboarder to start and began aggressively with an air into a steep gully. He followed this up with another air and then rode down a wide snow field at high speed in the fall line. In the lower section, Orley showed off with a very wide jump on a popular roller and a double drop - 87 points meant second place.
Third place went to Colin Boyd (USA), who jumped over a nose right at the start and fell a little behind on his subsequent 360 transfer, which cost him a higher score. He then managed a flawless, flowing run with two doubles and two more airs - 82 points for the man from Sugarloaf. Unfortunately, the only snowboarder who dared to perform a trick over a respectable cliff was not really rewarded for this, meaning that Jonathan Charlet (FRA), who had previously been leading the rankings, only managed eighth place and dropped back to third place in the overall standings. In view of Verbier, this makes the tour finale even more exciting.
Men's skiing
21-year-old George Rodney (USA), winner of the Freeride World Tour stop in Fieberbrunn this season (the event was ultimately held in Andorra) and overall leader ahead of the Alaska event, remains the rider of the moment. After a difficult double drop at the start, Rodney was almost leveraged out on the landing, but miraculously caught himself and followed up with two wide, super-fast airs. He collected more points with straight lines and a technical double and took first place with 87.75 points. Swiss rider Jérémie Heitz (SUI) delivered the most direct and fastest run of the day. He started with a double drop and a jump before continuing with a lot of speed in the fall line. In principle, he chose the same line as the winner Rodney, but without any uncertainties and with significantly more speed. The judges corrected their scores during the competition, meaning that Heitz still ended up in second place. However, the "home victory" went to the American Rodney. Kevin Guri (FRA) also showed a fast line. He also impressed the judges with a jump at the beginning and a wide, very safe air and a double drop. Guri scored 80 points and took third place.
Felix Wiemers (GER) finished in seventh place after a safe run with 65 points. The skier from Hesse was the first skier to take off, starting with two cliff drops in the steep section and following it up with another jump - all landed cleanly. He skied through the wide snow field at high speed, then performed a wide straddle jump and an air. Stefan Häusl (AUT) crashed shortly before the end after a brilliant run and finished tenth. Sam Anthamatten (SUI) chose a very creative line as usual, but was penalized for his not quite clean 360 and dropped down the rankings.
George Rodney (USA) remains in first place in the overall standings. Jérémie Heitz (SUI) is second ahead of Reine Barkered (SWE), who came ninth.
Full throttle vs. safety run? Felix Wiemers (GER) is now tenth, qualified for Verbier and has achieved his goal for the season - unlike Stefan Häusl (AUT), who is fifteenth in the rankings and will not be taking part in the Bec des Rosses for the first time in years. "I did a relatively safe run and was pretty happy, had good landings," reported Felix Wiemers (GER). "Unfortunately, I had a bit of trouble at the bottom on the way out. That cost me a better place. But seventh is perfect. That's exactly what I had planned. I'm in Verbier and mega happy. The snow was mega-fat and the run was really fun!"
Women's snowboard
The snowboarders were the third category to start. Defending champion Shannan Yates (USA) won here, showing a controlled run and shining with two jumps and fast turns. With 79.5 points, she caught Estelle Balet (SUI), who would have already been crowned FWT World Champion if she had won. The Swiss skier started confidently with a jump and fast turns, but made a mistake in a narrow groove shortly before the end and had to settle for 75 points. Elodie Mouthon (FRA) came third with 69 points. Nicola Thost (GER), who started with a wildcard, was the only snowboarder to fall after a strong start and finished fifth.
It remains exciting in the overall standings: Estelle Balet (SUI) is still first by a narrow margin ahead of Shannan Yates (USA) and Elodie Mouthon (FRA).
