After several years of domination on the Freeride World Tour, Marion Haerty has taken on a real personal challenge this winter.
As she announced at the start of the season, she wouldn't be taking part in the Freeride World Tour this year. After four Freeride World Champion titles, Marion Haerty set herself a new challenge. I've decided this year to express this energy elsewhere," she says, "as time goes by and snowboarding has other avenues of expression. Through video projects where sharing, discovery and of course action will be the order of the day, but also with the Natural Selection Tour where the goal of making that dream of riding these faces in Alaska a reality, will hopefully be achievable this year."
On the first stage at Jackson Hole in the USA, the Private Sport Shop ambassador was not far from reaching the final, but in the end she had to settle for third place in this inaugural event, won by American Elena Hight. The Frenchwoman put in a very solid run on her American side (see below).
During the second stage at the end of February, 14 snowboarders (nine men and five women) met on the Baldface face to try to descend with the most speed and style possible the 676 meters of negative vertical drop on the program. Marion Haerty finished on the podium once again, this time won by New Zealand's Zoi Sadowski-Synott ahead of American Elena Hight.
Thanks to her two podiums, the Frenchwoman found herself qualified for the finals in Alaska, a major objective of her season. As soon as she entered the competition, Marion Haerty proved that she was in good shape by winning her duel against the defending champion of the Natural Selection Tour, Elena Hight.
And it was a close call for the Frenchwoman to win this last stage played on the sublime face of Spinal Tap. Unfortunately, the Frenchwoman was beaten in the final by the American Hana Beaman. But the season remains magnificent for the snowboarder who also finishes in second place in the overall ranking behind Elena Hight. Next year, Marion Haerty will try to climb one more step on the podium...