FREESKI, BACKCOUNTRY SLOPESTYLE. VALLE NEVADO, CHILE (Saturday, September 10, 2011) Team Europe clinched the SWATCH SKIERS CUP today with a final score of 14 – 10 at the inaugural freeski competition high in the Chilean Andes. In today’s showdown on the Backcountry Slopestyle course, Team Europe held their own against the favored strength of Team Americas freestylers and it was Kaj Zackrisson and his band of seven riders that held the SWATCH SKIERS CUP triumphantly aloft at the end of the day.

Nico Vuignier - Team Europe, photo © Swatch / Maxim Balakhovskiy

Backcountry Slopestyle Evens the Odds

In two rounds of eight head-to-head duels, Team Americas would showcase its unrivaled freestyle strength on the two large features shaped by David Ny, and the varied natural hits, cliffs and powder landings of the Backcountry Slopestyle. The panel of three international judges awarded a single point to the winner of each man-to-man heat.

photo © Swatch / Jeremy-Bernard.com

Round 1

Coming off the Big Mountain segment of the event Monday trailing 2-6, Team Americas’ riders were pressed in the Backcountry Slopestyle discipline to reverse their deficit. Powered by the talents of Rory Bushfield (CAN) and Dylan Hood (USA), they delivered their best. Rory simply stomped everything he threw, though his top run would include a 360 over the entry hip, a cork-720 off the kicker, a right-side 360 off a medium-sized drop and finish with a 180 nosetap off a rolling 10-meter drop.

Matt Margetts, Team Americas, photo © Swatch / Maxim Balakhovskiy

Switzerland’s Nicolas Vuignier, his first-round rival, answered with one of the most stylish cab-540’s of the day. Most impressive in the first round was the explosive energy of Markus Eder’s (ITA) cab 900 mute and switch 540 revert.

A series of spills by Team Americas would limit their gains, though, and both teams finished the first round with an additional four points, making it 10-6 for Team Europe.

Round 2

Round two would see Henrik Windstedt (SWE) charge to the finish with solid, controlled skiing, winning a total of two points today for Team Europe. Co-founder of the event and big mountain specialist, Sverre Liliequist (SWE) would display a whole new side with a misty 720 and a stomped backflip.

Team Americas refused to be outshined , however and equalized the round yet again with Dylan Hood’s (USA) enormous cork 720 and switch tricks around the venue.

Captain of Team Europe, Kaj Zackrisson (SWE) also pushed his limits today to land both left and right 360’s – a first in his long career as a freeskier – after brief instruction from young compadre Nicolas Vuignier (SUI) the previous day.

Kaj Zackrisson - Team Europe, photo © Swatch / Maxim Balakhovskiy

Team Americas’ Josh Bibby (CAN) would win both his runs, but the favored talents of teammates Dana Flahr (CAN) and James Heim (CAN) would not shine in the showdown today.

Reaction

In the end, Europe would gain enough points by the third duel in the second round to win the event. The athletes agreed that after such an experience in Chile, they would certainly support another SWATCH SKIERS CUP. Says Richard Permin (FRA): “I think it’s the best spirit I have ever seen in a contest.“

Team Americas Captain, Mark Abma (CAN) was very impressed with the SWATCH SKIERS CUP inaugural: “I think this has been a success just because of its team feel, and the camaraderie that comes from it. We have so many contests these days that are individually focused, that to create a team focus is really a funky twist. These days we just need something different and [Kaj and Sverre] stepped-up to it.”

Quotes

Richard Permin (FRA)

SC: What is your take on the team format & how did Team Europe do relating to expectation?

RP: “The concept of the event is so good for us as riders and in summer. I think it’s the best spirit I have ever seen in a contest. We push each other and Kaj & Sverre, and Seb Michaud have been friends for a long time, and Henrik too, I know Markus a little bit Nicolas Vuignier, and Chris Booth is also a friend. It was like a big week of holiday for everybody! I think everybody did well today and went big. I’m stoked about the first run I did and by the middle of the [second round] we already knew [our team] was winning. So I thought let’s do something crazy and go a little bit bigger, and then I crashed.”

SC: Did the Impression style of judging change the way everybody skied today?

RP: “The strategy was very tight especially because of the bib draw [rider selection/coin toss]. The judging was great, and the level of skiing was impressive.”

Sverre Liliequist (SWE)

SC: You and Kaj were emotional at the top of the course at the beginning of the second round. Can you tell me what was going through your head and the time and what you were feeling?

SL: “For the first run going out for the second heat, it was like an out of body experience, because I had all these great skiers around me and I was about to drop into the slopestyle course, so it was really weird. And for the second run everyone was pumped-up, no injuries, so everyone wanted to go bigger than before. Kaj & me were up there with butterflies in our stomach and we said ‘Hey this is finally happening after all these years, we’re here. We just have to put on a show now. I love the format – it came off really well, because the judges were focused on the overall skill. This really is a team event.”

Kaj Zackrisson (SWE-Captain)

SC: This event has been 6 years in planning, with both you and Sverre establishing first the idea than format of the event. Tell us, now that it’s over (and Team Europe has won) how it has measured-up to your expectations.

KJ: “To get it together, with the full support of SWATCH, with all the perfect organization, 16 of the finest skiers in the world with smiles on their faces for seven days in a row… standing on the top of the run at the beginning of the second run was just a little bit overwhelming. Like Sverre said, it was just too good to be true. Me and Sverre just killed it in the last run I guess.

SC: You’ve got a lot to celebrate these days: You co-organized a successful international competition, your team came away victorious and you just had a baby girl 2 months ago! You must be feeling on top of the world!

