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Markus Eder, Hedvig Wessel dominate third stop of FWT 2019

Markus Eder, Hedvig Wessel dominate third stop of FWT 2019

Featured Image: Jeremy Bernard

A healthy layer of fresh and uninterrupted sunshine set the tone for the third stop of the 2019 Freeride World Tour (FWT) at Fieberbrunn in Austria. Considered one of the most technical and challenging venues on the circuit, all of the athletes arrived ready to put down their biggest lines but at the end of competition day, it was Markus Eder and Hedvig Wessel who walked away with first-place victories.

For the men, Markus Eder (ITA) has been absolutely dominating this tour. Taking home first place at the first stop in Hakuba, Japan, and second place at Kicking Horse, Eder put down another near-flawless run with a 360 at the top, a fast and smooth middle section that incorporated another big 360 and floaty transfer and a massive backflip at the bottom that earned him his second first-place finish in three stops. American Andrew Pollard, with one of the fastest and smoothest runs of the day that included a 360 at the top and a cork 360, pulled out a second-place finish. Léo Slemett (FRA) rounded out the men’s podium by taking a different line through one of the gnarliest sections of the venue, stomping a huge double air and a smooth-as-butter backflip at the bottom.

Wildcard Tanner Hall was third overall after the first two stops but a crash at the bottom of his run in Fieberbrunn allowed for Craig Murray to edge the Ski Boss off the podium of the overall rankings.

Markus Eder’s winning run

On the ladies’ side, Norway’s Hedvig Wessel had the best run of the day, sending a huge cliff straight down the fall line and finishing out with a perfectly executed backflip, earning her a winning score of 86.00. Coming off a FWT win at Kicking Horse, Jacqueline Pollard (USA) sent every air in her line, landing on the podium, once again, with a second-place finish. Elisabeth Gerritzen (SUI) found herself in third place after stomping three big airs.

Defending FWT champion, Arianna Tricomi put down a solid run but was not able to make it onto the podium at the third stop of the tour. Tricomi still holds the number one spot in the overall rankings.

Hedvig Wessel’s winning run

Now more than halfway through the 2019 FWT, athletes are feeling the pressure to thrown down their best and biggest lines. Outstanding performances from Eder and Wessel, as well as continued success for Tricomi, are setting the standard for the fourth stop of the contest in Andorra, scheduled for March 2-8, 2019. There’s no doubt it’s going to get rowdy.

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