With two contest days of bluebird skies and perfect Caucasian powder, the Freeride World Tour athletes enjoyed great conditions at the fourth stage of the Freeride World Tour. At the Rosa Khutor ski station, the future alpine site of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Russia, Swiss skier Samuel Anthamatten and Austrian snowboarder Flo Orley took home the gold. Both winners have again overturned the overall Freeride World Tour ranking 2011. They are now leading the overall ranking, with two more contests to go before the 2011 Freeride World Champions will be determined in Verbier, Switzerland, 19 March.

Riders started early this morning to take advantage of a brief weather window for the second day of the Nissan Russian Adventure Sochi 2011. The great conditions in the Caucasian mountains enabled the athletes to put on a great show with playful riding including fluid, fast lines, numerous tricks, impressive backflips and 360s thrown off some massive cliffs.

Somehow the snowboarders were able to escape the lost baggage conundrum and as a result rode the two outstanding days of competition featuring plenty of tricks and stylish lines. The results from two days of powder riding were averaged to achieve a total score for the event. With strong consistent runs on both days, Flo Orley (AUT) battled his way to the top of the snowboard category, closely followed by his fellow countryman Mitch Toelderer (AUT) in second. Jonathan “Douds” Charlet (FRA) won Day 1 with a stylish run including several tricks, however on Day 2 he took a fall after one of his jumps and in the end placed third overall. 2010 World Champion Xavier de Le Rue (FRA) placed second on Day 1 but broke a binding after a massive cliff jump in the middle of his run on Day 2 and could not finish his run.

In the men’s snowboard division, today’s win boosts Flo Orley into the overall top position followed by three-time Freeride World champion Xavier de Le Rue. Not far behind in third place it’s a tie between Douds Charlet and Mitch Toelderer, which just goes to show how close the men’s snowboard race is. These snowboarders have been consistent throughout the season and the Freeride world Champion title is very much up for grabs going into the final two events of the season!

Flo Orley (AUT): “I had so much fun these last few days with a lot of good riding and I loved the first contest day. But after all that riding I was so tired this morning, both physically and mentally, and could not find my normal riding flow. I am really happy that I still managed to do so well! It is crazy being first in the overall ranking. This winter I had some of the most fun snowboarding ever and if I keep having fun the good results will continue. Hopefully all the way to the end!”

Snowboard Overall Results

#1 Flo Orley (AUT)
#2 Mitch Toelderer (AUT)
#3 Jonathan Charlet (FRA)
#4 James Stentiford (UK)
#5 Emilien Badoux (SUI) - Wildcard
#6 Max Zipser (AUT)
#7 Raphael Bullet (SUI)
#8 Aurelien Routens (FRA)
#9 Xavier De Le Rue (FRA)
#10 Igor Ilyinyh (RUS) - Wildcard
#11 Gennady Khryachkov (RUS)
#12 Matt Annetts (USA)