REPLAY︱2026 YETI Alaska Haines Pro

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Fair Adventure has always been a dream.

>> The mountains out there are just so beautiful.

>> Push my limits and ski the best I can.

>> All of a sudden, world titles are at play in people's minds.

So the pressure just increases at these events.

>> Welcome, welcome, welcome to the free ride world tour by Peak Performance. We

are in glorious Hannes, Alaska. My name

is Derek Boots. I'm here to bring you all the action. You may notice that I'm sitting here solo today. Big shout out to Hadley Hammer who caught the flu and was unable to make the trip up to

Alaska, but we are saying hi to you back home and we're looking forward to a great show. I'm going to do my best to

great show. I'm going to do my best to hold it down here and I'm going to have a number of guests throughout the day to help me bring you up to date with all the action. We are in Hannes. We are

the action. We are in Hannes. We are

ready to go and we've got a behind thescenes look at what it means to return to this iconic free ride mecca.

Going back to Alaska is a free ride series ultimate destination. Riders are

excited and when it clicks, the competitions are incredible.

Riding in Alaska for any pro free rider is a is a must do. It's different types of ridings, especially in the spines that uh you want to experience once in

your lifetime.

A stop in Alaska should be mandatory on the FWT calendar. Now, we have the resources to organize it and hopefully this will be a classic in the future

years. The AK stop being one of the two

years. The AK stop being one of the two finals after the cut is definitely a reward for the riders who made the cut.

They now can ride with less pressure.

they are qualified for next year's world tour and they can express themselves and concentrate on their line without the

ranking pressure and that's pretty nice I imagine for them.

Well, great to hear from Nico there talking about the removal of the pressure of the cut but of course the addition of the pressure of riding in the Chilcat mountains. these peaks

absolutely enormous and shaping up to be a banger of a competition. The sun is out. The riders, I mean, the the

out. The riders, I mean, the the absolute theme of this event is remote.

The riders have been traveling, some from Europe, some from uh points a little closer, but they have been moving to get out here. There are planes,

fairies, long drives. The uh ferry from Skagway into Juno and up the Juno Pass is unbelievably beautiful and the riders

just taking it in on the way. Never not

windy on that ferry, but of course the riders are so excited to get here and the journey is a huge part of it. The

remoteness of this mountain range and the excitement just building and building and building. With that

excitement, of course, comes a little bit of fear.

And all of those athletes >> trip actually Alaska baby.

>> All of those athletes just journeying up and down. Coming from Europe is a big

and down. Coming from Europe is a big push and the European riders getting a little bit of a taste of what the North American and region 2 riders deal with when they're heading over to Europe. So

remote is the name of the game here. We

are way out in the wilderness. We are in the heart of the Chilcat Mountains.

Hannes itself is remote as we see the ski women. They're getting ready to kick

ski women. They're getting ready to kick things off. They're going to be our

things off. They're going to be our third category of the day. We have

gotten here throughout a a a challenging series of events, but the cut was looming when we were back in Febru. It

was heavy over the riders. So, the

format, four events, unfortunately, we were only able to pull off two of them this year. 51 riders. We take that and

this year. 51 riders. We take that and cut it down 40% going back to the challengers to FWT finals. The Yeti

Alaska Hannes Pro and the Yeti Extreme Verbier. Only 29 riders making the

Verbier. Only 29 riders making the journey here to Hannes and it'll be the same for the Yeti Extreme Verbier. So

those riders are guaranteed a spot on next year's Free Ride World Tour by Peak Performance and are the only ones getting to take place here on the Dream

Stop at the Yeti Hannes Pro. So all to play for here. Every category

effectively has uh has a chance to to alter the state of the overall rankings and win the uh the overall tour title as we got

a chance to see what is going on in Ben Richards head after two wins on the tour.

So Ben Richards, if he wins today at the Yeti Hannes Pro, he will be free world tour champion. everyone else in every

tour champion. everyone else in every other category. It is wide open because

other category. It is wide open because of course there are more points available at the two finals events, the Yeti Hannes Pro and the Yeti Extreme Verbier than there are in the earlier

season events. So there's so much going

season events. So there's so much going on here and if Ben doesn't win here, then ski men as well will come down to the extreme in Verbier, the final, the

grand finale. And it's been such an

grand finale. And it's been such an interesting parallel between what we're going to see in Verb at the Bear Ross and this enormous venue in Hannes,

Alaska. So, we're going to dig into it.

Alaska. So, we're going to dig into it.

It's called the venue. We have start one high and start one low to give the athletes an opportunity to get on any piece of terrain they want. And start

two. It is 2100 m of elevation, which gives you a little bit of a sense of how high we are since we're staying in Hannes down at sea level. 750

m of vertical descent. This is the longest face on the free ride world tour by far. So athletes conditioning is

by far. So athletes conditioning is going to come into play as well as the mental stamina to stay in the game to stay focused, to stay on point all the way to the bottom because some of the

biggest moves in this phase are at the bottom. It's very steep at the top. It

bottom. It's very steep at the top. It

benches out and then it kicks over again with a series of fluted spines that roll down into the lower apron and then onto the little Jarvis Glacier. So the the

the line selection options available on this face are are almost infinite. It's

1.5 km from start one high over to start two. The distances here, the vastness of

two. The distances here, the vastness of this Alaskan range is incredible. We are

looking at a cool and crisp -16 fair uh -6 C. That's 3° F. It's already warmed

-6 C. That's 3° F. It's already warmed up 10° since we got up here. We have

five out of five snowflakes. Pristine

conditions. Only 3 km an hour wind coming right out of the north, so not enough to really bother anyone. 25 cm of dense cold powder. There are some wind affected pockets and there are some

slough affected pockets in the lowlying areas in the concavities. So, we're

going to see the the riders really putting in the work to figure out where the snow is soft, where it's hard, and anywhere where the slough has been running, where the snow has flushed, it is going to feel a little firmer

underfoot. So, the riders have to figure

underfoot. So, the riders have to figure that out. And their scoping happens from

that out. And their scoping happens from 2 km away on the ridge. We see Winter McBride there, one of the region 2 rookies, getting herself ready. We're

going to check in on our judges, the people who are making the decisions here.

All right. Well, Jacqueline Pard coming out of Ala, Utah. Not an easy woman to impress. She is a Free Ride World Tour

impress. She is a Free Ride World Tour event winner. She was rookie of the

event winner. She was rookie of the year. Berti Denervote, the inventor of

year. Berti Denervote, the inventor of the Free Ride World Tour judging system and co-commissioner of the Free Ride World Tour with this man, Lolo Best, the other commissioner. He has been judging

other commissioner. He has been judging the Free Ride World Tour since its inception. And Lauron Goautier coming

inception. And Lauron Goautier coming out of Whistler, Canada, a podium finisher at the Extreme. Verbier in his time been with the tour since 2018. You

can see the the judges all set up and ready to go. J Paul Lauron Goautier Berti Denovo Lolo Best and our video

judge today, Cody Taylor from right here in Alaska. This man knows this mountain

in Alaska. This man knows this mountain range, knows this face. And we've got Emma Kaiser there is going to be inputting the scores. The absolute

beating heart of the Free Ride World Tour. All of these people know exactly

Tour. All of these people know exactly what they're looking for. They are

tucked in and cozy. There is what is to play for the winner's trophy at the Yeti Hannes Pro. We are ready to kick things

Hannes Pro. We are ready to kick things off. Stay with us. We'll be right back.

off. Stay with us. We'll be right back.

Heat.

Heat.

Welcome back to the Getty Hannes Pro where our first category will be snowboard men. We have champions and we

snowboard men. We have champions and we have people that want to become champions. The men who made the cut are

champions. The men who made the cut are all lined up at the top of this face.

Most all of them it's their first time down this face. I think only Victor Daroo has actually ridden in Alaska at

all before. So it is an extreme welcome

all before. So it is an extreme welcome to a whole new world here in AK as we see the snowboard men looking down the face. They are getting ready to go for

face. They are getting ready to go for all but Victor. It's their first time ever setting foot in Alaska and 100% their first time riding anything of this

magnitude. The venue is the name of the

magnitude. The venue is the name of the venue and this thing has delivered. as

we take a look at our overall free ride world tour by peak performance ranking so far. Victor Daroo holding a slimmer

so far. Victor Daroo holding a slimmer lead than he has had in the past, but still in the lead over Liam Rivera, Enzo Nilo and Sasha Biko, the rookie with

Shane Blue Sandlom and young French rider Cesar Bare chasing their heels.

All of these riders making the cut.

There we see Holden Samuels, the first man below the cut by such a slim line.

So, Victor Delaroo back in familiar position in the leaders jersey, the golden bib for the free ride world tour by Peak Performance. He is very

comfortable protecting a lead. And here

is the order we're going to drop in.

Cesar, young French rider, probably the youngest rider still left on the free ride world tour, will be the first man to kick the day off. Sasha Bico

following. Then the exciting American snowboard prodigy Sane Chainlau Sand Blom Liam Rivera and Zonilo and then our current world tour leader Victor Daroo

will be the last man in the category to drop. Exciting times here as we are

drop. Exciting times here as we are getting ready to see we've got the peak performance fun bet fan favorites. 94%

of you casting your vote to see Victor Daroo on the podium. Liam Rivera getting 78 and Enzo Nilo with 68%. and peak

performance fun bet. It is fantasy free ride, your opportunity to get some skin in the game. And I am joined now in the booth by the 2016 Yeti Hannes Pro

winner, Ryland Bell, and our 4Erunner.

Ryland, welcome to the show. We're so

stoked to have you here.

>> Stoked to be here. This is awesome.

>> All right. Well, while we've got you here, I want to pepper you with all kinds of questions. First of all, bring it on.

>> You were standing in the start gate 20 minutes ago. you were the 4ERunner and

minutes ago. you were the 4ERunner and and from my observation down here, watching you ride really raised the vibe of the riders. You know, there's been a lot of nerves coming into this. What was

it like there on the face?

>> Well, my heart was pumping. I was uh Yeah, I was fired up up top and the face in my opinion is perfect. They're going

to be so stoked to ride down this thing.

It's like the snow's been sitting just long enough that it made it this perfect semi dense fast like cream cheese. Just

perfect like AK blower. These guys are about to send it. Yes, for sure. Well,

as I said, the the stoke level just went through the roof watching you ride, and it's good to see you back that up with uh with your experience on the face. So,

you came out of start two. Do you think there are advantages and disadvantages between the different starts? We've got

start two, start one, and then start one high. What do you What do you see as the

high. What do you What do you see as the main differences between those starts?

All right. Straight up, start one high.

Like, let's go, boys. This is going to be insane. That is aknar to the finest.

be insane. That is aknar to the finest.

I can't wait to see what some of these people are going to do over there. That

thing is heavy. Yeah, you can see it on your screen right now as the camera pans back. That is classic Alaskan riders

back. That is classic Alaskan riders approaching 60° at the top, maxing out the the average uh steepness on this face is 45 and that's with a huge mellow

bowl in the middle. So that gives you a sense of what the high sides of those numbers are. Looking now at start one.

numbers are. Looking now at start one.

We saw um you know back in the day when you were riding a lot of riders taking that start one option and going pretty much dead fall line. Yeah.

>> Advantages and disadvantages to that one.

>> The advantages of that is that because that fin carries throughout the line, you really can sort of like you you don't have that

middle section without much in it. So it

it flows well and just the the steepness is this perfect pitch where there's a little roll at the top, but as soon as you come over that, you just the line reveals itself and then you just see all

these peppers and dongers and just little things to jump off of left and right. It's really stacked in there. And

right. It's really stacked in there. And

then uh yeah, the the other one is the steepest though. So, you're one of only

steepest though. So, you're one of only three snowboard men in history to win on this face. What's it going to take for

this face. What's it going to take for the riders today to put down a a run that the judges are going to like, >> right? I'm actually one of only two

>> right? I'm actually one of only two because Sammy Lekkey won it twice.

>> He was Sammy won twice. Yeah. So, you're

Yeah. This club's even smaller.

>> Yeah. And we were proud of that cuz we're both Alaska boys. So, we were holding it strong back then. It was

cool. And uh I am just so fired up to see what these guys can do. Like I said, I the takeoffs right now are sort of like this firm, perfect, like very predictable takeoff and then the

landings are stacked with good snow. So,

I just feel like it's leading up to where these guys are really going to be able to bring it to their full potential.

>> Unreal. Well, I cannot wait. We are

under 30 seconds from the first rider dropping, Cesar Alan, the rider out of Valter, France. He burst onto the scene

Valter, France. He burst onto the scene this year as a rookie and the youngest rider on the tour left after the cut at 19 years old. I mean, the average age has has just plummeted in the last few

years. These riders coming up through

years. These riders coming up through juniors, they're honing their skills and they are putting it down. Cesar was uh you know, he was a little he was a little rattled when he drew bib one, especially the first category of the

day. And you can kind of see it in his

day. And you can kind of see it in his face there, Ryland.

>> Oh yeah, he's taking some deep breaths right now. He's getting in the zone.

right now. He's getting in the zone.

>> All right. Well, here we go. The Yeti

Hannes Alaska Pro kicking off with snowboard man, French rider Cesar Bar out of the gate and getting going. What

is going through this man's mind right now? I bet that all he hears is his

now? I bet that all he hears is his heart pounding in his ears right now.

Like he is fired up. He made it to the big show. It's Alaska. Dreams are coming

big show. It's Alaska. Dreams are coming true right now. This guy is about to throw down and I can't wait to see it.

>> All right. Well, Cesar is making his way. You can see the cornice is

way. You can see the cornice is absolutely enormous. The guides were uh

absolutely enormous. The guides were uh were very specific in saying where it would be okay for the riders to drop in.

So, Cesar is going to make his way down the ridge a little bit. They don't want anybody putting pressure on those cornises uh and seeing them drop on the face. So, there's the wave. Ryland. He

face. So, there's the wave. Ryland. He

is ready to go. Here we go.

Oh, yeah. He's lining up a big one.

Cesar moving down over what we saw in earlier iterations of this event become a classic double getting a little bit rumbled there on the landing but comes

out riding and you can see the slough is absolutely ripping tumbling over the snow is deep up there.

It's deep. Yeah, those landings are stacked. They got a big pocket of snow

stacked. They got a big pocket of snow in them and Oh, here he goes lining up a nice one.

Oh, look at that light right now. Oh,

this guy is having the run of his life.

>> Absolutely glorious condition here in Hannes lofting a big back three there getting on the toe side. Cesar Bam

making his very first run ever in Alaska at only 20 years old. You know, we we used to see riders they needed to really like dial in their their game before

they came to Alaska. And Cesar, another big air down low as he is getting through this phase. And still plenty of action to come.

>> Yeah, it's really cool to see the younger kids like coming in with this strong mind for it these days. It really

has been a change from the more seasoned veterans. So to see these kids come in

veterans. So to see these kids come in and bring this energy and be able to ride in the way they do, it's it's special. I mean, I I feel privileged to

special. I mean, I I feel privileged to be here and getting to witness this. I

mean, look at this guy right now. This

is ridiculous. He is getting it.

bouncing off that double and onto the lower spine. You can see that absolute

lower spine. You can see that absolute freight train of slough just running down beside him. Clean and calm. Calm

and collected. Cesar Bar top to bottom.

750 vertical meters. He's got his hands in the air right now. Absolutely.

>> Looked like his mind was just blown. He

was just like boom.

>> So Ryland, you live in this area. You're

in Alaskan. Um the the conditions right now absolutely prime time.

>> Yeah, totally. This is this is you couldn't have asked for anything better.

This is like planning this planning this event and having it come through with these conditions. People

are fired up. This is this is just great. All right, so we're looking at

great. All right, so we're looking at the replay of Cesaran. He got rocked up high. had a couple of bobbles, one butt

high. had a couple of bobbles, one butt check and a punch front, but then making up for it quite a bit down here as the the venue rolls away again. And just

when you think you've had time to catch your breath, you're straight into it all over again. And Cesar making short work

over again. And Cesar making short work of that. So you can see the judges, you

of that. So you can see the judges, you know, the the the video judges. We see

the hoverair line tracker. Extremely

fall line approach there from Cesar B.

And yeah, the judges are going to do what they're going to do with that.

There were some definite control issues, a couple of little fluidity issues. You

can see down there, there's no big crowd at the finish line. The finish on the little Jarvis Glacier is in an a hazardous avalanche area. So, Free Ride World Tour and Alaska Heli Skiing opting

to keep a minimum amount of people down there. Yeah. And the riders will be

there. Yeah. And the riders will be flying back up to the ridge to watch their friends. So, the score dropping

their friends. So, the score dropping now for Cesar coming in at a 5633.

Setting the bar high. Well, setting the bar for the rest of the category.

He's lining something up on his board there.

All right. Well, you can see body language. I mean, everybody wants to

language. I mean, everybody wants to come and ride here, but they also want to do their absolute best. And at the end of the day, this is still a competition, so they want to do well in the competition. 56 point run there for

the competition. 56 point run there for Cesar, but not bad. 20 years old, first year on tour.

>> Yeah. I mean, a 20-year-old coming to Alaska their first time. That guy just had an amazing run. like he is a talented rider and he went for it and

he's got nothing to regret on that run.

He just absolutely took it to the max.

>> Yeah. Full send, which which I mean everybody's here for, you know, that's what we want to see. That's what you at home want to see. Everybody's here and it's been a minute since we've had a comp. We've had a bit of a a roller

comp. We've had a bit of a a roller coaster ride over the last three or four weeks um with conditions. Couldn't be

more of a contrast from uh from the spring slush skiing that we were doing in Europe now to the wilderness of Alaska as we're looking back up at start

one there. The venue in absolute

one there. The venue in absolute pristine condition, just glorious Alaskan conditions. So Ryland, you're

Alaskan conditions. So Ryland, you're you're on the face out there doing your forun. It was great hearing you over the

forun. It was great hearing you over the radio just be like, "It's on, boys. All

green lights."

>> Yes.

>> Send it. The takeoffs are just waiting for you. Shaped perfectly.

for you. Shaped perfectly.

It's on. Yeah. And I mean, think of that guy. He's He's 20 years old. You said

guy. He's He's 20 years old. You said

it's just been slush. He's coming here.

He hasn't even ridden powder. He gets to drop into this. And he did great. That

was cool. That was really cool to see.

It's It's showing, you know, what the level's going to be here today. These

guys are guys and girls are about to go off.

>> Yeah. And there's a deep deep hunger in the field right now to throw down. So

Sasha Biko, 28 years old, he's sitting in fourth. Another part of this

in fourth. Another part of this powerhouse team France. Out of the six riders that made the cut, four of them are French. And Sasha is part of that

are French. And Sasha is part of that squad. They are rolling heavy right now.

squad. They are rolling heavy right now.

Sasha Bello rolling right out of start one and immediately into the action as the ground. It's so convex here, Ryland.

the ground. It's so convex here, Ryland.

It's hard for the riders really to know where they're going. Scoping's got to be on point.

>> Yeah, for sure. Oh, look at that. Yes,

that was sick. This guy is having a good one. He is having himself one here

one. He is having himself one here today, that's for sure. Look at that light. Look at that snow. Does it get

light. Look at that snow. Does it get any better? So, big 360. Sasha ticking

any better? So, big 360. Sasha ticking

all the boxes. A lot of the riders just were so excited just to do the ride to get on this face. Never mind the fact that it's a competition. And Sasha Biko

definitely embodying that right now as he makes his way. You can see where some of those slough runs have kind of landed and he gets back into this absolute perfect powder down the spine line. We

can see our free ride world tour photographer there. I think that's Dom.

photographer there. I think that's Dom.

He's going to come up with a whole pocket full of bangers. And now it rolls away again as Sasha gets into the meat and potatoes of this venue. Oh yeah,

that's a nice little nar nugget here for him.

Flowing it nicely, too. Just look at that. I mean, the light today these guys

that. I mean, the light today these guys are having these are film lines >> and it gets so steep even though it's down near the bottom >> clicking perfect connection. He's going

to get out of the slough and back into the powder. Little tail press on the

the powder. Little tail press on the board and Sasha is down clean with an absolutely masterful run down this huge

Alaskan face. We pan back up and he's

Alaskan face. We pan back up and he's still not done. They come onto that little Jarvis Glacier and you it still feels like you have over a kilometer to go to get to the finish.

>> Yeah, I mean the way he flowed through that you're coming in throughout the line. You can only see the next section.

line. You can only see the next section.

you're you're you're not able to just have it laid out in front of you. So to

come in and flow that well, no slowdown, stayed on his feet, took big airs. That

360 was epic. Like this guy just had a great run. That was really fun to watch.

great run. That was really fun to watch.

