2015 freeride world tour

**LiveLarger** · 01-26-2015, 10:38 AM

Originally Posted by Atrain505

Loic keeps skiing like that and he is going to blow up at a couple events with huge crashes.

Except that he skied as hard and even harder last year without blowing up. I'm willing to say he was actually taking it a bit easy.

**dvlr** · 01-26-2015, 10:53 AM

mostly really awful skiing. I attribute that to the high cost of being on the tour (first qualifying factor: lots of money from mom and dad) and therefore the lack of a broad, talented field to select from. And that people are no longer interested in learning to ski. hucking showed it's weakness: if conditions are not good for landing, they have no other tools in the bag. bottom line, the best skiers are nowhere near that tour, and for good reason. .

**Lindahl** · 01-26-2015, 10:57 AM

Would totally agree with that for the majority of the competitors.

**PNWbrit** · 01-26-2015, 11:07 AM

You two should sack up and enter....

**Lindahl** · 01-26-2015, 11:17 AM

If it didn't cost so much, I would have already. That, and the sheer number of (shitty) competitors means you have to do a large number of these to make it to the good venues.

**PNWbrit** · 01-26-2015, 11:20 AM

I can't believe you're not a professional.

**Lindahl** · 01-26-2015, 11:24 AM

Originally Posted by PNWbrit

I can't believe you're not a professional.

I have absolutely zero interest in being in the industry. I dabble in it whenever 'it' bumps into me and is made easy/simple. For me, it'd be more about the curiousity of seeing how I'd place and meeting good people with a love for skiing hard and fast.

**Jupski** · 01-26-2015, 11:28 AM

Originally Posted by dvlr

mostly really awful skiing. I attribute that to the high cost of being on the tour (first qualifying factor: lots of money from mom and dad) and therefore the lack of a broad, talented field to select from. And that people are no longer interested in learning to ski. hucking showed it's weakness: if conditions are not good for landing, they have no other tools in the bag. bottom line, the best skiers are nowhere near that tour, and for good reason. .

You must be referring to gnarhucker cause he's the best! I think they did a pretty good job considering they don't get practice runs like the X-games you probably watched
this weekend as well. As far as below average skiing there are a lot of factors that can attribute to a shitty run (nerves, getting lost, things look different when you get to it, bad day and so on). Seemed like a regular comp to me, some guys crushed and others not so much.

**Buster Highmen** · 01-26-2015, 11:34 AM

Originally Posted by Lindahl

If it didn't cost so much, I would have already. That, and the sheer number of (shitty) competitors means you have to do a large number of these to make it to the good venues.

This is just crass.

**LiveLarger** · 01-26-2015, 11:34 AM

Originally Posted by dvlr

mostly really awful skiing. I attribute that to the high cost of being on the tour (first qualifying factor: lots of money from mom and dad) and therefore the lack of a broad, talented field to select from. And that people are no longer interested in learning to ski. hucking showed it's weakness: if conditions are not good for landing, they have no other tools in the bag. bottom line, the best skiers are nowhere near that tour, and for good reason. .

This is wrong on several levels.

First of all. Most of the top competitors on the FWQ (at least in Europe) are sponsored and does nothing else then skiing. They are pro-skiers. Not rich, but they are paid to ski.

Second: Some of the earlier competitors have gone from comp skiing to movie-skiing with great success. You can see the difference from their comp skiing and movie skiing. Sending a line, on demand with less then perfect conditions, first try counts, no second run on a different face, edited out shit.. is something completely different then what you see in movies.. It's just magnitudes harder.

**Lindahl** · 01-26-2015, 11:37 AM

Originally Posted by Buster Highmen

This is just crass.

Have you ever watched a 2 star event?

**Buster Highmen** · 01-26-2015, 11:40 AM

Originally Posted by Lindahl

Have you ever watched a 2 star event?

That simply doesn't matter. Try to stop being such a boundless twit.

**powdork** · 01-26-2015, 11:42 AM

Originally Posted by Lindahl

I have absolutely zero interest in being in the industry. I dabble in it whenever 'it' bumps into me and is made easy/simple. For me, it'd be more about the curiousity of seeing how I'd place and meeting good people with a love for skiing hard and fast.

This. It used to be easy and simple and relatively cheap. It used to be a mix of local talent and the world's best on the same stage or at least at the same event. Plus it was an awesome vibe where lots of like minded folk would show up to watch, cheer, drink, smoke and otherwise engage in debauchery.
Now it's all serious.

And they talk about how it's easier to hold the event in Europe without all the liability issues and then halt the event in the middle because the safety helicopter had to wait for a weather break to return after refueling. When the care flight had to go on a mission here at the wood they didn't stop the event.

**LiveLarger** · 01-26-2015, 11:43 AM

Originally Posted by Lindahl

Have you ever watched a 2 star event?

If you are as good as you say, then you will ace that 2 star event. Then you will ski 3 star next time. Ofc you ace that as well. Ace a couple of four star events and you are in the FWT. Easy if you really are FWT material.

