EVA WALKNER CROWNED FWT WORLD CHAMPION 2015
The event in Haines, Alaska was a true show of freeride at its best. It was a nine day wait for the weather to play along but everyone seemed to know that it would be all worth it.
The setting was like an Alaskan postcard with fresh powder under a clear blue sky and with a big glacier as a backdrop. Having shown great form all season, Eva Walkner (AUT) had a solid lead in women's skiing coming into the event. With four out of five results counting for the final ranking, and Eva counting one win and 2nd places in all the other events, she can now call herself World Champion no matter how she performs in Verbier. The suspense for the titles in the other categories is still intact as the Freeride World Tour moves into the final event.
The athletes delivered mind-blowing performances, whether fighting to grab the title or simply attempting to qualify for the last stage of the season in Verbier (SUI) on March 28. The conditions on the 740 vertical meters (2300 ft) competition face, The Venue, were close to perfect with knee deep, blower powder covering the characteristic long and impressive spines.
Men's Snowboard
The men's snowboard category started the contest shortly after 9.15am (AKDT) (6.15pm CET).
First out of the Swatch gate was Sammy Luebke (USA) and he certainly didn't throw away this incredible opportunity to open the new FWT Alaskan venue in style. With his usual smooth riding, he started out with a lot of speed pulling a double in the steepest part of the face. He managed to keep that level of action all the way down the face including a well executed 360 and another big feature. He put his competitors under pressure right away with a whopping score of 90.00, giving him the win in the end. "Everything lined up the way I thought. I'm excited to go to Verbier!" Sammy summed up his day at work.
Flo Orley (AUT) was last to go in the men's snowboard category and he confirmed that he is on fire this season with an all-out, perfectly ridden line including the biggest fly of the day in his category charging out over the rollover leading into the steep bottom section. He took 2nd place scoring 87.00, thus removing the chances of Jonathan Charlet (FRA) to make an early claim at the FWT title at this event.
The 3rd podium place went to Colin Boyd (USA) who was also on track to challenge Sammy until a small loss of control after a 360 took his score one notch down to 82.00
Women’s Snowboard
Shannan Yates (USA) was in charge of keeping the battle for the title in this category open still. By winning here she closed in on Estelle Balet (SUI) who placed second. Both showed fast and fluid riding, but where Estelle took higher risks especially on speed, she paid by a bit of loss of control in the steepest section leaving her behind Shannan's 79.50 with a score of 75.00. Shannan was very happy with her run, having managed to pull out of some slough without breaking her flow too much.
“It feels amazing! I got to ride fantastic Alaskan powder. I had a small section of snow break on me but I was able to ride it out and it didn't phase me,” said the happy winner. “I am so excited to be here in Alaska it is just a great, great event.”
Elodie Mouthon (FRA) opened up the central shoot and put in a strong finish, earning her the 3rd place with a score of 69.00.
Qualified for Xtreme Verbier
The top 12 ski men, 6 snowboard men, 6 ski women and 4 snowboard woman of the current ranking are qualified for Verbier, counting the best three results out of the four events so far. The FWT riders who made the cut and will be going to the 20th edition of the Xtreme Verbier are:
Men’s Ski:
1. George Rodney (USA) 6800
2. Jérémie Heitz (SUI) 5900
3. Reine Barkered (SWE) 5370
4. Drew Tabke (USA) 5120
5. Sam Smoothy (NZL) 5000
6. Samuel Anthamatten (SUI) 4720
7. Conor Pelton (USA) 4460
8. Juan Bergada (ARG) 4420
9. Loïc Collomb-Patton (FRA) 4340
10. Felix Wiemers (GER) 4010
11. Kevin Guri (FRA) 3775
12. Wille Lindberg (SWE) 3770
Men’s Snowboard:
1.Sammy Luebke (USA) 6625
2. Flo Orley (AUT) 6380
3. Jonathan Charlet (FRA) 6130
4. Colin Boyd (USA) 5980
5. Ralph Backstrom (USA) 5415
6. Sascha Hamm (GBR) 4800
Women’s Ski:
1. Eva Walkner (AUT) 6900
2. Silvia Moser (ITA) 6105
3. Hazel Josie Birnbaum (USA) 5800
4. Francesca Ace Pavillard-Cain (USA) 5760
5. Lotten Rapp (SWE) 5335
6. Christine Hargin (SWE) 4975
Women’s Snowboard:
1. Estelle Ballet (SUI) 7200
2. Shannan Yates (USA) 6980
3. Elodie Mouthon (FRA) 6160
4. Anne-Flore Marxer (FRA/SUI) 5500
20 Years of Xtreme
At this special 20th anniversary edition, the qualified 2015 FWT riders will be joined at the start by certain prestigious wild card riders such as the triple Xtreme Verbier winner, Aurelien Ducroz (FRA). Two other ski stars, best known from the world of alpine racing, will also be taking the start: Former Super G FIS World Champion and runner-up Downhill FIS World Champion – now turned freeskier - Daron Rahlves (USA), and the winner of the FIS Slalom World Cup in Kitzbuhel earlier this year, Mattias Hargin (SWE). Snowboard wildcards include five-time Xtreme Verbier snowboard winner, Steve Klassen (USA) and the evergreen, Xavier de le Rue (FRA) who has won the Xtreme four times. In the women's snowboard category, former Olympic Champion in halfpipe snowboard, Nicola Thost (GER) has also been awarded a wild card. The first possible competition day in Verbier is this coming Saturday the 28th of March, depending on the conditions.