Freeride World Tour

[bw_wp_hedonism]

If Rey had stomped that last drop, could he have edged out Hitzig?


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[lepowski]

Hitzig is doing the big tricks while skiing direct. It's insane and how freeide should be, not turning the face into a terrain park.

[kootenayskier]

If Rey had stomped that last drop, could he have edged out Hitzig?


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

IMO, no. His upper section was relatively mundane and on the edge of control (compare to Goguen), and though an impressive drop .. still just a straight air. Mid 80s max.

[soul_skier]

Podium and placement therein did not disappoint me, but I don't think anyone is totally wrong for arguing otherwise. I probably am docking a little more in my head for a messy turn after an air than others.

Those were tricky conditions I think. Thin in a few places, punchy in most places, with a layer of snow that wasn't regulating speed as much as they probably anticipated.

I've given up being concerned with specific placement on the podium and now only find myself disappointed in the judges if someone deserving gets left off the podium entirely. In this case, I have no problem with who placed in the top 3 and thats where I stop caring.

I'm also blown away year over year at the level of skiing that is the norm these days. With the exception of the classic lines from the greats on the bec, most of the skiing that landed a podium finish 10-15 years ago would hardly qualify for a spot on the tour these days.

[Marshal Olson]

I've given up being concerned with specific placement on the podium and now only find myself disappointed in the judges if someone deserving gets left off the podium entirely. In this case, I have no problem with who placed in the top 3 and thats where I stop caring.

I'm also blown away year over year at the level of skiing that is the norm these days. With the exception of the classic lines from the greats on the bec, most of the skiing that landed a podium finish 10-15 years ago would hardly qualify for a spot on the tour these days.

Totally agree, just watched Candide's "return" FWT season highlights and had the same thought... that doesn't even qualify for the main tour these days.

Hitzig's ability to stomp huge airs to flat landings and make every run look mundane, opposed to being super loose and making moderate/cross court lines look super hard, is crazy. All the cross court feature hunting turned me off a few years ago, but Hitzig brought me back. He is the new school Rene mayor of stomp-town IMO.

[toast2266]

Hitzig's ability to stomp huge airs to flat landings and make every run look mundane, opposed to being super loose and making moderate/cross court lines look super hard, is crazy. All the cross court feature hunting turned me off a few years ago, but Hitzig brought me back. He is the new school Rene mayor of stomp-town IMO.

Fully agree with that, but for me it's more about playing to the venue. On the bec, yeah - I want to see a guy like Hitzig in the fall line, stomping big airs at speed. But on a venue like this one at Kicking Horse where there's not a ton of vert and none of the airs are particularly huge, I'd rather see someone sniff out a creative line and make it look styley.

Of the memorable FWT runs over the years, it's either someone like Reine or Bimboes going huge and fast in big terrain, or someone like Tabke finding the most interesting way down the hill. The Kicking Horse venue doesn't really offer the opportunity to go huge and fast, so that leaves the Tabke approach.

[Dantheman]

^^^^Pretty much my thoughts, T1 is not the Bec. Whatever, though, everyone is skiing at an almost incomprehensible level.

[muted reborn]

Hitzig only had 3 hits in more or less the "main" line and then just straightlined out the bottom. To be sure, he was rock solid, but it felt like a relatively safe run. Both Mandin and Goguen had more hits and put more effort into their lines, which I think should be rewarded. Especially on a venue like this that doesn't really have a ton of line options.

I don't think Hitzig was exactly a 'safe' run overall, he just made it look safe and easy. Mandin skied the same bottom part as Hitzig much much slower. He also did a backflip off the same cliff Hitzig hit, Mandin backslapped and Hitzig landed it perfectly doing a 3. So IMO Hitzig shoulda have done better than Mandin. As for Goguen, I can see the argument he had the best run.

[singlesline]

I know this is not a hot take, but every time I fully watch an event I come away astounded at how far the men's ski division is above everyone else.

Even the men's snowboard comes up looking kinda sad, especially when the conditions get tough.

I just think they are in a really good place right now where the stuff they are doing is fricking awesome without being over the top and incomprehensible (like where Men's slopestyle has landed).

[singlesline]

I know this is not a hot take, but every time I fully watch an event I come away astounded at how far the men's ski division is above everyone else.

