2025 Freeride World Tour – Kicking Horse Cease Three Full Recap

February 8, 2025

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Featured Picture: Courtesy of the Freeride World Tour | Skier: Jenna Keller

The temps have been hovering round zero levels Fahrenheit in Golden, British Columbia, over the previous few days. However regardless of the breathtaking chill within the air, the vitality on the town has been electrical with the Freeride World Tour rolling in for Cease Three of the 2025 season. Contemporary snow from latest storms has been preserved on each side of Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, with the well-known Ozone face using extraordinarily nicely. A secure snowpack and tender landings gave these riders immense confidence, and the proof was on full show for the whole day.

The final cease in Val Thorens, France, set the bar excessive. Val Thorens was hammered with a number of toes of snow, and whereas that may be each good and dangerous for a freeride competitors, the result was very best for many riders. Nonetheless, the crew returned to North America and blew away each expectation. The Ozone face is a brief, technical pitch full of options, so it’s no shock we noticed robust technical snowboarding with loads of freestyle components thrown in. From change landings to cork 7s to entrance flips, tomahawks and every thing in between, this was one hell of a Canadian throw down.

Within the Ski Ladies’s Area, we noticed an enormous shakeup that few would have predicted. To this point this season, we’ve seen Astrid Cheylus and Justine Dufour-Lapointe buying and selling blows at every cease, with the 2 riders holding down first and second place in Spain and France. At the moment, neither of them cracked the highest three. As an alternative, we noticed each new and acquainted faces on the rostrum, as third place went to German Lena Kohler. The FWT rookie dialed in her second bronze in a row with a clear run, taking two huge cliffs to her toes and pinning it out onto the apron. Whereas Kohler’s been spending time within the park engaged on her freestyle recreation, this was a wonderful demonstration of some traditional massive mountain snowboarding.

Second place went to a different FWT rookie, Jenna Keller. The Swiss rider is a extremely licensed teacher educating on the Verbier Ski Faculty, and he or she has tailored these flawless fundamentals into the freeride world with ease. Her line choice put her above and past right here, snipping contemporary tracks throughout the decrease portion of the face that led her into an untouched double. Getting into the apron with velocity, she held on and got here into the corral with no time to waste. In first we noticed the one and solely Molly Armanino. The American has been a freeride staple for a number of years. She’s had blended outcomes on the Tour this 12 months, however in Canada, she got here out guns-a-blazing and returned to the highest of the rostrum.

“I really feel nice and tremendous grateful for the help. I’m additionally actually excited for the opposite ladies who put down runs to be pleased with. It’s superb to share this second with them.” – Molly Armanino, 2025 Kicking Horse Golden BC Professional Ski Ladies Winner

Within the Ski Males’s Area, there was no scarcity of jaw-dropping moments that left the group roaring. Fairly a couple of riders discovered a number of poorly positioned rocks on the course and weren’t in a position to end, together with Toby Rafford, Weitien Ho and Maxime Chabloz. However for individuals who linked their strains as they’d envisioned, it was a hell of a day within the tender snow. We now have to present an honorable point out to Ross Tester. Whereas the Utah ripper backslapped a bit on his again flip, he ended his run with an enormous 180, using change down the underside of the apron to the delight of any smart human being. Third place went to Kiwi Ben Richards. Richards has been on a tear this season after touchdown on the cowl of FREESKIER Quantity 27 Concern 1. Coincidence? We expect not. He landed a pristine 360 and punted one of many greatest entrance flips you’ll ever see. It was a stellar mix of technical and inventive using.

Abel Moga spent a lot of the day within the sizzling seat after placing down a fantastic thing about a run. In the long run, he was edged out into second place, however not with out valiant effort. He put down a entrance flip, again flip and despatched an enormous cliff all whereas going mach 10. The group was fired as much as see the Spanish freerider again on the rostrum. Six factors forward of the competitors was Canadian Marcus Goguen placing it down on his residence soil. Goguen took the identical line as Moga, however added in a little bit of variation. Going backflip to cork 7 on back-to-back options, he as soon as once more confirmed his energy as he was in a position to seamlessly put these tips down regardless of loads of obstacles and velocity.

“Profitable right here at residence feels surreal. Having my household and mates round makes it much more particular. I’m thrilled to have put down a strong run and to convey extra aggressiveness and elegance into my efficiency.” – Marcus Goguen, 2025 Kicking Horse Golden BC Professional Ski Males Winner

This marks the lower of the 2025 Freeride World Tour season. Keep tuned to search out out which riders can be transferring onto the second half of the season and into the finals, with the following cease happening in Georgia with a climate window from February 23 – March 1.

Beneath, you’ll discover the rostrum outcomes, successful runs and a full picture gallery of the occasion.

Click on right here to look at the total replay of Cease Two on the official FWT web site.