Swatch Freeride World Tour, Chamonix-Mont-Blanc 2012
Dates: 21- 27 January; Location: Chamonix (FRA)

Winning a men's ski contest on the Swatch Freeride World Tour deserves a place on the list of "hardest things to do in sport."  Sam Smoothy from New Zealand who has battled through qualifiers and injuries over the last few seasons proved that persistence always pays off and hit the top rung of the podium for the first time.

The men's snowboard contest saw local Chamonix rider Douds Charlet take first place followed by tour newcomer Ralph Backstrom from the USA and another French rider Aurelien Routens in third.

American Jackie Paaso  who delighted everyone with one of her trademark cliff jumps in the lower part of the face took first place in the women's ski . Behind Jackie in second was Angel Collinson also from the USA and who seems to podium at every tour stop. In third, making it a great day for New Zealand riders, was Janina Kuzma.

The women's snowboard contest was won by US rider Maria Debari: "I was not expecting to win at all although I did ride my chosen line." In second was French rider Margot Rozies who has started the season in great form and in third was another American rider Shannan Yates.

SKI MEN:
1 SMOOTHY SAM NZL
2 BARKERED REINE SWE
3 WHITE-ALLEN OAKLEY USA

SKI WOMEN:
1 PAASO JACLYN USA
2 COLLINSON ANGEL USA
3 KUZMA JANINA NZL

SNB MEN:
1 CHARLET JONATHAN FRA
2 BACKSTROM RALPH USA
3 ROUTENS AURELIEN FRA

SNB WOMEN:
1 DEBARI MARIA USA
2 ROZIES MARGOT FRA
3 YATES SHANNAN USA

The best of Chamonix-Mont-Blanc on >>YOUTUBE.

The Swatch Freeride World Tour now moves on to Italy with a quick transit to Courmayeur-Mont-Blanc  for the third men's ski and snowboard contest of the season.

 
Swatch Freeride World Tour, Courmayeur-Mont-Blanc 2012
Dates: 24-29, January;  Location: Courmayeur (ITA)

SKI MEN:
1 AMACKER RICHARD SUI
2 SMOOTHY SAM NZL
3 ANTHAMATTEN SAMUEL SUI
4 DUCROZ AURELIEN FRA

SNB MEN:
1 BACKSTROM RALPH USA
2 ZIPSER MAX AUT
3 CHARLET JONATHAN FRA
4 STENTIFORD JAMES GBR

The second year of Freeride World Tour Juniors by Dakine events starts this weekend in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc. This season, Juniors aged 14-17 will be ranked based on their results from the three events in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, Fieberbrunn and Verbier with the overall winners announced in Verbier in March.  In addition to the competition, Juniors will take part in a series of workshops to learn about and apply safe practices on the mountain.

The best of  Juniors Chamonix-Mont-Blanc on >> YOUTUBE .

Text: D.K