Freeride World Tour Heats up in Andorra

Caked in a new layer of challenging snow, Ordino Arcalís looked like a different venue for the world’s best freeriders to continue their quests for the FWT21 crown. Canadians improved their standings today, lead by Katie Anderson’s 2nd podium finish in two events. Katie took 2nd place in women’s snowboard following her 3rd place finish last weekend. Olivia McNeill just missed the podium with a 4th place in women’s ski and Tom Peiffer came 6th and Cooper Bathgate 13th in men’s ski.

With the FWT event in Hakuba, Japan cancelled this year due to COVID-19 restrictions, athletes got a second crack in Andorra – showing no signs of fatigue after last Friday’s event.

The Port del Rat face was again the chosen venue – this time with a third start gate offering further creative options and a fresh layer of snow to entice the athletes to go even bigger.

Here’s what went down in Ordino Arcalís, Andorra:

SNOWBOARD MEN
The rookie, Blake Moller (USA-1st Place), went one better today with a powerful display of snowboarding. Ollying out of the start gate with confidence, he then sent a backside-360 in the steeps, before an ultra-technical middle section, combining a 180 into a double drop with a 180 in the middle. Topping it off with a huge air to take the win. Sammy Luebke (USA-2nd Place) came out with aggression, airing into the top chute with some serious heat, then put down a characteristic fluidic line, finishing with a solid 360. Victor De Le Rue (FRA-3rd Place) cemented his first podium finish for the season, starting with a backside-360, then a rapid double drop through the middle section and closed out his run with a massive air.
“Got a sketchy run, but it worked out. It was loose, but lit. Snow was way better than I thought. I’m so stoked.” – Blake Moller, FWT21 Ordino Arcalís Winner

Overall Ranking in Snowboard Men category:
1. Blake Moller (USA) – 18 000
2. Cody Bramwell (GBR) – 12 095
3. Victor De Le Rue (FRA) – 11 520

SNOWBOARD WOMEN
Marion Haerty (FRA-1st Place) backed up last week’s win with another stellar display, picking a technical line through the top section and sending a huge drop to exit. The rest of her run was feature-packed with multiple airs done with a stack of fluidity. Katie Anderson (CAN-2nd Place) charged out of the gate into an ultra-aggressive line with maximum control following a fall-line approach, incorporating multiple small airs. Erika Vikander (USA-3rd Place) put together a fluid run linking some big mountain turns in the top steep zone then combined multiple airs through the run with a method-grab to finish.
“Today was a beautiful day, after waiting for good weather. It was perfect to ride this morning, it was really fun, the snow was a little bit sticky, but it was manageable.”
– Marion Haerty, FWT21 Ordino Arcalís, Winner

Overall Ranking in Snowboard Women category:
1. Marion Haerty (FRA) – 20 000
2. Katie Anderson (CAN) – 14 400 (equal)
2. Erika Vikander (USA) – 14 400 (equal)

SKI MEN
Andrew Pollard (USA-1st Place) charged his line in absolute beast mode to take his maiden win on the FWT. He flew out of the gates into a massive 360 and never took his foot off the gas. A rapid double through the middle section flowed into an insane air at high-speed. Kristofer Turdell (SWE-2nd) returned to the podium with an impressive display of technical freeriding. An effortless backflip in a wild zone set up his run, which he followed with speedy, technical airs and a big air show to finish. Reine Barkered (SWE-3rd Place) showed his strength and experience today, laying out a huge backflip to bolts before pinning the rest of the face at speed, Including a massive air to take third spot.
“I was pretty stoked to put one down just as I planned. I’m on cloud 9 right now. I decided my line when the Ski Men started. I saw Wadeck, the master of backflips, crash, and decided I’m definitely not doing that backflip. So, props to Reine for following that up, that was the most impressive move of the day.”
– Andrew Pollard, FWT21 Ordino Arcalís, Winner

