SAAS-FEE RIDE 12 - '10th Saas-Fee Ride is the best yet!'
           
Over the past 10 years of Saas-Fee Ride events we have never seen the level of style and tricks that were thrown down on the Allalin glacier this weekend.  It was a serious line up of athletes that showed the Saas-Fee crowd where the international Freeski scene is at right now.

The likes of Paddy Graham, James ‘Woodsy’ Woods, Kai Mahler, Laurent DeMartin, Luca Schuler, Yannic Lerjen, Andy Matthew and Murray Buchan to name but a few hit the kickers constructed by Kobi Würsch in Freestyle Park Saas-Fee and loved the quality of the park construction. Every rider agreed it is the best park that Saas-Fee has seen since their freestyle beginnings.

The relaxed feel of the jam style event allowed riders to push and experiment and go for top tricks. It wasn’t just for pros on the day.  There was also an amateur event set up for many participants from the ongoing summer British Freeski Camps and levels were high there too.

After a one hour warm up from the athletes the judging start at around 11am.  The judged jam session went on for just over an hour and the judges, Martin Carr and injured Team GB Katie Summer-Hayes found the following results.  Saas-Fee Ride 2012 winner went to James ‘Woodsy’ Woods with a Double Cork 12 High Mute Grab.  Although Woodsy is one of the world’s tops athletes he loves the relaxed atmosphere of the Ride events.  He’s won the London Ride and Verbier Ride but never the Saas-Fee.  As Woodsy said, “This was a tick in the box to cover wins on all Ride events across the board”.  2nd place went to Swiss team rider Kai Mahler who also threw a Double Cork 12 High Mute Grab.  Laurent DeMartin took 3rd with a Switch Cork 900 and 4th went to Team GB and Red Bull/Volkl team rider Paddy Graham with a Double Cork 1080 Safety Grab.  There was less than half a point between Paddy and Laurent.

In the woman’s British rider Anna Vincenti took 1st place with a 720, Rowan Cheshire also riding for GB took 2nd with a 540 and Emma Lonsdale, long term UK half pipe rider took 3rd with a straight air.

In the amateur category Kyle Wood took 1st place with a Cork 720, Tom Sanders came 2nd with a Rodeo 720 and Will Fennely came 3rd with a 720.  All British riders and skiers who where training on the British Freeski Camps.

Overall, this event has taken Saas-Fee Ride and the summer Ride Freesport event to another level and opened the door wide for a bigger and better supported event for 2013.  We would like to thank everybody that helped out on pulling this one together and making a great bit of Ride Freesport history.  Saas-Fee is an incredible resort and one of the only one that could handle an international athlete level event.  Well done to the Saas-Fee for the resort and the mountain for making this happen.  Kobi, keep on shaping like this and the best in the world will come!  Full event results, images and video at the following link:

http://www.saasfeeride.com/competition/competition.html

Look forward to seeing you all again next July in Saas-Fee.

The Ride Freesport Team

Saas Fee Ride - 24 minute TV program from Ride Freesport on Vimeo.