Good conditions at the second attempt: The contest, which was originally scheduled for February, had to be postponed due to poor visibility and could now be held on 16.03.2013. This time, the mountains in the Paznaun Valley offered good snow conditions and the sun also gave its best. In the afternoon, the beaming winners of almost 60 participants were announced: Angelika Kaufmann (ski), Martin Rofner (ski), Sanne Koeman (snowboard), Christoph Fuschlberger (snowboard).
Contest participant and PowderGuide reporter Katharina Schröer captured her impressions on site:
The clear sky slowly turns a bright blue as the riders pick up their bibs from the Riders Office at seven in the morning, still slightly sleepy. The signs are good for the start of the final round of the Open Faces series. A little fresh snow, plenty of sunshine, a ski resort where all those responsible on site are eagerly awaiting "their" first freeride event and, last but not least, an Open Faces family made up of the organizing committee and riders, who can feel the bonding effect of the work, organization and growing experience of an entire winter.
The general tiredness quickly gives way to greeting each other, talking shop about placings in the race for the title of Austrian champion and the eager anticipation of a face that is right up there with the locations of the OF series: The Quellspitze rises steeply into the cloudless sky and offers the almost 60 athletes everything that makes a freerider's heart beat faster, from gently rolling terrain that invites playful and creative lines to wide fields that tempt you to make big turns and high speeds to extremely technical, rocky steep slopes with plenty of drops. But behind many a beautiful face lies a flaw or two. The few centimetres of fresh snow hide stones at the top and old avalanche debris and crusts of snow at the bottom. The fact that winter is slowly giving way to spring has not gone unnoticed on the beautiful Quellspitze, which stretches its face towards the south-southeast towards the sun.
The choice of line requires the riders to have experience in assessing the snow conditions and, above all, a lot of strength in their legs to iron out the shocks of the changing snow conditions under their boards until the very end. Challenges that showed who was among the best on the day, especially in the hard landings on the cliffs! Winners Christoph Fuschberger on the snowboard and skier Martin Rofner show that they are tougher than the conditions! The ski girls show solid runs with controlled drops and flawless skiing technique, while the snowboard girls show one thing above all: Room for improvement! However, with three starters, the chances of a podium place are not difficult to calculate. Is there perhaps a lack of competition here? So all the snowboard girls, we know you're out there, your project for next year is to step on the gas at the Open Faces and show the judges that you can not only reach the finish line with clean, speedy - and less exciting - lines, but that you also have what it takes technically and in the air!
A successful day is coming to an end: after the award ceremony, not only the winners are delighted with their trophies, which are already piling up for some of them thanks to their consistent performances and are definitely finding practical application ("Snack board collection complete!"), but also the Open Faces OC about the successful conclusion of the series. Although the last stop of the Open Faces series will take place next week on the Kitzsteinhorn, it will be organized by the team from the X Override Contest, which has been running for several years now. That's why the Rookie of the Year was already announced at the award ceremony in Kappl: Michael Durstberger from Salzburg was delighted to receive the award. But the Kappl cable cars can also look back on a successful day, which should be the starting signal for a future in which wide skis and snowboards will also fit into the gondola stands (next year will be the year) and in which it is no longer just the lucky insiders, who previously preferred to pass on the secret tip of Kappl under the table, who come to Kappl for freeriding. In the extensive and varied terrain, which is just a stone's throw away from the famous Rendl area on the Arlberg, you will find a relaxed atmosphere with similar snow conditions, a ski area that really goes the extra mile for freeriders and - don't worry - offers enough space for everyone, from beginners to pros.
The winners:
Snowboard women:1. Sanne Koeman NED
2. Jenny Farrah USA
3. Katharina Schröer GER Snowboard men:1.Christoph Fuschberger AUT
2. Niklas Hollsten FIN
3rd Bruno Biller GER
Ski women:1st Angelika Kaufmannr AUT
2nd Ariana Tricomi ITA
3rd Lea Hartl GER Ski men:
1st Martin Rofner AUT
2. Michael Durstberger AUT
3rd Julian Zenzmaier AUT Rookie of the Year:
Michael Durstberger AUT The complete list of results
More pictures
Open Faces Freeride Series 2013:
January 12, 2013 OPEN FACES** Axamer Lizum (**FWQ) (read report)
January 19, 2013 OPEN FACES** Fieberbrunn (**FWQ) (read report)
January 26, 2013 OPEN FACES* Hochkönig (*FWQ) (read report)
February 23, 2013 OPEN FACES*** Big Mountain Stubai Glacier (***FWQ)
15-17. March 2013 OPEN FACES** Kappl (**FWQ)
March 22, 2013 X OVER RIDE* Kitzsteinhorn (*FWQ)
March 23, 2013 X OVER RIDE*** Big Mountain Kitzsteinhorn (***FWQ)
