With its massive snowboard-style booters and sketchy snow-covered landings, Austria’s White Style is usually the perfect start to the slopestyle season. But not this year – the finals had to be cancelled due to dense fog.
The best trick comp still went off, though, with Russia’s Pavel ‘Vishneviy’ Alekhin taking top honours with a massive backflip double-tailwhip over the 35ft+ gap. Check out the photos and videos below to catch up with all the weekend’s action.
With the White Style cancellation and bad weather also nixing January’s Australian X-Up Freeride Festival, it’s not been a great start to 2013 for the FMB World Tour. Here’s hoping next month’s Teva Slopestyle in Queenstown, New Zealand goes off without a hitch.
Why was White Style cancelled? This pic from Sam Reynolds explains all! Source: Instagram.com/samreynolds26
It’s a shame because the course builders had clearly spent hours sculpting the jumps. Picture by Bartek Wolinski
And, when the sun was out, the backdrop was incredible. Picture by Bartek Wolinski
Downhiller Brendan Fairclough showed the freeride boys a thing or two during practice. Picture by Bartek Wolinski
Fellow Brit Sam Pilgrim adopted the ‘kiss the front tyre’ technique to avoid windchill. Picture by Christoph Laue
While it looks like Belgium’s Thomas Genon forgot to de-ice his gloves! Picture by Christoph Laue
The snow didn’t seem to cause Czech rider Tomas Zejda any problems. Picture by Bartek Wolinski
Germany’s Peter Henke didn’t seem fased either. Eventually, though, fog put an end to the fun. Picture by Bartek Wolinski
With bikes off the agenda, riders found other ways to keep themselves amused. Picture by Bartek Wolinski
We reckon Brendan Fairclough had the coolest ride of all though! Source: Facebook.com/brendan.fairclough
Some riders seemed at ease on the snow… Picture by Christoph Laue
Others not so much! Picture by Bartek Wolinski
On to the best trick comp, and Sweden’s Anton Thelander bagged fifth place… Picture by Christoph Laue
… just behind countryman Teo Gustavson, who landed a double tailwhip. Picture by Christoph Laue
Last year’s winner Sam Reynolds took third with a nothing to no-foot-can. Picture by Christoph Laue
Norway’s Adrian Tell went down hard attempting a cash roll (180 to backflip 180)…
Source: 40ft cash roll from whitestyle? Hmm if you want… from MTBrealtalk
… but managed to bag second place with a frontflip no-hander. Picture by Christoph Laue
And Pavel Alekhin took a deserved win – he certainly seems chuffed! Picture by Bartek Wolinski
Check out the official highlights vid below:
Source: White Style 2013 official Highlight clip from Saalfelden Leogang
And here’s German site MTB-news.de’s take on things:
Source: White Style Leogang 2013 from MTB-news.de
More info at www.facebook.com/White.Style.Leogang
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When the white stuff falls, get your shred on!