Yeah, not even a hint of a bobble in this run. We can see from the fluidity

this run. We can see from the fluidity uh score there from the video judge, but fluidity is only relative to the terrain you're in. And honestly, to go any

you're in. And honestly, to go any faster than that would be really challenging.

>> Straight up. I mean, you can't just go full pin over a blind roll. You got to slow it up there. I mean, that guy masterfully rode this face. That was

that was great. It's It's really cool for me to be here and see this next generation really stepping up and taking it to just the next level. It's it's

it's cool.

>> Yeah. And a huge shout out to the riders. So, it it's been a rush because

riders. So, it it's been a rush because >> we only got most people got here yesterday or the day before. We had to move it up because we've got Sun today.

See the score dropping for Sasha and it goes to 7867.

That is a solid score for the second man down. So, the riders only got their

down. So, the riders only got their first look at this face this morning. We

came up to the ridge. They got the binos out. They were looking at it. Visual

out. They were looking at it. Visual

inspection only from 2 km away. So, keep

that in mind when you're watching that.

They got eyes on it for the first time only this morning. It wasn't the typical free ride world tour. Multiple days of face check looking and looking and looking. They got about 2 hours, an hour

looking. They got about 2 hours, an hour and a half. They watch you guys for run and that was it. Up to the top and go do it. So we roll on with the snowboard men

it. So we roll on with the snowboard men Shane Blue Sand Blom riding out of Lake Tahoe, California. 22 years old here in

Tahoe, California. 22 years old here in the Yeti Hannes Alaska Pro. This man, he started the season with an injury and

then came back swinging in Valter with a huge run. Put himself on the podium and

huge run. Put himself on the podium and put himself above the cut. He has been buzzing at just vibrating since he got into Alaska. And I That's epic.

into Alaska. And I That's epic.

>> Yeah, I'm really looking forward to see what the American rider is going to do with this face starting.

>> Oh, he's lining something up here.

>> Oh, yeah.

So Shane over on the more riders right part staying up high on this spine getting a little checked up there. You

can see the slough running in the low points and he is making his way being a little bit careful. But I think that's a sensible approach when it's all convex meaning the ground just rolls away from you. You can't see where you're going up

you. You can't see where you're going up there. Yeah. And you can see these sunny

there. Yeah. And you can see these sunny aspects. It's it's a little shallower

aspects. It's it's a little shallower and the snow is more of like a wind buff on top. So, it's not quite as favorable,

on top. So, it's not quite as favorable, but he made it through there nicely. It

looks like he's got another thing here.

He's looking at >> lining something up right off the nose there.

>> Yeah.

>> Yeah. You could see there where he landed. Not as deep as as where we saw

landed. Not as deep as as where we saw Sasha landing on the other side of his face.

>> Yep.

>> That's awesome, though. Love that this guy's bringing the energy and good vibes. It's I mean that's a big part of

vibes. It's I mean that's a big part of this snowboard family and this free ride world is just like >> rooting for everybody having a good time. I mean right in the end it's just

time. I mean right in the end it's just snowboarding >> and it's supposed to be fun and they're getting to snowboard in these absolutely spectacular conditions here in H Alaska.

>> Yes.

>> And Sasha oh just clearing that old crown line. So you can see where an old

crown line. So you can see where an old avalanche has broken. The snow above it is soft but that snow didn't look soft at all where he landed. I think he just didn't luck out on that that choice

there. It looked Oh, nice. Oh, yeah.

there. It looked Oh, nice. Oh, yeah.

Beautiful. Beautiful. That was great.

Yeah, just when you those little pockets will pull out and you jump into that that debris zone and it's not as deep and and all that, but still a great run.

I bet he's just beaming right now, buzzing. He just did his first Alaska

buzzing. He just did his first Alaska run out of a helicopter in perfect pow.

And I mean, what more do you want out of your life really? Right.

>> Exactly. Yeah. every crooked decision that you've made to brought you here just paid off big time. Shane going

right off the nose of that one, finding the pocket. But yeah, just in in that

the pocket. But yeah, just in in that south facing side, the snow not as deep.

It's had a little bit more wind, a little bit more sun compaction.

>> Still though, like I really did like that line choice. It's unique. He saw

what he wanted to do and he did it well.

You know, it's it's a shame the snow wasn't as indicative for him, but he still had a great run. And

>> look at that hammer finish there. Big

backside three over that wind feature.

>> Lofty, >> good style.

>> All right. Hover air line tracker there showing Shane's route down.

>> So riders, you know, at the top, how much of this can you see from the top as an athlete? You can see the top like

an athlete? You can see the top like couple hundred feet and then it rolls off and you can see some of the lower features for sure, but it doesn't all line up until you're dropping in and

you're riding down the face. If you're

going from start two, you only see about 50 ft of the face and then it goes full roll over. It's probably at least 50° up

roll over. It's probably at least 50° up there. So, we've got the score there.

there. So, we've got the score there.

4667 for Shane Sambleum. He goes into third place so far in the snowboard men's category. Six riders in the

men's category. Six riders in the category, three down. We are halfway through and of course the the world title. A huge amount of points in the

title. A huge amount of points in the finals both here at the Yeti Pro, Yeti Hannes Alaska Pro and in Verbier. So

here's a man who's going to be chasing a pocket full of those points. Liam

Rivera, 26 years old, riding out of Verbier. He's says four seasons on the

Verbier. He's says four seasons on the tour. feels like he's been here forever.

tour. feels like he's been here forever.

And in second place behind the winningest rider in snowboard men's history, fourtime overall world champion Victor Delaroo. So Liam is going to be

Victor Delaroo. So Liam is going to be looking to make a big splash here. He

was uh he was pretty excited during face check. He had a couple of different

check. He had a couple of different options that he was and I I was really impressed listening to him speak about his line because he was really considering slough management, where the slough was going to go, where he was

going to put himself to stay out of the freight train.

>> Smart decision-m.

>> Yeah. Which is it's part of it if you're if you're new to the sport and it it feels to you like this is just reckless.

It absolutely isn't. There's so much calculation that goes into what these riders are doing. So Liam coming down.

He's got a nice spine feature there.

lofting into the core, getting on that heel side, controlling his speed right away. That was perfect. Perfect edge

away. That was perfect. Perfect edge

control for Liam.

>> Beautiful. Yeah, I got to say with Liam as just a fan of watching free ride, this guy has really impressed me. He is

solid. It's It's a pleasure to watch. I

mean, look at that style. Taking it to bolts every time. This guy is awesome.

>> Yeah. So much commitment up at the top of the face. 360 there as well. So Liam

really ramping up that air and style category as well as just keeping it moving. He's flowing down this mountain

moving. He's flowing down this mountain like water just trickling through and lacing these features popping right off the blade of that spine. So clean riding on the upper section of this face for

Liam.

>> Oh, look at that turn. Look at that snow right there. This this is just epic.

right there. This this is just epic.

Yeah, he's having he's having himself one here today. That's for sure. That

was a really solid top and he's keeping the flow going. Here we go into the bottom section. We're going to see some

bottom section. We're going to see some more features here for sure.

>> Yeah, Liam off the nose of that one.

Using the tail of his board to compress into the landing, getting that speed under control. And another 360 going

under control. And another 360 going front side this time. So, spinning both ways there for Liam Rivera.

>> He is down and clean. So, the judges told us before the event that once the riders are off that apron and down onto the little Jarvis Glacier, they're stopping judging. They're going to get

stopping judging. They're going to get the scores in. They've got this time.

They're not going to worry about this long flat descent. They'll leave that just for the ride.

>> We don't want another Drew Tab key going on. We're just going to stop it there.

on. We're just going to stop it there.

>> Liam just had himself a run, guys. This

is This is impressive. That was

beautiful riding.

You can tell Yeah. He He took all the variables into it and he laid it down.

>> Yeah. Never put a foot out of place. Big

slash turn to control his speed right off the summit of that spine. So Liam

Rivera just putting all the pieces together and each one of those features that was the only one where there was even a hint and it was just a little tail press. I think you know the judges

tail press. I think you know the judges of course are watching the early pop.

>> Look at that. Yeah, totally early pop into that three. got the grab. Perfect

style. That's one thing with Liam. He's

got that front side three on lock and when you watch him throw it, it is beautiful.

>> Yeah, veteran riding there from the young Swiss athlete. He is going to be absolutely over the moon with that run.

As we said, only Victor in this whole category has ever even ridden in Alaska before, let alone competed on this phase. So, for these riders to step into

phase. So, for these riders to step into this arena and just throw down like that as uh well, Liam's he's coming. He's

going to get locked in behind the uh in front of the the backdrop there and the score going way up.

>> 89erved well.

That was huge.

>> Nice work, Liam.

>> Nice work.

>> Sort of makes me proud even watching it.

Like, look at what these guys are doing.

This is absolutely incredible. I mean

it's it's yeah it brings a tear to your eye. It's it's beautiful.

eye. It's it's beautiful.

>> Well rather they're standing on your shoulders as you guys were the first ones pioneering competition runs on this face. So Liam Rivera, Sasha Bico and uh

face. So Liam Rivera, Sasha Bico and uh and we see Cesar Bar. One, two, three right now with a couple guys left to go, but they are the heaviest of heavy hitters.

>> Yeah. Bringing the heat. Here we go.

>> Enzo Neil, another rider out of Alter.

He's been a winner on the free ride world tour. travel partner, riding buddy

world tour. travel partner, riding buddy of Victor Delaroo, and I know they're missing the uh third musketeer. Kami

Arman, if you're at home watching, big shout out to you, those uh those boys, part of the free ride fiasco squad, and Enzo Nilo getting a little help from the guides and medical team at the top. This

is a team affair and it takes a takes a village.

>> Takes a village for sure. Yeah. And it's

it's really it has to do with the temperatures. It's a cold day and it's

temperatures. It's a cold day and it's just a little sticky up there at the top in the flats. But as you can tell, as soon as you drop in, you're on that pitch. It's It's not slow then.

pitch. It's It's not slow then.

Oh, beautiful half cab into the line.

Nice work.

Yeah, look at that. He is throwing some snow up and he's got some speed going.

This is This is a great start to a good run.

>> Yeah, Enzo bringing a bit more intensity than we've seen just with pure speed going back three there, landing just past Liam's bomb hole. catch and getting back in control.

>> Getting some speed going.

>> Yeah, Lee Enzo is going with an aggressive approach here. Keeping it

fall line pinned off that double.

>> All right. Well, Enzo Nilo making his claim here in Hannes. He wants to be standing on that podium as well. It's

wide open in this category in the overall. So, the the way the finish

overall. So, the the way the finish stacks up here is going to have a huge effect on the overall title chase. Enzo

Neilo right off the nose getting bounced there off his hands but coming up quick.

>> Yeah, he's carrying his speed. He's

flowing through this line. It's It's fun to watch.

>> You can see there in the little box we got other riders that are on the ridge.

That's the ski men. They are going to be taking notes watching the snowboarders ride because they're going to be going up shortly, getting in the helicopter and heading up to the top. So,

conditions, speed, slough, all of that stuff. They're just going to be just

stuff. They're just going to be just taking it in as Enzo now coming into the lower rollover section. A really nice air there getting on his heelside edge to control speed before this final

donger front three. And

>> beautiful lands it.

>> Yeah, he's got to be happy with that.

What a way to end a a nice lineup here.

And just in the sun flowing down. Yeah,

I was just thinking watching those skiers over there with their Box out.

The combined amount of adrenaline that's pumping through veins right here on on this ridge is at a high level.

>> It is absolutely huge. All right,

Ryland, take us through this.

>> Nice half cab. Why not get a freebie off the top? Yeah, great move. Beautiful

the top? Yeah, great move. Beautiful

back three here. Goes bigger in the last track. Little wash out, but he's coming

track. Little wash out, but he's coming out so hot and he pulls it together. It

gets under control. I got to say, watching this guy, he's riding with power.

Look at that. Yeah. Throwing up the snow. The light today is incredible.

snow. The light today is incredible.

These views they're getting with the drones and the cameras. It's It's makes it surreal. I mean, you can't even

it surreal. I mean, you can't even believe it. This is really cool.

believe it. This is really cool.

>> Yeah. It almost feels like we're we're watching a a video game or something that's AI generated. It's like nearly too perfect.

>> Oh, look at that. Three. Got the grab.

Beautiful. He's got to be happy with that. I mean,

that. I mean, whether or not he put the whole line together clean, even getting those moments. I mean, he's showing the world.

moments. I mean, he's showing the world.

He's on the world stage. He's showing

them what he's got. That guy is a good snowboarder.

>> Yeah.

>> I can't see, but I don't know.

>> Fell.

>> All right. Well, the score comes up a 6733.

So, he moves into third. He's in that uh that scary spot in the podium conversation when you only have Victor Delaroo still up.

>> But the uh the man is standing at the top of the venue. Liam Rivera, Sasha Belo, Enzo Neo. That is your one, two,

three so far. But this man can he has his way on this face. Victor Delu

has spent a ton of time in Alaska, both here and and in the tour Drillows and in and around Vald like he is he's a veteran in Alaska. We've actually been

heling together the last two days. So

he's he's warmed up and man yesterday we were out there it was a great day but at a certain point he's like it's competition time and I'm I need to get back and I'm taking this serious. So it

was cool. I'm really excited to see what Victor can do cuz he's he's one of the best in the world just straight up.

Yeah, he sure is. As he comes in and goes cap five off the corners landing perfect, perfect absolute execution for

Victor Delaroo. He is on course.

Victor Delaroo. He is on course.

>> He is hauling right now too. He is

coming down fast and fluid and bringing the power.

>> Oh yeah, one of the strongest riders just physically and the mental game that Victor has. Oh

Victor has. Oh my god, the alioop off angle takeoff. So

moving the the wrong way, spinning again. So Victor Daroo, he is just

again. So Victor Daroo, he is just putting points in his pockets. The

judges on the edges of their seats watching through their binoculars. Same

with you at home and us here. Victor

Daroo has not let off the gas pedal from top to bottom. Hasn't put a foot out of place yet.

>> Absolutely crushing it. Beautiful to

watch. I mean, look at this. Does it get any better? Look at what he just did on

any better? Look at what he just did on this face. That was absolutely sick. So,

this face. That was absolutely sick. So,

you see there, the terrain rolls away one more time, and Victor Delaroo is going to get another opportunity to put his stamp of authority on the bottom

section of this face. So far, for sure, the most fluid and attacking style in this section. There's this little

this section. There's this little section where a little heelside slide's necessary to get onto this launch pad.

Clean off. And Victor Delaroo, he may find another feature below. Now he's

just going to rally the powder.

>> Oh, nice butter to end it. Yeah, Victor.

Nice work, buddy. That was incredible.

>> And both hands in the air. That is a worthy run to make a claim after. Look

how small he is. As the camera pans back, it just gives you a sense of the scale of this venue. And we are deep.

15minute helicopter ride from base. And

that's a 45minute drive from a small fishing village. I mean we are out here

fishing village. I mean we are out here on the edges as we look back here at Ryland at this replay. Look at that cab five to Bolts. Perfect. Comes in just

Yeah, he's sending. He's feeling good.

He's on his game. You can tell.

>> And >> yeah, look. Maxed out on all of it. He

just had the run. That was freaking cool.

So, the judges are going to take their time. They're re-watching every little

time. They're re-watching every little detail. You know, they want to get this

detail. You know, they want to get this right more than uh more than anybody.

But looking at the video judge, that butter there at the at the bottom. I

mean, that's just that's like the joy just popping out of you when you when you throw a butter at the bottom of a run like that, you're like, "Hell yeah."

That was one of the >> probably one of the most most fun competition runs you could ever have.

>> Yeah. No, to to see that just now, that got my heart going, you know? That was

That was so cool. What a badass.

>> All right. Well, Victor Delaroo has done his part. He's making his way into the

his part. He's making his way into the finish there. We got a hand waving.

finish there. We got a hand waving.

That's just a big hello to all you folks at home. As Victor Daroo

at home. As Victor Daroo >> got the good homie Enzo Nilo there beside him. Both of them waiting.

beside him. Both of them waiting.

I sit down of the the field.

>> You guys should check free ride.

>> Check it out.

>> Little plug for the YouTube series there.

>> Yeah. Yeah. You can tell when you watch those. They're having a good time.

those. They're having a good time.

>> Yeah. The the spirit of free ride snowboarding alive and well with the free ride fiasco crew.

>> Yeah. keeping it light, keeping it fun, and just kind of remembering what it's all about on the tour.

>> Yeah, totally. And it I mean, you got all these young rippers and then Victor coming in with the experience and still able to throw down like that. It it's

it's cool. I bet they're all just as stoked watching it going, "Wow, like look what's possible out here."

>> Yeah, exactly. I mean it it it truly is like the the torch just keeps getting passed whether you and Sammy down to the the next group and now from Victor and Enzo on down to guys like Cesar is only

20 years old. You know the the the pathway is so strong. The pipeline is full of talented riders and and seeing these guys just share the knowledge. You

know there's no secrecy. There's no

hiding.

>> Yeah. Totally. I love it. It is a competition but really I think we all know it is when you're there. The

competition is just you versus the mountain. And not in a bad way, just

mountain. And not in a bad way, just like how can I work together with this mountain to do and express what I need to do.

>> Oh, and it comes in at a 916.

Yes.

>> The last man on the mountain and he takes over the hot seat. So Liam Rivera, he was thinking there for a bit that he was going to take the win here in Alaska, but the man has done it again.

He chose, >> look at that smile. He is happy right now.

>> He chose to drop last and so he he had all the info, put it all to good use and found himself on top of the heap in snowboard men. Well, this is how it

snowboard men. Well, this is how it shook out. Victor Dilleroo with the win.

shook out. Victor Dilleroo with the win.

Liam Rivera in second and Sasha Biko in his rookie season taking third and landing on the podium here at the Yeti Alaska Hannes Pro. Cesar, Enzo, Nilo,

Cesar Bren, and Shane Blue Sambbleum rounding it out. All six of these guys are safe from the cut. So, we're going to take a look back at Victor's run.

Ryland, you know, top to bottom, this was just spotless. Oh, it was it was just he greased that thing. You kidding

me? Came in that cab five off the top just to sort of cement like, "Yeah, I'm here. I'm ready." And then coming into

here. I'm ready." And then coming into this backside three down here and he rode with authority and he brought the heat. You know, it's like what more

heat. You know, it's like what more could you do on this face? Look at this guy. That 360 to me was one of the

guy. That 360 to me was one of the highlight moves. The ground sloped the

highlight moves. The ground sloped the wrong way. He's go, you know, he's got

wrong way. He's go, you know, he's got the ground falling away. He's able to set just enough edge to get himself in the air and then >> do a 360. Like the the board control,

the precision that that this man has is just every every hit to bolts. Every

single one to bolts like stomping it.

>> I mean, there was not a bobble. There

wasn't one moment where you thought, "Oh, he's having a hard turn." No, he is sending it full boore all the way.

Yeah, this is cool, man. And Victor,

he's such an interesting contrast in in the sport of free ride because he is one of the most fun people to be around. His

spirit is infectious, but when it comes to comp time, like you said yesterday, he locks in. He'll look from every angle. He'll put in the time. He'll

angle. He'll put in the time. He'll

study. He's a scientist on these line selections. And then he's also got the

selections. And then he's also got the riding skills to back that up. Like that

that level of precision is just unmatched right now in in in snowboarding in free ride snowboarding.

>> And it's incredible to see him just paint his his vision on this >> unbelievable canvas. All right. Well,

this is what's happened with the overall free ride world tour by peak performance rankings. Victor Dillaroo cementing his

rankings. Victor Dillaroo cementing his spot up top. Liam Rivera, Sasha Belo exactly as the event went. Enzo, Nelos,

Shane Blue, Samlam jumping up the spot and Cesar Bant, but it's all still so tight. But Victor and Liam putting a

tight. But Victor and Liam putting a little bit of breathing room in between themselves and that chasing pack. So,

it's going to come down to Verbier. If

Victor can continue this run of form, we are going to see another dominant title.

So that's it for snowboard men here at the Hannes Alaska Yeti Pro. We are

rolling on. Stay with us. We'll be right back.

Hey. Hey. Hey.