KJ: “Yeah, I just became a dad, I’m going home to my family and everything is good. Yeah. Life is certainly good!”

Markus Eder (ITA)

SC: How did you approach this event differently from others, given the Team format and judging based solely on overall impression?

ME: “I think this is the perfect mix [ed: judging format] to see who really is the best rider because with both disciplines, you have to nail your line [first] on the freeride day, then on the slopestyle. As a park skier, it was really hard to choose my line. And for Kaj, it’s really hard to do that here [in Backcountry Slopestyle], so at the end, you see who is really good overall. Also, I think a competition like this is really hard to judge, so the format is perfect - just head-to-head for one point – because the judging is so difficult across both areas of riding.”

SC: The format allows you to fall, get back up and still possibly win in either discipline. This is such a change from the level of competition you are used to where one mistake can ruin your chances of a podium. That said, how did this format change the way you approached each venue? Did you go harder, search for bigger lines?

ME: “Actually if you go head-to-head I think it’s better to take a safer run, but of course it depends on your competitor. There’s a 50-50 chance the guy you’re riding against will fall, or that he’s a better skier than you. Kaj skied just after me and it was clear [Team Europe] had already won the SKIERS CUP, so I was able to charge it and I didn’t care if I crashed, so I did a 540 on the top and a 540 on the bottom. I crashed but I didn’t care because at this point we had already won.”

Cristobal ‘Chopo’ Diaz (CHILE)

SC: You were invited to a competition in your home country and ended up winning a point for your team in Big Mountain earlier in the week. Today a win was elusive for you. Do you feel disappointed with your effort today? And on a positive note, how does the Team element help you overcome this?

CD: “When they first invited me I said ‘No, I don’t want to compete.’ There are lots of really good skiers here and I was scared and I didn’t feel I had the level to be in [the SKIERS CUP]. But it went really well the first day in the Big Mountain for me. I hit my line and won a point and that’s more my [normal] terrain. I’ve never been in a slopestyle competition and I don’t feel I’m a jumper at all. I made a few mistakes and I didn’t win a point for my team, but I’m still really happy that everything went well and a lot of riders stomped super sick tricks, and so happy to be sharing the slope with them.”

SD: Do you think the team format is the way forward for competitive freeskiing?

CD: Yeah, for sure. Especially here in Chile, everything is concentrated in the park, so it’s really good for the sport here in Chile.

Mark Abma (CAN - Captain)

SC: What’s your overall impression of the event, it’s unique approach to competitive freeskiing and how do you think your team performed here at the SKIERS CUP?

MA: “I think this event went off without a hitch, really. Just to find a Big Mountain venue here proved to be difficult, but we found that spot and everybody made it down safely, which was definitely an accomplishment that day. And for our Backcountry Slopestyle zone, it surprised me as to how well it worked out. At first the features all looked so small, but all the boys really made the most of it. Everybody finished the event and got fired-up to come back and do [the SKIERS CUP] again.

SC: As for the team format compared to an individual-focused event, do you think this is the way forward?

MA: “I think this has been a success just because of its team feel, and the camaraderie that comes from it. We have so many contests these days that are individually focused, that to create a team focus is really a funky twist. These days we just need something different and [Kaj and Sverre] stepped-up to it.”

SC: In retrospect, how do you think you did with your team selection?

MA: “I definitely tried to pick some well-rounded skiers and on the Big Mountain day everyone made it down safe and stepped up to the plate. Starting out on a new course cold and not being comfortable not having been on snow for a couple months, then [on the Backcountry Slopestyle course] throwing down everything from switch 900’s to natural-feature 360’s. Everybody skied to the best of their ability, so I’m stoked!”

SC: Which of your riders do you feel really shone today and overall in the SKIERS CUP?

MA: “I was really impressed with [Rory] Bushfield today. He got put up against the young bucks that are the top jumpers here. He threw down two consistent runs that showed his experience helped push him through and stand up against those kids.”

Seb Michaud (FRA)

SC: You were pushing it on your second run with the day’s biggest backflip (your trademark). What was your approach?

SM: “Well, I lost my first run and I lost my freeride run so I wanted to prove that my team and the judges could count on me. I started with my big backflip – longer and bigger than the first run – and after that the transition with the second cliff and I [approached] it slowly. I decided at the last moment I wanted to try a 360 and I stomped it so I’m really happy to have gained a point for the team.”

SC: How have you reacted to this team format?

SM: “It’s good to have two teams in battle, like the Ryders Cup in golf. It’s a really good idea from Sverre and Kaj. Swatch really pushed it to make this happen and I’m proud to be a part of it all, and especially to be part of the winning team. I’m already looking forward to the next one!.”

Nicolas Hale-Woods (Director of Freeride World Tour)

“One word: Awesome!”

PREPARE YOURSELF FOR MORE SKI-SLINGING ACTION AT NEXT YEAR’S SWATCH SKIERS CUP!

Swatch Skiers Cup
www.skierscup.com
Sun, September 11, 2011 7:33 am

Rooftop Shooting, photo © Swatch / Maxim Balakhovskiy

Rooftop Shooting, photo © Swatch / Maxim Balakhovskiy

Valle Nevado, photo © Swatch / Jeremy-Bernard.com

Kaj Zackrisson - Team Europe, photo © Swatch / Maxim Balakhovskiy

Chopo Diaz - Team Americas, photo © Swatch / Maxim Balakhov

Team prize giving at Valle Nevado, photo © Swatch / Jeremy-Bernard.com

Access the full results for Backcountry Slopestyle and Big Mountain parts of this year Swatch Skiers Cup here www.skierscup.com/results.html

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