Chamonix Freeride 2010

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This is one of my favorite write ups, so I thought I would share. The link is: http://www.theskichannel.com/news/skinews/20100201/On-Freeride-World-Tour-in-Chamonix-Jess-McMillan-unbeatable

On Freeride World Tour in Chamonix, Jess McMillan unbeatable

There was no way, no line to pass American Marker Voelkl team rider Jess McMillan in Chamonix: At this year’s first contest of the Freeride World Tour (FWT) last weekend the US freerider finished first and repeated her victory from last years beginning of the FWT in Sochi, albeit at another spot. It was the kick-off to the new contest winter and it was a really good one for Jess McMillan. “I’m so freakin’ stoked! I skied powder today and WON the Freeride de Chamonix,“ she posted on Facebook after her success in the French alps at Chamonix. In fact, conditions were not as easy as the 28-year-old freerider described them. The face, where the contest was held, had earned some fresh snow the days before and those parts were a pleasure to ride. But at the same time there were loads of spots in the face that were rock-hard and icy, so the ”Pentes de l‘Hôtel“ face in the Brévent ski area also showed his cruel aspects.

Nevertheless, the nice American skied a gorgeous run, which made it impossible for her opponents to beat her. Doing an enormous cliff drop in a very fast run and adding some more smaller but also spectacular jumps, Jess set the benchmark with no one able to keep up with her for the first victory on the FWT 2010. Just like the year before, when Jess finished first in Sochi, last season’s kick-off for the Freeride World Tour. And even if places like Chamonix or Sochi can’t be replaced, as they are either deeply rooted in the freeski scene or in the focus of the pre-olympic preparations: freerider Jess McMillan knows well about her successful starts into the contest season there. At the end of last season, Jess finished third in the overall ranking. The signs for a successful repeat of this overall podium result are looking pretty good.

Finishing amongst the top three, too, Jess’ team mate Janina Kuzma was the second Marker Voelkl freeskier on the podium. Janina ranked seventh overall in last year’s Freeride World Tour ranking, her third place in Chamonix was the first Tour-podium for the Kiwi. No matter if freeride or big mountain contests, you will have to deal with the Marker Voelkl freeski family on the Freeride World Tour this year for sure.

ABOUT: JESS MCMILLAN
She has experienced only four years of contests as a freerider. It would have taken anybody else a lifetime what Jess McMillan has reached within these four years. The overview over her successful career starts in 2006. The now 28-year-old American started her freeriding career after finishing college. As a child and teenaged ski racer Jess had dreamed of the Olympics, then she worked as a ski coach after ending up with her educational years and finally fell in love with freeriding, which means almost everything to her right now. At her first contest she finished sixth, at the end of that winter she was already Vice-Worldchampion of the IFSA and ranked second on the IFSA World Tour. The year after Jess earned the title at the US Nationals and she was crowned IFSA World Tour champion. In 2008 alone, she stood on the podium six times. Not at any small, immature contests – it was the Freeskiing World Tour Championships again, the US National Championships and the Freeride World Tour. The latter she finished second overall in the end. Now, you wanna know what 2009 was like? Well, the same! During summer, Jess McMillan loves to spend a lot of time with her husband in a kayak on the wildwater. He is a kayak professional who teached Jess to jump water falls even when they are 30 feet and taller.

ABOUT: JANINA KUZMA
Looking for a versatile female skier? Then you have to keep your eyes and ears focused on Janina Kuzma. The Australian is one of the most versatile female riders of our planet. This year, she won the NZ Freeski Open in the halfpipe as well as in the Big Mountain category. The latter one for the fifth time in a row this year. And all this did not come suddenly or as surprise, as the 24-year-old has already succeeded at the Canadian National Championships and won the Engadin Snow in 2009. At last year’s Freeride World Tour Janina ranked seventh at the end of the season. Among other reasons, her top rankings can be ascribed to the fact that Janina is one of the few people who spends the whole year on her skis. Not just flying to the winter hemisphere for a training period. Depending on what time of the year, she either lives in her adopted home city Wanaka in New Zealand, in Fernie in British Columbia or she is travelling around any mountain region of the northern hemisphere. It was also the northern half of the planet, where it all started for the likeable live wire: she learned skiing at the age of five in Austria and this was the cornerstone for a very successful freeriding career. Whilst her twin sister changed to snowboarding in the meantime, Janina’s biggest goal is still on two boards: the title of the Freeride World champion.

