Day 3

Skier Cross (Winter X-Games Qualifier)

Fred Mazieres powers into X-Games place :

Some of the biggest names on the circuit gathered today in the La Chaux terrain park in Verbier for the Verbier Ride 2004 Skiercross. However, without doubt, the real star of the show was master course-shaper, Nicolas Voudroz. Just as in 2003, Voudroz had taken the gentle undulating public course and, over a week of very long hours, turned it into probably the most intimidating skiercross the competitors had ever faced.

Key to Voudroz's shaping is the flow of the course. He builds in such a way that the rider has to find the rhythm of the course and ride in harmony with it, rather than fight to control it, if they want to get the best out of it. With the gate-racing background of many on the skiercross circuit, it occasionally takes them a few runs to achieve this zen-like ‘oneness' with a Voudroz-designed skiercross. But once they do, things tend to go off – today was no exception.

This was demonstrated during training this morning. As some of Europe 's leading skiercross racers sought out their perfect lines, the crowd were treated to a major huck-fest. The course was running very fast and Voudroz had laid on a selection of rolling table-top jumps and big kickers designed literally to launch the riders from one section into the next. It may have put off some of the competitors initially, but once they got into the rhythm, they revelled in their new-found ‘hang-time'. Most impressive was Xavier Mathex throwing down a 20metre mute grab off the final jump into the finish area. Who said skiercross racers don't have style?

Many of the riders commented on the fun vibe generated by the course. Skiercross can be a little intense at times, so it was great to see the racers with massive grins on their faces, as they soared through the finish line. Mammoth-based rider, 17-year old Cory Dylan-Zila summed up the riders' sentiments: “The course is rad. It's the best course I rode all year. It's so much bigger than the American ones. The airs are huge!”

Eventually the riders had to get down to the serious matter of competing for an X-Games place. The weather closed in a little, so the paint-sprayer was out on the course marking the take-offs, landings and transitions with eco-friendly blue paint, enabling the riders still to ‘see' their routes.

The racing was intense. Riders jostled each other as they fought for that perfect line into or out of a corner or off a jump. Some of the races were spectacularly close with literally the rider's form off the last jump making the difference between first and third. However, as is always the case with Skiercross, the start was key. First out of the gate frequently meant first through the finish, though certainly there was still a lot of skiing to do in between.

In the end the four who made it to the final were Fred Mazieres, Xavier Mathex, Jacub Burda and Markus Wittner. It proved to be an exciting race. Although Mazieres managed to edge ahead of the others and a fall mid-way through the race put Burda out of it, second and third were separated by a few centimetres coming into the final jump. In the end Markus Wittmer slid across the finish line in second, but owned up to having been forced outside a gate by Burda's fall. So second place went to Mathex. 3rd went to Burda, with Wittmer's disqualification meaning a 4 th overall. All of which left victory and a place in the X-Games 2005 to Fred Mazieres. His euphoric scream as he crossed the line, arms aloft, showed just how much this win meant to him. He may well prove tough to beat at the X-Games, as well.

The women's race was less close run. In fact, there was only one girl in it. Emile Serrain from Leysin spent the morning perfecting her line, while the others debated whether they could handle the size of the course. She trusted Voudroz's shaping and just let her skis flow with the snow. Soon she was riding the course at least as smoothly as the guys and, when the time came for the women's final, it was clear the other lasses were competing for second place. She left the others in her wake and recorded an incredibly convincing victory. Second place, a long way back went to Brigitte Petruzzi and third to Martina Rentschler.

In the end a great day's skiercross racing. Verbier's La Chaux course once again delivered a world-class competition. The riders put on a show as well, demonstrating just how exciting an event skiercross can be. With the added bonus of great tunes and Jamie Strachan entertaining both spectators and any passers-by on the nearby chairlift with his amped up commentary, the Verbier Ride Skiercross turned into a top day on the hill.

So an awesome ski event; however, if pressed, for many people the stand-out moment of the day may well have been the chance to listen in on Jamie Strachan's interview with course designer, Nicolas Voudroz, conducted in … … …Zulu! Almost certainly the funniest thing to reach the slopes this winter.

© Phil Martin Writer, Freeskier, Wintersports Media Consultant email: philmartin@skijournalism.com mob:+44 7800 912369 Phil Martin recommends:
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