http://mpora.com/videos/IKW6mAZ2d Courmayeur last week played host to the Swatch Freeride World Tour, welcoming the best backcountry snowboarders (and skiers) in the world. The riders were greeted by the imposing Mont Fortin face and glorious weather conditions, the perfect setting for what was a day of standout riding.

In 3rd place, Jonathan Charlet chose a very technical run, navigating the rocky face and taking some very narrow lines through tight couloirs and dropping small cliffs until he reached the open face and threw down some big and deep carves, the type you dream of while sitting in an office staring out into a drizzly British day. While Max Zipser’s run was just as technical as Charlet’s, he dropped in harder and faster, taking the bigger drops which impressed the judges enough to bump him into 2nd place. However, there was no catching Ralph Backstrom of the USA who stood out head and shoulders above the rest of the competition, taking the gnarliest line available, to secure a 1st place finish.

http://mpora.com/videos/rLd4YmKr2

http://mpora.com/videos/ip37fOEXK