Feeling Good in Chamonix! I Won!

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What a crazy day. Chamonix received 40 cm, which felt like three feet, of new snow the day before the competition. I was so excited about the new snow, but was also a little nervous that the it did not have enough time to set up. The week before the competition the weather was really warm and then the temperature dropped to -1 degrees farenhiet creating bullet proof conditions. The new snow was really light and I was pretty sure I would still feel the hard layer underneath. I was also worried that the new snow didn’t have enough time to bond to the hard surface creating a potential for avalanches.

Left Side of the Competition Face with Two Feet of Fresh Snow. Beautiful!!!

Left Side of the Competition Face with Two Feet of Fresh Snow. Beautiful!!!

The face was controlled the night before the competition with little movement. The guides assured the riders that the snow was very good. We were told that when the guides skied the face, they did not feel the hard surface underneath. Great news. I chose a line that would push my limits and be a ton of fun. I was ready for the competition.

Sunrise on the Competition Face in Chamonix

Sunrise on the Competition Face in Chamonix

The men started first. As the first male competitor dropped into the face, the riders watching realized that the information we were given was not accurate for all aspects of the venue. The first five riders broke off big slabs which exposed the bullet proof layer that was there from the week before. The line that I wanted ski had a fracture of one foot above my first air and the landing looked like ice in my binoculars. I was really bummed to see that the conditions were exactly as I thought they would be, not great. I was forced to find another line with only an hour to my start time. As I was scouting, I was also watching a lot of the men really struggle to ski the face. The snow looked inconsistent and many of the men were falling. I found a line that I liked until I watched Seb Mitchaud ski. Seb skied the ramp I was planning on going down. He is one of the best skiers in the world and made the skiing look really difficult. I was pretty sure if Seb was struggling that I would be in trouble. I was sick about it. I kept searching for a line on the left side of the venue. As I was observing, I noticed the general public ripping down the powder field next to the right side of the venue, which is north facing and protected from the sun. The snow looked amazing! I knew the snow would be really good on the skiers right side of the venue, but I was having a hard time finding a line that would flow well.

Skier's Right Side of the Venue, North Facing, and Covered in two Feet of Powder.

Skier's Right Side of the Venue, North Facing, and Covered in two Feet of Powder.

I couldn’t make a decision. The snow would be excellent on the right side of the face, but lines on left side were more impressive. I was convinced that the winning line would be on the skiers left side of the venue. I kept going back and fourth on where to ski. I talked to many of the girls, who all seemed to want to ski the exact same line as I did on the right side. Finally, I decided that my skiing would look more impressive in good conditions. I decided to go for the good snow! The only problem was that if I was going to go to the good snow, and not the most impressive zone, I would have to find something big to jump off of. I found the biggest feature with the softest snow and decided to go for it.

Looking for the Biggest Feature with the Softest Snow.

Looking for the Biggest Feature with the Softest Snow.

I headed up to the top of the mountain and started the hour boot pack to start #1. The boot pack was super gnarly. When I arrived to the top, I realized I wouldn’t be able to access my line from start one. I asked the starter if I could start further down the ridge. He said absolutely not. I would have to leave from the starting gate. The problem was that if I left from the starting gate, I would have to ski uphill to get to the line I had chosen. I was freaking out. I hadn’t inspected anything else from the starting gate. I didn’t really know what was below start gate 1. All I knew was that the snow was terrible and the starting gate was over huge exposure. I didn’t know what to do. I could’ve cried. The rescue team at the top saw how worried I was and came up with a plan. They stomped out a ramp for me and with enough speed out of the starting gate I would be able to ski uphill and make it to the ridge I needed to be on to access my line. It was so nice of them. I was psyched.

