HIGHEST FREERIDE WORLD QUALIFIER LEVEL AT KITZSTEINHORN
Finest firn, blue skies and a freeride show of superlatives – the X OVER RIDE at the Kitzsteinhorn proved once again why it is on top of the riders’ to-do list. Salzburg’s freeriders can also hold their own in the strong starting field.
The prestigious 3-Star Qualifier in Zell am See- Kaprun impressed in its 11th edition especially by the extremely high level, which the riders from 14 nations showed on the Face Lakarschneid.
In the men’s snowboard category, Austria’s freeride veteran Flo Orley remains the dominator on the Kitzsteinhorn and secures his second X OVER RIDE title in a row: “I’m super satisfied and was able to show a liberated run today. The qualification for the Freeride World Tour next year is in the bag, also in the AUSTRIAN FREERIDE SERIES it looks very good after today’s victory here on the Kitzsteinhorn. Simply perfect,” explains the Tyrolean, who extends his lead in the AUSTRIAN FREERIDE SERIES with his third win of the season.
In the men’s skiing event, the winning streak of Stefan Jöchl from Tyrol came to an end on the Kitzsteinhorn. The leader of the AUSTRIAN FREERIDE SERIES has little luck with bib number 1 this time and chooses a tactical line from the Lakarschneid to maintain his lead in the AUSTRIAN FREERIDE SERIES against Fabian Lentsch. Germany’s freeride shooting star Max Kroneck seizes the opportunity and secures his first victory on the Kitzsteinhorn with a spectacular run: “At the top I took a pretty big cliff, which everyone actually said wouldn’t work. But then it worked out quite well. In the technical lower part, I added a double and took a small cliff,” said the happy German.
The best Austrian is Martin Rofner from Arlberg in second place. After a mixed season, the reigning Austrian freeride champion set out to break free with a strong run on the Kitzsteinhorn: “I unpacked a backflip and showed what I can actually do. That was important for my self-confidence,” Rofner explains.
In the strong field of women’s skiing, Norway’s Anja Gardli provides a surprise victory. Angelika Kaufmann from Vorarlberg brings herself back into the race for the overall ranking in women’s skiing with a strong run and second place. For Sabine Schipflinger from Salzburg, of all people, things are not going according to plan at her home event. After finishing 6th at the X OVER RIDE, she now has to hope for a points win at the season finale of the AUSTRIAN FREERIDE SERIES in Obergurgl- Hochgurgl in order to still have a say in the Austrian championship title.
With the French Annouk Mouthon a Freeride World Tour rider secures the classification of the snowboarders, ahead of the two Austrians Manuela Mandl and Liz Kristoferitsch, who both continue to fight for the title of the AUSTRIAN FREERIDE MASTERS. Kaprun snowboarder Siobha Challis also achieved a good result at her first home event with 8th place in the women’s snowboarding category: “I practically grew up on the Kitzsteinhorn. I am super happy that I got the chance to ski a contest at home because of the wildcard. Today I rode a safe run, it was extremely fun. I’m happy that my first contest season is going so well.”
Satisfied with the 11th edition of the X OVER RIDES are also the organizers, around organization manager Chris Geissler: “Today was a great show with driving performances that have inspired us all. Perfect conditions, enthusiastic spectators – in short: a perfect day. But already tomorrow the work for the X OVER RIDE 2015 starts.”
Photo credit:
Max Kroneck (winner ski men): credit: X OVER RIDE Maria Knoll
Link: Results X OVER RIDE 14
X OVER RIDE 14 | Highlight Clip 2 min: