Last weekend, everything revolved around the X OVER RIDE Big Mountain on the Kitzsteinhorn. It was the second year for the organizers within the Freeride World Qualifier series. As expected, the field of riders was very strong: it was not only about the Open Faces overall victory, but also about securing the last points for entry into the premier class, the Freeride World Tour. In glorious sunshine and perfect conditions, nothing stood in the way of the crowning finale of the Open Faces Freeride Series. For PowderGuide, participants Julian Zenzmaier and Jochen Mesle were on site to report on their impressions.
The 1* event
On Friday, the first participants were rewarded with the best conditions and an untouched contest face, the Geißstein. 70 riders were part of the 1* event and were also able to use this as a chance for one of the eight wildcards for the main event on Saturday. The spectators were treated to a good show and a stimulating foretaste of Saturday. Unfortunately, we arrived a little late, but were still able to enjoy a few runs in the untracked powder and take a look at tomorrow's competition slope.
Riders meeting
In the evening, the obligatory riders meeting took place at the Baumbar in Kaprun. There, final information about the terrain and the possibilities offered by the Face was presented. All the riders were in a good mood and motivated for the day ahead. Afterwards, we rounded off our evening in the sauna at the SSG Apartments in Kaprun.
The main event on the Lakarschneid
The alarm clock was set for 6:00 am, at 6:20 we dragged ourselves out of bed and after a delicious breakfast we went up to the riders area to analyze the possible lines of the Lakarschneid again. Thanks to the perfect organization, everything ran smoothly and the spectators were treated to a great show, including a fantastic presentation. The women, alternating between the snowboard and ski categories, were the first to start. Due to the intense sun, the conditions were very demanding: deep, heavy snow and a large amount of sliding snow made the contest a challenge. The Austrians did best in the women's snowboard competition. Amber Schuecker narrowly beat Liz Kristoferitsch, who was awarded the title of Austrian Freeride Master, and Manuela Mandel. The overall Open Faces title went to Jenny Farrah from America. The podium in the Ski category was shared by three girls from different nations. Lotten Rapp from Sweden won ahead of Katharina Schuler from Austria (overall Open Faces winner) and Jenni Kaipainen from Finnaland. Angelika Kaufmann can now call herself Austrian Freeride Master.
Things got particularly heated in the men's ski category. As some riders still had the chance to qualify for the Freeride World Tour, they all gave it their all. Italian Davide Cusini, who has had a very successful first contest season so far, finished in 3rd place and collected another podium finish with a very convincing run. Just ahead of him, Felix Wiemers from Germany secured second place. He is one of the contenders for the 2013/14 Freeride World Tour and this result means he is at least temporarily qualified for next season. There is only one FWQ event left, so his chances are deservedly very good. "The surprise of the day, however, was provided by Jochen Mesle, who managed to secure his place in the sun with a massive backflip" writes Julian Zenzmaier.
While it remains to be seen which riders will have the honor of competing in the Freeride World Tour next year, the Austrian Freeride Master and Open Faces overall winner is Martin Rofner. Congratulations! There was a clear favorite victory in the men's snowboard category. Flo Orley produced an incredible run with several cliffs and impressed the judges, who rewarded him with an almost perfect score. As a result, he not only secured overall victory in the seeding list, but also the title of Austrian Freeride Master. Second place went to Niklas Hollsten from Finland, who took another podium place in a very successful season and also went home with the title of Open Faces overall winner. The Englishman Sascha Hamm, who seemed visibly surprised, completed the podium with 3rd place thanks to his fast and clean riding style.
More pictures can be found in the gallery:
Conclusion
The participants, spectators and above all the organization can look back on a very pleasant and successful weekend. Thanks to the high standard, the good weather and the great atmosphere, it was one of our favorite events this year. The ski resort also had a lot to offer before and after the contest. So we're already looking forward to next year.
Finally, a (POV) video of the weekend on the Kitzsteinhorn: (An event video will follow soon)
FWQ 3* X Over Ride 2013 from pow_addict on Vimeo.
