This year's schedule boasts five stops in five different countries, with two finals events and a two-run format in Fieberbrunn, where riders' top score will count towards their result. To up the pressure even more, and to reward those with the nerves – and legs – of steel, 12,500 points for first place (instead of 10,000) will again be up for grabs in the FWT finals events.
So far this season, riders in every category have shown the world why they are the best of the best, pushing the limits and each other to new extremes. The ski men's category is extremely tight, with reigning FWT World Champion, Maxime Chabloz (SUI), sitting on top just 80 points clear of rookie Max Hitzig (GER). Ludovic Guillot-Diat (FRA) and Molly Armanino (USA) in the snowboard men's and ski women's categories, respectively, have narrow leads over the rest of the field, while Katie Anderson (CAN) – snowboard women – is sitting comfortably ahead after two spectacular wins.
Three premieres went down in the Open Faces books: Olivia Riedl caused cheers in the snowboard women's category with two backflips in her competition run and both a double frontflip and a double backflip in men's categories showed the insane level at this 1* qualifier contest.
Snowboard Men
Sebastian Kepplinger and Philipp Lanjus ensured an Austrian double victory in the category of snowboard men. Kepplinger showed a self-confident run from start to finish and delivered many jumps. Despite a short „butt-check" after a huge 360 over the first kicker, he followed up with a backflip over the second kicker and secured first place.
Snowboard Women
With a lead of more than 10 points on the second-placed Martina Matula from Slovakia, the Austrian Olivia Riedl was able to repeat her victory from the previous year and amazed the crowd when she showed two backflips in her run. Not only did she ensure a superior victory, but is also the first woman to show a (or rather two) backflip in an Open Faces Freeride competition!
Ski Women
Local hero" Vicky Candlin was able to claim a home win after her last year's third place. Candlin did a smooth run with safe cliff drops and good speed until the finish and was rewarded for her clever choice of line.
Ski Men
As freshly crowned Vice World Champion at the Freeride Junior World Championships in Kappl almost 3 weeks ago, the German Tiemo Rolshoven, who lives in Vorarlberg, once again proved his class. He opted for a clever line which earned him a lot of points and presented his „airs" with safe technique. Garnished with a „720", he got a top score and took the lead in the field of ski men's category.
The route was full of steep, technical and spectacular coastal trails that pushed the riders to their limits – the riders mastered a total of 265 km with 6100 meters of climbing. Some of the world's best riders from 30 countries competed, among them 2021 World Champion Andreas Seewald (GER), the current Cape Epic champions Georg Egger (GER) and Lukas Baum (GER), as national champions like Martin Stosek (CZE), Wout Alleman (BEL) and Hans Becking (NED). After four tough days of racing it was once again Georg Egger (GER), winner of the 2022 Mediterranean Epic, who proved to be the strongest, riding to solo victory in the general classification. In the women's race, Luisa Daubermann (GER) was the surprise of this year's Mediterranean Epic. She rode a flawless race without faltering and claimed the victory in the overall classification.
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The Alec Laird-trained Varsfontein Stud-bred Master Of My Fate gelding Atticus Finch won the Gr 3 Betway Victory Moon Stakes over 1800m in fine style on Saturday at Turffontein Standside and in the process opened up an interesting Betway Summer Cup formline that might highlight two or three horses as fair value in Johannesburg’s biggest race.
On a line through Victory Moon runner up Electric Gold, Atticus Finch will need to show a few lengths improvement to beat Puerto Manzano in the Summer Cup.
Electric Gold was 8kg better off then weight for age with Puerto Manzano when beaten 1,75 lengths in the Jubilee Stakes over 1800m last June.
Atticus Finch beat Electric Gold by 1,25 lengths at level weights on Saturday and as things stand will likely only be 5,5kg better off than weight for age with Puerto Manzano in the Summer Cup.
That means on paper he needs to find an extra three lengths to match Puerto Manzano.
By the manner of victory on Saturday he could do that.
His sire Master Of My Fate by Jet Master brings him enough stamina to enjoy 2000m.
His damsire is Caesour who sired the like of Irridescance, winner of the Gr 1 QE II Cup in Hong Kong over 2000m, as well as Regal Ransom, winner of the Gr 1 Champions Challenge over the Summer Cup course and distance.
Atticus Finch’s dam Alexia was an unplaced maiden but she is very well related being the dam of Main Defender’s dam Alessia (Judpot) as well as being a full sister to two stakes winners and a half-sister to two others.
Atticus Finch is currently the 13/2 second favourite with the sponsor for the Summer Cup.
However, his formline exposes a horse or two who look too long in the Summer Cup betting
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On Saturday December 17th at 15h40, 15 of SA's best 3yo Colts and gelding will line up at the 1600m mark @ Hollywoodbets Kenilworth Racecourse, in a bid to see who is KING. Mike de Kock who is the winning most visiting trainer sets the scene for us. Remember Horse Chestnut, Domino Man, Flight Alert, Noa From Goa and Socrat. He send two top milers from Gauteng to take on Charles Dickens, Cousin Casey and the rest.
The World Sports Betting Championships ups the ante this Saturday as the WSB Triple Crown and Wilgerbosdrift Triple Tiara Series concludes with a high-quality R4.33 million WSB Derby Day of thrilling Graded racing.
The stakes are high in every respect, with the race day headlined by the R1.5 million WSB SA Derby (Grade 1) for three-year-olds over 2450m, the prestigious R1 million HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes (Grade 1) over 1600m and the very special R750 000 Wilgerbosdrift Bridget Oppenheimer Oaks (Grade 2) for three-year-old fillies over 2450m.
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