I had two minutes to get ready. Before I had my boots buckles the starter told me to go. I pushed out of the gate and skied right up the packed out ramp. It worked! I headed over to far right side of the venue to find the entrance to my line. As soon as I got to the ridge, I knew I had made the right choice. The soft snow was billowing around my waist and felt bottomless. I traversed the ridge to my first air, approximately 25 feet, and sent it. The landing was unreal. It felt like landing on feathers. The snow flew over my head as I skied to my next air. There was so much snow on top of my second air that I lost all of my speed before I reached the take off. I was forced to jump off the right side of the drop. It was still a good size air, but not what I had planned on. By this time I was having a lot of fun. I ripped huge pow turns, face shots and all, to my last air. It was a small drop. I knew that to make it look impressive, I would have to hit it with a lot of speed. I sent it, maybe with too much speed. It was the only firm landing I had my entire run. My back slap was quick and I was up ripping powder turns again. I skied into the finish covered in snow with a huge smile on my face. My run was so much fun!!!!

Ok so this isn't me, it's Matt Annets, but this is how I felt in the finish arena.

Ok so this isn't me, it's Matt Annets, but this is how I felt in the finish arena.

The awards ceremony was held on the mountain right after all the riders finished competing. The announcer started with 7th place Jaclyn Paaso, 6th Crystal Wright, 5th Janette Harigin, 4th Lorainne Huber, 3rd Janina Kuzma. I was going to be on the podium. Next the announcer called both myself and Eva Walkner to the podium. We joined Janina and with a drum roll he announced, ” And in first place, from the United States of America……..Jess McMillan.” I screamed! I had just won in Chamonix! The best part of it all was that I had a ton of fun while skiing my line. All in all a fantastic day!

Bib Draw - Contest Sunday

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Chamonix Bib Draw

Chamonix Bib Draw

As people filled the main square of Chamonix, a band played, and blankets of snow fell from the sky. The scene was beautiful and just what we needed two nights before the competition. The snow forecasters are predicting upwards of 40 cm which might be enough to heel the south facing competition venue.

Chamonix Festivities

Chamonix Festivities

I spent the day inspecting the face and trying to guess where the best snow might be. As I said before the venue is south facing and has been heated many times over creating an almost bullet proof crust. In my opinion, not the best conditions for a competition. There is an east facing side to the venue that holds much softer conditions. The issue is that it is almost impossible to find a line that flows on the east face. The best features are on the true south face of the venue.

East Face of the Chamonix Competiton Venue

East Face of the Chamonix Competiton Venue


South Face of the Chamonix Compeition Venue

South Face of the Chamonix Compeition Venue

Much of the snow on the south face has rotted out around the rocks and it is hard to tell if it has crusted over. Many of the competitors are hopeful that because the venue has not been skied in the last month that the snow will still be good. I am undecided. “It’s hard saying, not knowing.”

I was hoping for a late start and that is exactly what I got. I will be starting bib 48, second to last female skier. With the conditions as they are, I have not found a line I am totally in love with. I would like to ski the south facing side of the venue, but am worried that the snow is just too funky. I could play it safe and ski the east face, hitting small features, a guarantee to stay on my feet. I think it is too early to decide. I will sleep well tonight and see what mother nature brings us in the morning.

I Made It To Chamonix!

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Not a Bad View

Not a Bad View

I made it to Chamonix with no hitches. The weather was absolutley gorgeous today. I skied Brevent, which is where the competition will be held. The snow is okay. Brevent is south facing, so the snow is a little firm in some places. The venue looks super fun. There is snow in the forecast which would be great to soften up the face a little bit.

Chamonix Competition Venue

Chamonix Competition Venue

The competition is scheduled for friday, but with snow in the forecast, it may be postponed. The first riders meeting is tomorrow and I will know more. Until the couloir skiing in Chamonix!

40″ in 4 days!

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Revelstoke Freeskiing Champions

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Lots of High Fives with Arnie Backstrom After Hearing that We Won the Revelstoke Freeskiing Championships

Lots of High Fives with Arnie Backstrom After Hearing that We Won the Revelstoke Freeskiing Championships

