Freeride World Tour

**m-ruta** · 02-11-2022, 06:02 PM

The person doing the talking in the IG video points right at T1 behind the camera while talking about the other face they want to try. Between that and the fact it's been kept closed as a backup, I would expect that's where they're looking.

**DougW** · 02-11-2022, 08:43 PM

From FWT site

NEW VENUE CONFIRMED IN KICKING HORSE
Yesterday's unforeseen wind storm has critically affected the snowpack, and we decided to move the competition to a new venue: T1 South.
The competition is still on for tomorrow, Saturday, February 12. Yet, after today’s face check, the riders and the safety team gathered and decided that the conditions were not safe enough to run a competition on the Ozone venue.

The storm damaged our satellite transmission and part of the live production equipment. At this stage, we cannot guarantee a live webcast for tomorrow's competition. Our operational team is working full steam on the mountain to fix those technical issues.

The third stop of the FWT22 will see the athletes cross the Atlantic for a triumphant return to Kicking Horse Golden BC, Canada. The new competition format means the Cut will happen here, and it will be the last chance for the athletes to earn their place for the FWT22 Finals! The playful terrain packed with natural features makes Kicking Horse Golden BC the ideal destination for riders looking to get creative and advance to the new finals format of the Tour!

That is where the 4 was just held . Skied well on Tuesday and Wednesday, pretty much protected from a west wind. This was not the one closed for the last 2 weeks or so that was T1 north,

**goldenshowers** · 02-11-2022, 08:52 PM

Originally Posted by DougW

new venue: T1 South

You can see the groomers working below there right now.

**DougW** · 02-11-2022, 09:18 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xc7qiPXWXKw

Wrangle the Chute 4* 2020 Highlights held on T1 south

**GoldenBC** · 02-11-2022, 10:10 PM

Wei Ten Ho was the forerunner and slayed the triple. The fact that it is tracked out actually made the conditions better. Riders are happy about the change. It’s a cool venue. Short, but fall line, clean hits, and aesthetically pleasing. No traversing or boring slow zones.

The crew is out there right now in the dark trying to re set up the broadcast tents (after setting them up for ozone, then resetting them for ozone after the wind destroyed them). I feel for those guys. Live stream is not guaranteed as it’s a hell of a push to make it happen. It has to go down tomorrow regardless. The weather is closing.

**TahoeJ** · 02-11-2022, 10:10 PM

So where is T1 exactly?

**DougW** · 02-11-2022, 10:33 PM

T1 is directly south of gondi, the rocky peak about a 15 minute boot hike. From gondi you can see T1 north side runs, they don't start at the peak but down the ridge. T1 south is the other side.

**TahoeJ** · 02-12-2022, 06:21 AM

Originally Posted by DougW

T1 is directly south of gondi, the rocky peak about a 15 minute boot hike. From gondi you can see T1 north side runs, they don't start at the peak but down the ridge. T1 south is the other side.

Oh right… I forgot that’s Terminator ridge, which you showed me when I was there. I think they used that face a few years back when they had to cancel Hakuba and did 2 events at Kicking Horse.

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**GoldenBC** · 02-12-2022, 07:22 AM

T1 North (truth and dare) were used for the Japan stop. T1 south (Super Bowl) has been used for the 4 star event.

**toast2266** · 02-12-2022, 09:45 AM

That's a bummer. I'm sure there'll still be some entertaining skiing, but the T1 south venue looks kinda lame.

**powdork** · 02-12-2022, 09:50 AM

Why can't I place bets? It's still an hour till the start but the site is saying I'm too late.

**powdork** · 02-12-2022, 10:33 AM

Originally Posted by nordekette

what a shame. who is your ski men favourite for this event?

Ross Tester
Jessica Hotter
Mawn
Mandl

**Clownshoe** · 02-12-2022, 01:24 PM

What a shame. I guess everyone is competing on the same face so it’s a level playing field, but this venue and these conditions are kind of underwhelming

**TahoeJ** · 02-12-2022, 01:46 PM

Sweet run by Turdell. How in the heck did Ross Tester keep that together???

Palm's double backie was a lot prettier than the last one. Super clean.