Welcome Back to the Yeti Hannes, Alaska Pro. We are live from the depths of the

Pro. We are live from the depths of the Chillcat Mountains. My name is Derek

Chillcat Mountains. My name is Derek Fouse. I'm joined by 2016 snowboard

Fouse. I'm joined by 2016 snowboard winner, snowboard men's winner Ryland Bell, bringing you all the action. We

just saw the first category absolute firework snowboard men throwing it down out there.

>> What are your uh what's your take on how that went? That was awesome to watch

that went? That was awesome to watch live. That was all time. I mean, these

live. That was all time. I mean, these guys, they're getting good. They're

bringing so much power in their free riding and they're just taking it to bolts every time. It's It's Yeah, it's next level. That's what it is. It's next

next level. That's what it is. It's next

level. Next level indeed. Well, we've

got uh you know, dug through the archives and we've got your winning run from 2016 here on this exact same face.

So, Ran, talk us through this. You're

standing in the Stargate getting fired up for your home comp.

>> Oh yeah. Oh, it was on. Yeah, I was so fired up. The snow was perfect and uh

fired up. The snow was perfect and uh Yeah, this is bringing back some memories. I remember sort of had an

memories. I remember sort of had an idea, but I was coming down this section and I saw this this wall here and I knew I was going to hit that thing. And yeah,

I'll never forget that 360. That was a good one.

>> We saw Victor do the exact same thing.

He's been studying.

>> Yeah. Well, we were talking about it.

He's like, "What do you think?" I said that's a great hit.

>> Excellent. Well, we got a little insight into uh into Victor's line selection looking at this 2016 winning run and then the lower section like you had it kind of similar to Victor where top to

bottom it was just absolutely flawless and you were feeling it.

>> I was feeling it that day for sure. Like

you it's just one of those times when everything comes together and I don't know doing it on the home turf too. It's

it's it's really special. I mean, being out here and getting to even be a part of this is really special for me. So,

it's Yeah, it's great.

>> And as you said, so we've only had three events here before. Sammy Loopkey won two of them. You won one. Victor joins

the club now. It's a pretty exclusive group to be a part of winners. You know,

we the free ride world tour makes a big deal about winners in in Verbier. You

know, winning the extreme is a huge deal. I'd say equal status here winning

deal. I'd say equal status here winning in Alaska.

>> Geez. Well, thanks.

I don't know. Verbier.

It It is just It is extreme. It's the

Verbier Extreme. And there's something just very special about that place, too.

So, >> for sure. Yeah. That's why these two events are the final. We heard Nicholas Hail Wood say this one is it's imperative to have this stop on the free ride world tour, you know, to to for a

rider to have that full complete skill set. This needs to be one of the proving

set. This needs to be one of the proving grounds and and having Hannes back on the tour. So we are rolling on with the

the tour. So we are rolling on with the H yeti Alaska Pro and snowboard women is the next category to take the start

gate. We have seen veterans and rookies

gate. We have seen veterans and rookies with dominant performances this year.

But Mia Jones has taken the bull by the horns. Young rookie coming out of Lake

horns. Young rookie coming out of Lake Tahoe, California and taking on Noia Key who stormed the snowboard women's category last year in her rookie season.

So, there's something in the air with the rookies lately where they're coming on tour. They they're they're they're so

on tour. They they're they're they're so wellversed. This is where we sit

wellversed. This is where we sit overall. Mia Jones right now on 16400

overall. Mia Jones right now on 16400 with 16,000 for Anna Martinez. So, it is close. Last year's champ Noia Key just

close. Last year's champ Noia Key just behind. And so many more points here in

behind. And so many more points here in FWT Finals. Michaela Davis Mian, the

FWT Finals. Michaela Davis Mian, the final FWT finalist. And then we see our riders that we were gutted to say goodbye to there. Nuria Caston Baron, Natalie Alport, and Sarah Baker. All

hopefully moving on to the challengers and earning their way back here to the Free Ride World Tour. So, we are ready to go with Snowboard or getting ready to go with Snowboard Women. We're going to take a look shortly at the start list to

see what order they're going to drop in the Free Ride World Tour and FIS bringing in a new system where the top ranked riders get to select their bib

drop order. So, Mia Jones deciding to go

drop order. So, Mia Jones deciding to go first. She wanted less bomb holes, less

first. She wanted less bomb holes, less tracks. A strategic decision. We're

tracks. A strategic decision. We're

going to see if it pays off. Michaela

Davis, me and the Aussie rider, dropping second. And then the two French

second. And then the two French monsters, Anna Martinez and Noi Aki, both capable of taking the win here on the Yeti Alaska Haynes Proace.

And we're going to have a uh a little look into the mentality that's got Mia Jones to this point, leading the Freeride World Tour by Peak Performance in her first ever attempt.

It's pretty incredible to be here.

Definitely like this is such a dream freer riding place and you grow up watching the movies and it's all Alaska and so the fact that like I'm able to be here and go out there and like ride some

lines in Alaska is a total like crazy dream experience.

Definitely. I came into the season and I was like, I'm going to have no expectations and like this could go like we'll just see what happens and I'm just going to try and focus on my riding and I definitely never could have expected

that it would worked out the way it is and that I'm sitting with the golden bib and that I'm here and I made it to the finals and I re-qualified.

I've been really proud of the runs that I was able to do and I think it just shows that like I at least am like at the level that the other riders on the tour are and I deserve to be here and I

think it's a really good feeling that I know that I can and I have the possibility to stomp a really solid podium run.

I haven't really ridden anything like the Alaska venue and I haven't ridden anything like the Verbier venue. So, I

think both are going to be a completely different experience and unlike anything I've ever been on before.

>> It's going to be so difficult to like choose a line, but ideally something like that flows well, but like you have to think about your slough and like a whole lot of other factors that I'm not

necessarily used to or don't have much experience with. Um, ideally just like a

experience with. Um, ideally just like a line that I can ride fast and that I can ride fluid and just like really enjoy the fact that we're out here in Alaska.

>> At the end of the day and at the end of the two comps, I would be sick to to win. That's I mean that's definitely the

win. That's I mean that's definitely the goal, but yeah, we'll see what happens from now on.

>> All right. All right. Well, a little look into the mind of Mia Jones. Ryland,

you were a rookie on the tour at at one point. How impressive is it for someone

point. How impressive is it for someone who's 20 years old, who's brand new to this entire scene to be kind of dominating?

>> Yeah, it's impressive. Um, the women in general have just gotten so good.

They're riding with all this power and taking it to the next level. and and

Mia, I mean, she's got the pedigree. She

grew up. She's she is really killing it this year on tour. I was just out in the heli with her. She wrote her first Alaska lines and just we would scope

them and she would go up and lay every turn exactly where we talked about. I

mean, I was really impressed. She is

absolutely dialed and just riding at this very high level. Yeah. high level

at a young age and it's a testament to the experience that she's got. I mean,

growing up riding in the back country with uh with her brother Cass and her dad Jeremy, um just putting in the mileage like you you can't fake it out here. There's there's no way that you

here. There's there's no way that you can you can fake it. The the experience just is what it is and and the experience and mindset and and sort of mental fortitude to put down lines like

you said, you know, where where you're putting the turns where they need to go because the consequence out here is as real as it gets. Yeah, for sure. It it

takes for me it took just took a lot of practice. You know, you have to sort of

practice. You know, you have to sort of train yourself to have a photographic memory, try and remember what you're supposed to be doing out there and and so for these rookies to come in and be this dialed, it's it's awesome. And it's

just it's only going to keep growing and getting better and and all these people, you know, they it's pretty awesome the tapestry of shred that it is, right, where it's just building off of itself

and it's it's just cool to get to be a part of it. Yeah. And the the sport pyramid. All right, we're going to take

pyramid. All right, we're going to take a look here. The peak performance fun bat fan favorites your opportunity to get some skin in the game. Fantasy free

ride. 96% feel that Mia Jones is going to be finding herself on the podium. No

AK, last year's champ with 94 and Anna Martinez getting 77% of the vote. So

that is what you've had to say. Now

we're going to see what the riders have to say for for every one of them. the

pyramid of this, you know, starting out and whether it's junior free ride or riding with your friends as a kid, just kind of building the building the stoke, putting some skills under your feet, and

then to find yourself just boom on the top of a huge Alaskan face in a competition. Bib, it's just an

competition. Bib, it's just an incredible ride that these uh these athletes are are going through and putting themselves into. We see young French rider Shamanard, Anna Martinez.

She has been spectacular on the free ride world tour. She's getting it going and love the vibe is high up there and and it's something that we've seen kind of historically at the start gate on the

top of the mountain whether it's ski women or snowboard women. They keep it light. They keep it super fun and uh and

light. They keep it super fun and uh and they're always having a good time.

They're they're lifting each other up.

It's so good to see like you said where where women snowboard is at right now because it is firing. All right.

Sounds like we're going to get an opportunity to chat with our head judge and commissioner of the free ride world tour, Lolo Best. Lolo, we're one category in. Tell us what you've seen so

category in. Tell us what you've seen so far and how you're feeling about the event.

>> Well, what I feel about the event is like just amazing. I can't believe the actions the riders can put over there.

The snow looks just great. Um, I'm

actually pretty envious to tell you the truth.

>> Yeah, we're feeling the same way. Okay.

So, I'm sitting here with Ryland Bell, 2020 or 2016 uh pro snowboard men winner. Uh and we were talking a little bit about line selection and how difficult it is for

the riders particularly today where they only had the morning to look. So,

relative to that, how do you feel that first category went in terms of the riders executing their lines? Yeah, I

think um do you know what the riders have access to all the footage for the previous three years that we did the free world tour in Alaska. So uh they

knew they knew what they would um have.

Um I think in terms of obviously features exactly the same. Um the snow was definitely different but Ryland put a good runs and he gave us some really good feedbacks regarding the snow

condition. So yeah, I think um it was

condition. So yeah, I think um it was pretty good for the riders.

>> All right. So each each location we go to on the free ride world tour, the judges are re-calibrating the the criteria to suit the face. So what do you think it's going to take? We've seen

one category. We've got three more to go. What's it going to take for the

go. What's it going to take for the riders today to to be successful in in this event?

>> Well, like just referring to the snowboard men category, what we've seen it was technical runs. Um but I guess the the rider were in front were the

ones who really committed for the lines.

Um didn't spend too much time choosing uh a features. Maybe sometimes it's better to skip some features but to just go fast and uh um the venue is such a

big one that you you have to just send it. And I think that was the one of the

it. And I think that was the one of the criteria that we looked at uh for this first um category. All right. Thank you

Lo Best. That is Free Ride World Tour head judge and commissioner Laurent Lolo Best giving us his insight on what they're looking at, what they're looking for. We see the ski women getting

for. We see the ski women getting themselves ready. We've got Justine

themselves ready. We've got Justine Duour Laant there as well as Zoe Del Zapo. They are buckling in for their

Zapo. They are buckling in for their helicopter ride getting ready to go up top. But of course, Snowboard women

top. But of course, Snowboard women going to be coming first. There's only

four of them dropping. They are the ones still standing after the cut after only two events. So aggressive cut this year,

two events. So aggressive cut this year, but mother nature always wins when we're in the mountains as we see. Still only

one fall line track of start one. Plenty

of canvas still to paint on up there, Ryland.

>> Oh yeah. Mia's Mia's stoked. I talked to her after I did my run and fired her up on it. Told her to have a good time and

on it. Told her to have a good time and it's like Lo just said, you just got to send it. Yeah, that's what it's going to

send it. Yeah, that's what it's going to take. So here we go. Mia Jones, 20 years

take. So here we go. Mia Jones, 20 years old, wearing the golden bib as the current leader of the free ride world tour by Peak Performance, riding out of

Palisades Tahoe. She is on the face now.

Palisades Tahoe. She is on the face now.

Here we go. Snowboard women underway.

Coming in hot. Look at that. Throwing

some snow up and getting into the techn here. Oh yeah, Mia.

here. Oh yeah, Mia.

>> So, a little slab release there out to her left, but she is playing it smart by just staying up on the wall and letting that get clear. You can see it's just thundering down and Mia just stay up

nice and high. This is so smart. She

didn't let that affect her at all and managed to find a bunch of features there as you can see that cascade just rolling down to join the rest of the avalanche debris that's been there from before. Oh yeah. I mean she was going so

before. Oh yeah. I mean she was going so fast she was beating the slough. She did

the top section about 5 seconds just float and being up there. That's steep.

That is steep steep steep steep. So that

was really impressive to see her flowing it like that and just attack with confidence. That was so cool.

confidence. That was so cool.

>> Yeah, it's kind of becoming her trademark, that aggressive, high-speed, fast, powerful riding. You know, she never really slows down. You see her pick lines that she can hold the fall

line on and and we heard it from Lo.

That's what the judges love to see.

Fluidity is one of the categories and you add that into an aggressive line and it's going to score well. So stand up high on this spine as the pan back

reveals that big roll away down low as Mia Jones is going to pop into the steeps and then keep this thing going.

Look at that. I mean the thing about Mia is that just her turns like she has such good style on a snowboard. It's very

uniquely her own and it's really cool to see her in this realm just like bringing the heat. Look at that snow. It's so

the heat. Look at that snow. It's so

deep. Here we go. Mia, nice work.

>> So, another freight train plowing down off to her left, but she stays well clear of it and executes that section like a veteran. 20 years old, leading

the tour and riding like that. The

judges are going to have their work cut out for them. But that was a great start. And I got to say, she picked bib

start. And I got to say, she picked bib number one right now. Looking like a good call.

>> That was a good call. I mean, completely fresh the entire way. stayed on her feet. Had to have been about one of the

feet. Had to have been about one of the fastest times down the face. I mean, she was absolutely crushing that. Look at

this shot here. I mean, does it get any better? Look at that texture. Just

better? Look at that texture. Just

perfect powder raging down on the side. I mean, this is an absolute agrade film line.

Yeah, Mia Jones putting on a master class. You can see the snow there just

class. You can see the snow there just erupt as she comes into the lower section. Look how steep that is. This

section. Look how steep that is. This

drone just gives you at home on your couch the perspective of what these riders are dealing with. The ground just falls away and Mia just keeping that slough and and you know a little more

than slough. You can see the crown line

than slough. You can see the crown line there where it fractured. Uh keeping it off at bay. Veteran slough management Mia Jones opening up snowboard women

with a bang. Big smile on her face. So

the score coming in and it goes oh >> 91 points.

>> Yeah. Mia, for Mia Jones, that is a mammoth score for a first run in a category. But the judges, I you know,

category. But the judges, I you know, I'm so happy we talked to Lo right before that because he told us what they wanted to see and then me just did it.

Just did it all top to bottom.

Absolutely perfect. So, she has had her her work done now and the rest of the riders I don't know if uh if there's cell service up there if they can actually watch the broadcast.

>> We're in the middle of nowhere. There's

no >> and see those scores. No. So, they're

going to be a bit blind to the the size of the score that just dropped for Mia Jones. But, our next rider will be

Jones. But, our next rider will be dropping out of start number two. It

looks like Michaela Davis Mian, she is primed and ready to go for her first drop on an Alaskan face. The uh these riders, they're I mean, they talked

about it this morning in the in the briefing. They're feeling really

briefing. They're feeling really grateful, really lucky just to be here to stay in that start gate.

>> And Michaela Davis Mian now popping off the corners and getting things started.

A little bit of style right off the bat.

>> Yeah. And just look at how steep that is up there.

>> She's coming in fluid with some speed.

Looking good. Snow's pouring everywhere.

The lights perfect. She's crushing. This

is cool. So Michaela lining up these features, popping right off with a 360, holding on. She gets kind of pushed into

holding on. She gets kind of pushed into the path of the slough, but does stay upright.

>> Holds it together. That is looking good.

That was an beautiful 360. That was

cool.

>> Oh, this category is electric right now.

Michaela Davis me crossing over. So

where the slough has been running and it's flushed all season there. The snow

conditions really different than the rest of the face.

>> Yeah, 100%. And the slough rentals are al always a bit firm. So you could see there as she crossed it, it it bucked her a bit, but she held it together. And

then you get back in the good snow. And

I mean, it's so steep up there. The

snow's pouring down everywhere all around you. And just navigating it is is

around you. And just navigating it is is a master class in itself really. So

>> yeah. And especially after you've just done a 360 in that position, that's incredible.

>> Like I'm not trying to do that.

>> Yeah. Well, Michaela is. and uh we are going to see the rest of her run. So the

riders get a little bit of a mental break, but it's definitely not a physical break. Uh in this flatter

physical break. Uh in this flatter section, the the it's real steep at the top. It kind of bowls out and then

top. It kind of bowls out and then pitches away again as we see Michaela approaching these spines getting the grab there.

>> Melon.

>> Yeah, look at her throwing up the snow.

This is just agrade Alaska powder having just one of the runs of her life right now. You're all watching it live.

right now. You're all watching it live.

>> Yeah. Bringing this to you live from the depths of the Chillcat Range in Hannes, Alaska. Michaela Davis, me being the

Alaska. Michaela Davis, me being the second rider in the snowboard women's category and bringing fireworks here as she crosses over that old slide, gets up

onto that pillow. Look at the slough.

Absolutely ripping. She is a fly on the wall here. And she's looking like taking

wall here. And she's looking like taking a moment to regroup.

>> Yeah. Yeah, when the snow's raging like that, sometimes you got to make that call. And that was a good move in her

call. And that was a good move in her part. She's stuck against the wall

part. She's stuck against the wall there. Let the snow go. Finish the run.

there. Let the snow go. Finish the run.

Stay on your feet. Make it look good.

Yeah. And she's got herself into a tight little situation here. Barely wide

enough to fit her board through. The

only option just to put it in the fall line and let it buck. I mean, it's the bottom of the venue, but it is so steep.

You can tell by the way the slough is moving. I mean, that gives you the sense

moving. I mean, that gives you the sense of how steep it is. There's no

resistance to that slough sliding.

>> No, it's absolutely rocketing. I mean,

the snow down there is peeling off the face at 50 mph and raging. So, that was that was a very impressive run. That was

great to see bringing a 360 into exposed terrain at the top of your line like that. I mean, that's just world class

that. I mean, that's just world class snowboarding.

>> And there's an element of pressure off.

The cut is done. You're going to next year. You're going to Verbier. You're

year. You're going to Verbier. You're

already in Alaska. So now these riders have the opportunity to really just put all the cards on the table.

>> You know what's funny is that I was at the bottom after the forun and she came down and I literally told her that same thing. You're on the world stage. You

thing. You're on the world stage. You

made it. Show them what you can do. And

she did.

>> Well, let's see here as we get this replay backside three in exposure landing.

>> And then she just gets a little bit pushed into the slough and there's so much of it with so much pressure on her.

This is a highlight. This is a gamechanging moment right now, I think, in in snowboard women to to do a move like that way high on this Alaskan face.

It's so bold and >> completely committed.

>> Yeah, the commitment incredible. And

then this is where she had to take a little pause. You can see Niagara Falls

little pause. You can see Niagara Falls just pouring down beside her. So, taking

a pause and then putting herself into this slot, launching off. She did get kicked back there.

>> Oh, shoot. Yeah,

>> back uh back first landing.

Unfortunately, just getting kicked a little bit. So, yeah, back coming down

little bit. So, yeah, back coming down before the board. The riders or the judges are going to call that a full, you know, full essentially like it's it's only a backlap if the board touches down first.

>> I'd say either way, she should be super happy about her run cuz >> you were here >> doing that 360 up there. I mean, no one else is doing that.

>> Well, she just shouted out Nuria Caston Baron. That was for her. 4867

Baron. That was for her. 4867

for Michaela Davis Mian. What could have been in that run as she got herself into truly a a defining moment in in free ride snowboard women there launching a

360 and then just coming a little bit unglued lower down. We're back to the top snowboard women. The action rages on as Anna Martinez riding out of Shaman

France. She's sitting in second overall

France. She's sitting in second overall just behind Mia Jones. The points gap is not huge, but with a 91 run on the table already for Mia, Anna's got her work cut out for her.

>> Yeah, nice. Looks like going into a sort of a untouched zone here. Snow looks

great and she is just bringing the heat coming off something right up top. Nice.

That was cool. That was a good That was good style.

>> Yeah. And you were saying the the pow in the shade definitely a nicer texture than the stuff that's been touched by the sun. So Anna choosing to stay in

the sun. So Anna choosing to stay in that north facing aspect and find that absolutely spectacular snow.

>> Yeah, look at those plumes. I mean,

she's throwing snow up and she's having a good one. Lining up a nice feature here. Sweet.

here. Sweet.

Yeah, look at that. So Anna keeping it clean and tidy as she comes over the lower section of the upper face and still stacked up features below her.

