All Pictures: Keegan Rice | Skier: Alex Beaulieu-Marchand
The 2025 version of Kings & Queens of Corbet’s is within the bag. After final yr’s cancellation resulting from poor circumstances, the occasion was a sight for sore eyes. On February 11, among the finest skiers and boarders on the earth gathered at Jackson Gap Mountain Resort for what might be thought-about the last word snow sports activities huck fest. Circumstances within the Tetons lined up completely, with loads of recent snow and low temps preserving the course in splendid form.
JHMR recorded 18 inches of snow during the last 5 days. Corbet’s Couloir has additionally been closed for a number of weeks, making certain that riders weren’t chucking themselves into barebones circumstances. In reality, we noticed many opponents get hung up within the pow at numerous factors on the face.
As in years previous, the course design was a factor of magnificence. After exiting the preliminary begin gate, riders descended to the mouth of the couloir, the place a number of take-off choices awaited. After (hopefully) sticking the touchdown, a number of pure options have been at their disposal, with a number of cliffs and lips turning into favorites over time. The underside kicker was positioned equally to earlier years, with two takeoff choices and a protracted in-run. Athletes had the choice of taking a second run in the event that they weren’t happy with their first.
Earlier than we proceed, it’s value noting that the outcomes should not finalized but. The occasion is peer-judged, and riders will vote for his or her favorites on Friday, February 14, with outcomes being printed the next day, so keep tuned.
There have been a number of massive change-ups to Okay&Q this yr. We noticed notable skiers like Jake Hopfinger, Parkin Costain and Karl Fostvedt depart the competitors after a few years. For the primary time ever, there have been separate classes for skiers and snowboarders: Males’s and Girls’s Ski, and Males’s and Girls’s Snowboard. Every class has its personal podium and prize cash, with $50,000 being cut up amongst the lot.
1st Place: $5,000
2nd Place: $3,000
third Place: $2,000
The general King & Queen, who would be the highest-scoring athlete no matter self-discipline, may also obtain a $5,000 bonus, bringing their whole purse to $10,000. The anticipation is killing us, however we will’t wait to see who the riders choose as the following King and Queen of Corbet’s.
We are able to solely guess who can be topped because the 2025 champions, however within the meantime, let’s revisit just a few of our favourite moments. FREESKIER dialed up legendary Jackson Gap photographer Keegan Rice to get a glimpse on the occasion by means of his lens. Take a look at the complete gallery and highlights beneath.
Tim McChesney was the primary total rider to drop. After canvassing the lip, he laced a double cork 1080. He stomped two large airs and proceeded to land an ideal change dub 10 blunt on the underside soar. A real freeski icon, McChesney didn’t draw back from the stress within the slightest.
Jackson Gap native Wyatt Gentry went with an enormous cork seven on his first run. He took just a few tumbles all through, however the younger gun was fast to get again on his toes every time. His second run noticed two intense crashes as effectively within the couloir and on the underside soar. Odds are good that we’ll see extra from the JHMR rider at Okay&Q sooner or later.
Ridge Dirksmeier was one among a number of notable rookies to the competitors. The Solar Valley native obtained the advice from Karl Fostvedt to fill in when Fostvedt introduced he wouldn’t be competing. Dirksmeier went for a huge double entrance flip from the highest rope, certainly making Loopy Karl proud.
2022 Queen of Corbet’s Piper Kunst dropped in with ferocity as she over-rotated her backflip. By no means one to draw back from a problem, Kunst took a second run and as soon as once more laid out a signature backie.
Slopestyle legend Alex Beaulieu-Marchand isn’t any stranger to the competitors scene. The Okay&Q rookie went for a change dub 9, making him the primary skier within the lineup to drop change into Corbet’s. He was tossed on the touchdown, however after recovering his skis, ABM threw a pristine mute seven, tweaking it out to the delight of the gang.
Veronica Paulsen, the primary girl to land a backflip into Corbet’s Couloir, tried a double backflip once more this yr. After a troublesome crash, our ideas are with Paulsen and we hope a speedy restoration is in her future.
The flying Frenchman Lalo Rambaud went for a double backie on each of his runs. He additionally included a trendy stalled-out shifty 360 off a pure function in addition to a cork seven blunt on the ultimate kicker. Making waves on the Freeride World Tour Junior circuit, Rambaud is one to keep watch over.
Reigning Queen of Corbet’s Claire McPherson opted for the straight air and cleanly put it proper to her toes. The gang lit up as she tossed a giant backflip off a pure function midway by means of the course.
Alex Hackel upped the bar from his earlier efficiency at Okay&Q, tossing a hand drag seven proper to his toes to start out his run. He continued to lace a 360 and a proper aspect 900 with the capped blunt seize for good measure. Hackel’s run is up there for our private favourite decide this yr.
At all times inventive, Colby Stevenson managed to discover a distinctive two-step into the couloir. The 2023 King of Corbet’s bounced off one lip onto one other, doing a 180 to a change 540 Japan seize. It didn’t go Stevenson’s approach this time round, however we hope he’ll be again for extra.
Ana Eyssimont is all smiles after completely stomping her run with confidence. Her line was managed and dialed, with a giant backflip midway by means of the course placing her in prime rivalry for the Girls’s Ski champion.
