While it's true that FWT requires different set of skill then alpine WC, all those guys coming from alpine WC tour are doing surprisingly good, considering they don't train anything like this. I still say proper groomers skiing technique is base for everything, including freeride, and I would dare to bet, athletes from WC tour would do better at FWT then FWT guys would do on WC tour. Well it's actually proved already, as half of top guys on FWT were alpine skiers in past including top guns like Eva Walkner etc., yet only one tried his luck on WC tour was Jon Olsson, and he wasn't doing all that great.Yeah, those videos of WC'ers show that free ride is actually a discipline that requires practice and technique. It's a different skill blend than WC skiing. Kinda of goes to the proof that WC technique is not the beginning and end of skiing.
There's no doubt that alpine racing develops excellent technical skills, and that WC skiing self selects for not only superior technique, but also athleticism, strength, and conditioning. But there is a different skill blend in all disciplines including free ride and some technique in free ride is technique that racers are generally neither trained in nor exposed to. Without doing the hard work and training in the discipline of free ride, a WC athlete would likely not be very successful.While it's true that FWT requires different set of skill then alpine WC, all those guys coming from alpine WC tour are doing surprisingly good, considering they don't train anything like this. I still say proper groomers skiing technique is base for everything, including freeride, and I would dare to bet, athletes from WC tour would do better at FWT then FWT guys would do on WC tour. Well it's actually proved already, as half of top guys on FWT were alpine skiers in past including top guns like Eva Walkner etc., yet only one tried his luck on WC tour was Jon Olsson, and he wasn't doing all that great.
Some may point to Julia Mancuso as a counter example, but I think she actually proves the point. There were only 4 women in the Bec des Rosses the year she competed. The winner and second place had something like 2500 and 2350 points, while Julia had about 1650, and the last place was 1500. Not exactly close. And the reason? She took a big jump but couldn't control her speed out of the landing which meant she couldn't hit the rest of the features. So, she was the fastest of all of the women, but other that the cliff at the top, missed the rest of the terrain.
And much closer to last than to second, or first. And I have little doubt that if she trained for the event, she would improve. My point was really that the WC is the not be all and end all of skiing. We can learn something from watching the technique of WC skiers, but their technique is not the full technique needed to be a complete skier.View attachment 74712
She was basically the same point spread from 2nd place as 2nd was from first. She would also have placed 3rd in points in the Men, though they're probably not comparable. Each place does seem to be 300 points down in both men and women.
Regardless, hardly warrants a "not good" asessment of her performance. Besides, we're talking turns.
This is getting ridiculous. Candide Thovex, who finished third, was closer to last than first too. So, she did as well as Candide did in his bracket.And much closer to last than to second, or first. And I have little doubt that if she trained for the event, she would improve. My point was really that the WC is the not be all and end all of skiing. We can learn something from watching the technique of WC skiers, but their technique is not the full technique needed to be a complete skier.