Nice and clean. kind of not that same full throttle approach that we saw from Mia, but also doing everything to stay on her feet and keep that board in

contact with the snow as Anna Martinez now clear of the upper section. So, a

nice clean top part. We'll see what she can back it up with on the bottom.

Yeah, having some nice sprays here.

Throwing up that snow into the sun. You

can tell that edge is just holding that blower powder.

Nice.

>> And this is where it pitches away.

So Anna Martinez is going to need to do some very clever navigation. Oh, she

just puts the board straight into the fall line and absolutely flying down there. Break check to get control. She

there. Break check to get control. She

has to cross a couple times over that slough line and she's still got a couple of glory turns lined up below her.

Yeah, she's got to be happy with that run. stayed on her feet, rode fast,

run. stayed on her feet, rode fast, fluid. That was a great run.

fluid. That was a great run.

>> And popping over this little double out.

Oh, and just losing it at the B. I'm not

sure where that sits in that judging line. The the judges said once the

line. The the judges said once the riders have connected with the glacier, that seems like it's right on the doorstep.

>> Yeah, that's a tough call. I I' I'd give it to her in her favor. She had a great run. That's at the bottom,

run. That's at the bottom, >> but you know, she did do a little air there. I guess they could have played

there. I guess they could have played into it, but >> yeah, we'll see what the judges have to say. I mean, yeah, if if it was coming

say. I mean, yeah, if if it was coming from the commentators, we'd give it to you, Anna. As we look back here, Ryland,

you, Anna. As we look back here, Ryland, at the replay of Anna Martinez run.

Yeah. Flowing it nice. And like you said, just with the limited scope and all the excitement of being in Alaska, for her to come here and lay that down, I think it's really impressive.

A lot of features, too. She linked up everything well, kept it kept it fluid.

>> Yeah. And looking like she knew exactly where she's going. Getting down to this lower part, she just puts the board and lets gravity take her for a ride. And

then using that powder, I think that's really smart. Gets out of the slough

really smart. Gets out of the slough runnel into the powder before she puts her board sideways where she knows she's going to have nice contact and a good kind of breaking effect.

>> Totally. Yeah. Way better purchase in the snow. And just when it's Hero Pal

the snow. And just when it's Hero Pal like this, you can really use the snow to your advantage. So, it's nice to see that out there.

>> All right. Well, three riders into a four rider field here in Snowboard women. We just saw Anna Martinez as the

women. We just saw Anna Martinez as the judges doing some calculations there.

She's looking anxiously waiting for this score as it climbs up and goes to 5833.

So, she moves into second right now. Mia

Jones dominating this field so far with her 91 point run. If there is well I mean there is only one woman left who can have a say in the podium

conversation which right now has Mia sitting on top. Anna Martinez in second, Michaela Davis Mian in third. It is last year's Free Ride World Tour overall

champion out of Varen's France. No AI

she had a huge season last year. a

rookie on the tour taking the title now standing in the start gate for the first time ever in Alaska and No pushing out of the startgate opting for that direct

fall line approach.

>> Yeah, I talked to her down there and she said I'm going full fall line and it's been great watching her on tour. She

really understands the mountain well and it shows. She brings a lot of fluidity

it shows. She brings a lot of fluidity and power and uh I think one of the other riders who's really taken women's free ride into the next level.

>> Yeah. And and you know the the to we talked earlier about the torch pass between you know your generation and the next and now Victor onto onto the younger guys. It's been the same thing

younger guys. It's been the same thing with the women where Marianerti has taken some of these young French riders under her wing and Noami is ripping right now getting her board bounced out

from under her a little bit but at absolute full pace for No AI and she's over in this part Ryland that you said was a little bit stiffer a

little bit firmer and you can see it by the way the board is moving on the texture of the snow. It's not as easy to control. Yeah, it's a little shallower

control. Yeah, it's a little shallower over there and just like it gives it's given back a little bit more. You can

see it bouncing her, but she's riding fast. She's riding smooth and just a you

fast. She's riding smooth and just a you know a beautiful sunny power run in Alaska.

>> Oh, and now this just glory turn.

>> So >> now coming back over the slough. She

wants to reconnect with the powder.

>> So noia Key on that run. We're going to have to check in the replay. strong top,

but then she kind of ran out of features on the lower section, which is one of the the I I think the benefits of that more riders left part of the face. You

get the bottom part where it spines and flutes again where way over there riders right it stays a little bit more a little bit more open bowl style.

>> Yeah, totally. And but you know it's cool to watch everybody their own perspective and what they what draws them to that area you know so it's

it's the beautiful part of free riding is that it's free and to see like yeah I'm going to go over there cuz that's what appeals to me and to have a run like that it's it's yeah it's cool

>> and that is the that is the the genius of line selection is this face from start one high all the way over to start two is a kilometer and a So, a huge huge piece of terrain and

these riders have it all at their fingertips. The only thing kind of uh

fingertips. The only thing kind of uh limiting their line selection is their own creativity. So, whatever calls you

own creativity. So, whatever calls you in your in your free riders heart is where you're going to go. And Noi Aki now making her way across the little Jarvis Glacier down to our our limited

finish area. If you're if you're

finish area. If you're if you're noticing, there's a lot less crowd around. The only people watching live

around. The only people watching live are up on the ridge where we are. the

judges are all the broadcast and production team because it is in an avalanche deposit zone. So, we want to keep the number of people down there to to a minimum. So, each category will be hanging down there until the category

finishes, then they'll bump back up to the ridgetop. So, it's a bit of a

the ridgetop. So, it's a bit of a quieter reception to uh to the finish area than we're used to seeing. As we

see, we got the skimen lined up on the ridgetop. They've been watching. Big hug

ridgetop. They've been watching. Big hug

between these two riders. They're, you

said it before, Ryland, but they're they're competing against each other on the on the on the sheet, but really it's just you and the mountain out there. And

>> camaraderie between all these riders is just unmatched, especially on a big Alaskan base like this.

>> Yeah. Well, and and they're all at this such a high level.

>> The camaraderie and they're learning from each other. And when they see someone else do something that stokes them up, it's, you know, it's great. So

5333 there for Nomia Key dropping her into third. So here we see how it shook

into third. So here we see how it shook out. Mia Jones with a 91 point run. This

out. Mia Jones with a 91 point run. This

is just utter and total domination of the field. Anna Martinez 58 5833 in

the field. Anna Martinez 58 5833 in second. Noia Key just behind with the

second. Noia Key just behind with the 533 and Michaela Davis Mian with that gamechanging moment. Backside 360 high

gamechanging moment. Backside 360 high on the face finds herself in fourth after a bit of a rodeo ride down below.

We're going to look back here at the run of Mia Jones. This was just incredible what she did up there.

>> Absolutely incredible. I mean, look at the speed. The drone could barely keep

the speed. The drone could barely keep up with her. She's coming in full force.

Just bringing the power. Look at the style. The snow's raging.

style. The snow's raging.

It's Yeah. I mean, it's fun to watch. Like

Yeah. I mean, it's fun to watch. Like

here we are. This is world class snowboarding going down right in front of us. And these women are taking it to

of us. And these women are taking it to the next level and essentially changing the sport forever.

>> Yeah. Pushing hard. Mia Jones with the full throttle approach. And the judges notice stuff like that. When you go hard right out of the gate, that gets their attention. It grabs him by the collar

attention. It grabs him by the collar and says, "Watch this. I'm going to show you where this sport is at right now.

And if I got to put it on my back, I will do it." So, Mia Jones, and then you said it yourself before, >> this part is an opportunity to show the judges your riding skill, your turns.

And the turns that Mia Jones puts down are just electric. She's so stylish.

What the board is doing in the snow is absolute perfection. Never put a hair

absolute perfection. Never put a hair out of place on this entire run.

>> No, absolutely. And like you can just tell she's having fun. She's up there just living her best life and it shows.

Look at that.

>> Yeah. You You could watch that in a snowboard movie and be happy about it.

And we're seeing it in a competition.

That's the number one takeaway for you young free riders at home. It's got to be fun. You got to be

be fun. You got to be >> Look at the way she engages that turn.

Yeah, >> that perfect creamy Alaskan pow. I mean,

Mia Jones just textbook riding.

>> Yeah. And it's it's hard to like put forward how steep this bottom section truly is. And just Yeah. domination,

truly is. And just Yeah. domination,

especially right after Lo's like, "Really, we want you to go fast." And

she went fast.

>> Oh, she went fast. I mean, she's going to need a library card after that run because she just checked this face out top to bottom. That was unreal. So,

here's what it's done to the overall rankings. Mia Jones takes a strangle

rankings. Mia Jones takes a strangle hold on the overall. The two French riders in a battle for second place overall with only 600 or 75 points

between them. Michaela Davis Mian

between them. Michaela Davis Mian sitting down there in fourth. But she

has a serious day to be proud of with that 360. That's making the highlight

that 360. That's making the highlight reels for sure.

>> 100%. Yeah, that was that was straight up next level.

All right, well that is going to do it.

Thank you so much for joining us, Ryland. It has been a pleasure going

Ryland. It has been a pleasure going through this with you. Ryland Bell

joining us here. Stay tuned for Ski Women coming up next.

Heat. Heat.

Welcome back to the Yeti Alaska Hannes Pro. We are two categories in and it has

Pro. We are two categories in and it has been absolutely electric here in Hannes.

We're so happy to be back here. It's

been since 2017 that the Free Ride World Tour by Peak Performance has been in Hannes. My name is Derek Fouse and I'm

Hannes. My name is Derek Fouse and I'm joined by Free Ride World Tour operations manager Johnny Ray. Johnny,

we are running on Dminus 2, which means two days before the weather window was even supposed to start. and your

operations crew has essentially been responsible for this happening at all.

What have the last couple of days been like for you?

>> Yeah, it's been quite a quite a rush really. 2 days before you lose a lot of

really. 2 days before you lose a lot of time. Uh especially here is quite

time. Uh especially here is quite complex. We're in big mountains, back

complex. We're in big mountains, back country, so we don't have the same flexibility as we do in a ski resort. Uh

helicopters can only fly a certain time when it's sunlight and beautiful weather. So yeah, we we took a little

weather. So yeah, we we took a little bit of delay, but the local guys are great. They helped us out. We managed to

great. They helped us out. We managed to get everything up uh on the mountain. Uh

we had teams sleeping up here the last two nights to work through the night to make sure that everything's up and running for this morning. And uh yeah, it's it's great to be back in Hayes. We

love the little challenge. Uh this is this is what we're here for.

>> So describe a little bit the the layers of what you guys have had to build, what you've had to pull off to make this happen. I mean, we can see some of it on

happen. I mean, we can see some of it on the screen, but the the behind the scenes, like this has been a huge lift for this crew.

>> Yeah, it's been a really busy few days.

Uh starting off, we have to build all the structures, the stargate down in the helport, uh all the nets, prepare everything. Uh debrief with the helport,

everything. Uh debrief with the helport, like the helicopter guys to make sure that everything's good for them. And

then once we sling everything, uh it's having crews on the mountain, crews on top so we can unload everything. Uh and

then start building as we're going through. The other day, we only started

through. The other day, we only started slinging at 3:00 p.m. and guys were sleeping. So as the slings were coming

sleeping. So as the slings were coming in, we were building up the tent so that they had their little bivwack for the night. uh making sure that they're all

night. uh making sure that they're all safe before we left at 5:00. So, yeah,

it's been a a rush, but we're up here and happy to be back.

>> And and this is the most remote location that we deal with on the Free Ride World Tour. You know, like the the getting the

Tour. You know, like the the getting the equipment even here to Hannes. Describe

the challenges of of the remoteness of operating deep here in the in the Chilcat Range.

>> Yeah, quickly to get it here from Europe, uh we had to send it by plane and then uh 10 days in the boat. So,

we're happy that they made it and that the weather wasn't bad enough that it blocked our boat for for the equipment.

So, yeah, it was quite tricky to get it here, but everything's here now. Uh

we're all set up and we're happy to have it on finally. Well, on behalf of the entire Freeride community, we want to give a massive thanks to you and your team, Johnny, uh for getting this off.

We It's the only sunny day in the weather window, and we're not even into the weather window, but we're two categories into a comp, and it's just a huge accomplishment. Thanks so much,

huge accomplishment. Thanks so much, Johnny.

>> Thank you.

Well, we are rolling on with the Free Ride World Tour by Peak Performance Ski Women. The next category on deck and we

Women. The next category on deck and we are kicking things off with a bank. This

category is absolutely wide open for the taking in the overall right now. We've

got twotime free ride world tour champion Justine Dupor La and the current leadings standings overall uh

title well not title holder but leader Augustina Vieti the Argentinian rookie holding it down on top justine deforiljon

and then a bunch of rookies below that Zoe Dilafa Winter McBride and Lou Bet and we see the cut line there with our newly crowned round FIS world champion

Susanna VTik just under the cut along with Jenna and Lena if you guys are at home watching Molly Astre and Lily Bradley a huge shout out to all of you really hoping to see you back here at

the free ride world tour we are here with ski women my name is Derek Boost and I'm joined for ski women by Katie Burrell back in the booth of the free ride world tour Katie how are you feeling

>> so happy to be here Derek as the self-proclaimed number one fan of the free ride world tour I am consistently blown away by this event and this one has to take the cake so far for me uh

from all the ones that I've seen.

Landing on this ridge, understanding the scale of these mountains in person and then seeing the way the athletes are responding first run down it is just so amazing.

>> It it really is. I mean, we we've been sitting here in the commentary booth with our jaws on the floor and knowing especially the fact that the riders only got to see the venue this morning. There

was no day before phase check because of the rush. We're going to take a look at

the rush. We're going to take a look at our start list and see the orders the riders are going to be dropping in.

Winter McBride, the Utah rookie kicking things off for ski women. Our current

leader, Augustinina Vieti, first Argentinian woman on the free world tour and she is in the leaders bib. Sabil

Blanjon riding out of Verbier. Twotime

Free Ride World Tour champion Justine Duour Lao Dez Zapo and wrapping it up with another French rookie Lere. It is a stacked field of heavy hitters and we've been talking a lot about the rise of the

rookies this year. Only two veterans making it through the cut and the other four ski women all first year on tour.

Incredible performance from the new riders on the tour this year in ski women.

>> It's pretty incredible to see the depth of talent in this field. The fact that some of those veterans aren't here today, but the riding is as heavy as it's about to be. It's super exciting.

These women are so talented. They're all

so rock solid and just cannot wait to see what they throw down on the space.

>> Well, Winter is just taking it all in.

She works on the admin team for the IFSA. That's the governing body for free

IFSA. That's the governing body for free ride in North and South America. And

Winter McBride will be kicking things off. Peak Performance Fun Bet fan

off. Peak Performance Fun Bet fan favorites. This is Free Ride Fantasy

favorites. This is Free Ride Fantasy League. Justine Duo Leap getting 94% of

League. Justine Duo Leap getting 94% of the vote. An overwhelming vote there.

the vote. An overwhelming vote there.

Sibil Blanjon with 65% and the current ratings leader, rankings leader, Augustina Vieti with 56% of you feeling that she will land on the podium. If you

see those numbers don't add up to 100%.

It's because of the options of landing on the podium, not just for the win in the competition. And I just realized I

the competition. And I just realized I forgot to put my fun bet picks in. So

I'm going to be taking a big fat zero on this one.

>> Copy that, Derek. We've got winter in the start gate. the early reports back from the snowboard men and snowboard women saying that the snow is riding

really well. It's super nice. It's cold,

really well. It's super nice. It's cold,

but it's soft and consistent.

>> Winter was so excited when I was chatting to her before she flew up to the ridge in the start gate.

>> Well, Winter McBride riding out of Ogden, Utah, making Snow Base in her home. and she got a chance to go home

home. and she got a chance to go home for a minute in between stops and she is starting her campaign here down this enormous Alaskan face as we kick ski

women off and right into it. Derek, she's in the air cruising down through here. Super

powerful turns. Look at that blow up snow. Well, Winter, she's she's kind of

snow. Well, Winter, she's she's kind of making a name for herself by riding high speed and aggressive style as she comes into this extremely technical section,

launching into the cool, keeping it moving. The judges notice that into the

moving. The judges notice that into the white room. When the snow blows over

white room. When the snow blows over your head, you can't see where you're going. And when you're standing on a 40

going. And when you're standing on a 40 plus degree Alaskan face, that can be daunting. But stylish execution there

daunting. But stylish execution there for Winter McBride as she exits the top and is now moving over to the rers right. This is where things get really

right. This is where things get really steep.

>> Losing her footing a little bit there, Derek, but so solid in the air. So

consistent on her skis. Smooth. She

looks great.

>> Yeah. And winter keeping the style.

Throw in the shifties there. Style.

Aaron style is one of the judges categories there. Flying past Jeremy

categories there. Flying past Jeremy Bernard there. He's going to have some

Bernard there. He's going to have some incredible photos at the end of this day. And Winter keeping it moving there,

day. And Winter keeping it moving there, managing the slough. It's also

completely convex. So the riders, you know, it's not easy to see where they're going, but Winter making short work of that section. And she's got this big

that section. And she's got this big feature that we saw come into play with the snowboarders launching perfectly off that. And now getting caught up in the

that. And now getting caught up in the slough.

>> Oh, those slough deposits, the snow conditions there. It's firmer. It's

conditions there. It's firmer. It's

harder. And when you transition from powder to that firm snow, it can be a rough ride. And Winter with such a

rough ride. And Winter with such a heartbreaker there going down right at the bottom of the face.

>> Oh, that's absolutely crushing Derek.

She was having such a good run. Looking

so good in the air.

>> Making sure she's okay. Checking her

herself out here.

>> Yeah, >> two thumbs up. We got the clearance.

>> So, she's The only thing hurt is the uh is the ego and the what might have been moment there for Winter McBride as she was on an absolute belter of a run. We

look back here at this replay.

So she picked up a bunch of speed through the kir making those absolutely beautiful turns and then off this air she looked so solid in the landing but

it was the run out that got her. So she

transitions across making a turn back into that slough. Oh and she just got crumpled. You could see the her knees

crumpled. You could see the her knees come up almost to her chin. It's it's an incredible texture difference there Katie from soft to not soft at all. I

feel fairly unqualified to comment on slough in Alaska, Derek, having never experienced it myself, but you can sense just how smooth it was for her before

that. And so I really just feel for her

that. And so I really just feel for her it's it's absolutely just the snow grabbing her in that moment.

>> All right. Well, while we wait for the skir runner to make their way down, who are the snowboard men from the first category, by the way, we've got a chance to catch up with Mia Jones. Mia, you

just took the win in Alaska with a dominant performance. Describe what it

dominant performance. Describe what it felt like to stand in the Starkgate up there.

>> Um, yeah, I think it's definitely a little intimidating to be out here in Alaska and the mountains are so big and the snow was incredible, so it really came together nicely, but yeah, a lot of nerves.

>> All right, you only had this morning really to scope that run out. We've got

your uh we've got your run on the on the split screen here. Did you do exactly what you planned to do? Uh, not at all.

I kind of missed my top section and my bottom section, but it ended up working out and I had a lot of like backup plans. So, yeah, it ended up being good.

plans. So, yeah, it ended up being good.

>> So, we were watching and and during your run commenting on the slough management, you can see in this section the slough was actually ripping on your left and then lower down you actually cut out a

little pocket on one of those fallway spines. So, describe that. Were you

spines. So, describe that. Were you

aware of that and you were you were actively working to avoid those those slough runns? Yeah, I think I was

slough runns? Yeah, I think I was definitely like when I was choosing a line, trying to choose something that was like moving across the venue and trying to not cross back in my slough.

Um, but yeah, I don't know. So,

definitely thinking about that.

>> Mia, your run was fast and hot. You

flashed it. Was that the strategy going in or was it once you got on there, that was the speed you had to keep?

>> Yeah, I think I definitely went in and I wanted to do a fast run, but yeah, the venue was pretty steep, so you pick up speed pretty fast.

Well, I think we we do just need to mention a 91 point run, nearly 40 points clear of the next athlete in the category. I mean, you are you're a

category. I mean, you are you're a rookie on this tour, but you're riding like a veteran. How are you feeling now with this win under your belt about the the last remaining event in the season?

>> Yeah, I think this is definitely a really good confidence booster, and I'm excited to check out Verbier. I've never

been there, so I think it should be really sick.

>> All right. Well, thank you, Mia Jones, sitting on top of the snowboard women's category with a just incredible performance. Katie, you kind of

performance. Katie, you kind of mentioned it. The aggression that she

mentioned it. The aggression that she rode with in that run was it really unmatched in the category.

