Freestyle skiing

“Best snowpark in France” – Tess Ledeux, French Slopestyle champion

The Vars snowpark, acclaimed by many athletes including 2022 Olympic vice-champion Tess Ledeux, provided optimum conditions for the competitions held throughout the week. With red and black lines adapted to different levels, the skiers were able to express their full potential in the Varspark.

Monday 3 March 2025 saw the finals of the second stage of the French Freestyle Slopestyle Cup. The competition brought together riders from all over the Alps to score valuable points for the French Cup rankings.

Tuesday 4 and Wednesday 5 March continued with the French SlopeStyle Championships. Around a hundred riders competed in the Vars snowpark, putting on an impressive show. The athletes were judged on the cleanliness of their tricks, the diversity of their rotations, and the amplitude and technicality of their tricks.

Among the standout performances was 23-year-old Tess Ledeux, three-time world champion and Olympic vice-champion, who once again put her experience to good use by winning the French Slopestyle title. Using a strategic approach, she relied on perfectly controlled tricks to secure victory, while remaining true to her style.

Thursday 6 March saw the French Big Air Championships, an event that lived up to all its promises in terms of spectacle and performance. The riders had to push their limits on the third black bump of the Varspark , performing top-level tricks.

High-flying performances

In the men’s race, Albert Chapuis won with a technical run consisting of a double 14 left and a double 14 right, executed with exemplary cleanliness.

In the women’s competition, Poppy Mcgree won with a switch 540 japan and a 720 safety, two very well executed tricks. During the competition, she was one of the few riders capable of executing a switch 540 with such fluidity and ease, ensuring her a well-deserved first place.

The week of freestyle came to a close with the young riders aged 10 to 13 competing in the Slopestyle categories for the Chicks and Benjamins.

There were 80 of them at the start. 80 champions in the making, coached by their trainers with a kindly eye and sound advice on how to keep them safe. And they had nothing to be ashamed of: they performed some very impressive and technical aerial tricks, proving that the next generation is well and truly here.

And in this respect, it was two young locals who were the best today. Both from the Vars Glisse Académie, the freestyle club in Vars, Georges Billy (little brother of a certain Simon Billy, world speed skiing champion) won in the Poussins category and Louis Guidon won in the Benjamins category.

With their committed, varied and clean tricks, the young Varsincs made all the difference.