FWT Female World Champions Crowned in Verbier
Verbier victors – Jess McMillan, Ane Enderud and Julia Mancuso. Image – FWT
More than six thousand spectators watched the world’s best female freeride skiers and snowboarders take on the impressive 600 vertical metre face of the Bec des Rosses in Verbier, Switzerland, for the Nissan Xtreme by Swatch, celebrating its 15th edition, the final event in the Freeride World Tour (FWT).
The two women Freeride World Champions 2010 were crowned after the competition.
Norwegian skier Ane Enderud placed first on the day and was also crowned Freeride World Champion, defending her title from last year. She has had an impressive season going from strength to strength. After cancelling the first stage of the Freeride World Tour because of back problems, she won two of the following competitions, and was second once.
Enderud’s winning line
“I am obviously super happy with this result, after the disappointing start of the season when I had to cancel the Chamonix contest because of back problems. I just can’t believe I am on top! I got a bit lost and changed my line choice when I skied it and I was stoked to take the big cliff jump and land it clean without having inspected it before hand,” Enderud said.
Double Olympic silver medallist Julia Mancuso had an impressive first experience of freeride competitions, being the fastest women down the mountain and taking third behind Jess McMillan, who also finished second in the overall Freeride World Tour.
Mancuso takes on the Bec des Rosses
“It was tough on top – it is the first time I skied such technical and steep skiing this year and the first time I skied on these skis. I followed J.T. Holmes (FWT athlete ski) advice not to stall before taking the jump and I got so much speed I missed some features in the end. There are a lot of similarities with downhill – you need to have a very high confidence level, go fast and fluid. I was here to have fun and challenge myself and I am happy I made it down without falling! It is such a cool face,” Mancuso said.
Shannan Yates, American newcomer to the Freeride World Tour, won the women’s snowboard on the Bec des Rosses, with German Aline Bock taking second, giving her the World Champion title after four nice podiums this season.
Snowboard FWT winner Aline Bock
“We were so lucky with the weather in the morning. The Bec des Rosses welcomed us with sunshine and very good conditions, which we had not expected. Starting with the golden bib, leading the Freeride World Tour, gave me a lot of confidence,” Bock said.
“I chose to go for the windlip and I had fun jumping some other cliffs, while the run felt very fluent. To be second at such an event and then finally to be the World Champion is an unbelievable feeling.”
Poor visibility has forced the postponement of the men’s’ competition to a later date this coming week. The last possible day is Sunday 28 March.
Women’s Freeride World Tour Ranking 2010
SKI WOMEN
- Ane Enderud (NOR)
- Jess McMillan (USA)
- Jaclyn Paaso (USA)
SNOWBOARD WOMEN
- Aline Bock (GER)
- Susan Mol (USA)
- Nathalie Zenklusen (SUI)
Women’s Results Nissan Xtreme by Swatch,
SKI WOMEN
- Ane Enderud (NOR)
- Jess McMillan (USA)
- Julia Mancuso (USA)
SNOWBOARD WOMEN
- ShannanYates (USA)
- Aline Bock (GER)
- Geraldine Fasnacht (SUI)
Visit the Freeride World Tour website
Source – FWT