>> She absolutely flashed it, Derek.

Everyone on the ridge here was commenting on just how fast she really made it down the face. Super smooth, but but with so much speed and just looked so comfortable out there. Coming into

this season, there was a lot of talk about uh you know, Mia Jones, that's Jeremy Jones daughter. I think the narrative is going to be changing and Jeremy's just going to become known as Mia's dad. Oh, that guy. Yeah, that's

Mia's dad. Oh, that guy. Yeah, that's

Mia Jones's dad.

>> It is a Jedi. It's a classic Jedi Padawan story, isn't it?

>> Yeah. A little bit of a passing of the torch. So, Mia Jones taking the win. We

torch. So, Mia Jones taking the win. We

can see uh the the ninjas there. The

snowboard men immediately after snowboard men's category got back in the helicopter and flew back to the top to act as ninjas for the two ski categories. Selfless for them, but maybe

categories. Selfless for them, but maybe let's not put too much selflessness in it.

>> I was going to say that chatting with these guys, it sounded like they were pretty happy to get back up to that ridge and shred these lines with a little bit less pressure on their shoulders. All right. While Winter

shoulders. All right. While Winter

connects with her equipment, we have a uh a little look in in some insight into the mindset of twotime free ride world tour champion Justine Duour Lewan.

>> I think it feels really unreal to think that I'm going to go to Alaska. It will

be my first time ever skiing in those mountain. Um I think for me free ride is

mountain. Um I think for me free ride is still new. I still learn so much. Every

still new. I still learn so much. Every

day I'm outside on the mountain and Alaska always been something that you see on movie, you see on social media and it seems so far away. It seems so

untouchable and to be now part of it and to be going to that final in Alaska, it's a it's a dream come true actually.

>> Well, there's a reason that they call this the dream stop and I think Justine summed it up nicely there. It's

something that you've you've watched and now to be in it. I mean, it's it's just incredible for these athletes.

>> It's incredible. And it's so much bigger than I realized.

>> It really is enormous. I mean, a kilometer and a half from start one high over to start two. Uh, so that's the breadth of the face as we are back and ready to go with ski women. Augustina

Vieti, the first woman from Argentina ever on the free ride world tour, and she is leading ski women right now. She

pushes out of the gate heading out to the riders left. The athletes have to navigate this. It's slightly uphill, but

navigate this. It's slightly uphill, but uh at least these these ski women, they have poles to deal with it. The

snowboarders were getting slingshots from the guides and uh and ski runners that were up high on the face. So

Augustina, she is really carrying the Argentinian free ride community for an incredible ride as she starts her

campaign. And she has a hefty piece of

campaign. And she has a hefty piece of terrain below her going double. Oh, but

landing sideways there. And Augustina is going to need to selfarrest because this is incredibly steep. So she holds. Look

at her fingernails dug in on the edge of oblivion for Augustina Vieti. That was a scary one.

>> She is gripped there, Derek. But telling

us that she's okay. Holding the number one spot. And you can see why. She's got

one spot. And you can see why. She's got

aggression. She's got vision. She looked

at that thing. She was going for the double. Unfortunately, kind of hit

double. Unfortunately, kind of hit sidehill there and went down. But you

can see the way that she looks at this face and just how aggressive she was about to ride.

>> Yeah, exactly. There was going to be no holding back. So, we'll dig into this a

holding back. So, we'll dig into this a little bit. She pops off the first step

little bit. She pops off the first step of this double and landing unfortunately completely sideways. So, that force has

completely sideways. So, that force has to go somewhere and it goes into a tumble. And then Augustina digging into

tumble. And then Augustina digging into her selfarrest skills to stop herself. Yeah, just got bucked there and the skis just ejecting,

not wanting to have anything further to do with it. And Augustina taking a couple of tumbles there, but digging her boots in, digging her hands in before the terrain pitches over again. So skis

are dug in there. You can see how deep the snow is there. And I mean, that was incredibly aggressive.

>> I mean, I think she got a little off camber going off that second uh hit there, Derek. And then it was almost a

there, Derek. And then it was almost a full hockey stop with like a from like a 20 foot drop. So that I mean if she'd have held on to that it would have been

that I mean it's an it's on almost an impossible physical equation as you say and she's so lucky to have been able to stop herself where she did because it is so steep up there. One skis high, one

skis low. She's going to need a hand to

skis low. She's going to need a hand to grab both of those and that's not easy to get either of those things and and post hole and boot pack up and grab all of your gear.

>> Yeah, she's in a bit of a pickle.

>> My goodness. But we've got uh some of the best free ride snowboarders in the world given given their hand to help out as ski ninjas. And as we said, not a bad

job to take as uh looks like Enzo Neil bringing the ski down to Aago. She once she gets that other ski, if she can get it on her right foot, she'll be able to side slip

down on the downhill ski to reconnect with the other one, making herself a little bit of a platform. As you said, Katie, I I I agree completely. She

didn't mean to land sideways like that.

She kind of got bucked on the takeoff of the second of the second step in that double. And it it it did look like it

double. And it it it did look like it kicked her around because no skier wants to land sideways off a drop. Uh least of all on the top of a huge Alaskan face.

>> It definitely wasn't a transition move she was looking to make. That was the exit. That was the run out. And it

exit. That was the run out. And it

looked like the right of her body just kind of twisted there. And I I'm imagining she was hoping to sort of send off the the left of that kind of nose

there. Um based on what she'd scoped

there. Um based on what she'd scoped from across the valley uh and the ridge looking back at this, I can understand the vision and unfortunately it just

didn't quite connect for her.

>> Well, and this is something that I think we should talk about. This is hard. This

is really hard. What these riders are doing is difficult. And we we've seen in snowboard men and snowboard women, you know, various um various levels of execution of the of the dream of the

goal. And we even heard from Mia with

goal. And we even heard from Mia with that 91 point run. She didn't put the run down that she that she wanted to.

That's a huge part of free ride is you you get going and then when the wheels come off your car, well, how do you steer it? You know, what do you do? What

steer it? You know, what do you do? What

do you do to continue to stay on your feet and and to to continue rolling on?

And obviously there are there are levels to this and and for Augustina there was no continuing and it was the same with winter. Once the skis are off you're

winter. Once the skis are off you're you're taken a no score. But yeah the these athletes they are pushing themselves. They are finding out where

themselves. They are finding out where their envelope is. Um and it's it's difficult.

>> There's so much improvisation that goes into skiing these kind this kind of train. Um, I talk like I have done it,

train. Um, I talk like I have done it, but just based on what I have heard people talking about, the way that this morning rolls out, they're landing at the A-frame. They're flying out across

the A-frame. They're flying out across the river over into the into the into the terrain here. They're on the ridge.

They got the binoculars out. They're

looking across trying to figure out how it all connects, trying to figure out what they're going to do, not fully being able to understand the way things roll. A feature here, a feature there

roll. A feature here, a feature there that you're not expecting. Uh, half the battle is just being able to improvise on your feet once you're in this stuff and and make it all link and make it all

connect. And I mean, I'm imagining

connect. And I mean, I'm imagining Augustina the way she's looking at that across from from where we're seated, Derek, is the vantage point that we have is the same vantage point the athletes have in the morning and I'm looking up

at that thing and trying to figure out how you can do the math on the speed you need, what's happening really over there. And all of it is just once you're

there. And all of it is just once you're on course, you're having to react and improvise in the moment. And it's a it's a I mean, it's a massively impressive skill set.

>> Yeah. Bit of a uh bit of a ski around and find out mentality. See what you can see what you can do. Totally.

>> On this huge face. It's 750 vertical meters. Absolutely enormous. The biggest

meters. Absolutely enormous. The biggest

face on the Free Ride World Tour by far.

And >> nice to see you're getting some big beauty soul turns down through the fan there, Derek. and skiing out through the

there, Derek. and skiing out through the gap here and being able to enjoy the snow and the sun and >> yeah, she's getting her glory power run

and this woman is about to put herself to the test. Sabil Bljon, Verbier Rider sitting fourth currently in the rankings making her way through the cut. One of

only two veterans to make the cut and Sabil now pushing out of the start gate and taking on this daunting Alaskan face. I'm a huge fan of Sibil's ski

face. I'm a huge fan of Sibil's ski style, Derek. She's so solid. She's so

style, Derek. She's so solid. She's so

strong, powerful, and consistent. I love

watching the way she turns. It's uh the kind of turning that we all wish we could do.

>> Yeah. And this being a return from injury season for Sabil, the first event in Bakira in Spain, she said she was just feeling it out, seeing how her knee felt, and she said, "Oh, I have way more

in the tank." And we saw her bring that inval to the podium as Sabil going right off the nose of that air with a huge feature. She's got to get her speed

feature. She's got to get her speed under control. She does a great job of

under control. She does a great job of it back in control and continuing to tick off features on this face.

>> She is mocking through this course, Eric. And looking so good in the air.

Eric. And looking so good in the air.

The speed that you get as you land and the acceleration that comes in this kind of these kinds of steeps. managing it so well and lining up for another one here.

>> Yeah, gravity's not playing in Alaska.

It is in play all the whole time and speed comes at you fast and furious. But

Sabil, you know, she's a physiootherapist uh in in her spare time, I guess, when she's not being a pro skier in Alaska. Um, but she knows the body well. She's extremely

physically prepared. Mental game is strong. She said this morning she was

strong. She said this morning she was feeling really nervous. We're not seeing it in the run.

>> Can't tell when she's on her skis. That

must be in her head. Look at her flashing through this, managing so well, holding through that tougher snow there as the consistency changes and lining up

for another boost off that bottom air.

Look at that snow blowing up here.

>> And this is smart. She stayed out on the skier's right side of that avalanche debris that took out Winter McBride. So,

Sibil showing her mountain knowledge there, her savvy that she was able to recognize a hazard there and avoid it while in motion. As you said, this is all coming at them while they're doing

it. The plan just rolls out. As we look

it. The plan just rolls out. As we look here at the replay, the upper section of Sabil's run. So solid big air bolts

Sabil's run. So solid big air bolts landing.

>> That looked so good, Derek. She's so

good in the air. Held that landing so perfect. Right on top of her skis.

perfect. Right on top of her skis.

And then you're right, she manages it so well. Sees this nice patch of snow

well. Sees this nice patch of snow unttracked, un messed up by the slough and just laces through there on the bottom. Oh god, that looks good.

bottom. Oh god, that looks good.

>> Yeah, I I mean staying in the powder, first of all, it just feels way better.

>> But it's also strategically it's just the better option because she was able to control her speed and keep herself out of that big slough pile that took out Winter McBride already. So, Sabil

Bljon with a masterful run. The first

woman in the category to go top to bottom clean. You can see the judges

bottom clean. You can see the judges there a little bit down on Aaron Style, which is uh you know, I I feel like we can appreciate that throwing tricks in a in a face like this. This is that's just

another step completely.

>> I mean, they talk about the velocity as soon as you leave the ground in a place like Alaska and managing a trick with the kind of speed. It's it's 10x what it is on a

>> so 7567 for Sibil. She goes into first place in

for Sibil. She goes into first place in the ski women's category. She is the third rider out of six. So a solid solid performance there from the Swiss rider

Cibil Blanjon making her campaign. As we

see right now she is sitting on top with Winter McBride and Augustina Vieti both taking no scores. big crashes as we are sliding on with the ski women's

category. The reigning champion, twotime

category. The reigning champion, twotime champion, Olympic gold and silver medalist. There's not many things that

medalist. There's not many things that Justine Duo Leon has not won, but the Yeti Hannes Alaska pro is one of them, and she would love to add that to the

case as she pushes out of the start gate and gets thing going. her first time in Alaska. Derek is dropping in on this

Alaska. Derek is dropping in on this massive, massive bridge.

>> Oh no.

>> And Justine getting caught up in the rocks on that takeoff and bucked over.

>> So she's going to take a sec to regroup.

Hopefully she's okay >> as we pull back. Justine Dorla going down hard there.

Not sure if she still has her equipment or if her skis >> looks like she's boot packing up.

>> Oh, she's just got one ski, but the other one is close. So, she's going to be able to retrieve that herself. A

scary moment there for the reigning twotime free ride world tour champion Justine Duour Leon. We're going to have to dig into the replay to understand what happened there. But doing a good

job of self-arresting again. The ski

women unfortunately having to use that skill a little more than we'd like. So

she's approaching. She gets down. Oh,

she just gets a little too low. And

unfortunately, hiding under the snow are rocks. So a little bit more of an

rocks. So a little bit more of an aggressive approach on that one might have served her well. But I mean, she's in a terrifying place on Earth in that moment. So Justine, she's okay.

moment. So Justine, she's okay.

>> Looks like she's lost a pole there, Derek. So she's got the one abandoning

Derek. So she's got the one abandoning it.

>> That pole might just be gone.

>> That lives in Alaska now.

>> Returning to the Earth.

>> Yeah.

ski the ski pool.

>> So, Justine Defor, this is a an interesting strategy point with two no scores already and only one completed run. Oh, no, her ski did come off. I was

run. Oh, no, her ski did come off. I was

about to make a statement that was absolutely untrue. Her ski came off. So,

absolutely untrue. Her ski came off. So,

she is also in the no score gang here, so she's just going to ski off the venue. And oh, getting caught up a

venue. And oh, getting caught up a little bit.

>> Yeah, looks like the snow changed on her a little bit as well where she went down. Derek, just the speed in which she

down. Derek, just the speed in which she was coming in and then the speed in which she went over. It looked like it grabbed her. Uh, you know, that feeling

grabbed her. Uh, you know, that feeling right around the knees or just kind of whoop that jerk.

>> One of the worst feelings in skiing when your feet stop.

>> And you mentioned she looked a little low. It almost looked like she was

low. It almost looked like she was thrown uh into that position and and tumbled. She actually flipped over those

tumbled. She actually flipped over those rocks, which Yeah. I mean, she's lucky she stopped where she did because she kept going. She's going off something

kept going. She's going off something way bigger than what she did.

>> Yeah. And this is this is just a a look into the riders. They wear back protectors. They wear helmets. They wear

protectors. They wear helmets. They wear

mouthguards. They have avalanche shovels and probes, transceivers on. This safety

equipment is not for show. There are

real consequences in this terrain doing what these riders are doing. And so all of those safety measures taken are are for a reason. And unfortunately, Justine Duour Leon showing us exactly why back

protectors and helmets absolutely critical in this sport. So four riders in to ski women and we have one completed run with skis on. This is a

fascinating uh a fascinating turn of events. In the no scores, the riders are

events. In the no scores, the riders are judged up until the point they lose their equipment. So, with Augustina and

their equipment. So, with Augustina and Justine going down high on the face and Winter nearly completing the whole run, Winter will be leading the crashers

currently. As we go back up, hoping for

currently. As we go back up, hoping for no more of that. Zoe Del Zapo riding out of Lac Lusa, 20 years old, part of the

rise of the rookie in ski women this year. She has been incredible, standing

year. She has been incredible, standing on a podium in her very first free ride world tour event. She's going to be looking to replicate that here in her first time ever down a huge Alaskan

face. Zoe making her way past. We've got

face. Zoe making her way past. We've got

the snowboard men up there acting as ski ninjas and the ski men up there getting ready for their big day here in Alaska.

Zoe making her way down the ridge. Nice

to get the blood pumping as you move across the top of the ridge here, Derek.

And just land on your skis before dropping in to this monster face.

>> All right, so there's the wave that's indicating to the judges that's where she is going to drop in. You can see the spine feature and Zoe launching right off it immediately taking an aggressive approach on the upper section of this

face.

>> She is looking good, Derek. Big strong

turns. Super strong coming down through this section. Snow's blowing up

this section. Snow's blowing up everywhere. Lining up into

everywhere. Lining up into the nose off of this one.

>> Oh, this is a big one. Zoe Delapo

stomping that now. She's got to manage this speed, but really clever because it's a flatter part of the venue. Not

flat by any stretch, but slightly flatter. So, it gives her an opportunity

flatter. So, it gives her an opportunity to get that speed wrangled in and get herself back in control because there is plenty more action looming below her.

Zoe flying off that one too. So,

trademark aggression from the young French athlete.

>> Super smart line, Derek. The way she managed that so brilliantly.

And now moving into this. You can see the convexity of this role. This is

totally blind for these athletes as they roll into it.

>> Does she look almost casual right now?

She's in Alaska on an enormous face and just taking it all in stride. Zoe Dapo

getting the speed under control. Like

you said, Katie, it pitches over and it gets so steep so quickly. Another big

air holding the fall line. Zoe now

coming. Oh

>> and she goes sailing off the edge of that cliff. Zoe Delapo going down. But

that cliff. Zoe Delapo going down. But

she's got both her skis on, so there's going to be a score.

>> This is tricky for these ski women right now, Derek. They are managing so many

now, Derek. They are managing so many different pieces on this face. And she's

flying down through the bottom here, getting those glory turns, as you say.

That is That's crazy. The way it rolls over like that and then the snow just changes so fast on them. You're doing

one thing and then all of a sudden you're skiing a completely different kind of terrain or snow.

>> Yeah. and and Zoe unfortunately we'll see here the top of her run so aggressive just sailing off this blade clearing the rocks perfect connection into the transition

>> she looks so good on her skis and this was massive look at that boom >> lacing it >> having the room on the apron to run the

speed out get herself back into control and then we see oh this is the upper section again this is where things got a little hairy she landed this beautifully. She's managing the speed.

beautifully. She's managing the speed.

The speed gets a little out of control and she made she had to turn there or she would have launched to the moon off that next uh perfect flat deck takeoff.

But by putting her skis sideways, unfortunately, she wasn't able to hold the pressure and she went down actually falling off a corner of that cliff.

>> The last drop she hit, Derek, you could see just how steep it was and just how steep the runout was. managing speed

down through that to line up that bottom hit is not an easy feat.

>> It's so difficult and I I think we just we have to keep refreshing our our minds here on how hard this is for these riders. 5867

riders. 5867 for Zoe Delapo. So, this is kind of wild to say cuz Zoe looks like she's pretty rattled, but she's guaranteed a spot on the podium right now.

>> She does look like she's pretty rattled, Eric. She also just launched off.

Eric. She also just launched off.

>> She fell off a cliff in Alaska in Alaska. So I'm I I understand why her

Alaska. So I'm I I understand why her body might be feeling a little banged up at this moment.

>> But she is going to be standing on the podium regardless of what happens next.

And Sibil Blanjon the worst she can do is second. But this woman is going to

is second. But this woman is going to have her say Lou B. Another one of the powerful team of French riders coming out of Valter. She went to the Olympics

for slope style. shifted gears to free ride and has been blowing the doors off.

Made finals in her very first year and now finds herself in Alaska. What do you think that the mental state is after watching, you know, we've had five riders down, one of them has made it

clean? Well, you mentioned her Olympic

clean? Well, you mentioned her Olympic career, Derek, and and it's clear to me with some of these athletes, just the way that they are such dialed competitors, and they know how to get

out of their heads into their bodies and onto course regardless of what's going on around them, even if it's total mayhem.

>> Well, Lou airing stylishly off the corners at the very top and already has stacking up features as she is staying over here way further on the rers's left. holding on to it though. She's got

left. holding on to it though. She's got

control. Using that powder to slow herself down. So, a really good top

herself down. So, a really good top section and a huge air from L. She

landed right in someone else's bomb hole, but she managed to regroup there.

A heavy landing for Lou, but holding on to it.

>> She is mocking through here, Derek. That

bomb hole was so big. I thought it was a rock. The way she held on to that is

rock. The way she held on to that is unbelievable. Such leg strength. Those

unbelievable. Such leg strength. Those

hours in the gym really paying off for her right now. And she is hauling through this roll into the bottom section of this face.

>> Yeah. And this is where it starts to get heavy again. You feel in that flat

heavy again. You feel in that flat section like, okay, I've done it. But it

gets real. And we've seen this section take a few other riders down. Lub making

short work. No, she goes down as well, getting gobbled up by that slough, but she's still got both her skis on. Still

launching off that air. What a

Bronco ride for Lou.

>> What a recovery on that bottom air there and managing to just stand back up and send her off that last hit. She was

skiing so strong down through the slough uh at in that bottom little there, Derek, and then found herself down but back up.

>> Well, we saw Lou with that nice pop.

She's got almost like the the the bald eagle style we are in Alaska uh condor pop and then getting control back using the powder. I mean so much of this was

the powder. I mean so much of this was so good for Lou and then she just put herself right into the heaviest landing.

