Photos: Andy Wilde // IUC Photography
This year sees the FROSTGUN Invitational upgraded to Platinum Level on the AFP world Tour, placing it at the same level as X-Games US and the DEW tour. For many decades the mythical slope of Face de Bellevarde has seen the best downhill skiers during the Olympics and the World Championships. However, this year it has become the backdrop to action from the world's best freestyle skiers, and the crew here at Tignes Spirit were there to witness it all!
Riders
We headed over there on Friday to watch the world's top 25 riders, who had been selected to compete on the biggest booter we've ever seen! We chatted to the UK's James 'Woodsy' Woods prior to the competition, who said that whilst super excited to be here, he was suffering from a cold that he hoped wouldn't hinder his performance. Although he threw down some killer tricks during the evening's flood-lit qualification rounds, it wasn't quite enough to make it through to the finals.
Kai Mahler (SUI), Russ Henshaw (AUS), Elias Ambühl (SUI) and many more heavy hitters were strutting their stuff in front of a massive local crowd. Even TJ Schiller climbed up onto the knuckle to help with the commentating once the finals kicked off.
Kicker Design
The kicker was insane. The massive transition dropped off to nothing, so the skiers had to make it over the huge gap and land on one of two down slopes... which had a gap in the middle!
"ScandinavianShapers/SnowConcept", the designers behind the jump, are one of the best teams in the world. They're well known for their work at the Olympics in Vancouver2010, Torino 2006, Salt Lake City 2002, Jon Olsson Invitational, The Arctic Challenge and in the 2011 Snowboard World Championships. They are also due to design the freestyle slopes for the Olympics in Sochi 2014!
Check out the highlights from the event and scroll through our exclusive pics, taken by Andy Wilde of IUC Photography.
We're already looking forward to next year!
