After 2 days of filming in Lech Zürs with the girls for our Girls Ski Movie it was off to France again for a Freeride World Qualifier in Flaine, for which I was prequalified for the finals. A total of 10 female skiers and snowboarders were qualified for the finals. The finals venue offered numerous options and features to hit, but proved quite difficult to orientate in due to the characteristic rollers and convex shaped terrain, which makes finding take-offs challenging.
Snow conditions were on our side with 50cm of fresh powder, very rare contest conditions indeed, but the initial blue bird skies clouded over around midday. As a result the women’s field was moved down to better light and started their run half way down the face. Unfortunately, I had a major bum check in my line but still managed to place 3rd after banking some nice pow turns and landing a double, as well as a nice air at the bottom of the line. Sweden’s Janette Hargin skied a fast and fluent line to the top of the podium and Australia’s Hanna Fisher cruised into 2nd place. The male field made the most of the great conditions, choosing huge air and often technical lines in order to impress the judges. French men Mickael Bimboes and Bertrand Clair placed 1st and 2nd respectively, while Finnland’s Joonas Karhumaa, telemarker extraordinaire, took out third.