>> My was not an easy one to hold on to for the folks at home. That is serious strength. Yeah, she got bucked there by

strength. Yeah, she got bucked there by by someone else's track in the slough.

Stands up, doesn't even speed check, just launches off that lower air. So,

the judges are they're in a bit of a pickle because they've got some stuff that they need to dock, but they also have a lot to reward in that run. I feel

>> I mean, aside for that one, I mean, call it a butt check. That was a pretty smooth run.

>> So, Sabil, I mean, this is just goofy.

Yeah, like the the only woman in the entire category to go clean top to bottom. We're going to see, I think, a

bottom. We're going to see, I think, a decent score. I don't like to put any

decent score. I don't like to put any numbers uh out there in speculation because the judges, they're watching through binoculars. They're looking at

through binoculars. They're looking at details. We're cheerleaders here in the

details. We're cheerleaders here in the commentary booth and and are cheering so hard for all these riders. So, we'll

see. They're probably weighing that against against the run of um of Zoe Delapo, who is currently sitting in second. I have to think that the clean

second. I have to think that the clean perfection of Sabil Blanjon's run is not going to be troubled. Although the

aggression that Lou showed, I don't know. I I can't even dig into it.

know. I I can't even dig into it.

>> It is a tough one, Derek, but rules are rules. And I think that the the crash at

rules. And I think that the the crash at the bottom there, albeit recovered and able to send it off that bottom and and manage it so well, may >> Yeah, there's going to be a control.

>> There's going to be a control dock for sure for for that. The rest of Lubarren's run absolutely masterful. And

I think important also to recognize the entire ski women's field has never skied in Alaska before. So they are throwing down out there. 7267.

So just behind Sabil Bljon. Sabil takes

the win. Lou Bon in second. And Zoe

Delapo rounding it out. As we take a look here at the category standings. the

Swiss rider from Verbier taking the win in Alaska. Lubet and Zoe Delapo

in Alaska. Lubet and Zoe Delapo completing the uh the French 23 Winter McBride. Well, she got furthest down so

McBride. Well, she got furthest down so she's taken points for fourth. Justine

Duour La and Augustina Vieti. As we take a look back, Katie, at this run from Sibil, the only rider to go top to bottom clean. And here it is, Derek. Th

bottom clean. And here it is, Derek. Th

this is her first time dropping in on the scale of these kinds of mountains in Alaska. And she's got that classic

Alaska. And she's got that classic Seville style shredding down through here so strong, lining up these beautiful turns into these hits that she

lined up so nicely.

>> And maybe from of all of these riders growing up in Verbier, there is no shortage of huge terrain in that resort as well. Sibil, you know, has has skied

as well. Sibil, you know, has has skied the Beck de Ross just for fun. So, being

in big terrain, she's no stranger to it.

And she was able to put all the puzzle pieces together and and build this line from top to bottom and the only one able to execute clean and coming away from

that with a win here at the Yeti Hannes Alaska Pro.

>> Her big mountain sense really coming into into play today, Derek. She's doing her a favor having that kind of experience cuz she was able to find these nice

patches all the way down through and really use the snow to her advantage where she could.

>> Yeah, it's it's nice when you can use something that's so much fun to also help you execute your run. You know, it it has a it has a nice double whammy for

these riders. And Sabil was so strong

these riders. And Sabil was so strong through this section. She stayed out of the way of the slough. She stayed in the powder.

And and that's the slough management moment that that chewed up a lot of the other women in this field for that bottom hit that she managed to sort of navigate around the side to her right

and giving her the opportunity to clean off that cliff at the bottom.

>> Yeah, she went through so many sections that took out other riders and took them on well. So, Sabil Blanjou moves into

on well. So, Sabil Blanjou moves into the leaders position in the overall rankings. Lubar and Zoe Delapo sitting

rankings. Lubar and Zoe Delapo sitting in second and third. So exactly the same as the uh as the event standings, Augustina Vieti, Justine Deforan, and

Winter McBride all going down today with no scores. So it's reflective of the

no scores. So it's reflective of the fact that there are more points on offer in these FWT finals events that a win in one of these can really rocket you up.

So Cibio Blanjon takes over the top spot with a masterful run here and takes the win. Ski women done and dusted. You're

win. Ski women done and dusted. You're

gonna want to stay tuned because Ski Men is coming up next from Hannes, Alaska.

Heat.

Heat.

Hey.

Hey. Hey.

All right, welcome back to the Free Ride World Tour by Peak Performance. We are

at the Yeti Hannes Alaska Pro and our final category of the day, ski men, set to kick off. They have had all day

watching both snowboard categories and the ski women throw down and now they are ready to have their say. These

athletes have been dreaming of this moment coming to Hannes, Alaska, the uh the end of the road here where the mountains meet the ocean. The Chillcat

Range providing the backdrop for this absolutely majestic stop and the Free Ride World Tour. So grateful to be back in Hannes after an 8-year hiatus. Here

we go. Dropping first, Max Hitig, Ross Tester, Marcus Goen, Way Tanho. I mean,

what a way to start a category. The uh

top riders able to pick and Max electing to go first. As we move down, it is a who's who. We see the current World Tour

who's who. We see the current World Tour leading uh man, Ben Richards. If he wins today, he takes the overall free ride world tour title, getting a world title

under his belt. Ugle Tubat, Teimo Rochovven, and Victor Hail Woods will be finishing off the category. 81% of you feel that Ben Richards is going to

continue his role. He's won three events, two world tour stops, and the FIS World Championships. Max Hitig and Marcus Goen splitting the rest of the vote. Peak performance fun bet. It is

vote. Peak performance fun bet. It is

fantasy free ride. your opportunity to get some skin in the game. Tell us who you think is going to do it. So, there

we see the man himself, the 2024 Free Ride World Tour Champion, Max Hitig, the German rider, going to be the first man out. He will have been studying the

man out. He will have been studying the other categories, watching them ride, seeing where people are getting in trouble, seeing where the landings are good, seeing where the snow is good.

There's so many different snow conditions on this face. Anything south

facing is definitely a little stiffer.

Anything north facing is deeper. Things

that have slid that are running on bed surface are much firmer. And we saw especially in the ski women the runels where the slough has either slid through or gathered at the bottom are providing

a very difficult snow surface for the riders. Bucking bronco ride here in

riders. Bucking bronco ride here in Hannes. So Hitig will have taken all of

Hannes. So Hitig will have taken all of that into account putting his run together. And if nothing, that man is a

together. And if nothing, that man is a calculated athlete. He'll know exactly

calculated athlete. He'll know exactly where he's going, where the tricks are going to go, where he can get speed, where he needs to get rid of it. All of

those things. Running through the head of the man in the start gate, Max Hitig, only 23 years old. He's already got a world title. He's already missed a

world title. He's already missed a season. Riding out of Montafon.

season. Riding out of Montafon.

I mean, his his wins on the tour are just stacked up. Seen him win in Golden.

We've seen him win in Verbier. We've

seen him win all over the place and now hoping to add a Yeti Hannes Alaska Pro victory as we get underway here with

skimen in Hannes for the first time since 2017. And what a way to start it.

since 2017. And what a way to start it.

Max Hiting kicking us off.

Well, he's got to make his way down the ridge. The riders have a 1.5 kilometer

ridge. The riders have a 1.5 kilometer long ridgetop to choose from. Wherever

they want to enter, they can. Just

looming to his right is a big corner.

So, he's going to make his way past that and even further down. So, nothing easy as he pops into this double made classic earlier and immediately onto his back,

but getting control back. Max Hitzig now onto this low buttress, flying over it, finding a beautiful powder landing. And

Hitig well and truly into his run here, lofting a backflip into the powder, but under rotating. And Max Hitig going

under rotating. And Max Hitig going down. That is uncharacteristic for the

down. That is uncharacteristic for the 2024 champ. My gut tells me he thought

2024 champ. My gut tells me he thought there was going to be a little bit more or a little bit less give on that lip when you push off to set a backflip. If

the lift gives way, then unfortunately your feet fall out from below you instead of your body going up and rotating because we never see Hitig under rotate a backflip. That is bread

and butter stuff for him. He did wave.

Now he's just kind of I think taking stock of things as he's going to make his way back up. difficult boot packing conditions as he's going to have to reunite with his skis. We'll take a look back.

Laying the back flip out. Doesn't look

like it gave away too much. He just

shorted the rotation unfortunately for Max Hit. It pushed off. It was a little

Max Hit. It pushed off. It was a little off camber that takeoff. So, possibly

one shoulder got a bit lower than the other. And we see here, this was his

other. And we see here, this was his entry into this double, and he got tossed on that one, landing nearly flat on his back. So challenging out there. I

mean, for truly one of the best skiers in the world to have such a rough ride, that tells you a little bit about how the conditions are as we make our way through the day. He just got a little

bit buck. That's a short patch, a short

bit buck. That's a short patch, a short pad on that double. So Max Hitzig having a rough time getting getting bucked on the first one and then under rotating

the backflip. So tough start to the day

the backflip. So tough start to the day for the 2024 world champ world tour champ as he is back with his gear and making

his way well at the very least the consolation prize is an absolutely beautiful run down this spectacular

Alaskan powder. He is a tiny speck on

Alaskan powder. He is a tiny speck on this enormous face, 750 vertical meters.

And the part that Max is in now, a little bit mellower, but the snow absolute perfection as the sun has been moving across the face. The more

sunaffected areas are providing a slightly firmer landing for the riders and Max Hitig falling victim to that.

So looking up here, we've got three starts. Start one high, which we see

starts. Start one high, which we see Ross Tester. He's going to be the very

Ross Tester. He's going to be the very first person of the day in any category to drop in from this start. And this is

classic Alaskan riding. It drops away.

Unbelievably steep underneath as Ross getting himself moving. He's got to find his entry point on the corners there.

Little wave for the judges to let them know he's going. And he is in now to this absolutely classic piece of Alaskan

terrain. Popping over. You can see how

terrain. Popping over. You can see how steep it is. A 360 and Ross lands perfectly getting the speed under control using the shape of the terrain

to slow himself down.

Unbelievably committed from Ross Tester there. This man was built for free ride.

there. This man was built for free ride.

He's got the freestyle skills. He's got

all the ski technique and the boldness to pull moves like that. Like he's out here in a ski movie. You can see the slough launching. He does another huge

slough launching. He does another huge 360. Holding on. ski kicks out from be

360. Holding on. ski kicks out from be beside him, but he holds it as Ross Tester putting on a master class in free

ride on the upper section of this face.

And he has absolutely lit this thing up.

We wondered watching Max go if we were going to see a repeat of ski women. But

Ross Tester so far looking so solid now standing on top. There's a bunch of texture in the snow underneath, but Ross handles it well now holding on. And he's

got across that slough.

Oh, just perfection. So, Ross Tester has completed the top section and he's going to go over and get another little bit of glorious Alaskan powder before he pops

out onto the Jarvis the little Jarvis Glacier and completes one of the best runs I think we've ever seen at at this

Hannes venue. That was unbel I'm nearly

Hannes venue. That was unbel I'm nearly speechless as we look back at the replay. Ross in the steepest part of

replay. Ross in the steepest part of this venue goes 360, lands perfectly, gets on his left foot to shut down the speed. This was just incredible.

speed. This was just incredible.

And then launching another 360. He does

it like it doesn't even phase him. He

had to take a little pause here because there's so much texture in the snow underneath that big cliff. But Ross T Ross Tester

using every bit of ski technique at his disposal to put that run down just perfect. So we saw from the video judge

perfect. So we saw from the video judge every single category maxing off the scale lit up like a Christmas tree. This

is free ride at its finest. You can see just a little fist bump there for Ross Tester as we have been waiting to see what the skimen were going to do with

this face.

>> If you'll come stand right.

>> There he is.

>> We did it.

>> 99 Ross.

>> We did it indeed. All right. score

dropping in an 89 point run which from the judges is a huge statement this early on. So they've left themselves a

early on. So they've left themselves a little bit of room an 11point buffer to maxing out the scale because they know the rest of this field is absolutely

perfectly capable of putting down something to equal that. But it is not going to be easy. We saw it in Ski Women. We saw it with Max Hitig. The

Women. We saw it with Max Hitig. The

conditions are tough to master out here and the terrain is incredibly daunting.

Back up to the top we go. The 2025 free ride world tour champion Marcus Goen riding out of Whistler, BC. He was

frothing this morning to get going. He's

in start one in that gorgeous yellow pyramid.

The Yeti Hannes Alaska Pro providing fireworks for us here as we've got a quick look into Marcus Goen's mindset.

>> Yeah, I mean we I think we all grow up watching ski movies, watching these crazy segments in AK. So to be in like what I would consider now the the big

leagues, it's uh yeah, incredible to be a part of that crew of people who shred those those big faces, those gnarly lines, those steep faces. So it's going

to be uh pretty pretty interesting and cool to experience that.

>> Well, it's just really become a theme.

Every interview that we've had with the athletes, they're saying kind of the same thing. They're so grateful, so

same thing. They're so grateful, so excited to be here standing on the shoulders of giants, following in the footsteps of those that came before, both in the film world and in the

previous iterations of the Hannes Yeti Hannes Alaska Pro. Marcus Goen, 21 years old, he's already got a world title under his belt and he is underway now

for his first run in Alaska. For so many of these young athletes, this is truly a dream come true. Getting to ski the face a a a face of this caliber at all is

dreamy. Getting to do it in a

dreamy. Getting to do it in a competition is just next level. So

Marcus Goan now he's got two bits of data from the skimen. One really good one and one a little rougher as he makes his way down the ridge and he is going

to enter at the same point we saw Max Hit go into this double.

Marcus taking a different angle on it, taking it as a single and reconnecting perfectly and then launching over one of those spine walls using those quick feet

to navigate, keep himself in control, popping going Cork 7 coming around and no, a little bit of over rotation, but he skis out of it. So Marcus really

bringing the freestyle. Huge backflip

there. Immediately backto back tricks. A

little bit messy, but Marcus Goen showing that he is not messing around.

And a ton of speed with an enormous backflip. A little over rotation on that

backflip. A little over rotation on that one. Whoa. I mean, what

one. Whoa. I mean, what what is even happening out here? Marcus

Goen going about a mile in the air.

Looks like his ski came right next to him.

He was shooting for the moon with that run. The top section so perfect. Taking

run. The top section so perfect. Taking

that double that gobbled up Max Hitig as a single but on a different trajectory and then just absolutely grabbing the range. This was really smart scoping

range. This was really smart scoping here as Marcus taking that at a different angle to give himself this angle and then setting the down the pipe

cork 720 just a tiny bit over rotated.

And then the hate hucking started an anger backflip bouncing out of that and then no speed check into this. He was

over the horizon. Marcus Goan proving there is no such thing as too big. I

mean maybe too big to land but not too big to go as he I cannot wait to see the photos and images that come out of that because he was above the peaks in that

backflip. So, a huge huge send for

backflip. So, a huge huge send for Marcus Goen. Thought he might be able to

Marcus Goen. Thought he might be able to recover a bit of a score after some of those bouncy bobbles, but unfortunately deciding to do one of the biggest back

flips ever in the world and losing both his skis. So, Marcus Goan going down,

his skis. So, Marcus Goan going down, Max hits it going down, Ross Tesser going perfection, and I am joined in the booth by twotime free world tour

champion Justine Duour after your wild ride on the face. Justine, how are you feeling?

>> Oh, thank you so much, Derek. So nice to be here with you right now. It's my

first time uh joining you on this position. It's quite cool to just have

position. It's quite cool to just have the opportunity to go ride and then comment with you. It's dope.

>> All right. Well, you you had a bit of a wild ride up there. You feeling okay?

You fell down the cliff.

>> Yes. I think everyone was got really scared. I hit few rocks, but I saw them

scared. I hit few rocks, but I saw them and I tried to roll over and slow it down. So, I managed. So everything is

down. So, I managed. So everything is fine. Everyone at home, I'm good. I'm

fine. Everyone at home, I'm good. I'm

okay. You can now all breed.

>> Yeah, it was a it was a rough ride for ski women. Only Sabil managing to put

ski women. Only Sabil managing to put down a clean run from top to bottom. And

so far, we're three riders into ski men and only Ross has put down a clean run.

>> It's a tough one.

>> It's tricky out there. What was the Oh, we're we're going to stay focused on the competition here. We have our next rider

competition here. We have our next rider in the gate. We Tienho. Another rider

out of Whistler. for the Whistler Free Ride Club just pumping out these incredible world class athletes also only 21 years old. the youth rising here. So, the pressure is off these

here. So, the pressure is off these riders. They've all made the cut, but

riders. They've all made the cut, but the pressure of performing in Alaska is another thing altogether.

>> The good news is they have Wi-Fi up top.

So, they are right now watching the live and he probably know that all the rider have crashed already. So, I think Wayan I don't know if he's going to keeping

the same strategy or going for it even though the snow is quite catchy today.

Well, we are about to find out as We Tan Ho drops into this little channel that leads down to this classic double that we've seen various results on. We Chen

popping off the first one. Oh, and

immediately going down from the drone angle there. Have no idea what happened,

angle there. Have no idea what happened, >> but We Chen going down instantly on touchdown on the pad on that double.

>> I don't know if he he lost the ski there. Uh he might

there. Uh he might >> I think so. Yeah. Oh yeah, it's really tough today. I feel like every time

tough today. I feel like every time you're slowing down of like right in front of a feature, it's really there that it's catching up like the skis the right when you turn a little bit too

much on the edge and those edge are really really sticky today.

>> Well, we'll see if we can get another angle on it. He went off the first step of the double. Oh, he went too far. He

went too far. He overshot that landing pad in that double stager. Here we're

going to get a better view of it and landed in the rocks.

>> So that's a really short pad there. You

need to just barely creep off it. And

Wayan just going a little bit too far.

This is tough. You guys only had this morning to scope. It was really, really rough.

>> Free ride is really roller coaster for us. We only had this morning to really

us. We only had this morning to really see the face and that's really a big challenge for all rookie but even like skier that have a ton of experience

riding a face for the first time and only having few hour to get prepared and to really consolate and like confirm all your feature. It it's not so much when

your feature. It it's not so much when and when you're arriving on the face and you're skiing for the first time. It

feels kind of like everything is is real and it's going so fast. It's so real. So

there, speaking of real, the position of Way Ten Ski, that's going to be a tough one to get. We have a interview coming up here with the winner of the ski

women's category, Sibil Blanjon, taking the win for ski women here in Hannes. If

we can uh find Sabil while we're focused. There she is. All right, Sabil

focused. There she is. All right, Sabil Blanjon, huge congratulations for taking the win. We I I think we have to say it.

the win. We I I think we have to say it.

you were the only one in ski women to put down a clean run. What was the difference maker for you and allowed you to be able to do that?

>> Um, yeah. First of all, thank you so much. I'm really stoked. Um, I don't

much. I'm really stoked. Um, I don't know to be honest. I feel a bit sad for all the girls. It's always nicer when we can really fight for for the win. But

I'm really proud of myself. The long the run was really long, so it was tough physically. So, I guess the my physical

physically. So, I guess the my physical preparation paid off. So, thank you to my coach.

>> Yeah, big time. So, we were discussing while you were while you were in your run that your home resort of Verbier also has a lot of huge terrain. So,

you're not a stranger to being on big exposed terrain. Do you feel that that

exposed terrain. Do you feel that that played a part in your ability to execute today?

>> Yeah, probably a bit. But to be honest, Alaska is a whole other level. I was so scared and it's so intimidating. The

mountains are so big, but it's just such a like an honor to be here. And I just try to remember myself that at the top like come on civil in Alaska. Just

enjoy. And it worked out.

>> Are you planning to celebrate tonight for this amazing win?

>> Uh probably a bit, but not too much because I want to go back skiing tomorrow if the weather is good.

>> Oh yeah.

>> All right, Ro. The free ride party takes a back seat to skiing spines in Hannes, Alaska. And that is a true free rider

Alaska. And that is a true free rider right there. Well, once again, a huge

right there. Well, once again, a huge congratulations for Sabil putting her name on that trophy. You know, there's only this event has only happened three times. So, joining an exclusive crew of

times. So, joining an exclusive crew of winners in Alaska as uh this event has proven to be a roller coaster. You know,

we've seen some incredible runs put down. We saw what's possible with Ross

down. We saw what's possible with Ross Tester, but Max Hitig, Marcus Goen, Way Tanho, all going down. Tricky.

>> It's a tricky one. It's the big deal.

