• 11^th edition of the FJWC, 6^th in Kappl
• Impressive display of technical riding across all categories
• Speed and fluidity combined with big airs impressed fans and judges alike

The Freeride Junior World Championships (FJWC) returned to Kappl, Austria, with the Quellspitze offering its intimidating beauty in pristine condition to the world’s best young freeriders. Famous alums of the competition include the likes of Max Palm, Maxime Chabloz and Ross Tester, while the daughters of two legends – Jeremy Jones and Xavier De Le Rue – were competing today, vying to fill the big shoes of their fathers.

Junior world titles were on the line, and the talented field shook off the nerves to show freeride fans a glimpse into the future of the sport. Here’s what went down…

Snowboard Men
Kea Chretien (FRA) took the win with a fast, fluid run from top to bottom. He started with a small air out of the gates, then sent a huge air off the ‘mushroom cliff’ while keeping the fluidity and speed maxed out to the finish line. Vaughn Hardwick (AUS) and Max Baker (USA) completed the podium.

Snowboard Women
Lila Yeoman (USA) displayed her big mountain prowess by choosing a gnarly line with steep, technical terrain. She showed incredible sluff control in the thick of it, before boosting out into the wide-open terrain below and into victory. Eléonore Ansanay Alex (FRA) and Kaiya Hanepen (USA) rounded off the podium.

Ski Women
Zoé Delzoppo (FRA) showed technique and style throughout her run to claim the win. Her skiing looked fluid and in control, starting with an air at the top of the course, before she shredded the ‘halfpipe’ and sent two airs deep in a row with little hesitation. Mila De Le Rue (FRA) – daughter of freeride legend Xavier – finished in second place, and Tia Schenk (USA) finished third.

Ski Men
Marcus Goguen (CAN) stormed out of the gates with a couple of huge, steezy clean airs, completing the top section in no time. But it was his entry into the ‘halfpipe’ that will be remembered for some time, throwing a ginormous corked three and putting it to bolts. He wasn’t finished there, hucking himself off two more big cliffs with ease. Tiemo Rolshoven (GER) and Wyatt Gentry (USA) finished second and third, respectively, each with solid runs.

These young athletes left nothing in the tank and put on a show to remember, proving yet again that the future of competitive freeriding is in good hands. Check out the full results list and competition replay at www.freerideworldtour.com.