All Photographs: Keegan Rice | Skier: Alex Beaulieu-Marchand
The 2025 version of Kings & Queens of Corbet’s is within the bag. After final yr’s cancellation as a result of poor situations, the occasion was a sight for sore eyes. On February 11, among the greatest skiers and boarders on the earth gathered at Jackson Gap Mountain Resort for what may very well be thought-about the last word snow sports activities huck fest. Circumstances within the Tetons lined up completely, with loads of contemporary snow and low temps preserving the course in ideally suited form.
JHMR recorded 18 inches of snow over the past 5 days. Corbet’s Couloir has additionally been closed for a number of weeks, guaranteeing that riders weren’t chucking themselves into barebones situations. The truth is, we noticed many opponents get hung up within the pow at varied factors on the face.
As in years previous, the course design was a factor of magnificence. After exiting the preliminary begin gate, riders descended to the mouth of the couloir, the place a number of take-off choices awaited. After (hopefully) sticking the touchdown, a number of pure options have been at their disposal, with a number of cliffs and lips turning into favorites over time. The underside kicker was positioned equally to earlier years, with two takeoff choices and a protracted in-run. Athletes had the choice of taking a second run in the event that they weren’t glad with their first.
Earlier than we proceed, it’s price noting that the outcomes will not be finalized but. The occasion is peer-judged, and riders will vote for his or her favorites on Friday, February 14, with outcomes being printed the next day, so keep tuned.
There have been a number of massive change-ups to Okay&Q this yr. We noticed notable skiers like Jake Hopfinger, Parkin Costain and Karl Fostvedt go away the competitors after a few years. For the primary time ever, there have been separate classes for skiers and snowboarders: Males’s and Girls’s Ski, and Males’s and Girls’s Snowboard. Every class has its personal podium and prize cash, with $50,000 being break up amongst the lot.
1st Place: $5,000
2nd Place: $3,000
third Place: $2,000
The general King & Queen, who would be the highest-scoring athlete no matter self-discipline, can even obtain a $5,000 bonus, bringing their whole purse to $10,000. The anticipation is killing us, however we will’t wait to see who the riders choose as the following King and Queen of Corbet’s.
We will solely guess who will probably be topped because the 2025 champions, however within the meantime, let’s revisit a couple of of our favourite moments. FREESKIER dialed up legendary Jackson Gap photographer Keegan Rice to get a glimpse on the occasion by means of his lens. Try the complete gallery and highlights beneath.
Tim McChesney was the primary total rider to drop. After canvassing the lip, he laced a double cork 1080. He stomped two big airs and proceeded to land an ideal swap dub 10 blunt on the underside soar. A real freeski icon, McChesney didn’t shrink back from the stress within the slightest.
Jackson Gap native Wyatt Gentry went with an enormous cork seven on his first run. He took a couple of tumbles all through, however the younger gun was fast to get again on his ft every time. His second run noticed two intense crashes as nicely within the couloir and on the underside soar. Odds are good that we’ll see extra from the JHMR rider at Okay&Q sooner or later.
Ridge Dirksmeier was one among a number of notable rookies to the competitors. The Solar Valley native received the advice from Karl Fostvedt to fill in when Fostvedt introduced he wouldn’t be competing. Dirksmeier went for a huge double entrance flip from the highest rope, certainly making Loopy Karl proud.
2022 Queen of Corbet’s Piper Kunst dropped in with ferocity as she over-rotated her backflip. By no means one to shrink back from a problem, Kunst took a second run and as soon as once more laid out a signature backie.
Slopestyle legend Alex Beaulieu-Marchand isn’t any stranger to the competitors scene. The Okay&Q rookie went for a swap dub 9, making him the primary skier within the lineup to drop swap into Corbet’s. He was tossed on the touchdown, however after recovering his skis, ABM threw a pristine mute seven, tweaking it out to the delight of the gang.
Veronica Paulsen, the primary lady to land a backflip into Corbet’s Couloir, tried a double backflip once more this yr. After a tricky crash, our ideas are with Paulsen and we hope a speedy restoration is in her future.
The flying Frenchman Lalo Rambaud went for a double backie on each of his runs. He additionally included a trendy stalled-out shifty 360 off a pure characteristic in addition to a cork seven blunt on the ultimate kicker. Making waves on the Freeride World Tour Junior circuit, Rambaud is one to regulate.
Reigning Queen of Corbet’s Claire McPherson opted for the straight air and cleanly put it proper to her ft. The group lit up as she tossed an enormous backflip off a pure characteristic midway by means of the course.
Tristan Lilly, representing the nice state of Maine, placed on a hell of a present. His first one noticed a bewildering hand drag cork seven and a entrance flip off the underside kicker. In his second run, Lilly punted an enormous double backflip. Now positioned in SLC, he’s one to maintain in your radar.
Alex Hackel upped the bar from his earlier efficiency at Okay&Q, tossing a hand drag seven proper to his ft to begin his run. He continued to lace a 360 and a proper aspect 900 with the capped blunt seize for good measure. Hackel’s run is up there for our private favourite choose this yr.
All the time inventive, Colby Stevenson managed to discover a distinctive two-step into the couloir. The 2023 King of Corbet’s bounced off one lip onto one other, doing a 180 to a swap 540 Japan seize. It didn’t go Stevenson’s method this time round, however we hope he’ll be again for extra.
Ana Eyssimont is all smiles after completely stomping her run with confidence. Her line was managed and dialed, with an enormous backflip midway by means of the course placing her in prime rivalry for the Girls’s Ski title.
