Freeride World Tour 2022 continued the blazing pace set by last week’s event in Baqueira Beret, with the second stop in Ordino Arcalís, Andorra. The competition ended with new riders standing atop all four podiums, which means the race for the world title remains wide open.
Sunday’s event took place in a never-before-used venue, Pic De Les Planes, showcasing the extensive terrain available around Ordino Arcalís. Despite warm and dry conditions across much of Europe, a solid snowpack and sunny weather allowed for successful back-to-back events in the Pyrenees, with gorgeous sunny days and spring-like conditions.
The day started with the Ski Men competition, and the category saw a mix of explosive performances as well as uncharacteristic falls from tour legends. FWT rookie Maxime Chabloz (SUI) took the victory with a run featuring fast skiing, a massive gap jump, a huge backflip, and yet another big 360. Rounding out the podium were two American skiers, Ross Tester (USA) and Andrew Pollard (USA).
Ski Women followed in a similarly dramatic mix of crashes and triumphs. Making her triumphant return to the top of the podium was Jess Hotter (NZL). Hotter linked several large airs with flawless skiing to take the event win. Coming back from a tough crash in Spain last week, 2021 World Champion Elisabeth Gerritzen (SUI) placed 2nd, while 3rd place went to tour rookie Lily Bradley (USA).
In Snowboard Men, Blake Moller (USA) took the win with a well-rounded run featuring stylish grabs, spins, and a massive backflip to finish. Defending world champion Victor De Le Rue (FRA) took 2nd, with Camille Armand (FRA) in 3rd.
Wrapping up the day was Snowboard Women. Despite the most challenging conditions of the day, the women still put down impressive runs, with yet another tour rookie taking the top spot. Tiphanie Perrotin’s (FRA) winning run showcased her well-rounded abilities and was capped by a huge final air. 2018 world champion Manuela Mandl (AUT) placed 2nd, was closely followed by Erika Vikander (USA) in 3rd.
