From the German national ski cross squad to the FWT circus, the German freerider Pia Widmesser started the 2010/2011 season. PowderGuide accompanies the athlete at the FWT tour stop in Fieberbrunn. Read all the information about the fifth tour stop in Fieberbrunn from March 9-11, 2012 as well as a short interview with Pia for the "Riders Special".
Fifth tour stop of the FWT in Fieberbrunn - PG live on location
The penultimate stage of the Swatch Freeride World Tour 2012 will take place in Fieberbrunn (Tyrol, Austria) between March 8 and 15, 2012. The Tyrolean freeride paradise will decide which snowboarders and freeskiers will qualify for the season finale in Verbier at the end of March. On the steep northern slope of the Wildseeloder, the best riders from 11 nations will have a big showdown on March 10, 2012 from 9.00 am. On March 11, young freeriders will also compete in the exciting Freeride Juniors. The world's most important freeride tour is coming to Fieberbunn-PillerseeTal for the second time. 2000 enthusiastic fans watched the only stop of the Freeride World Tour in Austria last year. PowderGuide will be reporting live from the event. Stay tuned via our Twitter account or Facebook messages.
Riders Special | Pia Widmesser
PowderGuide: Pia, you are currently ranked 8th in the FWT as the best (and only) German starter in the women's skiing category. A third place in Revelstoke and a fifth place in Chamonix are very solid results. Last year you also finished the season in 8th place. What goals have you set yourself for the event in Fieberbrunn? Are you going all out and hoping to be at the final in Verbier, or are you going to ski a safe line? Pia Widmesser: Fieberbrunn is a special event for me because there will be lots of friends of mine in the audience. Of course I want to be there in Verbier, so I want to do my best in Fieberbrunn and I'm almost more excited to race in front of my friends than anyone else.
PG: Your German colleague Basti Hannemann, who was at the front of the FWT, unfortunately got injured and his season ended early. What does your risk management look like, do you only take calculated risks or are injuries part of the sport for you?
Pia: I think it's a shame that Basti is no longer with us and wish him all the best and hope that he can ski again next year. This sport does involve a certain amount of risk and that's not always easy for me to handle. I always try to ski satisfactorily for myself and when everything is going well and you feel good, you can rise above yourself. But of course there are also bad days and phases that you have to overcome.
PG: How do you generally prepare for the season? Do you have a trainer with a master plan?
Pia: In the summer, I train a lot of endurance with things that I enjoy. Mountain walking and mountain biking. And from August I'll be going to the gym. Unfortunately, I don't have a master plan...
PG: Freeriding is currently developing from a trend sport to a mass sport. What does this mean for you as an athlete?
Pia: Phew, on the one hand it's normal, because we athletes communicate that it's a great sport, but unfortunately many people go off-piste without a plan and put themselves and others in danger. So it's better to start small!
PG: Who organizes your trip(s)? Do you do it all yourself or does someone help you?
Pia: I organize the trips myself or together with the other athletes. And the World Tour usually takes care of the accommodation.
PG: Do you plan your season around the FWT, or is it just part of your season planning?
Pia: This year, the FWT was already a priority and I planned my other projects around the tour.
PG: We wish you good luck and success in Fieberbrunn.
State Freeride World Tour 2012 ahead of the fifth tour stop
Men's ski
1. Sam Smoothy (NZL)
2. Oakley White-Allen (USA)
3. Drew Tabke (USA) Snowboard Men
1. Ralph Backstrom (USA)
2. Jonathan Charlet (FRA)
3. Emilien Badoux (SUI)
Ski Women
1. Angel Collinson (USA)
2nd Jacklyn Paaso (USA)
3rd Jess McMillan (USA) Women's snowboard
1st Maria DeBari (USA)
2nd Margot Rozies (FRA)
3rd Shannan Yates (USA) www.piawidmesser.dewww.freerideworldtour.com