Freeride (Ski) World Tour with Max | Photo Gallery
One of freestyle kiteboarding’s biggest stars, Maxime Chabloz 🇨🇭, is not only chasing a GKA Freestyle World Title this year, he’s also skiing on the Freeride World Tour. See Max grew up on a lake at the base of the Alps, where a love for unhooked freestyle kiting was complimented with a winter ski racing and freeride agenda. The combo has produced one of the most dynamic athletes either sport has seen, including a 2022 Freeride Ski world title and Top 5 finishes on the GKA in each of the last four editions.
Seeing a break between GKA events and the final two stops of the FWT in Austria and Switzerland, we jumped on the train to see if Max could defend his title.
Tracking down the Freeride World Tour started with a train ride to Fieberbrunn, Austria. Many of the best ski towns in the Alps offer prompt train service between the villages and cities, making the whole experience a bit more magical.FWT mornings start with cameras rolling, 7am lift loads, and building tension for the day ahead.Max’s “swiss army knife” of a van is always packed with equipment. For this trip, it included his winter ski kit plus a speed flying wing. And lots of Red Bull, of course.Once at the venue, riders can only inspect the terrain from a distance, trying to gauge the conditions by watching forerunners before they fly to the top of the course in a helicopter. Athletes prepare for their heli ride to the top. It’s either that or hike – there are no lifts to this terrain. In Fieberbrunn, Maxime chose a technical line skiers right that had better snow, more hits, and more risk.
Huge airs and a small bobble resulted in a 2nd place finish and the fan’s Rider of the Day award.Max held onto 2nd Place at Fieberbrunn, pushing him into 2nd Place Overall in the Tour Standings ahead of the final in Verbier.2022 was a dream rookie season for Maxime, where he claimed the overall title and won the biggest event in freeskiing, the Xtreme Verbier.Despite a tricky snow year in the Alps, Max has been making the most of his ski days.His background in freestyle kiting translates into excellent air awareness, no matter the season and sport.Growing up ski racing means Max has control even at high speed and with big forces, allowing him to stay in control as terrain and snow conditions vary.
After Fieberbrunn, the tour traveled west to Switzerland for it’s final stop in Verbier, a world-class ski town and freeride mecca.
Unfortunately for Max and the Freeride World Tour, an avalanche took out the competition zone. The event was cancelled.The Bec des Rosses will have to wait until next year.With no chance to improve his position, Max finished 2nd Overall.Maxime’s Fan Club showed up in full strength, including parents Patrick (2nd from left), Florence (in pink), and brother Yannick, an Olympic ski racer himself (in yellow).The consolation prize for a competition canceled by snow? Bluebird pow skiing with family and friends. Max will return next season hungry for another shot at the Xtreme Verbier and Overall Title.
Special thanks to F-ONE for supporting this coverage of Maxime on snow. Now onto kiteboarding!
