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  1. #1376
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dantheman View Post
    That Ralph Welponer guy is a wildcard and is frankly embarrassing himself.
    He's got skills but is newer to this form of skiing. I'd give him a little bit to figure it out. He's got really awesome style on park jumps etc.
    dirtbag, not a dentist

  2. #1377
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dantheman View Post
    That Ralph Welponer guy is a wildcard and is frankly embarrassing himself.
    Yup. I don't doubt that he's a very, very good skier, but he's a fish out of water. There's gotta be at least 50 other guys that are ready, willing, and capable of throwing down a much better comp run.

  3. #1378
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    i’m getting excited about the local girl, is she gonna put her foot on the gas now?

    https://www.instagram.com/reel/CoNfL...d=MWI4MTIyMDE=
    j'ai des grands instants de lucididididididididi

  4. #1379
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    Quote Originally Posted by toast2266 View Post
    Yeah, the whole wildcard thing seems like a thorny issue for about a hundred different reasons. I'm kinda surprised they use the wildcards so frequently.
    I think for this event they had to go deep since it happened so quickly after Baqueria. Thus the local instructor too
    powdork.com - new and improved, with 20% more dork.

  5. #1380
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    Quote Originally Posted by powdork View Post
    I think for this event they had to go deep since it happened so quickly after Baqueria. Thus the local instructor too
    I agree when it comes to the Junior Wildcard, they probably called a bunch of people and took the first one willing to commit.

    Don't agree as much with the local instructor one. The Andorra stop has always tried to have someone from Andorra (or atleast Spain) actually compete to boost local involvement (without much success, I may add). Remember Dani Fornell? The first few comps Aymar was a "local wildcard" too. Joan Aracil last year?

  6. #1381
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    Quote Originally Posted by Pirene View Post
    Don't agree as much with the local instructor one. The Andorra stop has always tried to have someone from Andorra (or atleast Spain) actually compete to boost local involvement (without much success, I may add). Remember Dani Fornell? The first few comps Aymar was a "local wildcard" too. Joan Aracil last year?
    Aymar crushed on the other hand. What I was trying to say without saying it was that he seemed way overmatched. He was the local talent but his error was not knowing the local venue well enough. I 100% understand how hard it is to ski a venue with only a face check from afar but this is his home turf.
    powdork.com - new and improved, with 20% more dork.

  7. #1382
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    Total bullshit. Finn Bilous best run, most progressive tricks. You want to play the “trick” game? He totally crushed it. I’m calling the judges out on this. So bad.


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  8. #1383
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    Quote Originally Posted by SUPERIOR View Post
    Total bullshit. Finn Bilous best run, most progressive tricks. You want to play the “trick” game? He totally crushed it. I’m calling the judges out on this. So bad.


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    after this two comps a major film brand should take him under their wings and out of fwt.... clearly no place for him on tour

  9. #1384
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    Quote Originally Posted by SUPERIOR View Post
    Total bullshit. Finn Bilous best run, most progressive tricks. You want to play the “trick” game? He totally crushed it. I’m calling the judges out on this. So bad.
    Most progressive means nothing if you have to go slow. Unless riding switch is as fluid as riding forward it should be a deduction for fluidity. And it probably was there, but beyond that there wasn't much inspiring about his run.
    powdork.com - new and improved, with 20% more dork.

  10. #1385
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    Yeah, I don't know what Superior is saying that Finn should have won.

    Yes, he was very "progressive." Lots of tricks. Very freestylie. Definitely deserves recognition. But it also deserves scrutiny.

    It was very slow. I have yet to see an aggressive nose butter. And I have yet to see an aggressive fakie take-off.

    While that fakie shit is cool in the park, and it's kind of first-timer here in an FWT, that does't mean it deserves to win.

    It's just a greeting. "Hey-- here's what's possible if you'll allow it."

    Yeah, we allow it. Now speed it the fuck up.

    And in the meantime, your new nick-name is Huckleberry... because you're adventurous. you're breaking the rules, and everyone is cheering for your success.

    Huckleberry Finn.

    Let's see how this novel writes itself out.