**subtle plague** · 02-12-2022, 02:22 PM

Originally Posted by TahoeJ

Sweet run by Turdell. How in the heck did Ross Tester keep that together???

Palm's double backie was a lot prettier than the last one. Super clean.

And connected to some serious riding in serious terrain. Pretty sick.

**TahoeJ** · 02-12-2022, 02:33 PM

Maxime takes it switch into the finish... that was such an awesome little touch on top of a great run. Serious style with that cork 7.

**toast2266** · 02-12-2022, 02:45 PM

As always, super impressive skiing from the men. Good to see Turdell back on form - that dude makes marginal conditions look so damn easy. Also thought the judging was pretty spot on this time around.

That venue kinda sucked. It's not really in the same category as the even the lesser European venues. But seriously impressive that they managed to scramble and move the whole operation 2 ridgelines over on 24 hours notice and still get the live feed up and running.

Edit: also a huge bummer that Navarro and Gorek didn't make the cut. It seems like the new format places a lot of emphasis on the smaller venues that favor the freestyle guys. So then by the time the tour gets to the legit big mountain venues, the guys that do well on big mountain venues have been cut. So that's kinda dumb.

**t-the-east** · 02-12-2022, 03:07 PM

The mens and woman’s skiing was really fun to watch, even though that face was fairly tame, they made some great runs. This may be an unpopular opinion, but the snowboarding was boring as hell, both men and woman.

**TahoeJ** · 02-12-2022, 03:18 PM

Judges did a solid job for the most part but I thought Gorak was underscored - you could tell he wasn’t very happy about it.

What I liked about Maxime’s run is it was both freestyle but he also kind of flashed the face at the same time too. He was going fast.

**altacoup** · 02-12-2022, 05:10 PM

Originally Posted by toast2266

As always, super impressive skiing from the men. Good to see Turdell back on form - that dude makes marginal conditions look so damn easy. Also thought the judging was pretty spot on this time around.

That venue kinda sucked. It's not really in the same category as the even the lesser European venues. But seriously impressive that they managed to scramble and move the whole operation 2 ridgelines over on 24 hours notice and still get the live feed up and running.

Edit: also a huge bummer that Navarro and Gorek didn't make the cut. It seems like the new format places a lot of emphasis on the smaller venues that favor the freestyle guys. So then by the time the tour gets to the legit big mountain venues, the guys that do well on big mountain venues have been cut. So that's kinda dumb.

So true. The tour is favoring the freestyle guys more and more. Not only with the venues but also judging. No complaints on the judging for this stop. But tricks seem to have become part of the line score, where as it used to be the actual line and throwing tricks into that line was just a bonus. I’d really like to see a big mountain face in the early stops. Even the ozone face is more jib oriented. Hopefully they get at least one comp in decent conditions this year.

**DougW** · 02-12-2022, 05:32 PM

It was fun to watch though from the side was good but I think from base would have been better. From the side you could really tell how fast a lot of them were going.

**Spooky** · 02-12-2022, 08:38 PM

Originally Posted by TahoeJ

Judges did a solid job for the most part but I thought Gorak was underscored - you could tell he wasn’t very happy about it.

Yeah I thought the same. I especially couldn't understand how Slemett placed higher than Gorak with that backslap three and loss of control.

**TahoeJ** · 02-12-2022, 08:51 PM

Originally Posted by Spooky

Yeah I thought the same. I especially couldn't understand how Slemett placed higher than Gorak with that backslap three and loss of control.

Yeah, I mean, Ross Tester had an incredible recovery that was awesome to watch (seriously check out the zoomed in replay it’s kind of insane that he didn’t eat shit) but he still slid on his ass for 1-2 turns and only scored a few points less. Reminded me of Kaj Z aka the flying squirrel.

Judging in real time with only one replay like that has to be so difficult, however.

**oftpiste** · 02-12-2022, 09:51 PM

FWIW, It's really interesting to watch it with Thing #2 and hear his comments about runs, judging, conditions, lines, competitors. Often it's a completely different take on things than I have, or would expect to hear. All the North Americans we grew up with for years through juniors, and many are still his homies. Lots of love and stoke, and a critical and experienced eye. Always surprising.