It’s a question skiers occasionally ask themselves — is there such a thing as too much snow?
During the latest stop of the Freeride World Tour — the Val Thorens Pro — we might’ve found an answer. As competitors descended the Lac Noir face, they kicked off billowing clouds of cold smoke. But, perhaps because of all the powder, landings sometimes proved elusive.
A surprising number of the men suffered abrupt punch front flips. Weitien Ho, amidst a blistering run, ejected from his skis and cartwheeled after attempting to backflip a cliff near the bottom of the Lac Noir. Former Freeride World Tour champion Kristofer Turdell suffered a similar fate, rolling down the venue. And Tom Peiffer inexplicably and abruptly lost a ski mid-turn.
The lines that did work out, though, were an incredible sight. At the Val Thorens Pro, the firm snow of the Freeride World Tour’s previous event — the Baqueira Beret Pro — gave way to movie ski move caliber conditions.
Martin Bender landed in first place in the Men’s Ski field, executing a trio of 360s.
“Winning my first FWT competition feels unreal — perfect powder, an amazing face, and great friends made it unforgettable. This win was a huge surprise, and it’ll take time to sink in,” he said in a press release from the Freeride World Tour.
Tap or click below to watch Bender’s winning run. Keep reading for the Women’s wining run.
Valentin Rainier and Marcus Goguen rounded out the top three, earning second and third, respectively. Both skiers matched Bender’s energy, schussing down the Lac Noir at pace. Goguen, in particular, wowed with an enormous backflip at the top of the venue.
The women’s field saw the continued dominance of Astrid Cheylus and Justine Dufour-Lapointe. In Baqueira Beret, Dufour-Lapointe won and Cheylus took second. At the Val Thorens Pro, they switched positions — Cheylus claimed first, and Dufour-Lapointe claimed second.
Cheylus narrowly surpassed Dufour-Lapointe with a roughly three-point lead, stomping a backflip mid-run.
“Winning at home, in France, with my family and friends here, means everything. My line was exactly as I envisioned, and this morning, I was so excited to ski it, especially with these incredible snow conditions,” Cheylus said in a press release from the Freeride World Tour.
Check out Cheylus’ winning run below. Tap or click to play.
Dufour-Lapointe threw her own backflip.
Across the men’s and women’s fields, the ability to land tricks in varying conditions — whether that’s bottomless powder or sun-cooked mank — seems to be the differentiator on the Freeride World Tour. Gone are the days of pure freeride runs taking top marks.
That’s not to say the up-and-coming crop of athletes on the Freeride World Tour don’t have technical big mountain chops. Rather, they can do both. Flawless, aggressive technique — paired with a deep bag of tricks — is required for success.
The athletes will convene next in early February at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, Canada. As always, you can catch the action live for free on the Freeride World Tour’s website.
Related: California Snowboarder Saved After Two Fearful Nights in the Freezing Cold
Be the first to read breaking ski news with POWDER. Subscribe to our newsletter and stay connected with the latest happenings in the world of skiing. From ski resort news to profiles of the world’s best skiers, we are committed to keeping you informed.
