The Swiss “rookies” Maxime Chabloz and Sybille Blanjean will discover the Bec des Rosses on Saturday for their first Xtreme final in Verbier. We followed them during the Face check.
© Provided by Le Matin
Leader of the Freeride World Tour before the final at the Xtreme Verbier on Saturday, Maxime Chabloz was attentive during the Face check on Friday. Photo: Sebastien Anex
The athletes of the Freeride World Tour are crowded on the rocks in front of the imposing Bec des Rosses, scene of the final of the world circuit on Saturday in Verbier. Binoculars slung over your shoulder, sunglasses and the scent of convict raclette, the atmosphere is quite peaceful at Les Gentianes. But calm invades the spot when all eyes are riveted on the two magnifying glasses: the first “forerunner”, who opens one of the three departures which will be offered to the finalists on Saturday, descends the Valais face.
© FWT
The three departures that are offered to athletes for the Xtreme 2022.
“Their feedback is very important, because they tell us precisely in which sectors the snow is more crusty or better,” explains Elisabeth Gerritzen. They usually also have a good idea of jump start and landing ramps. So it will also fluctuate our choice of lines.
© Photo: Sébastien Anex
Elisabeth Gerritzen already has two victories in Verbier but takes the face check very seriously.
The Vaudoise, who has already won the Xtreme twice, interrupts her explanations to listen to the radio return of the second opener, who has left since a more committed start. “I think on the right it was more crusty, but the watchword is that the snow is changeable.” The 26-year-old experienced skier already has a choice of line in mind: “creative, that I like and that I can trust”.
Notice to “experts”
Sitting in the middle of other Freeride World Tour athletes, the Valaisan Sybille Blanjean (22) is a “rookie” on the circuit and will discover the Bec des Rosses in competition. “I feel a little nervous. The face scares me and all the more so in these conditions. Well, it seems that this crust is easy to break, there is no risk of getting stuck, she laughs. It’s fast snow, but we should be able to handle the speed.”
© Photo: Sébastien Anex
The Valaisan Sybille Blanjean does not hide a certain apprehension before her first Xtreme in Verbier.
The skier from Verbier has asked many opinions from more experienced athletes regarding her line ideas and the passages she has in mind. “I know that I will start from the small Bec, I already have my line in mind but it is the end that gives me problems with too many options”, smiles the one who points to sixth place overall.
The Valaisanne borrowed her sister’s boyfriend’s binoculars, which have an “old school” style. “He uses them to go hunting,” she says, bursting into laughter. Below, Maxime Chabloz has small binoculars and is sitting alone on his pebble. “I wanted to get an idea myself before going to chat with other athletes, justifies the 20-year-old Nidwaldo-Vaudois. I like to chat with snowboarders during the Face check, because they take smaller jumps than skiers and are more freestyle like me.
Chabloz will fall asleep with his line in mind
Winner of two stages this winter while discovering the Freeride World Tour, Maxime Chabloz was a forerunner last year on the Bec des Rosses and finds himself with the overall leader’s yellow bib a year later. “The conditions add a little stress with even more stones on the Bec, observes the feeling of winter. But my goals are achieved anyway this year!”
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Maxime Chabloz can win the title of freeride world champion on Saturday in Verbier. Photo: Sebastien Anex
The brother of alpine skier Yannick Chabloz is delighted to discover the Bec des Rosses in front of his family. “Last year, I had not made Face check as an opener and I had gone there a little blind, he smiles. But here I am very attentive and I will still take information from more experienced athletes.
During this recognition of the face, no one really reveals their final choice. Some decide on the morning of the competition and others even change lanes in the starting gate. “I flash on one or two rocks and I draw my line so that it takes me towards them in the most beautiful way, illustrates Sybille Blanjean. I’m looking for a fun line to have fun!”
The other “rookie”, Maxime Chabloz, already has two or three lines in the viewfinder of his binoculars. “I wouldn’t have chosen Saturday’s when I left the mountain today because I would still like to see videos and images from previous editions, explains the FWT leader. But it is clear that I will fall asleep with my line in mind tonight!” The one that will allow him to be crowned world champion on Saturday?
© Photo: Sébastien Anex
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