VERBIER FREERIDE WORLD TOUR 2022: LAST PHASE

We finally reached the last phase of the Freeride World Tour where the best riders in the world competed for the podium. The most exciting test that took place in the Swiss resort of Verbier. As always, we will tell you about the most relevant results and events that have occurred in this final stage, among them, the unfortunate fall of the Spanish Aymar Navarro.

WHO HAVE BEEN THE WINNERS OF THE 15TH EDITION OF THE FREERIDE WORL TOUR?

Let's start at the beginning: Who are the best riders in the world in 2022? The answer will be given to us by the Swiss resort of Verbier. The number one in the Men's Ski category is Maxime Chabloz who climbs to the highest position on the podium in his own land. The Swiss once again has swept thanks to his technique combined with high-flying freestyle.

On the other hand, it seems that Switzerland is going to become the country of freeride since in the women's category the Swiss Sybille Blanjean is also crowned the best. In addition, Blanjean is originally from Verbier and throughout her childhood she grew up watching the best until she became one of them. Without a doubt, this is proof of how important it is to have good references.

As for our snowboarders, the top will be reached in the men's category by the Frenchman Victor De Le Reu who appears in the competition as Wildcard and has achieved a round in which the high speed he has picked up in the most vertical part of the mountain has led him to victory.

Finally, Manuela Mandl has taken snowboard freeriding to a level never seen before that has led her to win with an eleven point advantage. One of his statements was as follows: "I feel like I've earned it. Winning at least once in Verbier has been one of the great goals of my entire career, and today I achieved it! So, I couldn't be happier."Great Mandl!

HOW HAS THE PERFORMANCE OF THE SPANIARDS BEEN IN THE FWT 2022?

The two Spaniards who have participated in this competition are already known by all ski and freeride lovers, they are Aymar Navarro and Abel Moga. The latter finished seventh in the Canadian phase and came to give everything on the slopes of Verbier to get a good score. Everything was going well until he tried to perform a back flip at the end of his descent that led to a slight fall. A pity since if he had achieved it, his classification would have been very high.

However, what is being talked about in all the media is the terrible fall of Aymar Navarro who plunged against a huge rock from several meters high. After the accident, the freeride competition had to stop for more than 20 minutes until the rescue helicopter finally landed and got to where Aymar Navarro was.

Aymar himself communicated through his social networks that his health was not in danger despite having been a difficult day. In addition, the Freeride World Tour also issued the convenient statement in which they reassured all the spectators that Navarro was out of danger. Aymar's fall was described by himself, stating that after performing a triple in the upper part of the mountain in the reception of the last jump, he lost control of the ski and rolled off until he hit some rocks where he lost consciousness for a few minutes. .

The star from Aymar thanked the rescue team for the quick action, assistance and professionalism, in addition to all the facilities that the organization has offered him. The final diagnosis was shoulder fracture at two sites, fracture of the metacarpals of the hand of the right hand and different traumas from different parts of the body. Cheer up Aymar, we wish you a good and speedy recovery!

Remember that Aymar had to leave the competition halfway through a positive for Covid-19 but the Freeride World Tour offered him a Wildcard.

HOW HAVE THE WEATHER CONDITIONS BEEN IN VERBIER?

This season the conditions for skiing were not with us. On the one hand, the lack of snow in Europe and on the other, the famous haze covered the mountains with those particles of sand from the Sahara. However, Bec des Rosses has been able to provide our riders with quite a blanket of snow.

All the participants took advantage of the snow conditions to ski very aggressive lines since Bec des Rosses is a mountain full of rocks and cliffs in which it is important to control a good technique to make the descents very fluid.

“We expected the snow conditions to be complex, but they were the best we've had on the entire circuit!" Declared one of the already best riders on the snowboarding category, Blake Moller.

FINAL RANKINGS OF THE FREERIDE WORLD TOUR 2022

However, the scores in Verbier are not final, as the true champions are those who make the six stops of the Freeride World Tour. So, these freeride geniuses are the following:

The French snowboarder, Thipanie Perrotin , with a very small margin, is already the best rider in the world in her category. It has been quite a surprise since the American Vikander has been the best in almost all the competitions, but Perrotin has just surpassed her in the ranking. There are only 500 points that differentiate snowboarders.

As for the men, Blake Moller is the winner followed by Camille Armand and the British Cody Bramwell in third position.

In women's skiing the final winner has been Jess Hotter. However, the situation was also very close as the Norwegian Hedvig Wessel. Hotter was very hard to beat as he had two wins and one second place. On the other hand, in the men's category, Maxime Chabloz placed first, ending the season with three wins: Verbier, Ordino Arcalís and Kicking Horse Golden.

The Freeride World Tour 2022 has not stopped surprising us since its starting signal in Andorra at the Ordino Arcalís station. We've seen the best riders take the most impressive jumps and fly over snowy mountains around the world. Unfortunately, there have also been crashes, but nothing too serious not to celebrate that the Freeride World Tour 2022 has been a complete success.

Both the organizers and the participants have left the competition happy and have enjoyed their five stages to the fullest. Now it's their turn to rest to get even more excited about the Freeride World Tour of 2023. The ski season is coming to an end but this year we have enjoyed it to the fullest.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

• WHERE TO SEE THE FREERIDE WORLD TOUR 2022?

All phases of the exciting event of 2022 have ended, that is true, but nevertheless all its phases can be returned whenever you want on the official website of the Freeride World Tour. The best thing is that there you can also remember the best moments of the competitions of other years.

• WHAT IS A FREERIDE?

The freeride or off-piste style consists of not following a marked route or doing acrobatic jumps.

• WHO ARE THE FREERIDE WORLD CHAMPIONS?

The freeride world champions are Thipanie Perrotin, Blake Moller, Jess Hotter, Maxime Chabloz.

• HOW MANY YEARS HAS THE FREERIDE WORLD TOUR BEEN HELD?

The Freeride World Tour has been running for 25 years.

• WHAT HAVE BEEN THE CONDITIONS OF THE LAST STAGE OF FWT 2022?

This season the conditions for skiing seemed not to be with us. On the one hand, the lack of snow in Europe and on the other, the famous haze covered the mountains with those particles of sand from the Sahara. However, Bec des Rosses has been able to provide a whole blanket of snow for our riders.

• WHAT WERE THE 5 STOPS OF FWT 2022?

The five stops of the Freeride World Tour 2022 have been Ordino-Arcalís, Baqueira-Beret, Kicking Horse Golden BC, Fieberbrunn and Switzerland.

• WHAT HAS AYMAR NAVARO BEEN BROKEN?

Aymar Navarro has broken his shoulder in two places, has suffered a fracture of the metacarpals in his right hand and various traumas from other parts of the body.

• WHAT ARE THE FREERIDE WORLD TOUR CATEGORIES?

The Freeride World Tour categories are women's and men's skiing and men's and women's snowboarding.