Aosta Valley
Umberto Zappa www.duzimage.com
Three days of competition in order to define the best Freeriders among the 132 riders from over 10 Countries, which arrived at Gressoney to race the third edition of Winter Mystic Xperience Monterosa 2009, included in the Freeride World Qualifier Calendar. The Monterosa Ski Resort showed its huge potential as Freeride playground, offering a limitless numbers of faces to race. Mysticfreeride staff with the precious cooperation of Monterosa Ski Area Patrol chose the best ones to let the rider showing their skills on the best snow. The hard wind of the previous days transformed the snow pack from deep powder to stucked surface in many faces.
Tuesday 24 February 2009 5 minutes reading time
On Thursday 19th Feb the first stage of qualification took places for who was not into the Freeride World Ranking. Judges selected the best 20 riders, letting them to race the FWQ.
On Friday 20th Feb Winter Mystic Xperience Monterosa 2009 started officially.
The bright sun warmed up the riders at the top of the second stage. Riders after studying the face of the competition, climbed to the top on foot. It was pretty thought to give a right interpretation of the line.
Some of the best names got the wrong choice to have the best score from the judges and new names entered the final on Sat 21 Feb.
Judges had a difficult time to define the best riders and to choose who will fly by chooper to the top of Seehorn Peak.
A quick fly trip put them at the top to admire the valley of Gressoney before show their skills on course towards Staffal.
Tibaud Duchosal (FRA) started as forunner. After him, snowboard women got on course.
Liz Kristoferitsch (Aus) started first. For her the hard job to ski among the labyrinth of rocks before entering her line in the most difficult couloir. She won the second place, before Fanny Gras (FRA). The best was Nathalie Zenklusen (CH) who show to be aggressive but always in control with two nice jumps.
Snowboard men started after. The level was very high. The selection of the previous days let the rider to be at the top. Roli Hofer (Aut) won the top score with an aggressive and solid run, ending with tow big cliff.
Max Zipser (Austria) chooses a very fast line to get the second place. Julien Falco (CH) was third thanks to his fluidity and style on the last three cliffs.
Among skier women the best was the kiwi Janina Kuzma (NZ). She was very aggressive since the first turns and she manages the race to the bottom always with a good control. After her, Nathalie Gervais (Can) and Veronika Sorokina (RUS) arrived second and third respectively.
Skier men pushed the contest to a next level. The spectators followed the contest with enthusiasm and full participation.
Judges did a hard job to define the winner. Robin Kaleta (Rep. CZ) took the attention with a very dangerous line among the rocks, managed always with deep control, closing with a big cliff perfectly landed.
Jury was sure about his victory before seeing the line of Vole Torgrim (Nor) who took the first place on podium thanks to a very fast line with a huge jump. Third place for Chuard Laurent (CH).
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Garessio 2000. Sci con vista mare sul colle Casotto
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