    And by the way, I will add this after watching him ski for the 4th time. Our little Huckleberry is very fluid. He does have an ability to to hit features with zero hesitation... and then stomp it.

    I do think this little cat has tremendous potential if he decides to add one key ingredient--

    SPEED.
    Last edited by gaijin; 02-06-2023 at 05:29 AM.

  11. #1386
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    Clearly, Rainer was the most precise and well rounded of the stompy, tricked out runs.

    However…

    I feel like the other skiers who pushed the boundaries and actually have ballsy lines and progressive tricks are not scoring high enough.

    Bilous hand drag off a cliff and switch takeoff in spicy terrain was waaay harder than a couple 360s and backflips from the other guys. He is pushing the sport into more freestyle (if you want to argue that’s the way the FWT is evolving).

    Also, a skier like Reine Barkered who charges a more technical line and stomps a backy should be scored higher than those who toss a couple 360 daffies off wind lips.

    Maxime Chabloz absolutely rocked his cork seven and double backy, but the terrain was entirely mellow and ridge top. I thought that was scored well.

    Also, I’m just here to say that these last two European venues are booooring and had low snow / crusty wind fucked conditions.

    The FWT is on its high horse about trying to be carbon neutral and limit travel, but clearly we should have some radder venues. Bring back Japan, Alaska, a lower 48 US stop, maybe even Eastern Europe.

  12. #1387
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    Have you actually been following the FWT for long? Eder was charging (a hell of a lot faster) and throwing progressive tricks several years ago (like that nose butter 540 over exposure). And the judges rewarded him.
    I ski 135 degree chutes switch to the road.

  13. #1388
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    Quote Originally Posted by SUPERIOR View Post

    The FWT is on its high horse about trying to be carbon neutral and limit travel, but clearly we should have some radder venues. Bring back Japan, Alaska, a lower 48 US stop, maybe even Eastern Europe.
    Has the FWT ever hit a good venue in the lower 48? And the Japan venue was pretty much the worst one they've had in recent years. Kicking horse has been pretty ho-hum too.

    This isn't saying there aren't mountains in those areas that would make for a great comp. But for realistically viable venues, Europe wins hands down. Given that they can't predict the snowpack a year in advance, I'm good with them mostly sticking to Europe. It's the best way to consistently produce good comps on good venues.

  14. #1389
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    Quote Originally Posted by TahoeJ View Post
    Have you actually been following the FWT for long? Eder was charging (a hell of a lot faster) and throwing progressive tricks several years ago (like that nose butter 540 over exposure). And the judges rewarded him.
    I’ve been watching religiously for 10 years! And yes, Eder is a legend.

    I think there’s just so much homogenization in the riders nowadays that few really stand apart.

    Which guy is gonna do 2 backflips instead of 1?

    Which European named Max will get second place?

    Will any young boys cry at in the finish gate?

  15. #1390
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    Quote Originally Posted by toast2266 View Post
    Has the FWT ever hit a good venue in the lower 48? And the Japan venue was pretty much the worst one they've had in recent years. Kicking horse has been pretty ho-hum too.
    .
    Agree that European venues are the easy gets.

    Honestly, I think the Fieberbrunn face is the best on the tour, but the Andorra stop is consistently weird and has bad snow.

    Spain was amazing last year, but short vertical terrain and marginal snow this year made it ho-hum for me.

    The Kappl Junior comp had more interesting terrain and snow than both FWT stops so far, in my opinion.

    I remember the old Kirkwood and Snowbird stops being pretty awesome back in 2010-2012… but they certainly aren’t European faces.

    Red Bull Cold Rush used to come to Silverton… that’s a comp face the US could advertise.

    https://www.tetongravity.com/video/sk...sh2012-1707243

  16. #1391
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    Quote Originally Posted by SUPERIOR View Post
    Red Bull Cold Rush used to come to Silverton… that’s a comp face the US could advertise.

    https://www.tetongravity.com/video/s...sh2012-1707243
    That's just a different business model. I would assume that Red Bull paid Silverton to hold a comp there, whereas the FWT venues pay the FWT for the tour to come to them. FWT stops are marketing for the resorts, and I'm guessing that bringing the FWT to town isn't in Silverton's marketing budget.

