Archive for January, 2009
The Russian Adventure Continues
We didn’t realize how fortunate we were when our flight from Moscow was cancelled. After going through the usual Russian run around, Aeroflat put us in a great hotel and we headed for the Red Square.
Jess and Eric in the Red Square
Tracy - A fellow American who also had his flight cancelled
We had a great time checking out the sites and finished the evening with some great sushi. We are currently chill’n in the Frankfurt airport. Half way home!
Best Lines of the Season Win a Car. Please Vote!
Nissan and the Freeride World Tour will be giving away two cars at the end of the tour to best male and female lines of the season. The best lines will be chosen on-line. Please visit www.freerideworldtour.com and vote today!
Vote for the 2 best runs of the season, men and women, and win FWT limited edition goggles especially designed by SCOTT.
At the end of each FWT event, the 4 best line of the contest will be online. Give them scores like a real FWT judge.
The best male and female riders elected goes home with a Nissan vehicle at the end of the season.
Photos from the Competition
These photos are from the website, www.xsochi.ru. The author of the website did a great job covering the event and took some really good photos. Check it out.
Jess McMillan day 1
There was a lot of sluff!
Griffen Post Dropping.
Drew Tabke in Orbit
Craig Garbeil Stomping
A Good Start to the Season
The Four Winners of the Mens/Womens Ski/Snowboard
After a long week of competition, I am proud to report that I came out on top. The first day of the competition was on thursday. I was in the lead ahead of Marja Person by only .2. The second day of competition was held on saturday. The light was really flat and the wind was blowing hard, but we skied anyway. I skied one of the more intimidating lines I have ever skied and finished second for the day. I had enough of a lead from day one to win the competition.
Awards Ceremony in Sochi, Russia
The first stop of the world tour was a good one. I am really happy to be leading the women’s field. The next stop will be in Squaw Valley on the infamous tram face. The tram face is a permanently closed area and it will be the first time a competition has ever been held there. It should be a great event.
All of the Riders from the First Stop of the FWT, Sochi
I am looking forward to being back in Jackson. I will be home for four days and then off to Japan. I will be joining up with Sweetgrass Productions for two weeks of skiing.
Sitting In the Hot Seat
Awards Ceremony, Day 1
After the first day of competition, I am sitting in first position followed by Marja Person and Jamie Burge. The FWT is trying to get off another run. We loaded the lifts at 7:00 in anticipation of another day of competition, but due to high temps the guides decided it would be too dangerous to hold the competition. The competition is currently scheduled for Saturday.
Start List for Sochi – Freeride World Tour 2009
STARTING LIST
BIB FAMILY NAME FIRST NAME NATIONALITY SPORT
1 TOELDERER MITCH AUT SNB
2 PERMIN RICHARD FRA SKI
3 REGENSBURGER DANIEL AUT SNB
4 WINDSTEDT HENRIK SWE SKI
5 MAGNUSSON DAVID NOR SNB
6 DUCROZ AURELIEN FRA SKI
7 ORLEY FLO AUT SNB
8 BARKERED REINE SWE SKI
9 KHRYACHKOV GENNADY RUS SNB
10 ZACKRISSON KAJ SWE SKI
11 WATSON DAVE USA SNB
12 GILLIOZ RAPHY SUI SKI
13 DRUZHININ EGOR RUS SNB
14 LILIEQUIST SVERRE SWE SKI
15 FALCO JULIEN SUI SNB
16 BAYDAEV ALEXANDER RUS SKI
17 SOMMER ANDRE SUI SNB
18 MICHAUD SEB FRA SKI
19 KLASSEN STEVE USA SNB
20 GARBIEL CRAIG USA SKI
21 LVOV PAVEL RUS SNB
22 VASIUK ESTANISLAO ARG SKI
23 THEMEL ERIC AUT SNB
24 MEYNET OLIVIER FRA SKI
25 NERI CYRIL SUI SNB
26 DUCHOSAL THIBAUD FRA SKI
27 EMERY JONAS SUI SNB
28 HAUNHOLDER MATTHIAS AUT SKI
29 BROMMELSIEK WILL USA SNB
30 DIET THOMAS FRA SKI
31 COUDRAY ALEX SUI SNB
32 PASQUIER NICOLAS SUI SKI
33 DE LE RUE XAVIER FRA SNB
34 TABKE DREW USA SKI
MEN
42 LEISIBACH RUTH SUI SNB
43 MC MILLAN JESS USA SKI
44 BOCK ALINA GER SNB
45 JAKOBSSON STINA SWE SKI
46 PAHL ELISABETH RUS SNB
47 MEYNET CAROLINE FRA SKI
48 KARVINEN ANNIINA FIN SNB
49 ENDERUD ANE NOR SKI
50 ZENKLUSEN NATHALIE SUI SNB
51 HARGIN JANETTE SWE SKI
52 HAGEN CHARLOTTE NOR SNB
53 BURGE JAMIE USA SKI
54 HARKONEN KAISA FIN SNB
55 PADOEY TONJE NOR SKI
56 SAUGSTAD ELYSE USA SKI
57 PERSSON MARJA SWE SKI
58 SOROKINA VERONIKA RUS SKI
WOMEN
Bluebird Day in Russia
The competition was post-poned until thursday due to the highly reactive snow. As we rode the chairlifts up to the top of the mountain we witnessed two natural slides. The crowns did not look large, mostly slough, but a lot of snow was moving everywhere. The blue sky provided great light for scouting and powder skiing. I spent most the day staring through binoculars looking for a winning line.
The Candlestick
There are two main features at the top of the venue.
The Egg
I will be skiing first for the women, but that also means 40 men will have skied before me. I am planning on skiing a line off the Egg, unless the men have destroyed the face. Tomorrow we load the lifts at 7:00 am and aim to start the competition at 9:00.
Freeride World Tour – Sochi, Russia
Bib Draw
The snow has continued to fall in Russia. The skiing has been amazing, but as it piles up on the peaks, the avalanche danger continues to rise. The competition was scheduled for Wednesday. Sochi has received almost 2 meters of snow in the last three days. The FWT guides believe that the avalanche danger is too high for a competition and it has been post-poned until thursday.
Today all of the riders drew their bibs. I was lucky enough to draw number 1 for the women skiers. The men will ski first alternating between snowboard and ski and the women will follow. For now, it looks like tomorrow will be a blue bird powder day.
I will run 1st for the ski women.
More Pow Skiing in Russia
Catching a Little Air in Russia
Craig Garbiel Loving the Powder in Russia
Craig Garbiel Enjoying His Face Shot
