Freeride World Tour

[TahoeJ]

The level of skiing right now from the men is absolutely ridiculous. It was a solid venue for them and really provided some great moments... the others not so much. With the women I kept wondering why they didn't even do anything at all on the lower runout part with such an obvious little diving board to hit.

Thought both Turdell and Freeland were scored a little low but the podium was a no-brainer. Nichols' lincoln loop with the tight landing between the rocks was pretty cool too.

So Max Palm was an event wild card invite. After that they have to keep extending him the same courtesy at the following events, right?

[powdork]

Dear FWT please don't post "winning run" stuff on YouTube mere hours after the contest ends. Not everyone was able to watch it live.

Maybe I'm in the wrong though? I guess I should unsubscribe from them on YT?

They've gotten better about not posting it on the homepage before you can get to the replay.

[regct]

Are these replayed on Redbull TV?


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[ddraver]

On the FWT website.

You can skip straight to each run and stuff. Have to say, it's done very well. Kudos to them...

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

They've gotten better about not posting it on the homepage before you can get to the replay.

Their player sucks balls so I left their page and went to YT to watch the replay. Oops. Yeah don't do that.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

[Pirene]

More snow is not very likely because the pyrenees had a massive early season. Maybe less wind though. Things Seemed ripped.

It's been a very windy early season. I've skied the couloir Navarro dropped in December with way better coverage. Some parts of the mountains are loaded, with lifts being dug out, but some aspects, especially northwest, have been absolutely hammered. Besides, there really is no reason for the event to take place in the middle of January, it could easily be February and still have time for the rest.

Here is a pic, december 6 or 9 a couple seasons ago. You can see in the background actual snowlevels were still pretty low, but the couloirs on the north face all went, and none of them went today.



Here is Navarro himself scoping his line (yes the same entry he tried today) december 21st 2019



My brother dropping the double where Navarro crashed (same day)



And here I was 3pm January 26th? 2020. Crashed the cliff at the end of the couloir and tore my ligaments. This couloir wasn't even in yet today. All about that wind...





Oh and yes, all of this terrain is accessible from the lift. Just a traverse.

[Spooky]

Pretty happy to see how judging was consistent with Carl's run scoring higher than Turdell because throwing a flat3 is harder than a backflip, was kind of expecting them to score Turdell higher just because of who he is.

Agreed on that except for the fact that they then scored Gorak's backflip run higher than Jack Nichols' lincoln loop run which should have been the other way around IMO - Nichols' trick into that little pocket above more rock/cliff was way more unique, interesting and technical than another big backflip sender into a clean run out. One of my favourite moments from the comp.

Overall I really enjoyed seeing a new venue. It's a lot more exciting when it's not just slight variations on lines and zones we've seen before in previous years. The level of skiing in such shitty conditions blew my mind, as usual.

[bobinch]

Max Palm given a season wildcard after his performance today

[thefrush]

Really great stuff Pirene, glad to have your perspective. I enjoyed the comp, biggest surprise to me was Mael's run being scored a 66. Guess they really didn't like the backslap, but I thought that was about as clean as you could land a 50+ footer to hardpack.

[ASmileyFace]

That double backie into the 360 was nuts. Props to the kid.

[Pirene]

Agreed on that except for the fact that they then scored Gorak's backflip run higher than Jack Nichols' lincoln loop run which should have been the other way around IMO - Nichols' trick into that little pocket above more rock/cliff was way more unique, interesting and technical than another big backflip sender into a clean run out. One of my favourite moments from the comp.

Overall I really enjoyed seeing a new venue. It's a lot more exciting when it's not just slight variations on lines and zones we've seen before in previous years. The level of skiing in such shitty conditions blew my mind, as usual.

A bit harder to compare since the lines were different. The swedes had exactly the same run but exchanging a backflip for a flat 3. I loved Nichols' Lincoln, but his line was otherwise low risk with just a couple small hits. Gorak had a medium cliff with a tricky set up and came into the flip with speed into a questionable takeoff vs Nichols on a smooth windlip. His landing was way harder to pull off though. At the end of the day it's about ranking the riders. I think both Erikson and Gorak were slightly overscored, but positions 4-11 were tough to judge. I liked Chabloz, Rainer and Pollard and thought the Turdell/Erikson/Slemet line was a bit too obvious. Would have loved to see it life, would not have liked to judge.

