Featured Image: Antoine Fournier, Courtesy of Nendaz Freeride | Skier: Alex Hackel
The fifth edition of the groundbreaking Nendaz Backcountry Invitational was a smashing success. Last week, conditions aligned and the largest weather window in skiing was tightened as the competition was confirmed for this past Sunday, January 12th. Last year’s competition was greeted with 40 cm of fresh snow, setting the bar high. But the fine folks at Nendaz Freeride don’t miss, and with clear skies and fresh snow, it was on.
Unlike many events in modern skiing, the Nendaz Backcountry Invitational’s course includes both manmade and natural features, creating a freeride-inspired event that pulls in freestyle elements. The course blends cliffs and rollovers with perfectly sculpted kickers, all complete with soft landings thanks to the copious amounts of snow in the mountains of Nendaz, Switzerland.
“With the recent snowfalls providing beautiful powder, the sunshine and the excellent level of the participants, the show was guaranteed,” said Nendaz Freeride in the press release. “It was an exceptional day, with crazy sporting performances and a very friendly, festive atmosphere in the finish area.”
The day lived up to the hype in every way. With 12 confirmed riders in the Men’s Ski field and six confirmed riders in the Women’s Ski field, there was no shortage of talent. There was double the number of women competing compared to last year, illustrating the staggering growth of the sport and overdue attention finally being directed.
Mila De Le Rue, sister of legendary French snowboarder Victor De Le Rue, took the cake on the women’s side. She won both the first and third runs weaving together big airs and clean turns. Trailing by a hair, Freeride World Tour competitor Astrid Cheylus took second place after coming in second on runs one and three, and securing first place on the run two. She landed a sensational double backflip, sending the spectators (and Instagram) into a frenzy. Third place went to Swiss rider Eva Battolla, who put on a show in front of the home crowd.
Tiemo Rolshoven and Jake Müller put on a clinic in the Men’s Ski field, trading blows each run with Müller claiming run one and Rolshoven taking runs two and three. These two dominating runs down the stretch ended up giving Rolshoven the advantage, allowing him to grab the overall win as he gears up for the 2025 Freeride World Tour. At just 19 years old, Müller certainly has a promising future ahead of him. The Englishman landed the first triple backflip in a freeride competition on Sunday. Austrian Sebastian Mall claimed third place, just barely beating out the heavy-hitting talent of Alex Hackel and Maé Biedermann.
There has never been a more exciting time in competitive freeride skiing. The Freeride World Tour is putting athletes on a global stage. New events like Silver Belt and Natural Selection Ski allow athletes to push their skiing outside of standard lines while gaining recognition in a structured system.
And of course, the Nendaz Backcountry Invitational is bringing in a worldwide talent pool and cultivating an incredibly fun atmosphere while they do it. Thanks to all who helped make this year’s event possible, and cheers to more creative and inspirational freeride madness in 2025.
Images: Antoine Fournier and Levy Loye, Courtesy of Nendaz Freeride
