Recap of the FWT Challenger at Kitzsteinhorn
March 18, 2025 – At the X OVER RIDE, the fifth of six stops in the Freeride World Tour Challenger Series by Orage, the riders created a stir. Three competitors can already look forward to a spot in next season's competition:
Zoé Delzoppo, Lou Barin und Victor Hale-Woods.
The X OVER RIDE Freeride World Tour Challenger at Kitzsteinhorn in Zell am See-Kaprun provided nearly unbeatable excitement. Originally scheduled for Saturday, Mach 15, the competition had to be postponed to Tuesday due to dense fog in the face, in accordance with the regular weather window. This decision by the organizers was made on Friday to ensure fair conditions for the athletes in the tight race for the coveted Freeride World Tour tickets. After three days of waiting, the participants were rewarded for their patience: brilliant sunshine brought a perfect bluebird day with challenging but fair conditions.
In the upper part of the slope, the riders impressed with wide cliff drops and technical finesse. The playful middle terrain offered space for creative tricks, including numerous 360s and stylish Shiftys, which delighted both the audience and the judges. In the lower section, the extremely steep passage of the Lakarschneid created excitement – while some riders struggled here, the day’s winners particularly took advantage of this terrain. With impressive, wide jumps, they set themselves apart from the competition and earned their podium spots.
In the Ski Women category, 19-year-old French rider Zoé Delzoppo once again showed her class. She combined a stylish Shifty in the upper section with plenty of airtime over the windlip and several cliff drops. In the lower steep section, she eased off the speed a bit and secured the day’s victory with a smart run. Swedish rider Elly Olsson started with great speed and tackled numerous features. She impressed with control and versatility, earning second place at the end. As the last skier in the Ski Women category, Lou Barin from France entered the race. Especially in the upper section, she varied her line choices compared to the competition, which helped her secure third place for the day.
In the Ski Men category, Victor Hale-Woods (SUI) made waves with one of the longest drops in the entire competition. Immediately afterward, he performed a controlled 360 before impressing with a breathtaking jump in the riders-left section of the face. The day’s victory at Kitzsteinhorn went to New Zealander Fynn Powell. With a massive cliff drop in the upper section, a stylish 360 over the windlip, and a solid, wide straight-air over the lower cliff, he fully deserved the win. Ugo Troubat (FRA), who impressed with his Air & Style, rounded out the podium. Although he had a slight backseat landing on his first 360, his second 360 was clean and secured him a spot on the podium.
In the Snowboard Women category, the overall ranking leader changed. Before the Kitzsteinhorn event, Austrian Sarah Bacher led and demonstrated her consistency again today with a second place finish. However, she was overtaken in the overall ranking by Celina Weber (GER), who, with her second win in this year's Challenger series, now holds a lead of almost 200 points. This sets the stage for an exciting showdown at the Challenger final stop, especially since there is only one spot available for women snowboarders on the Freeride World Tour. Behind Weber and Bacher, third-place finisher Briony Johnson (AUS) remains in striking distance.
In the Snowboard Men category, Swiss rider Eliot Dänzer gained a clear lead in today's competition. He chose a challenging line in the riders right, took an impressive double cliff drop, and navigated a highly technical rock band. French riders Cesar Barin and Sacha Balicco followed in second and third. Barin showed a stylish 360 and created a highlight with a spectacular move: After a cliff drop, he landed in some bushes but managed to ride out the drop and finish the run cleanly. Balicco not only secured a podium spot with his thirdplace finish but also maintained his lead in the overall ranking.
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