Photography: Dom Daher and Jeremy Bernard | Courtesy of the Freeride World Tour
A quick warning before we dive in: this might be one of the most legendary Freeride World Tour (FWT) stops of all time. Georgia has become less and less of a secret in the world of freeskiing, as word of the massive mountains and gargantuan snow totals have snuck their way into the mainstream. With all this talk, it was only a matter of time before we saw a FWT start gate perched upon a Georgian peak. Boy, are we happy that day finally arrived.
On February 29, the top freeriders from around the globe descended on the eastern European country of Georgia. For those who don’t know, Georgia is more than a state in the lower 48, believe it or not. Georgia sits on the Black Sea, nestled beneath Russia and to the northeast of Turkey. The relatively small country boasts a vibrant culture that has long attracted travelers and those seeking refuge in the giant Caucasus Mountain Range. It wasn’t too long ago that this hidden gem was hardly on many skiers’ radars. Back in 2017, Sam Anthamatten, Markus Eder and Leo Slemett mounted a mission with The North Face to put down a first ski descent on Ushba. While this was the main objective, this talented triumvirate scored plenty of other lines, riding faces that resembled an Alaskan fantasy coated in snow. They were far from the first skiers in Georgia, but this film certainly gives a great insight into the type of riding one can find in the country. Now for the fourth stop of the 2024 FWT, we got to see over 30 of the worlds best skiers take on such incredible terrain, and it did not disappoint in the slightest. The Khakhiani face was steep and loaded with features, with deep snow throughout the venue. Speed barriers were reached, flight miles were logged and history was made, so let’s dive in!
In the Ski Women’s Field, there was a mix of veteran and new comers rounding out the top spots. With three of the seven riders not finishing on the face, it wasn’t all sunshine out there. The punchy, untracked venue proved to have many difficult sections throughout, but Lily Bradley managed to put down a composed line and take third place. Bradley grew up skiing Sierra cement near Tahoe, California, and that training in thicker conditions paid off in this one. In second place, we saw the familiar Hedvig Wessel, who had previously taken third place in Canada. The Norwegian regular took on a few heavy airs on her way to the silver, including a terrific stomp right out of the gate. Coming in fourth place overall, this was a crucial win for Wessel, securing her spot in the finals. The top spot belonged to Sybille Blanjean, who was in seventh place coming into the race and needed a big win. She kept it cool and composed throughout her line and made it look all too easy as she went from cliff to cliff, logging plenty of speed in between.
“I am super happy to put down that run, especially with how nervous I was at the top. There were a lot of questions in my mind, so I am happy that it paid off. Thank you, Georgia! It means so much to make the cut and have my ticket to compete at home in Verbier.” – Sybille Blanjean, 2024 Georgia Pro winner
In the Ski Men’s Field, we saw a record-setting day, literally. Never before have seven riders all scored about 90 points, but in Georgia, you never know what’s possible. From a 90.67 (Maxime Chabloz) to a 98.00 (Marcus Goguen), there were SEVEN skiers who racked in lines that were impressive enough for the judges to dish out the love too. With so much heat being thrown around, the top three finishers must have felt that much better. Third place belonged to Max Hitzig. After finishing first at the recent Kicking Horse stop, the expectations were high for Hitzig, and the German provided with a backflip right out of the gate and a massive, controlled 3. Second place was taken by Martin Bender. The young Swiss ripper had a very complete line. He threw in a giant 720 off one of the rider favorite features, and maintained great control at high speeds. None were good enough to topple Canada’s own Marcus Goguen, however. Goguen won first place by over three and a half points; a wildly large margin considering how many riders scored above a 90 but still couldn’t touch his score of 98.00. This line is one of the best demonstrations of freeride skiing we have ever seen, from line selection to composure and everything in between.
“It’s a dream come through – I’ve been working towards this for basically my entire life. I’m still in shock and can’t believe I landed that run. I made it up after the 720, as I had way more speed than expected, so I’m glad it worked out. Stoked to have scored the equal highest score with my buddy Logan Pehota. My objective is to keep it going; keep skiing lines I want to and keep having fun – that’s what it is all about.” – Marcus Goguen, 2024 Georgia Pro winner
Below, you’ll find the podium results, winning runs and a full photo gallery of the event.
Click here to watch the full coverage of Georgia stop three on the official FWT website.
The next FWT showdown is currently lined up for the iconic Austrian mecca of Fieberbrunn. The comp has a weather window of March 12-18.
Ski Women’s Results
🥇 Sybille Blanjean (SUI) 85.67
🥈 Hedvig Wessel (NOR) 80.67
🥉 Lily Bradley (USA) 78.67
Ski Men’s Results
🥇 Marcus Goguen (CAN) 98.00
🥈 Martin Bender (SUI) 94.33
🥉 Max Hitzig (GER) 93.00
Photo Gallery
Photography: Dom Daher and Jeremy Bernard | Courtesy of the Freeride World Tour
