Monday 11th January
We had to get up pretty early to be at registration at the café at 10am, as of the wind conditions over the weekend they finished off the French championships, this kinda played into our favour as it gave us more time to get some freeriding.
I went out on the 12.5 Ionfour and had a good laugh, sadly the wind was coming from the opposite direction so I was having to jump on my offside!
Tuesday 12th January
When we woke we were not sure if there would be any wind at the event site but we were in luck! We pulled up to the event site to see kites in the air! I was also stoked as the comp was to be held in the same place as the first day so this was my regular way so gave me more confidence to go for tricks. It was similar conditions so again was on my 12.5! I went for a bit of a freeride to get some extra practice in before my heat.
I was against a French local to this spot so was not holding my breath in the heat especially when I had seen him freeriding. Before the start of the heat was waiting at the top with Lewis and as the buzzer went just went down the hill full speed and went for it. In the heat I did a couple of kiteloops, tailgrabs, indy’s and on my first hit of the kicker did a frontside 360, also did a few more hits off the kicker and just did some grabs.
Not a shock that I came second but was happy with how the heat had gone and the tricks I had thrown down! As my heat only had 2 riders as the way I was seeded for event it meant I still advanced through to round 2!
After the event had finished I went for a bit of a freeride right over the pass and up the hill! It was great to just have so much freedom on the snow and then ride the powder down and do it all again! Wasting no time on the snow at all!!
Wednesday 13th January
Today the conditions were pretty harsh, we had massive white outs and blizzard conditions, but with the forecast looking like it might clear we had to wait around to see what the conditions did! They called the comp off at around 2pm so we just went for a freeride as the kites were already set up! It was mega hard to see anything and what the ground was like & where it was! It was good fun to be riding in the conditions but wouldn't’t be what I would opt for!
As I had my Blades in the van I took the 6.5 Blade V out for a session and surprisingly this was really good and great fun! Having solid power all the time, it did catch me out a few times but was kinda expecting it!
Thursday 14th January
The conditions were not great again today we had white outs again! This time it was added with around 20mph and forecast of higher gusts so the competition was quickly called off! This allowed us to get some more freeriding in and I seemed to have a lot more confidence in the 9m and threw some bigger jumps off the side off the hill. As the conditions started to deteriate we packed up and back to the Chalet.
Back at the chalet myself, Johara, Richard & Sheryl fancied a snowboard session so went down to the piste and got a few hours in on the hill! We took the highest lift to 2800m where there was sooo little visibility! We made our way down the slope until we came to a pass where it was only a few metres wide! Myself a Johara managed to make it down without coming off the edge but Richard & Sheryl went off the edge! As we got further down we found a run which had a good 3-4 inches of fresh powder! This was unreal to ride! We ended up hitting this run a couple of times!
In the evening back at the chalet we just chilled out and had pancakes and a few cups of tea! We seem to have one hell of a mamouth tea cup here!!
Friday 15th January
As we still had some heats left over we headed down for the rider meet at 9.30am! We all pumped up and as the wind was light waited around at the event village. Just after lunch the wind started to pick up and there was a manic rush to run the rest of the competitions.
I put up the 12.5 and got a bit off freeriding it, again wind was my swicth side and I had done no tricks in practice this way! When the horn went again i just went for it! In the hear managed to throw a 540 grab to toeside with a downloop to ride out. I attempted a backloop kiteloop which ended up in head slam! Luckily Johara was filming so i will be putting together a small video of it! I was again Lohat who came second in the French championships so no shock that I came second again! This was me out of competition.
As the wind died a few heats after mine they called the event again off once again! Aslong as the comp is completed this will give me a result of Joint 9th!! So pretty stoked with that!