**dvlr** · 01-26-2015, 12:04 PM

this is also wrong. selection from a few pro skiers and some rich dudes does not offer a wide enough pool. and 'pro skier' now days don't mean shit. everyone's a pro who's got a pair of free goggles from somewhere. and I don't watch films, I go out and ski with guys and see them on the hill, no replays, no set ups, no pile of lame excuses (oh, there's a crust, oh, how can I land on 8" of light snow? oh, I can't see over that rollover?) are you kidding me, guys?

**dvlr** · 01-26-2015, 12:09 PM

no, I really don't see the difference between these guys' film skiing or comp skiing. the run may be different, and the coverage, but it's the same skier ripping with the same skills. The FWT is not currently attracting the top skiers, for whatever reason.

Originally Posted by LiveLarger

This is wrong on several levels.

First of all. Most of the top competitors on the FWQ (at least in Europe) are sponsored and does nothing else then skiing. They are pro-skiers. Not rich, but they are paid to ski.

Second: Some of the earlier competitors have gone from comp skiing to movie-skiing with great success. You can see the difference from their comp skiing and movie skiing. Sending a line, on demand with less then perfect conditions, first try counts, no second run on a different face, edited out shit.. is something completely different then what you see in movies.. It's just magnitudes harder.

**LiveLarger** · 01-26-2015, 12:10 PM

Originally Posted by dvlr

and 'pro skier' now days don't mean shit.

Pro means paid to ski. Not free gear, pro form or shit that any lame kid gets. Pro means you can pay your mortgage from income based on skiing. And sorry, your pals likely aren't FWT or movie material.

**LiveLarger** · 01-26-2015, 12:11 PM

Originally Posted by dvlr

no, I really don't see the difference between these guys' film skiing or comp skiing. the run may be different, and the coverage, but it's the same skier ripping with the same skills. The FWT is not currently attracting the top skiers, for whatever reason.

What you see in movies are cherry picking from a lot of material.

**digitaldeath** · 01-26-2015, 12:12 PM

link dont work

**oftpiste** · 01-26-2015, 12:13 PM

Let's not forget that really cost isn't a deciding factor on the FWT. You can't buy your way in and once you are in most expenses are taken care of. Granted, there are a lot of great/maybe even better skiers out there, but there are some pretty great ones on the tour too. If those guys - the good ones - were skiing in the somewhat cautious manner in which they were, there was probably a [conditions] reason for it.

LBNL, there's a huge difference between being an amazing skier and being a successful competitor. Whole different mindset. Some have it, some don't, and some simply aren't interested. My oldest kid is a great skier but struggled in competition with the mental aspect which impeded his ability to succeed in comps as a junior. When he entered a 4* qualifier with nothing at stake other than wanting to shred he skied the best comp run of his life and finished pretty well considering who he was up against. The other two kids are also amazing skiers but seem to have an innate ability to stay calm and focused in a comp run and therefore have been much more successful.

FWIW, I think the vibe is still pretty cool at the qualifiers and there seems to be a lot of solid camaraderie on the FWT between the riders. It's way bigger than it was 10 years ago, but the uniting factors of the sport are still what bring most people to the arena.

**dvlr** · 01-26-2015, 12:17 PM

of course that's what it should mean. and there weren't but a few in that comp who can say as much. what would you know about my pals?

Originally Posted by LiveLarger

Pro means paid to ski. Not free gear, pro form or shit that any lame kid gets. Pro means you can pay your mortgage from income based on skiing. And sorry, your pals likely aren't FWT or movie material.

**Lindahl** · 01-26-2015, 12:18 PM

Originally Posted by LiveLarger

If you are as good as you say, then you will ace that 2 star event. Then you will ski 3 star next time. Ofc you ace that as well. Ace a couple of four star events and you are in the FWT. Easy if you really are FWT material.

Precisely why I will never bother. Pain in the ass and expensive. I'd rather just take that time and money and go skiing, instead. Last year if I could have gone down to CB for a qualifier and subsequent final round, I would have. They don't do that anymore, though. I was a few years late on the trigger, I guess.

Only reason to do it now is to break into the industry, which as I already mentioned, have no interest in.

**PNWbrit** · 01-26-2015, 12:23 PM

Originally Posted by Lindahl

Precisely why I will never bother. Pain in the ass and expensive.

Precisely?

Actually to be precise... he didn't mention money or ass pain.

**adrenalated** · 01-26-2015, 12:27 PM

The 2* Crested Butte event is in about a month, costs $100 to enter, and the winner gets wild card entry into the 4* event at the end of March. FYI. Pretty sure the 2* event is already full though.

**abraham** · 01-26-2015, 12:31 PM

Originally Posted by dvlr

I go out and ski with guys and see them on the hill, no replays, no set ups, no pile of lame excuses (oh, there's a crust, oh, how can I land on 8" of light snow? oh, I can't see over that rollover?) are you kidding me, guys?

I take it you have never skied with anyone who has been in these comps?
I wish they hadn't done the unification, but maybe it's just economics. Having the junior tour is just not as fun to watch. But many of them still ski better than I do and have that comp skier mentality.