Even the men's snowboard comes up looking kinda sad, especially when the conditions get tough.

I just think they are in a really good place right now where the stuff they are doing is fricking awesome without being over the top and incomprehensible (like where Men's slopestyle has landed).

[Leshphilling77]

Even the men's snowboard comes up looking kinda sad, especially when the conditions get tough.

I've just stopped watching the snowboard. looks like everyone is flailing around uncomfortably out there, I just can't do it.

[Dantheman]

Victor's winning men's snowboard run would score sub-60 in the men's ski field.

[nortonwhis]

Not sure how you can compare to snowboard to skiing. They are different equipment for different lines, always have been, always will be.

I think Wei Tien Ho gets the sickbird award. Thought it was a cool line

[toast2266]

Not sure how you can compare to snowboard to skiing. They are different equipment for different lines, always have been, always will be.

They're in the same comp at the same venue in the same conditions. That kind of begs a comparison.

It's like if, immediately before an F1 race, they broadcast a go-cart race on the same track. Yes, go carts are fun, and I'm sure the go-carters are good at go carts, but I'm still not gonna watch it.

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

What skis is Bilous on? Next year's Revolt? Looks like they made them flat underfoot/no camber?

Sent from my SM-S918U using Tapatalk

[subtle plague]

They're in the same comp at the same venue in the same conditions. That kind of begs a comparison.

It's like if, immediately before an F1 race, they broadcast a go-cart race on the same track. Yes, go carts are fun, and I'm sure the go-carters are good at go carts, but I'm still not gonna watch it.

What about go carts onnthe T1 face?

[toast2266]

What about go carts onnthe T1 face?

I'd definitely watch that.

[oftpiste]

Tom is good peeps and I thought he was great in the booth. He also grew up being coached by Foose (who I think still runs the Whistler jr. program), which makes it kind of fun to watch their interaction. He rolls through here visiting Thing #2 every once in a while.

Thing #2 had a lot to say about how he didn't care much for that venue as an athlete. Not a lot of great options for variety, short. Too bad Ozone wasn't in good enough shape.

Edit: Also, Pfeiffer was great in the booth. He should do that more often.

[Shorty_J]

Fully agree with that, but for me it's more about playing to the venue. On the bec, yeah - I want to see a guy like Hitzig in the fall line, stomping big airs at speed. But on a venue like this one at Kicking Horse where there's not a ton of vert and none of the airs are particularly huge, I'd rather see someone sniff out a creative line and make it look styley.

Of the memorable FWT runs over the years, it's either someone like Reine or Bimboes going huge and fast in big terrain, or someone like Tabke finding the most interesting way down the hill. The Kicking Horse venue doesn't really offer the opportunity to go huge and fast, so that leaves the Tabke approach.

Wait... didn't hitzig hit a ~ 100ft backflip at KH last year?

I'd say that's a pretty huge air.

Sent from my SM-A536W using Tapatalk

[toast2266]

Wait... didn't hitzig hit a ~ 100ft backflip at KH last year?

I'd say that's a pretty huge air.

Sent from my SM-A536W using Tapatalk

Different venue. That was on ozone. This year they were on t1 south.

[Shorty_J]

Different venue. That was on ozone. This year they were on t1 south.

Ah... my bad.

Sent from my SM-A536W using Tapatalk

[Mustonen]

1 - what the fuck, FWT? You’re putting the replay below the results? The fuck is wrong with you??

2 - I thought Ben Richard’s’ version of one trick shredding was better than Hitzig’s.

[Leshphilling77]

1 - what the fuck, FWT? You’re putting the replay below the results? The fuck is wrong with you??

2 - I thought Ben Richard’s’ version of one trick shredding was better than Hitzig’s.

I've started just watching the replay on youtube. too many ways to spoil it on the website imo

[Mustonen]

I've started just watching the replay on youtube. too many ways to spoil it on the website imo

Annoyed they didn’t make it easy to not see results in the non-mobile version. Whatever, still fun to watch.

[waveshello]

Something about Carl RE's run really did it for me. Charge top to bottom, the biiig send off the top that everyone previous had taken as a double, super smooth backflip in a very exposed zone... That was sick!