It was a spur of the moment decision. I had been working a lot and just barely survived the holidays. The only problem was that I hadn’t been doing a lot of skiing. I wasn’t planning on heading to Revelstoke, but it seemed like a good idea to drive up there and ski some powder and get a competition under my belt before heading to Europe. So on tuesday I picked up Griffin Post at 5 am and embarqued on the 17 hour drive to Revelstoke. We probably should have checked the weather, “winter strom warning for Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana.” After driving 7 hours through the eye of the storm, we arrived in Missoula. At this point Griff and I were convinced we were making a huge mistake. Jackson has been a bit dry this year and we decided to leave during the biggest storm to hit the Tetons all winter. We pulled over for a sandwhich and contemplated turning around. “If we drive home now, we can still make first Tram in the morning,” Griff said. I was almost convinved to turn around. I decided it would be beneficial to get a competition under my belt before heading to Chamonix for the first stop of the Freeride World Tour. Apparently, is has been dumping in Chamonix and all my compeitors have been shredding pow for the last couple of months. So we got back in the car and finally arrived in Revelstoke 16.5 hours later.

The View From the Top of Revelstoke.

The View From the Top of Revelstoke.

I have to admit I wasn’t planning on winning Revelstoke. I was convinced the Canadians would dominant the competition because Whistler opened this year with record snow. I decided to challenge myself in the competition instead of trying to “play the game” for the win. I chose a line that in my mind was a 50/50. I am typically a very smart/conservative competitor; skiing a line I know I can flash and not crash. The line I chose had some of the biggest airs I have ever hit in a competition and considering my feet had not left the ground yet this year, I wasn’t sure I would stick the landings.

Day 1 Venue - Revelstoke BC

Day 1 Venue - Revelstoke BC

in Choosing Bigger airs, I made sure all of my airs were not over exposure so if I were to crash I wouldn’t get hurt. I was so stoked after my first run. I stomped all of my airs and skied into second place behind Janina Kuzman, 4.5 points ahead of the next female competitor, Jacqui Edgerly. It was a great confidence booster for me and I couldn’t wait to ski the Mac Face for day 2.

Mac Face - Day 2 Venue Revelstoke, BC

Mac Face - Day 2 Venue Revelstoke, BC

After a weather day, I loaded the lift for one last look at Mac Face before the finals of the competition. As I watched Patrol control the face, I also watched the clouds move in. By the time Patrol reached the bottom of the face, the visibility had turned to pea soup and it wasn’t looking good for the competition. All of the competitors tried to keep their stoke up and game faces on, but as the hours went by it seemed more than likely that the competition would be cancelled.

Drew Tabke and Griff Post Suppling a Little Entertainment for the Crowd While We Waited for the Clouds to Clear.

Drew Tabke and Griff Post Providing a Little Entertainment for the Crowd While We Waited for the Clouds to Clear.

The clouds were relentless and it was impossible for the helicopter to land at the top LZ (landing zone). A decision was made that all of the competitors would ski a different face with a lower LZ.

Option 2 Venue for Day 2 - Lower LZ

Option 2 Venue for Day 2 - Lower LZ

I was really nervous about moving the venue. The women were given ten minutes to inspect before loading into the helicopter. I didn’t feel like that was enough time to choose a line wisely and was worried about getting lost or getting hurt. As we loaded the helicopter, the pilot changed his mind and decided to try one last time to land at LZ 1. All of the girls unloaded the helicopter pilot tried one last time to land at LZ 1. Within minutes we saw the pilot land and the competition was back on the MAC Face. I couldn’t believe it.

Everything happened really fast at this point. It was hard to get your mind around it all. Next thing I knew, I was standing on a knife ridge at the top of Mac Face with 5 minutes before game time. I chose a line that would be challenging for me. It included one the biggest doubles I would have ever skied in a competition. That is…….if really were a double.

Don't you think that looks like a double? I did too. It wasn't.

Don

At the top of venue, it was impossible to see the face. I was super nervous. I traversed out on to the face looking for my marker, a tree, so that I knew where to enter into my line. I reached my first air and was stoked. The snow was perfect and I found the tree marking my “double.” The snow changed a bit as I made my way to my big air. It was really faceted and skied like moving water. I remember going into avi mode, thinking okay that one tree is my only safety zone. Luckily, the snow didn’t rip and I skied to my marker, the lone tree. As I approached the tree, I discovered that the cliff I had chosen wasn’t a double at all. It was definitely a single hit of approximately 50 feet. I remember thinking that I should just send it. The snow was perfect for an air that size, but I also was thinking that if I were to get hurt, the competition would be over. There was not enough time to rescue me, if I were to get hurt, and finish the competition. Luckily, I did inspect a escape route to the right of my “double”, a 20 foot cliff that I could easily get to. I decided to take the escape route.