Overall Ranking in Ski Men category:
1. Maël Ollivier (FRA) – 16 600
2. Andrew Pollard (USA) – 14 760
3. Reine Barkered (SWE) – 13 040

SKI WOMEN
Elisabeth Gerritzen (SUI-1st Place) wowed the judges with a creative approach to her line. Showing no hesitation in the steeps, she spun a huge 360 amongst some serious exposure, then sent multiple airs through the rest of her run at high-speed and fluidity to earn the top spot. Juliette Willmann (FRA-2nd Place) earned her second runner-up finish in Andorra with a great display of freeriding. She made short work of the venue with aggressive fall-line skiing, heading straight into the top chute at speed, linking this up with a big double drop in the middle of the venue. Tracy Chubb (USA-3rd Place) linked together some nice big mountain turns in the top steep couloir, then popped multiple airs through the rest of the course and pinned it through a tight chute to the finish line.
“I am super happy, and not really used to it to be honest, as it’s only my second first place run. I am most happy about landing a 360 in my run. It’s been a big challenge to land one. When you put work into something and then it works out, it feels so good. This morning I had a lot of back pain and neck pain, but decided to go anyways and give it all in.” – Elisabeth Gerritzen, FWT21 Ordino Arcalís, Winner

Overall Ranking in Ski Women category:
1. Juliette Willmann (FRA) – 16 000
2. Elisabeth Gerritzen (SUI) – 12 620 (equal)
2. Hedvig Wessel (NOR) – 12 620 (equal)
Relive all of today’s action at freerideworldtour.com, and stay tuned to the FWT social media channels for updates, with the next stop in Fieberbrunn, Austria, coming up soon.

SNOWBOARD MEN
1. Blake Moller (USA) – 92.33
2. Sammy Luebke (USA) – 78.00
3. Victor De Le Rue (FRA) – 76.00
4. Michael Mawn (USA) – 75.33
5. Camille Armand (FRA) – 72.67
6. Nils Mindninch (USA) – 68.67
7. Hugo Serra (FRA) – 47.33
8. Cody Bramwell (UK) – 28.23

SNOWBOARD WOMEN
1. Marion Haerty (FRA) – 82.33
2. Katie Anderson (CAN) – 79.67
3. Erika Vikander (USA) – 72.67
4. Michaela Davis-Meehan (AUS) – 59.33
5. Anna Orlova (RUS) – 56.33
6. Nuria Castan Baron (ESP) – 39.33
7. Manuela Mandl (AUT) – 10.00

SKI MEN
1. Andrew Pollard (USA) – 94.67
2. Kristofer Turdell (SWE) – 89.67
3. Reine Barkered (SWE) – 86.00
4. Maël Ollivier (FRA) – 84.00
5. Tao Kreibich (AUT) – 83.67
6. Tom Peiffer (CAN) – 82.00
7. Isaac Freeland (USA) – 81.33
8. Aymar Navarro (ESP) – 75.67
9. Carl Regnér Eriksson (SWE) – 73.33
10. Blake Marshall (NZL) – 71.33
11. Yann Rausis (SUI) – 70.00
12. Carl Renvall (SUI) – 67.67
13. Cooper Bathgate (CAN) – 67.33
14. Dani Fornell-Prat (AND) – 66.00
15. Drew Tabke (USA) – 64.33
16. Raymond McDermott (USA) – 48.33
17. David Deliv (SWE) – 41.00
18. Ross Tester (USA) – 28.33
19. Wadeck Gorak (FRA) – 23.33

SKI WOMEN
1. Elisabeth Gerritzen (SUI) – 79.67
2. Juliette Willmann (FRA) – 68.33
3. Tracy Chubb (USA) – 61.33
4. Olivia McNeill (CAN) – 35.00
5. Zuzanna Witych (POL) – NS
6. Maude Besse (SUI) – NS
7. Hedvig Wessel (NOR) – NS