We're in Alaska and the guys wants to give their best, you know, and it's such a an amazing playful playground that it also allowed them to just like go big or go home.

>> Well, hopefully everybody gets to do both as we see Edwards Colorado's Joey Leonardo pushing out. This man has had an electric start to his free ride world

tour career. Coming on as a rookie,

tour career. Coming on as a rookie, skiing well in Spain and then putting himself on the podium and sitting in the hot seat for a long time in Valter's

only Ben Richards disable to dislodge him. So Joey Leonardo looking to keep

him. So Joey Leonardo looking to keep things rolling as he is making his way down the ridge. We'll see. You said the the riders were able to see the others.

So, looking like maybe he's going to go to the same section that's gobbled up already a few of our pros. Maybe he'll

take a slightly slower approach. Landing

on that pad and finally someone able to get it going. Joey launching off that staying in the fall line. Now he is

absolutely flying down this.

>> Oh no. Oh, damn it. Oh, Joey Leonardo >> getting violently tomahawkked down the face. Hands are up though.

face. Hands are up though.

>> There you go. Oh, this is free ride.

>> That's a right of passage for just about anybody who comes to Alaska and wants to have their say in these mountains.

Tommahawking down.

>> Oh, there you go. He looks fine. For the

everyone at home watching, he's having to smile. Ah, this is tough one. the the

to smile. Ah, this is tough one. the the

stomach was ginormous like the speedy gain up.

Wow.

>> So he takes a slightly more crossfall line approach on that double and you can see the speed was already getting away from him. He holds on by staying in the

from him. He holds on by staying in the fall line and here we see him cross that little slough cone and boom,

his head goes down and then he is sent to Tomahawk down town. A one-way ticket for Joey all the way down and then comes running out of it. If you've never

tomahawkked like that, when you come out of it, you're dizzy. Dizzy. Your brain

is absolutely rattled.

>> I mean, you have to just like let it go.

You let ride the tomahawk and you wait until the speed goes down. That's the

only key to survive a tomahawk. Don't

move. Don't do anything. But yeah, it's a tough one. You can see that. I don't

think he was supposed to go that fast.

But no, it got away from him after the first air >> for sure. And but also the thing is again the snow is catchy because he was just straight lining. Everything seemed

good and then bam like something got stuck or something and and then he crashed. So yeah, it's a tough one

crashed. So yeah, it's a tough one today. You have to be very much on your

today. You have to be very much on your toes. That's the key.

toes. That's the key.

>> All right. Well, lined up we have Free Ride World Tour head judge and commissioner Laur Lolo Best sitting in the judges tent. Lolo, this is uh this

is a wild ride here we're seeing in the ski categories after we saw some really really solid rides from the snowboarding. How are you feeling about

snowboarding. How are you feeling about what we've seen so far and what do you think is causing it?

>> Well, yeah, you're right. I think first of all, we've seen some brilliant riding as you mentioning wise. Uh the girls have just killing it

wise. Uh the girls have just killing it and really good runs as well in terms of uh snowmen. Uh the skiers, do you know?

uh snowmen. Uh the skiers, do you know?

I think it's maybe to the fact that this is the first final of the world tour.

Those guys are qualified for the finals and for the free world tour 2027. They

have nothing to lose and they might be a little bit having some uh Alaska powder rush maybe. I don't know. A little

rush maybe. I don't know. A little

Alaskan fever kicking in in the ski categories. We saw one clean run from

categories. We saw one clean run from ski women. We've seen one clean run so

ski women. We've seen one clean run so far for the first five from ski men.

Talk let's talk a little bit about the run of Ross Tester though because he was the one to put it down and he really really hit all the all the ticks. That

run was incredible.

>> Incredible as you say. I think the only if I have to look at like really as a judge uh the downside of it was the little tiny fluidity issue maybe towards

the bottom but everything else was spot on. Um you had a very big uh big

on. Um you had a very big uh big mountain riding at the top. Big cliffs

is send like three I mean two big three.

So altogether that was the perfect perfect line. And I think looking at the

perfect line. And I think looking at the other riders, maybe they're trying to send it a bit too much and um yeah, it's the balance where where do you put the

cursor, how far you want to go and and how fast you want to go. But yeah.

>> Yeah. Let's talk about that fluidity conversation because as as you know better than anybody, fluidity is speed, but speed relative to the terrain you're in. Do you think if he hadn't slowed

in. Do you think if he hadn't slowed down there that he might have seen a similar result to what we've seen from all the other four riders that have dropped so far?

>> It's possible likely. Um I think he also went to the zone where um he probably couldn't really see where was the landing and I think he just been cautious and probably clever. Uh that

was the right move to do.

>> All right. Right move indeed as he's the only man at the bottom on his feet so far in skimen. Thank you so much, Lo, for the insight. From the judges tent, we see looks like Joey's reunited with

his skis. If you're just joining us, I'm

his skis. If you're just joining us, I'm Derek Fouse. I'm joined by Justine Duo

Derek Fouse. I'm joined by Justine Duo Lean. It is skimen, the final category

Lean. It is skimen, the final category of the day here in Hannes. And uh yeah, providing a challenging backdrop here on this on this big mountain. Justine?

>> Yes, Alaska is serving us a great show.

Honestly, it's so impressive for us rider to be here. For most of us, it's the first time in Alaska, period. And

it's a different terrain. It's a

different mountain. It's a different type of snow. And it's a lot of thing that we need to adapt today.

>> All right. Well, in the start is the man in the driver's seat on the free ride world tour and skimen right now. Ben

Richards. Two wins on the free ride world tour. A win at the FIS free ride

world tour. A win at the FIS free ride world championships. He has three in a

world championships. He has three in a row. If Ben wins today, he is free world

row. If Ben wins today, he is free world tour champion. Nobody can take him over.

tour champion. Nobody can take him over.

There is still a chance if someone else wins because of the extra points available in these finals events. But if

Ben takes the win today, but he's got a tall order with a the run that Ross has put down and b what we're seeing from the other riders in the field.

>> Ben is on the clock. It's his season is he's unstoppable. Let's see what he have

he's unstoppable. Let's see what he have to do. Wow. Oh. Oh no.

to do. Wow. Oh. Oh no.

>> Oh, what a recovery there from Ben Richards. Taking a similar angle uh as

Richards. Taking a similar angle uh as Marcus Goen and taking it as a single lofting a big 360. Perfect connection.

So we are seeing the goat just out to play right now. Ben Richards putting it down so far on top. But of course, Justine, as we've seen, the bottom part of this venue is just as challenging.

>> Oh yeah. It's not over until it's over.

He's serving us. Wow, so big. It was so large. Look at this skiing. He looks

large. Look at this skiing. He looks

like nothing bothered him.

>> This guy is incredible. Honestly,

>> his technique is so solid. And Ben

Richards makes it look stylish every time he gets on any free ride face. So

coming down into this broken up lower section that we see gobble up a bunch of the ski women. He's got to control that speed as he crosses the slough cone.

Taking a ton of speed. The hand drag 360. Perfect again. So Ben Richards is

360. Perfect again. So Ben Richards is clean top to bottom. He's going to make his way down onto the glacier. And

incredible run there from Ben Richards and showing us that it can be done.

>> Yes, Ben can do it all. He's serving us the best of free ride we can see. The

way he's just aligning those trick back to back like nothing. Always the feet so squeezed together. That's something that

squeezed together. That's something that Well, clearly not here, but he survived.

He kept going.

>> Landed right in Marcus Goen's bomb hole.

Coming in here, he's got that no pop 360 that he has just made his own where he pulls his feet up and then lobbing a

huge stylish shifty off that one. And

then Ben bringing so much speed to this, carving into that hand drag three. He

was almost halfway around before he even got to the lip. and it allows him to land not so far down the transition where it's still steep. So Ben Richards

just proving to us once again like we needed to know that he is so so good at this.

>> Ah it's beautiful to watch honestly and this is he's writing like honestly the history of free ride. This name will be a forever name. Ben Richard is the guy.

He's the goat. Honestly, the way he's performing is always there.

>> So the 89 of Ross Tester, Ben Richards 8267.

So my my instinct there is the line that Ross took off the top. He went from start one high in through some of the most difficult terrain available on this face and certainly the steepest and did

a three up there. So that line score stands strong for Ross Tester. Ben

Richards moving into second and then four no scores. Marcus Goan leading the no score gang down there. They are

scored up until the point that they crash and then they give them they give them decimals. So Marcus is currently

them decimals. So Marcus is currently leading the uh no score gang, but we still have so many talented riders yet to go. Ben Richards putting on a clinic,

to go. Ben Richards putting on a clinic, but Ross Tester holding off one of the biggest challenges of the day. And I I'm not sure if I've done the math correctly, but I think that means that the title goes to Verbier because with

Ross ahead of Ben, Ben's not going to win today. He could still be on the

win today. He could still be on the podium. Well, somebody behind the scenes

podium. Well, somebody behind the scenes will double check my math because uh I don't have I we're getting getting word.

We think we think that's correct that Ben Richards will not be winning the overall title today. But we roll on. And

the next man in the gate is an exciting one to watch. Spanish free ride sensation Abel Moga. I feel like Abel was born for this terrain. The bigger

the better. 25 years old representing Spanish free ride proudly on the free ride world.

>> Gnarly. He loves deep like as deep it is the better he ski. Like this guy just love it when it's complicated super steep. He's there to win.

steep. He's there to win.

>> So a huge air right off the top for a bell. We got a little view of the

bell. We got a little view of the startgate there. Back to Abel's run. And

startgate there. Back to Abel's run. And

it is so steep over here on the rers's left side. Abel with a huge 360, but

left side. Abel with a huge 360, but just tipping forwards in the air and unable to hold on. Looks like a ski come off. So, he's joining the no score gang.

off. So, he's joining the no score gang.

>> Oh gosh, that's a tough one. But you

could see it right at the takeoff. He

lost balance right away. That so that was a sign that it's going to be a tough one to land as well. I feel like sometime Yeah. If you're maybe a little

sometime Yeah. If you're maybe a little early, a little bit too much quick on the takeoff, that can play a huge role on the way you land. And that's what happened there.

>> Justine, tell us about the takeoffs up there because we've seen a few riders struggling with balance on the takeoffs.

What What's the factor here? Cuz that

takeoff looked all right, but he wasn't trying to spin.

>> Yeah. snow. I mean, I think whenever you're trying to spin or to kind of like slow down, it's where the ski can catch easily with that snow. It's a really

catchy snow. It's a five years five,

catchy snow. It's a five years five, sorry, five days old snow. So, it's

getting a little bit tracky through the days the more the snow gets old. So,

it's a fact that you just have to be sure when you're tricking to really be patient and to wait the last second to move your skis. Well, and I think we

have to really go back to what we heard from Lo in our in our judges interview there. A bit of Alaskan fever maybe

there. A bit of Alaskan fever maybe kicking in too for these riders. I mean,

Bell had zero speed checks on his way into that 360 tossing a Cork 3 on a on a feature of that size at that speed on a big Alaskan face. It's a big ask at the

best of times. and and we are seeing some of the best skiers in the world just maybe pushing a little bit past the the edge of the envelope here.

>> Well, you know, those boys have been through a big cut for final at first. So

it's already been few months that they're really under stress and under a lot of pressure to get through the cut and and now that the cut is over and

you're in final there's also this effect of you want to just like have fun and do the run of your life and you know like you're already on the cut so why not

having fun and do the line that you always been dreaming of. So in a way I think there's both side. There is this way of like you don't have nothing else to lose right now and let's just go for

it and also maybe also the the snow fact error.

>> Yeah. Riders completely free off the leash. And everybody wants that

leash. And everybody wants that highlight reel run. Everybody wants the one that is going to be replayed all over Instagram, all over YouTube, all over every, you know, every TV news

outlet when you've just done the the the most sensational run, >> of course, >> of a lifetime here in Hannes, Alaska.

Everybody wants that. And the field is so stacked in all four categories. Then

in order to do that, you have to push.

You have to. There's no nobody's getting away with a safety run.

>> I mean, look at those two runs that those boys did. It was amazing. It was

incredible. And the the level is outrageous. And honestly, those boy have

outrageous. And honestly, those boy have to give their best if they want a chance to jump on that podium. So, in a way, I don't blame them.

>> Oh, no. They have to do it. And they are excited to do it. And speaking of excited, Canadian rookie Jack Kohles coming out of inverting out of Lake

Louise, part of that Oolar Big Mountain team. He has been a sensation as a

team. He has been a sensation as a rookie on the Free Ride World Tour and pushing hard. Another one who hopefully

pushing hard. Another one who hopefully has been watching what's been going on and is modifying the plan to suit the conditions and suit what's been happening. I I really don't think we're

happening. I I really don't think we're going to see any of these guys hold back. 21 years old. All the Canadian ski

back. 21 years old. All the Canadian ski men right now, 21 years old. The youth

rising as Jack Kohish gets set to push off down his first trip from the top of the Stargate in Hannes, Alaska. The Yeti

Hannes, Alaska Pro, delivering us fireworks as Jack Kles out of the gate from start two.

>> Jake is on course figuring out his first feature.

>> Oh, taking that beautifully. And Jack

such a technically proficient skier. He

always looks so solid. Turning this

feature into a double with a 360 off the second stage. Holding on. Absolutely

second stage. Holding on. Absolutely

perfect. And then another one out the bottom. So Jack Kohish blink and you

bottom. So Jack Kohish blink and you miss it as he made such short work at the top of his face.

>> That was flawless. Honestly, it was just so cool to see backtoback feature like nothing. It was really cool.

nothing. It was really cool.

>> All right. All right. Well, Jack Kohish now gets a moment to regroup before this the uh terrain just drops off again.

Just enjoying the Alaskan powder. The

snow conditions just >> do is honestly so beautiful. You have to just like get back into your ski. Okay,

focus. It's not over because it's so beautiful. But honestly, those legs are

beautiful. But honestly, those legs are burning for sure.

>> 750 vertical meters of steep skiing.

Jack adding a little bit of flare there, a little bit of style as we see now.

What's looming below him? The features

continue to come as he's going to go crossill. Get up onto this spine. Every

crossill. Get up onto this spine. Every

skier's dream to be moving down Alaskan spines. Lobbing the get in the tail grab

spines. Lobbing the get in the tail grab there. And Jack Kohish now continuing

there. And Jack Kohish now continuing down this phase. He is passed all the features. Now it's just fun for him as

features. Now it's just fun for him as the Canadian. Another rider now in this

the Canadian. Another rider now in this ski men's field showing that it is possible to get down here without losing all your equipment.

What a great one for Jack. I'm so so happy for him. It's so great to do a full run top to bottom. No mistakes.

>> Well, double with a 360. Huge 360 in the middle and then holding the fall line to launch off that wind rib. Jack Coles

just looking like a veteran out here.

Showing some style. So, he's got the tricks, he's got the style, a fall line approach down this enormous Alaskan face. That is a run to be proud of for

face. That is a run to be proud of for the >> DK about the middle section. You know,

it's a big long section where nothing happened and it's kind of part of the decision when you're going start two.

>> Yeah. And when you look here at the hover air line tracker, you can see that big gap in the middle where over on the rider's right, guys like Ben Richards and Ross Tester were able to add

features into the line. So, the line score could be a little bit limited relative to what the uh what the other guys did. That is of course for the

guys did. That is of course for the judges to decide, but what he did with that line was absolute perfection. So we

see 7267 and I think you're exactly right, Justine. Executed flawlessly, but

right, Justine. Executed flawlessly, but the line on that side just not it's it's not as full.

>> Yeah, the like the flawless and you really need that dynamic backtoback feature, something that have a lot of fluidity and that's for sure paying a lot today.

>> Yeah. So line score is king in free ride. Ross Tester, Ben Richards, Jack

ride. Ross Tester, Ben Richards, Jack Kohish. That is your 1, two, three as we

Kohish. That is your 1, two, three as we are over halfway through. We only have five men left in the uh category. But

every single one of them capable of throwing hammers. The next man here,

throwing hammers. The next man here, Finn Powell, riding out of New Zealand.

Uh, incredible the style that Finn has on his skis. He's uh you know he grew up in the Whistler Free Ride Club in his summers and then spending his winters skiing in New Zealand on the New Zealand

Junior Free Ride Tour. Dion Newport, a huge mentor of Finn, 23 years old, he's got his twin brother, Lockach, who is also a huge force in the free ride world. And these guys have just pushed

world. And these guys have just pushed each other, you know, time and again. I

I think for me, one of the one of the real standouts of Finn Powell's riding is style.

>> Oh, yeah. I mean, I think that's also something that the Kiwi have so much in common. They have like a way of skiing

common. They have like a way of skiing that it's always flawless. Like they

don't bother. They just lend those feet always squeeze together. It's really

really impressive to keep like to see them. It's for sure textbook for me.

them. It's for sure textbook for me.

>> All right. Well, here we go. Finn Powell

going into this feature that has given some other riders trouble.

>> And >> oh no. Finn getting absolutely tossed.

The second step of that double is so short. I think it's way shorter than the

short. I think it's way shorter than the the riders think it is.

>> I think it's the deadly double up there.

It's clearly different than what we seen in 2016, in 2017. It's because we watched all those comp and it was a different amount of snow and this year

it looks like it was a little bit less and they're approaching those double with a little bit too much speed and then they're kind of like completely out of timing in the air. And then here we

go. We're going to see on replay.

go. We're going to see on replay.

>> So we see he didn't take much speed but it was too much. And then Finn just going for a ride luckily going over all of those rocks. So, it was a clean

snowfall and we saw him wave right away when he got up. So, he is okay. But you

almost have to come to a complete stop for that to work. And Finn immediately in the air, you could tell he knew he was in trouble. And I mean, he flew on

that tomahawk. Absolutely tumbling.

that tomahawk. Absolutely tumbling.

>> Hopefully this nothing is It's all good.

Just the heart is broken, but nothing else. I mean it's always so frustrating

else. I mean it's always so frustrating for us athlete but in a way it's part of this sport. It's oftenly happening and

this sport. It's oftenly happening and when you're taking risk you also sign for those risk that you might lose a ski and you might crash and um yeah it's

it's it's really tough and um we kind of have to live with that.

>> Yeah. The glory and the heartbreak of free ride right there and the consequences up here on the on these Alaskan faces are as real as it gets.

So, we've teed up a while we wait for Finn to get re reunited with his gear, we've teed up a replay of Ross Tes, the man who's sitting in the hot seat.

Justine, he skied before you got here.

So, this will be the first time you get to see it. Awesome.

>> As we take a look, Ross Tester started from start one high, the only one to go from there. And you can see just how

from there. And you can see just how steep it is as that looming beneath him.

The slough absolutely ripping. And he

went in with such an aggressive attacking approach.

>> This is really impressive. It's so steep up top to do a 360 on this ginormous cliff. Wow.

cliff. Wow.

He was here to win.

>> Yeah. Back in control right away. Just

through this labyrinth of rocks. Keep in

mind it's completely convex. That means

the ground rolls away from you. So he

can barely see where he's going. He's

trusting his scoping. and Ross Tester with that committing 360 up top coming down here launching another 360. I mean

that it had all the elements and he's still and this is where we see I think the the the real contrast with the run of Jack Kohles. There's no empty parts

of Ross' run. Every single section is just packed with features.

>> That's for sure. play a huge role into the score. And we can see him

the score. And we can see him approaching the last one. It was a tricky one. I actually wanted to do that

tricky one. I actually wanted to do that one, but now I see it's it's a rough one. Wow.

one. Wow.

>> Yeah. Really scary.

>> We heard Lo mention the only thing that he had maybe was the fluidity of him slowing down there. But in in in re-watching, he had to do that. similar

to the riders like Finn who's collecting his skis up top on that double where you absolutely you you have to go off at a crawl or it doesn't work.

>> It's exposed. It's so exposed and the judge know that you can actually take a second to think before troing yourself off cliff full of rock at the landing.

And when you are in an exposed cliff like this, you really have to be precise on your landing. And that makes sense.

And the judge understand the reason why.

So, oh, let's see Finn. He looks fine.

>> And and how about a shout out to the snowboard men who went back up after their runs to act as skir runners for all the other categories. Now, there is a benefit. They get to ride the face

a benefit. They get to ride the face again in this glorious Alaskan powder.

So, yeah, there's a payoff part about it.

>> Now, I think it's it looks like Cesar BM maybe he's looking for Finn's polls.

Yeah, it's really not easy. Honestly,

you can lose your gear so easily in that type of snow. It's it's powder and it's steep. So, the equipment can go super

steep. So, the equipment can go super deep in the snow and then you lose it forever.