[Pirene]

Really great stuff Pirene, glad to have your perspective. I enjoyed the comp, biggest surprise to me was Mael's run being scored a 66. Guess they really didn't like the backslap, but I thought that was about as clean as you could land a 50+ footer to hardpack.

Thanks!

With current scoring cards it's impossible to win off one big hit if you don't stomp it clean. As big as it is, it's just one feature with a heavy backslap deduction. Half the size stomped clean is worth just as much. I think Navarro's line wouldn't have cracked top 3 for the same reason, no way you're stomping that with no control issues, and the risk was just too high. They get docked for doing stupid things, and jumping off a building to flat is just not very smart line choice. Respect the send though.

[Spooky]

A bit harder to compare since the lines were different. The swedes had exactly the same run but exchanging a backflip for a flat 3. I loved Nichols' Lincoln, but his line was otherwise low risk with just a couple small hits. Gorak had a medium cliff with a tricky set up and came into the flip with speed into a questionable takeoff vs Nichols on a smooth windlip. His landing was way harder to pull off though. At the end of the day it's about ranking the riders. I think both Erikson and Gorak were slightly overscored, but positions 4-11 were tough to judge. I liked Chabloz, Rainer and Pollard and thought the Turdell/Erikson/Slemet line was a bit too obvious. Would have loved to see it life, would not have liked to judge.

Yeah it's hard to argue against that. I rewatched those two runs after I posted and Nichols' was definitely a lot tamer until his final section. I guess the unique line choices and trick combos like that one just really stand out to me when the field is so stacked and so strong. So often there are 6-8 runs in the middle of the rankings that are just a toss up and come down to such finer margins and personal preferences. And agreed, I don't envy the judges - impossible job.

[Spooky]

Really great stuff Pirene, glad to have your perspective. I enjoyed the comp, biggest surprise to me was Mael's run being scored a 66. Guess they really didn't like the backslap, but I thought that was about as clean as you could land a 50+ footer to hardpack.

Same - really interesting to see some POV shots in better snow conditions. Gnarly zone.

BAnd yeah, could have been scored higher but backslaps have been penalized hard for a good few years now which always make big cliff line choices like that a risk when it comes to the judging. Sick to see him hit a different zone to the rest though. Must have been so scary trying to line up that take off.

[ddraver]

Is the 'live' follow drone thing new? That is brilliant and needs to be in several sports I occasionally watch...

[ill-advised strategy]

So: who gets the sickbird belt buckle?

Pretty much either Mael or Aymar right?

[altacoup]

Moga’s air was pretty close in size to Mael’s. Personally I thought it was the best run, those two turns on the spine were super impressive, and he mixed big air with jibs and smooth fast skiing. I understand that the judges wanted to give extra credit for the first double backflip though. Gorak and Turdell were over scored imo.

[Leshphilling77]

Been a pretty casual fwt fan but that ski men’s was super exciting to watch. I’m all in now.

[kathleenturneroverdrive]

So: who gets the sickbird belt buckle?

Pretty much either Mael or Aymar right?

No way Aymar gets it. Even in the old school USA days you had to actually have a shot at your line/not just get super lucky you didn’t break yourself to get the sick bird.

[subtle plague]

So: who gets the sickbird belt buckle?

Pretty much either Mael or Aymar right?

An award for crashing? What's next ? Participation awards for everyone?

[powdork]

An award for crashing? What's next ? Participation awards for everyone?

they already do get points for participation. even the no score athletes still got points. What I don't understand is why Jessica Hotter got more points (1340) for her no score than Jackie Pollard (1070). Same thing in the mens too.

[Dantheman]

What a way to open the season! That double was completely bananas. Angled takeoff with a gap/transfer to the landing, sooo technical.

[Spooky]

Moga would be my pick - a similarly huge but less obvious air than Mael’s plus the high speed ski in to it was wild. Incredibly impressive.

[LSeed]

Super Sick comp, honestly one of the best i've watched in years. Mostly due to the fact that there were so many different styles and lines. Some venue's get tiring when the top 10 runs are all basically the same features/tricks all the way. Even though it is generally a loose/sketchy line its nice to see Navaro just go for the full big mountain scare fest any chance he gets haha, definitely the ride I'm most excited to watch in each comp haha. Spain looks super fun to visit, smash some pow/corn/ice then siesta in the sun or go pull on some rock after.

[ill-advised strategy]

No way Aymar gets it. Even in the old school USA days you had to actually have a shot at your line/not just get super lucky you didn’t break yourself to get the sick bird.

Ok so who?