Women's skiing
The finale in the increasingly shady Face belonged to the skiers. Eva Walkner from Salzburg (AUT) had drawn bib number 6 and already knew before the start: after Hazel Birnbaum (USA) and Lotten Rapp (SWE) had fallen in front of her, a second place would be enough for her to secure the FWT World Championship title in Alaska. Walkner didn't miss a beat and started confidently, making fast turns in the powder and jumping a safe air in the steep upper section. The 35-year-old ventured into a steep, very technical section and mastered the task brilliantly. She finished the section with a jump and then found a field with untouched snow. 76.75 points - and two skiers were still at the top. Silvia Moser (ITA) clearly outdid the new world champion with an aggressive, fast run and a double cliff worth seeing, which some of the men's snowboarders also incorporated into their runs, clearly and deservedly overtaking her with 84 points. Jaclyn Paaso (USA) was the last competitor to fall and Eva Walkner was crowned FWT World Champion. Third place went to Francesca Pavillard-Cain (USA). Lorraine Huber from Lech am Arlberg (AUT) took fifth place after a crash.
Eva Walkner (AUT) now goes into the final event on the Bec des Rosses as a certain world champion. Silvia Moser (ITA) is in second place, with Hazel Birnbaum (USA) in third. Lorraine Huber (AUT) qualifies for Verbier in sixth place. "Today was a pretty cool day. It was relatively difficult for us girls because the guys had already made tracks and the snow had gotten a bit worse", said Eva Walkner (AUT). "I skied totally safe because I had a bit of a fever in the last few days. My line was quite creative and very technical, rather steep - it wasn't the mega run, but I'm happy. I still can't believe that I've now secured the title. To be at the top after two years of battling with injuries, I'm lost for words. I'm now looking forward to Verbier, because I can ride what I enjoy there without having to make tactical decisions."
Highlight clip
(Editor's note: a snowboard highlight video was not yet available at the time of writing.)
Big final at the 20th Xtreme Verbier anniversary
The best six female skiers, four female snowboarders, twelve male skiers and six male snowboarders have qualified for the final at the 20th Xtreme Verbier on Saturday, March 28, 2015. At the big anniversary of the legendary freeride event on the Bec des Rosses, they will be up against well-known wildcards such as multiple Xtreme Verbier winners Aurélien Ducroz (FRA), Steve Klaasen (USA) and Xavier de le Rue (FRA), former Super-G World Champion and current freeskier Daron Rahlves (USA) and the winner of the slalom in Kitzbühel 2015, Mattias Hargin (SWE). Nicola Thost (GER) has also received a wildcard for Verbier. Three-time Xtreme winner Géraldine Fasnacht (SUI) will perform a spectacular interlude, jumping out of a helicopter with a wingsuit and flying over the Bec des Rosses. As in previous years, the final of the Freeride Junior Tour (Region 1) will also take place as part of the Xtreme. The 20th anniversary of the event will therefore celebrate both the past and the future of freeriding!
Qualified participants for Verbier
Men's ski:
1. George Rodney (USA), 6800
2. Jérémie Heitz (SUI), 5900
3. Reine Barkered (SWE), 5370
4. Drew Tabke (USA), 5120
5. Sam Smoothy (NZL), 5000
6. Samuel Anthamatten (SUI), 4720
7. Conor Pelton (USA), 4460
8. Juan Bergada (ARG), 4420
9. Loic Collomb-Patton (FRA), 4405
10. Felix Wiemers (GER), 4010
11. Kevin Guri (FRA), 3775
12. Wille Lindberg (SWE), 3770 Snowboard Men:
1. Sammy Luebke (USA), 6625
2. Flo Orley (AUT), 6380
3. Jonathan Charlet (FRA), 6130
4. Colin Boyd (USA), 5980
5. Ralph Backstrom (USA), 5415
6. Sascha Hamm (GBR), 4800 Women's skiing:
1. Eva Walkner (AUT), 6900
2. Silvia Moser (ITA), 6105
3. Francesca Pavillard-Cain (USA), 5760
4. Hazel Birnbaum (USA), 5430
5. Lotten Rapp (SWE), 5085
6. Lorraine Huber (AUT), 5060 Women's snowboard:
1. Estelle Ballet (SUI), 7200
2. Shannan Yates (USA), 6980
3. Elodie Mouthon (FRA) 6160
4. Anne-Flore Marxer (SUI), 5455