>> Yeah. You just you you donate it to the to the natural resources here out in Alaska. Eventually, it'll make its way

Alaska. Eventually, it'll make its way all the way down to the bottom and uh maybe find its way in the uh little Jarvis Glacier there. So, Finn Powell making his way off the face. He is

physically okay, but as we said, glory and heartbreak in free ride. And you

know, the nerves, the fear, the consequences, all of that is so real when you stand on top of one of these huge free ride faces.

>> Oh, yeah. No, it's honestly a dream for all of us rider to be skiing today in Alaska. For most of us, it's the first

Alaska. For most of us, it's the first time, I think. So, it's kind of a dream.

And when it's it's that feeling of like you want to push and you want to do your best that you can in Alaska Powder and there's also this Alaska Powder fever

that can be tricky.

>> Yeah. Well, speaking of push, the next man in the Starkgate is one of the uh one of the heaviest hitters in the field

and is always pushing so hard. Toby

Rafford from Sun Valley, Idaho. and he

is up there at start one high. We

haven't seen anyone drop from there since Ross Tester and he is currently sitting in the hot seat on top. So we

know this zone can pay off. What has to happen is execution. So Toby Rafford now kicking out of the start gate getting

ready for an Alaskan sensation.

>> Swinging the arms saying he's ready and he's dropping in. So steep up there. And

Toby not holding back at all. Going full

speed as he has become known for.

Popping into this air. 360 clearing the rocks, landing clean. He's got to get control now. Look at the speed of his

control now. Look at the speed of his feet. He went through there like a World

feet. He went through there like a World Cup slalom skier and just navigated.

He's got control again, Justine. That

was incredible.

>> Oh my god. He's just not stopping at all. It's flawless the way he skis. so

all. It's flawless the way he skis. so

so much in control like nothing bother him. It's really impressive.

him. It's really impressive.

>> Perfect control but at maximum speed as Toby making his way through this labyrinth. We saw Ross pick off a few

labyrinth. We saw Ross pick off a few features in that section but lobbing off the spy mall with a 360. An incredible

run there from Toby Rafford. top to

bottom. For sure, the fastest run we've seen so far of the day.

>> Toby is known for his signature line choice. Honestly, it's always so

choice. Honestly, it's always so exciting to see him drop because you know that he'll do something like nobody have done before. And I think that's

something that I respect so much of Toby is his line choice.

>> Well, we see here right off the apex of that spine landing. And here's where his skill comes into play. The quick feet.

He had to go through those towers and then down here on this blade launching, getting the style. He never leaves the ground without a ton of style. And down

here, I mean, every single piece of this was so calculated, so perfect. And this,

nobody else saw this. The spine wall just lurking there. Toby lifts his feet up, launches an enormous 360. Didn't

even look like he left the ground when he landed. It was so clean.

he landed. It was so clean.

>> It's so impressive the way he makes it look so easy. It's unbelievable.

Honestly, it's a joy to watch him ski.

It just honestly like showed to all of us that you can look like it's easy. And

it's not. And it's really not easy to ski that steep. I don't know how steep it is, but the top section to launch a 360 in the middle of that like I think

50° it is. So, it's really impressive.

What a show that he gave us this Toby.

>> So, the judges have to get to work now because Toby had a few less features than Ross, but the intensity and the speed of his run were maxed out

completely. There's he couldn't have

completely. There's he couldn't have done more features going that speed. So

Toby Rafford maxing out this face. This

is what we came to see. The

>> the Yeti Hannes Alaska Pro giving us fireworks. Well, the judges have spoken.

fireworks. Well, the judges have spoken.

It's going up up up way up 90.67.

Nubs on top as Toby Rafford takes over the top spot. He gets hugs from the rest of the crew there. He and Ross and Ben have all been traveling together. Their

their screw around vibe is just legendary as they're always just into mischief. But I mean, he just laid down

mischief. But I mean, he just laid down the run of the day so far and the judges rewarding him for it as Toby Rafford on top with three men to go. Ross Tester,

Ben Richards, that is the crew. Jack

Kish moves down to fourth. And then the enormous squad of no scores there from Marcus Goen all the way down. All of

those guys losing equipment. Back up to the top we go. Justine, we are not done here. Ski man. Oh no.

here. Ski man. Oh no.

>> Ugo Kubat riding out of France. He made

a huge splash at the FIS free ride world championships. Finishing on the podium.

championships. Finishing on the podium.

He's a rookie a little bit older than some of the like kind of barely out of their teens rookies in the rest of the field. Badugo Trat now on course and

field. Badugo Trat now on course and looking to put himself into this podium conversation.

>> You go, I'm really excited to see him ski. He's been super good this year.

ski. He's been super good this year.

Honestly, very strong skiing.

>> Taking a full speed approach, lobbing a 360 way down the face and coming out of it clean, getting high up onto the spine wall immediately into another 360. So,

Ugo Tubac going on the other side of the face. We saw Jack Kohler skiing over

face. We saw Jack Kohler skiing over there now. Absolutely cooking.

there now. Absolutely cooking.

>> He's going straight line to the bottom section like he's having fun. I We see him saying good hello to the drone.

That's really lovely of him. He's having

fun. He's enjoying his ride in Alaska.

That's really cool to see.

>> Well, Ugo's got such a great spirit. He

really embodies the free ride spirit.

get into this wind lip now. Launching

off it and up onto the spine.

>> Let's see where we go for the last part.

And here we go. A 360. Easy breezy.

>> So, kind of taking the similar neighborhood to where we saw Jack Kohish go, but adding to it. He's cut a little slab out there. It's going to run down.

He's going to need to stay on the skier's right side. A huge air there for Ugo and managing the bottom part as well as he roasts into the flats here on the Jarvis.

>> So much speed. He had to keep his key straight down if he wanted to not crash.

So it was really impressive. Honestly,

the last section was really heated up. I

think the judge will love that speed.

>> Yeah, he found a way to add some stuff into that lower section. So Ugo getting things started with a really clean air and then lining up for this higheed. Oh,

that's the same one again from the drone angle. Then he lined himself up for this

angle. Then he lined himself up for this highspeed attack approach. Here we see his dad

attack approach. Here we see his dad there. He is stoked going flying all the

there. He is stoked going flying all the way down on that 360. And then another one right away. So Ugo Tubat really maxing out this side of the venue.

Similar line to Jack, but definitely with more features in play for Ugo.

>> Oh yeah, he played it.

>> We had a little moment there. The powder

grabbed his skis just for a second.

>> Sometimes the snow is so so cold that it's sticky and it create that type of feeling where you're like, oh, holding on on one leg and yeah, he managed so well. I'm really glad for him that he

well. I'm really glad for him that he managed to do a good top to bottom run.

>> Yeah. And making that bottom feature airing into the Kir into a double just with raw speed. So the judges are getting to work now. They have a kilometer and a half of width on this

venue. So there are so many options.

venue. So there are so many options.

Really the only the only limitation is your creativity. You can see his dad is

your creativity. You can see his dad is absolutely fired up there.

>> Yes. I think that's kind of the cool part about this venue is today we might not see any run that is similar or the same because we have such a large and big venue. So, everyone can really

big venue. So, everyone can really create their own line and there's no perfect line and I think that's what I love the most about free ride.

>> Yeah, it's the beauty of the sport.

You're you're only limited by your own creativity and even more so on a face that's this big. Sometimes we do see riders funneled into certain features on

on competition venues because they know that's where they need to go if they want to get a good score. This one there are good scores available all over the place. So, the judges really getting to

place. So, the judges really getting to work now crunching that run against the categories. Five categories of course,

categories. Five categories of course, line control fluidity technique and air and style. Ugo managing all of those, I'd say of all of them, fluidity

was maxed out there. So, here we go.

It's going way up. 8967.

He jumps into second just a fraction over the score of Ross Tester. So the

judge is absolutely loving it. Hugo's

father absolutely loving it there.

>> This is so cool.

>> And Ugle Tubat proving that that skiers left side of the venue can play. So 89

967 896 67 is a theme here.

>> 67, you know it.

>> Yeah. The judges there suffering from brain rod along with the rest of the world.

Oh, but honestly, it's so cool to see those rider having fun.

>> All right, back to the top we go. Teemo

Rollin just got to throw out he's wearing my coat. He lost all his gear, but luckily Peak Performance coming in clutch as Teemo Rollin flying into the

start of this run. He has none of his own gear on his body right now. So,

really making do. The free ride community proving the giving spirit there as the German rider flying across that crosssection out on the riders left with a huge 360 there for Teemo and

finding incredibly precise transition.

>> Teemo is honestly one of the chillest rider I know. This guy is right now skiing with a different pair of skis and make it look so easy, flawless. He's

having such an amazing attitude and honestly like he's been missing few competition this year because he had exam and school didn't want him to miss

those exam and he still managed to make the cut and be here today and ski in Alaska with a different pair of ski.

This guy is amazing.

>> Yeah. The only thing on him that's his own are his ski boots. Everything else

is borrowed from the rest of the uh the rest of the free ride community here.

Teemo Rollin flying off with another 360 using those spine walls beautifully. And

honestly, this just looks like so much fun.

>> Oh yeah, he's enjoying himself clearly >> spinning the other way. So showing that versatility. Teemo Roll Chovin has spun

versatility. Teemo Roll Chovin has spun both ways. You can see the slab that cut

both ways. You can see the slab that cut out from a a previous riders track there. And Teemo getting down into this

there. And Teemo getting down into this bottom section. There's a stack there

bottom section. There's a stack there below him. Popping double off the bottom

below him. Popping double off the bottom and landing clean. Teemo roll.

>> So technical. This thing is so tough.

You need to be on it. And look at him.

He don't He doesn't believe in himself.

This is so cool. And he blow a kiss to the camera. Oh, look at him. He's having

the camera. Oh, look at him. He's having

fun.

>> Well, as you said, Justine, he made the cut with one result. He we only had two comps before the cut and he had to miss the first one because he's in uh he's doing an engineering degree and and they

don't mess around in engineering. You

can't skip your exam. So he showed up for Valter not knowing that was going to be his only competition that would count towards the cut and he made it and then delivered that on all borrowed gear and

you can hear the rest of the ski men's field. They are so hyped for him.

field. They are so hyped for him.

>> Oh, I'm I'm so glad for him. Teemo

managed to do such a great run. Really

playful, a ton of tricks. That's really

his signature, but also like this guy just is having fun. Like you can tell that he's just doing the best. Always

having a good smile up top.

>> So there's the right 360 to complement the left side 360 that he did earlier.

And this Justine so technical, so perfect flying off that tower which he had to air onto. Absolutely

nailed it.

>> Going to love it. Honestly, that's what I love about this run. It was a good mix of technical alpine and the judge loved that and also a lot of tricks and a lot

of feature and I think that's a good balance. It's always what we're trying

balance. It's always what we're trying to aim for is that balance of trying to do it all. Well, there's a happy man right there. Teemo Roll Chovin

right there. Teemo Roll Chovin completing his run here in Hannes. A

79point run. So, it's going to move him into fifth, I think, just ahead of the run of Jack Kerisher. So, a top five finish here in Hannes is nothing to seize at. Now, it's not done yet. It's

seize at. Now, it's not done yet. It's

not a top five yet because we do still have one rider left on top of the mountain here in Hannes. as we sit, Toby Rafford, Ugo Troubat, Ross Tester, Ben

Richards, and Teemo Roll Chovin, that is your top five. And then from Jack Kohles down, every single other rider has lost

their skis. So, a tough day, but also a

their skis. So, a tough day, but also a glorious day here in Alaska as we're seeing a real a real contrast in what people are able to do. So, the last man

standing, Victor Hail Woods, coming out of Verbier. He was a standout on the

of Verbier. He was a standout on the junior tour competing at the free ride junior world championships and then making his way through the qualifiers through the challengers and finding

himself at 23 years old a rookie on the tour and making the cut. Incredible as

he is going from start one high where we've only seen Toby and Rosco Super Bowl choice going for the top top of Alaska. This is so cool in the nar in

Alaska. This is so cool in the nar in the steep but he's from Berbier. He's

used to it. So, let's see what Victor have in his in his back pocket.

>> Yeah. So, keeping things nice and controlled here in this incredibly steep terrain. What you don't see below the

terrain. What you don't see below the screen is how much exposure is lurking below the riders and this labyrinth of towers as Victor handling the speed

using that spine wall to slow down. You

can see his dad, Nicholas Hailwood, watching through the binoculars on the split screen there as Victor managing that upper upper section very cleanly

and really just showing skills beyond that rookie status.

>> Here we go. Big cliff there. He's trying

to go up that ridge to go on that end of the spine.

>> Yeah. And getting into this nice shady section. Look at this. This is what he

section. Look at this. This is what he sees. finding your way through that maze

sees. finding your way through that maze of rock towers, an absolute mystery. And

Victor's got to know that previous to him, most of the riders has crashed. So, if he gets down just clean

crashed. So, if he gets down just clean on his feet, he's going to have a keeper result here in his rookie season. And

he's going into a section that nobody else has skied. And that's really smart and is going to feel good.

>> Oh yeah, those turn are looking great.

That snow is sloughing out like crazy, but he's managing. He knows for sure that where he is.

And he keep adding some some stuff.

>> Yeah. Getting really creative with this venue. Just adding feature after feature

venue. Just adding feature after feature and a big 360 floating it, landing clean. So, Victor Hailwoods, he is out

clean. So, Victor Hailwoods, he is out the bottom. We The judges said when the

the bottom. We The judges said when the riders reconnect with the glacier, they will stop judging. It allows the riders just to get down clean and safe and also speed things up a little bit with the

judging as as it takes a while for them to uh to traverse that entire glacier.

So, a great great performance there from Victor Hail Woods, the last rider onto the Little Jarvis Glacier and completing

the Yeti Hannes Alaska Pro competition.

The last man, we still need to get his score. The judges are going to have some

score. The judges are going to have some work cut out for them. He had a lot of features in that run. Maybe not quite the same level of like raw intensity that we saw say from Toby and Ugo, but

clean top to bottom is something in itself today.

>> Today that was kind of the key as well to find a way to just do a clean top to bottom and to manage to not lose those keys because the snow was sticky and it

was not an easy one. So, I'm really really happy for Victor. He did an amazing run. I think he he did an

amazing run. I think he he did an approach completely different, really crossside, so he managed to hit a lot of feature. So, I can't wait to see what

feature. So, I can't wait to see what the judge thought about his run.

>> Yeah, let's take a look at the replay.

He's up here in the steepest part of the entire venue and navigating the Verbier riders. Definitely looking solid here in

riders. Definitely looking solid here in Alaska, pushing through these steep snow towers. And every one of his features

towers. And every one of his features was creative, technical, difficult and executed really, really well.

>> Yeah, his approach was really original and he managed to do few tricks. So I

think that's really going to be great and important for his score.

>> Yeah, managing to get a 360 in there. So

really adding to that air and style, really direct line as we see the hover air line tracker following the route of Victor Hillwoods all the way top to

bottom down this face. And here we see the score of Victor Hillwoods coming up a 7433.

So he goes into sixth. That is a great result for a young rookie here in Hannes. He was so nervous this morning

Hannes. He was so nervous this morning about skiing on this big mountain as I think all of you guys were. So here we see Toby Rafford taking the win. Ugle

Tubat and Ross Tester rounding out the podium. Ben Richards in the leaders

podium. Ben Richards in the leaders jersey coming into the event. And then

Teemo Rollin rounding out the top five on a full complement of garage sale gear. There we see Victor Hillwoods and

gear. There we see Victor Hillwoods and Jack Kohish. And that's it for completed

Jack Kohish. And that's it for completed runs in this entire ski men's field.

Marcus Goan winning the Crashers today, getting the highest score of the no score. So in eighth place result, then

score. So in eighth place result, then all the way down and Way Tanho there, the final guy. He lost his ski pretty much immediately at the start of the run. So there's going to be some

run. So there's going to be some regrouping for that group of uh of no score riders before we go to Verbier.

Here we go. The overall Toby Rafford taking over the lead in the Free Ride World Tour with a tie.

>> Wow.

>> No, he's actually 800 points ahead. Toby

Rafford 20,800.

Ben Richards on 20,000. So, a big shuffle and Ross Tester sliding into third in the overall. So, basically tied

from from third to first going into Verbier. This is setting up for an

Verbier. This is setting up for an electric extreme verb.

>> That's going to bring an amazing show for those boys because they're going to need to push it and to win verbier if they want to win the world tour. So,

it's going to be a really spicy one to watch.

>> Oh, big time as we see the riders that fell below the cut. Unfortunately, a few injuries there with Kelly Heli. All

right. Well, we're back on camera joined by Justine Duour Lean. We have had an absolutely electric show here in Hannes.

Uh I'm I'm just absolutely blown away.

We got a competition in the bag. We had

to run it two days early. You guys went up there and threw down. What are your What are your feelings right now?

>> I mean, it was a tough one. Uh but in a way, it was the dream for all the rider today to ski in Alaska. It's such a privilege. We were all, I think, so full

privilege. We were all, I think, so full of gratitude to be able to have a bluebird today and be able to compete.

Of course, it's the free ride. Free ride

is always juggling us into this amazing roller coaster of emotion and we kind of have to deal with it. So, a lot of athletes arrived last night, yesterday,

and had to manage to do the face check this morning. So, yeah, it's not an easy

this morning. So, yeah, it's not an easy task. And when we look at Timo, who had

task. And when we look at Timo, who had none of his equipment and managed to ski that way, everything's possible.

>> All right. Well, we have the winning run from ski men from Toby Rafford teed up.

We're going to look back on this incredible performance. You know, Toby

incredible performance. You know, Toby starting up there where we saw Ross and Victor Hill Woods at start one high. He

gets his bearings, gives a wave to the judges, and then right away he just went into full throttle. It's incredible what

he's he's so talented and so strong on his ski. It's always so amazing to see

his ski. It's always so amazing to see him. The line that he picks, it's

him. The line that he picks, it's honestly I don't know how he does it.

The way he managed that speed, it was so gnarly right in front. So much exposure and it's it's really brilliant to watch.

This guy is one to remember. the only

rider of the day to pick off that feature and you had to be out of start one high to even get there. And then the hits just kept coming as Toby Rafford

airs into the maze, lines up this spine wall that again nobody else looked at and takes it at full speed with an enormous 360 all the way down. Perfect

transition. That run was over in a blink of an eye. It was so fast. It was so perfect. Everything about it. Toby

perfect. Everything about it. Toby

Rafford just putting on in a master class. And can you imagine that he is

class. And can you imagine that he is this isn't a a 10year Alaskan film skiing veteran. This is a man who has

skiing veteran. This is a man who has never skied here before. Who has never skied on a a face this big before and he just did that.

>> I mean Toby is really impressive. the

way he always pick a new line that nobody have thought of and he's so creative and so strong on his ski and I think that's really what makes him so

special and makes his line always so special and that's also a big part of the judgment is the wow factor and I think he's always playing that wow factor doing his own thing his own game

and I really respect that and I think that's also part of the creativity that we all need as rider to yeah to ski your own line and have your own idea and your

own tricks. And I think it was so

own tricks. And I think it was so different than everybody else and that create the winner line.

>> The wow factor indeed. Toby Rafford

brought all of it. Now it's your chance to have your say. We want you to log on to freerideworldtour.com and vote for the rider of the day. Every

category is in play. Who impressed you?

Was it the winning run of Toby Rafford?

Was it Michaela Davis Mian throwing a unprecedented 360 high on the face in snowboard women? There are so many great

snowboard women? There are so many great options for the rider of the day. Log on

and vote. Well, Justine, I want to thank you so much for joining us. It's been a pleasure having the athletes view here, Hannes, the Yeti Hannes Alaska Pro done

and dusted. We are going to say goodbye

and dusted. We are going to say goodbye on behalf of the whole free ride world tour family and we will see you in Verbier.

the best riders on the best mountains.

>> Yeah, I guess a big difference is the amount of exposure, more risk, especially at the top of this venue.

Well, the whole thing on the back is pretty gnarly, so definitely have to be on.

>> World champions will be crowned on the hallowed grounds of Verbier. The

ancestral home of competitive free ride.

Welcome to the extreme.

>> It's hard to prepare for how it feels standing in the start gate because the top part is way steeper and gnarlier than you think.

>> Going into the air, it doubles up because it's the most serious face we compete on.

>> This is the final showdown and we couldn't ask for a better arena. The

Yeti Extreme Verbier Okay.