Plan B - The Escape Route

Plan B - The Escape Route

It turned out to be a good decision. I finished my line with another 20 foot air and then enjoyed the powder skiing down to the bottom. I finished in third for the day, but due to my 4.5 from the day before lead the day before I won the competition by a point.

Defenseless on the Podium and Covered in Corona

Defenseless on the Podium and Covered in Corona

Revelstoke was the best competition I have ever been to. The Revelstoke community was amazing; Mayor David Raven wrote each competitor a letter welcoming them to the town. The Patrol of Revelstoke and MSI truly made this competition happen and I can’t thank them enough for their hard work. It was a privledge and an experience I will never forget.

Off the Hook In Revelstoke!!!!!!!

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I won!!!!!! I wish I had time to give more of a re-cap, but I am off to awards and then to a hut trip on Rogers Pass for the next four days. All I can say is today was one of the best competitions I have ever attended. The heart of everyone was outstanding and I am so happy I was here to be a part of it. I promise a detailed report with photos when I get out of the woods. If you can’t wait: www.freeskiingworldtour.com.

Revelstoke Freeskiing Competition - Day 1

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Day 1 Venue - Revelstoke

Day 1 Venue - Revelstoke

I am currently in Revelstoke competing in the 2nd stop of the Freeskiing World Tour. If you have never been to Revelstoke, it is a must. Revelstoke is a small town with big mountains along side the columbia River. The people of Revelstoke are extremely friendly and the skiing is even better.

Columbia River from the Chairlift of Revelstoke

Columbia River from the Chairlift of Revelstoke

I am really psyched after Day 1. I chose a different strategy for this competition. I usually ski to win; playing the point game and erroring on the side of caution not to fall. This year it is my goal to challenge myself every day skiing. Believe it or not I am a relatively conservative skier. I rarely fall. This year I would like to challenge myself and see what happens. My line consisted of three large airs (some of the biggest for the women). I was really nervous because I have not had a lot practice in the air this season. My only practice was a ten foot air the day before. I figured I had a 50/50 chance of sticking my line. Not the best odds, but I also knew I would be stoked if I did stick it. So I went for it and stuck it, finishing second for the day.

Mac Face, Revelstoke - Day 2 Venue

Mac Face, Revelstoke - Day 2 Venue

The finals of the competition will be held on Mac Face (above). I am so stoked. The venue is untouched and will be a privilege to ski. Check it out live on www.freeskiingworldtour.com.

Jackson Hole Welcomes 2010

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Time to Switch Gears!

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I have spent the last two months attending the Body Arts and Science International School of Pilates. It sounds easy and I thought it would be a breeze, but after the first week of class I felt like I was back in college taking pre-med. The first day I sat done to study I spilled coffee all over my books. It was a struggle. I spent weeks flipping through flash cards, memorizing every muscles and bone in the body and how they functioned. And I can’t forget over 600 exercises and the breathing patterns of the exercise. Luckily, I hadn’t forgotten how to study and aced my mid-term. I am scheduled to graduate in January, but with the Tram open I am having a hard time studying. Somehow I just can’t quit skiing.

I started doing pilates because a friend of mine convinced me it would be the best possible thing for my body. I was a little nervous. In my mind, pilates was for old ladies. I couldn’t believe that pilates would be better than pumping iron in the gym. Yet I had know idea how abused my body was from skiing and how pilates could help rehabilitate and strengthen at the same time. My body was out of balance and I had the “skiers posture.” Not good. Basically all of my aches and pains were caused by poor posture due the muscular imbalances developed from skiing. When I first started, I could barely handle the beginner workout. I had swallow my pride and fight every day to reach the intermediate level. Over time, my body felt better; stronger, more flexible, and happier. This was when I decided I should dive head first into the pool of pilates and get certified.

I am half way through school and have never felt better, but now it is time to ski. I was planning on blowing off the first competition in Revelstoke to take my final exam, but my heart and love for skiing is not going to let that happen. Pilates has been the best thing I have ever done for my body, but my passion is skiing. So I have decided to go to Revelstoke, post-poning my graduation until after ski season. It’s time to rip!