    When it comes down to it, most North American resorts seem to be running at capacity. For the handful of resorts in North America that have adequate terrain for an FWT comp, I doubt they see any reason to shell out a large sum of money to get a comp to come to town. I think the economics of it are just different in Europe where there are far, far more resorts that are all competing with each other, and therefore have an interest in holding a big comp as a marketing event.

  17. #1392
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    Quote Originally Posted by toast2266 View Post
    That's just a different business model. I would assume that Red Bull paid Silverton to hold a comp there, whereas the FWT venues pay the FWT for the tour to come to them. FWT stops are marketing for the resorts, and I'm guessing that bringing the FWT to town isn't in Silverton's marketing budget.

    When it comes down to it, most North American resorts seem to be running at capacity. For the handful of resorts in North America that have adequate terrain for an FWT comp, I doubt they see any reason to shell out a large sum of money to get a comp to come to town. I think the economics of it are just different in Europe where there are far, far more resorts that are all competing with each other, and therefore have an interest in holding a big comp as a marketing event.
    And I'd bet there's a lot more public interest in FWT comps in Europe. If you ask an American that doesn't ski or snowboard or even probably 90% that do they likely have never heard of it.
    dirtbag, not a dentist

  18. #1393
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    Quote Originally Posted by toast2266 View Post
    Has the FWT ever hit a good venue in the lower 48? .
    They could always bring back mammoth. Solid comps on a big face back in the day when Big Jay and old pete won the Podium.
    It's a war of the mind and we're armed to the teeth.

  19. #1394
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    The best venue they had in North America was the backside of Revelstoke. That face has good vert and a good variety of features.


  20. #1395
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    Quote Originally Posted by SUPERIOR View Post
    Which European named Max will get second place?

    Will any young boys cry at in the finish gate?
    ok the maxes are maxed out : )

    rainer dedicated his run to his friend who died in japan in an avi. the same avi kyle smaine died.

  21. #1396
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    Quote Originally Posted by AlexC View Post
    The best venue they had in North America was the backside of Revelstoke. That face has good vert and a good variety of features.

    Agreed, that was a great venue. I'd be surprised if the money ever worked out to bring the tour back there, but it'd be awesome if it happened.

  22. #1397
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    Quote Originally Posted by AlexC View Post
    The best venue they had in North America was the backside of Revelstoke. That face has good vert and a good variety of features.

    damn, that was a spicy line!

  23. #1398
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    Quote Originally Posted by toast2266 View Post
    Agreed, that was a great venue. I'd be surprised if the money ever worked out to bring the tour back there, but it'd be awesome if it happened.
    This

    Also re: kicking horse... a few years ago when Logan sent a chunk of the face in one shot... I loved that... made me like the venue, maybe just because of that memory. But also probably showed it's limitations.
    www.dpsskis.com
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    Fukt: a very small amount of snow.

  24. #1399
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    Quote Originally Posted by SUPERIOR View Post
    I’ve been watching religiously for 10 years! And yes, Eder is a legend.

    I think there’s just so much homogenization in the riders nowadays that few really stand apart.

    Which guy is gonna do 2 backflips instead of 1?

    Which European named Max will get second place?

    Will any young boys cry at in the finish gate?
    What Twat wrote about the reason for the tears in the finish already added appropriate perspective. Although, I was already appreciative. Skiing is heavy for most of us.

    And for homogenization— Austria has ruled the thrown of ski competitions throughout history.

    It’s like saying Judo is homogeneous.

    Sport is culture.

    As for the venue stuff— hard to beat Europe. Japan is an avy nightmare. Kirkwood/Mammoth I suspect have ridiculous bureaucracy to contend with.

    I love that Spain and Andorra traditionally have shitty snow. It’s good for the soul.

    More year-round tour events would be rad. NZ. Argentina.

  25. #1400
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    Gopro:


    Full run:


    First air 3, tick the gnar.. literally... then the huge send and a decent stomp. But then it was done.
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    formerly an ambassador for a few others, but the ski industry is... interesting.
    Fukt: a very small amount of snow.

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